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The "Black Powder Chamfer"


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Ran across these ...

 

http://www.gunblast.com/images/Bowen-SP101/DSC02060.jpg

http://www.gunblast.com/images/Bowen-SP101/Dsc02061.jpg

 

... while looking up something else. Theoretically by chamfering back the front edge of the cylinder it directs BP fouling out and away from inside the frame to help reduce binding.

 

Any pards have this done, does the theory hold water, or does it just look cool and have little practical value?

 

Thanx in advance.

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The way I think about it is that any gas that goes sideways is apt to foul the bushing (or base pin extension in the case of Roooogers) and the base pin. So, the less blow by the better, as far as I'm concerned. I want as much of that stuff going down the barrel as possible. To me, that means small cylinder gap and no chamfering.

 

Remember, the AR gas tube does not need cleaning because the velocity of the gas going through it keeps it (relatively) clean.

 

Similarly, any gas blowing out to the side of a revolver cylinder cleans those surfaces with each shot. But, this should be minimized, rather than exaggerated, in order to keep the base pin as clean as possible for as long as possible.

 

That's my story, and I'm stickin' to it.

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Well ... it does have a use/result. This chamfer makes it easier to get the gun back into the holster without as much damage to the holster. Thats about it. As far as redirecting what comes out of the chamber on firing, the chamfer may create a somewhat wider patch of gunk on the frame surfaces after firing. It may also create a wider area of flame cutting on the top strap.

Binding is caused by gun gas fouling at the base pin and build up on the cylinder face itself. The buildup on the cylinder face is a problem if the barrel/cylinder gap is a mite tight.

It does however look kinda cool.

 

Coffinmaker

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My NMV are rounded pretty heavy, It definetly saves your holsters. Which is tha reason I rounded em.

 

On tha same note those pistols turn tha outside of tha cylinder black with 200 rounds or less. Several of us comment on it regularly. I had several at tha loadin table ask me "don't you ever clean your pistols".

 

 

RRR

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I'll bet it makes no difference in practice. Remember one of Newton's laws, paraphrased here:

 

A BP fouling particle, once in motion, tends to stay in motion (in a straight line).

 

Cutting away part of the cylinder edge will not keep any of the fouling off the face, nor allow the fraction of the fouling headed for the cylinder pin to suddenly change direction and go somewhere else.

 

Sorry, doesn't look like it has a basis in reality and science. Just because the modification would be easy to do, doesn't mean it would be worth doing. And if it WERE effective, the guys in the mid 1800s would have tried it and adopted it - Col. Colt and others were pretty smart.

 

Good luck, GJ

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Ran across these ...

 

http://www.gunblast.com/images/Bowen-SP101/DSC02060.jpg

http://www.gunblast.com/images/Bowen-SP101/Dsc02061.jpg

 

... while looking up something else. Theoretically by chamfering back the front edge of the cylinder it directs BP fouling out and away from inside the frame to help reduce binding.

 

Any pards have this done, does the theory hold water, or does it just look cool and have little practical value?

 

Thanx in advance.

 

The chamfering that supposedly allows fouling to be blown away from the gun is done in the mouth of the individual chambers, not on the outside of the cylinder.

What you show is for the sole purpose of ease of reholstering.

 

A slight chamfer on the mouth of the chambers allow for easier loading. Mine(cap and ball) are all chamfered.

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Must be a NCOWS type... or is there a single action with a swing-out cylinder?

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it just look cool and have little practical value?

 

Thanx in advance.

 

 

Yup.

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I'll bet it makes no difference in practice. Remember one of Newton's laws, paraphrased here:

 

 

 

Cutting away part of the cylinder edge will not keep any of the fouling off the face, nor allow the fraction of the fouling headed for the cylinder pin to suddenly change direction and go somewhere else.

 

Sorry, doesn't look like it has a basis in reality and science. Just because the modification would be easy to do, doesn't mean it would be worth doing. And if it WERE effective, the guys in the mid 1800s would have tried it and adopted it - Col. Colt and others were pretty smart.

 

Good luck, GJ

 

GJ -

 

Actually, 1st Gen Colts and Colt Peacemaker Centennials have beveled cylinders. Here's a fine example 1916 Colt SAA and another 1884 Colt SAA and a 2nd Gen Peacemaker Centennial

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If you look at Colts offerings prior to the SAA, they all had a square cut cylinder, with sharp edges. Bet colt got complaints about shaving the inside of holsters. Plus, with the fluted cylinder, you get twelve more "sharp spots."

We don't know why Colt started to bevel the front of the cylinder, He never said why. The factory never has said why. I don't think anyone ever asked. It (the bevel) just "was."

The bevel still looks cool. Just doesn't do anything but reduce holster wear.

 

Coffinmaker

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Howdy

 

Can't say I have ever seen a Black Powder bevel on a swing out cylinder before. Frankly, I think the business about it making the gun easier to holster is a little bit far fetched. I have no problem holstering a gun without a BP bevel. The bit about it making for less fouling is a lot of hooey. If you look at the underside of the backstrap of a Colt there is also a cutout that is there to supposedly keep the fouling from causing any binding. Again, a lot of hooey. I have never seen that cutout get filled with fouling.

 

One of my 2nd Gen Colts came with two cylinders. One is a standard cylinder, the other has a Black Powder Bevel. The cylinder on the right has the Black Powder bevel. On the left is the cylinder with the 'standard' bevel. In the center is a New Vaquero cylinder with Ruger's version of what they were calling a black powder bevel when the New Vaquero first came out. A true BP bevel has the depth of the bevel varying across the area between the flutes. It is more complicated to cut than a simple bevel. I suspect that is why Colt stopped doing it.

 

Cylinder Bevels

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I will agree with Driftwood on this one He's dead on about the bevels. The only thing that I could see that would be that they might allow more gas particles to settle on the outside of the cylinders and that is a might.They would do nothing to help with the fouling that affects the base pin or the front of the cylinder.Maybe save some leather holster wear and that is all.

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I believe the purpose of the cutout under the backstrap, in theory, was to relieve fouling and perhaps flame cutting, but, as it cost money and time to cut, and, as Driftwood noted, it doesn't seem to collect fouling, the cutout proved unnecessary, so Colt deleted it...

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