Basic Do Nots, Dry Firing, and Maintenance of Revolvers

[dgludwig]

I agree that the "flick of the wrist" with a revolver might not be the best practice. But I doubt it is as bad as most folks seem to think.

I have wondered the same thing for a long time. Even though I don't do it, I've never seen any empirical evidence that shows that the practice does any harm to a revolver. Plenty of hearsay to the contrary, admittedly.

 

[44 AMP]

The rugers are tanks. But even tanks have been damaged and broken by bad driving.

While its an old story, and may not apply (or apply as much) to modern made guns, flipping the cylinder open and shut is felt to be a bad thing by most of us.

Personally, I've always wondered if the flipping open (especially if vigorously done) isn't the more risky practice. People talk about damage to the cylinder stop from slamming the gun shut, but slamming the gun open leaves the whole weight of the cylinder hanging from the crane, being moved at some speed, and subject to a violent sudden stop.

The weight and inertia of the cylinder exerts force on the crane, at 90degrees from the normal operating direction of the crane.

Sure, its steel, but even steel has limits, and when you get beyond them, it bends. Can it happen? I think so. Will it happen? Not likely. Will it happen to you and your gun? I doubt it.

 

[AKexpat]

Another thing is when they use the pump handle to jack a round into a pump Shotgun. You can really pick the fools out pretty quickly!
ZVP

While that may be Hollywood, and lead to short stroking of the gun, show me where such action harms the shotgun.

Maybe with any pump that has one fore-end actuator bar like an early Mossberg 500, that could twist it badly.

Any pump shotgun with dual actuator bars is much tougher than your scenario.

Back in the day of good Remington 870 Wingmasters, the best test of a well used (not abused) gun (safety on) was the ability to extract and eject a spent cartridge by pointing the muzzle at the ground with a small "jerk" and then loading a new round by turning the gun muzzle up and chambering it with a small "jerk".

I am 62 years old and worked at a trap/skeet range in Nebraska from 1968-1970 at the now non-existant Roberts Dairy Farm in Elkhorn, pulling and setting clays. Made $1.50/hr with FIT and SS taken out while still in high school. The 1969 NSSA State Skeet Shoot took place there.

I shot my well broken-in 870 SA 26" during slow times at the skeet range, and it was slick as could be. Only went 25 straight once with oh so many 23's and 24's

One cannot hurt an 870 Wingmaster in the fashion you allude to.