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S&W 337 cylinder gap=.003" ...bad?
- Thread starter wire
- Start date
Mike Irwin
Staff
That's certainly a tad on the tight side.
As long as you can get 40 or 50 rounds through it, a tight gap is WONDERFUL because it increases your velocity!
I have a .002" gap on my old Charter Arms Undercover and it'll just barely do 50 rounds if the ammo is particularly clean. I would NOT have it any other way. A gap down near .002 or .003 can be the equivelent of shooting .38Spl ammo from a 1" longer barrel than what you have. It could easily mean the difference between your .38Spl/+P hollowpoints expanding, or not.
When carried, or stored as bedside defense like it is right this second, I have two speedloaders available plus what's in it. I am quite confident it'll shoot those with no dragging. That's all I care about.
If you MUST open up the gap on any revolver, I would strongly recommend doing it yourself, VERY slowly, by using a small knife-sharpening hand stone of as fine a grit as possible applied gently and evenly to the back of the barrel face. Send it to the factory, and it could come back as a .006 or some such crap...still "in spec", but not what I'd call "max efficiency" - which you NEED on any small light snubby!
Ain't no such thing as a "bad gun due to a tight gap" - at worst, all it is is a wonderful opportunity to set it up perfectly.
I have a .002" gap on my old Charter Arms Undercover and it'll just barely do 50 rounds if the ammo is particularly clean. I would NOT have it any other way. A gap down near .002 or .003 can be the equivelent of shooting .38Spl ammo from a 1" longer barrel than what you have. It could easily mean the difference between your .38Spl/+P hollowpoints expanding, or not.
When carried, or stored as bedside defense like it is right this second, I have two speedloaders available plus what's in it. I am quite confident it'll shoot those with no dragging. That's all I care about.
If you MUST open up the gap on any revolver, I would strongly recommend doing it yourself, VERY slowly, by using a small knife-sharpening hand stone of as fine a grit as possible applied gently and evenly to the back of the barrel face. Send it to the factory, and it could come back as a .006 or some such crap...still "in spec", but not what I'd call "max efficiency" - which you NEED on any small light snubby!
Ain't no such thing as a "bad gun due to a tight gap" - at worst, all it is is a wonderful opportunity to set it up perfectly.
Be sure to check the front/rear cylinder play (called end shake) because a tight barrel gap can come from a worn yoke tube end (where it meets the cylinder). As the end of the tube wears, end shake increases and the distance from the cylinder to the barrel DECREASES since the cylinder position is moving forward. If the end shake is more than .002 - .003", you can have a .002" washer installed which will tighten the end shake and move the cylinder .002" back from the barrel. Don't install a washer unless there is sufficient end play to warrant it as it will cause it to bind.