I picked up my new stainless Flattop convertible in Sat. I plan to take it to the range later today. I notice a very slight "turn ring" already starting to appear on the 357 cylinder. I have yet to install the 9mm cylinder. Is the turn ring in the Blackhawk inevitable? What can I do to minimize or eliminate this? Can this be polished out! Yes - I am anal.
Blackhawk Stainless Flattop 357/9
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Congrats on the new Blackhawk! Mine is back at Ruger this week - hope to have it back next week. You can minimize/reduce the visibility of the turn ring on stainless a couple of ways. I found the best thing to be my wife's Revlon nail file. I use the one which is made out of stiff foam or rubber and about 1/2-inch square and about 8-inches long (or, is it 4-inches long? ... 
). It has at least six grit sizes on the four sides. I never use the two coarser grits - only the four finer grits.
The very finest "grit" is really just a polisher - but the other three grits between it and the two coarse grits are perfect. I always polish perpendicular to the chambers or bore line - the same way the grain of the finish is set on (most) stainless cylinders by Ruger. Needless to say, start off with just light pressure and see how it looks - then continue around the cylinder. You should be able to clean it up pretty well - but just don't look at it outside in the sunlight or under direct light - EVERY stainless cylinder I have ever had, or have seen, looks rough when viewed in sunlight!!
There is a little bit of bad news - most of the single action cylinders will have some noticeable "dents" where the cylinder latch hits the side of the cylinder and are part of the turn ring. I usually don't try to remove those because they're too deep. The turn ring is, unfortunately, just a fact of life!! ...
). It has at least six grit sizes on the four sides. I never use the two coarser grits - only the four finer grits.The very finest "grit" is really just a polisher - but the other three grits between it and the two coarse grits are perfect. I always polish perpendicular to the chambers or bore line - the same way the grain of the finish is set on (most) stainless cylinders by Ruger. Needless to say, start off with just light pressure and see how it looks - then continue around the cylinder. You should be able to clean it up pretty well - but just don't look at it outside in the sunlight or under direct light - EVERY stainless cylinder I have ever had, or have seen, looks rough when viewed in sunlight!!
There is a little bit of bad news - most of the single action cylinders will have some noticeable "dents" where the cylinder latch hits the side of the cylinder and are part of the turn ring. I usually don't try to remove those because they're too deep. The turn ring is, unfortunately, just a fact of life!! ...
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There are two ways to prevent it from happening in a Ruger Single Action.
1) Extend the "tail" of the cylinder locking bolt - weld and reprofile.
2) Extend the hammer plunger - reprofile a piece of pinstock (drillbit works fine).
This will delay the elevation of the locking bolt such that you can time it to drop into the leade of the cylinder notches, instead of half way between the notches as they do from factory.
Now... If you close the gate with the cylinder positioned incorrectly, the locking bolt will still elevate into the void between the notches and create a faint line over time. To avoid this, you have to be mindful to close the gate with the cylinder oriented properly such that the leade or notch is over the locking bolt.
In doing a combination of 1 or 2, and closing the loading gate properly, you can avoid turn lines.
1) Extend the "tail" of the cylinder locking bolt - weld and reprofile.
2) Extend the hammer plunger - reprofile a piece of pinstock (drillbit works fine).
This will delay the elevation of the locking bolt such that you can time it to drop into the leade of the cylinder notches, instead of half way between the notches as they do from factory.
Now... If you close the gate with the cylinder positioned incorrectly, the locking bolt will still elevate into the void between the notches and create a faint line over time. To avoid this, you have to be mindful to close the gate with the cylinder oriented properly such that the leade or notch is over the locking bolt.
In doing a combination of 1 or 2, and closing the loading gate properly, you can avoid turn lines.
I'm confused. If I try to remember to align the cylinder with the barrel prior to closing the loading gate will this prevent the scaring of the barrel?
Not if you haven't done options 1 or 2! Once you have 'fixed' the bolt to come up properly, then aligning the cylinder with the barrel will prevent a faint turn line! Remember, when you close the gate, the bolt comes up to latch.... If cylinder isn't properly aligned, the bolt will drag on the cylinder when you turn it to lock in place... Hope that makes sense.
I just live with the turn line. My revolvers are 'used' revolvers, not safe queens
.The turn ring is not inevitable. Most of us end up putting a turn ring on a revolver before we get used to handling it. I just got done repairing the turn ring I put on my convertible. You have to leave the swing out gate open until you put the center pin through the cylinder. Once the gate closes the bottom lock pops up. I knew better than to close the gate but I managed to skin the gun up anyway. Luckily Birchwood Casey Super Cold Blue matches a Ruger perfectly.
It could be worse. I left my Super Blackhawk in the bottom of a boat for a couple months. That mistake required a trip to Ruger to repair.
It could be worse. I left my Super Blackhawk in the bottom of a boat for a couple months. That mistake required a trip to Ruger to repair.
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+1
Unless your SA is a safe queen or in a display case, I wouldn't worry about it.
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You will wind up with a polished area where the turn ring is/was - and the grain won't match the rest of the cylinder. Thus, my comments about using something slightly more abrasive than polish to (to some extent) remove the actual turn ring while keeping the "grain" in the finish ...
There needs to be a flat aspect, for the lack of a better term, when you work on the ring - otherwise polishing it with, say, your finger you will simply deepen the ring itself. A flat nail file, although fairly soft, will enable you remove metal around the ring - but not in it. It's OK to use a Revlon nail file - no one will accuse you of trying to be Kaitlyn!! ...
I've done this dozens of times - it works - otherwise I wouldn't post it!!
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158 Posts
Retimeing the action is the only real fix everything else is just addressing the symptom not the actual problem.
Revolver cylinder latch drag rings are as old as revolvers.
Retimeing the lock works is expensive
And it can be knocked out of time.
Rugers are very strong so that is unlikely.
In the end after all the effort. You have to justify doing it
That's in your heart
Revolver cylinder latch drag rings are as old as revolvers.
Retimeing the lock works is expensive
And it can be knocked out of time.
Rugers are very strong so that is unlikely.
In the end after all the effort. You have to justify doing it
That's in your heart
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287 Posts
I understand that the 'groove' is a relative thing but, while you are working on removing the grove you are doing the very same to the surrounding original height material. That said, what do you think of using a narrow piece of wood - say, 1/4" if not less - wrap this with a piece of T-shirt material and then, soak the cloth with rubbing cpd (the red stuff). The cylinder would be held in one hand and the rubbing cpd stick would be held against the cyl with the long dimension aligned w/the axis of the cyl pin. The 1/4" width would go the other way. The reason is that by taking 1/4" cuts it won't be so noticeable. Now, here's one for you, Geo. Do you thing that the red cpd cuts enough or leaves a too polished look? I look fwd to hearing what you have to say.You will wind up with a polished area where the turn ring is/was - and the grain won't match the rest of the cylinder. Thus, my comments about using something slightly more abrasive than polish to (to some extent) remove the actual turn ring while keeping the "grain" in the finish ...
There needs to be a flat aspect, for the lack of a better term, to you work on the ring - otherwise polishing it with, say, your finger you will simply deepen the ring itself. A flat nail file, although fairly soft, will enable you remove metal around the ring - but not in it. It's OK to use a Revlon nail file - no one will accuse you of trying to be Kaitlyn!! ...
I've done this dozens of times - it works - otherwise I wouldn't post it!!
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803 Posts
Turn rings, holster wear, blue worn off the grip frame and burn rings are all just indications of honest use. I don't worry about such insignificant things. Enjoy the gun and don't fret over minor details.
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My thoughts as well.....
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Chiz - Good idea - I wish I had thought of it! Since most stainless Ruger cylinders (except for the high-polish Vaquero's) have a satin finish - I think your idea would probably work better than mine. This is assuming that red cpd has a coarser texture than say Flitz. I would put the cylinder (assuming single action here so you could take it out of the revolver) on a soft surface, and I would polish in the same direction as the turn line. I say that only because that way you would be polishing with the grain of the rest of the cylinder.
I suppose you could polish the other direction to remove as much of the turn line as possible - then touch up the grain on those sections by polishing parallel to the turn line.
I wish I wasn't so anal about this - most everyone else, I think, just shoots their Ruger's and they don't worry about turn lines!! ...
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Now, wait just a cotton-pickin' minute here - the OCD comment is coming from the gentleman who stated (in his Cerakote/GP100 thread) words to the effect: "... no turn ring visible ...". ...
Wouldn't it be a wonderful world with NO turn rings???
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Hey no offense - if you like I can PM you the name of my therapist and meds...Now, wait just a cotton-pickin' minute here - the OCD comment is coming from the gentleman who stated (in his Cerakote/GP100 thread) words to the effect: "... no turn ring visible ...". ...
Wouldn't it be a wonderful world with NO turn rings???
The way Cerakote has held up against the dreaded turn ring has been great. The finish ablation from the blast under the top strap not so much.
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