Springs make a big difference in trigger effort, require careful selection and testing to verify reliable operation.
Firearms are surprisingly personal objects. Despite their origin as the first mass-produced items (via Whitney’s invention of interchangeable parts) in the history of mankind, each one comes to hold strong meaning for its owner. It shouldn’t be surprising that these highly personal objects are often further personalized.
Personalization can take the form of changes to increase the gun’s usability, to better fit the physique of the owner, or simply to make them better looking. No matter how good a product a factory produces, there are always those who want more – and there are those who can oblige them by delivering more. We call them gunsmiths. Many gunsmiths can produce customized revolvers to meet just about any need or desire.
Making the gun easier to shoot well should be the first goal of any customization project. If it doesn’t shoot well, why own it?
Many guns come from the factory with trigger actions that are less than ideal. While proper technique can go a long way to shooting such guns well, the fact remains that a quality action is easier for everyone to shoot.
Light hit on left-hand primer is result of too-light hammer spring. Proper primer indentation on right assures reliable ignition.
We have to distinguish between double and single action, because they each have their own criteria. While this book concentrates on the double action, and I personally shoot just about everything in double action, there is a place for the single action capability of a revolver. If you’re going to use it, you might as well get familiar with what makes for a good one.
Most aficionados would agree that a ‘good’ single action starts with a light pull weight. While what constitutes the ideal weight is a matter of debate, most shooters would accept something in the neighborhood of three pounds as being a good baseline. A good single action should have little to no creep, which is any trigger movement before the sear releases. If the gun is cocked and you very slowly bring the trigger back, any felt movement prior to the hammer dropping is creep. Sometimes the creep is obvious because of roughness felt through the trigger, but it can be so smooth as to be nearly unnoticeable.
After the sear releases any further rearward movement of the trigger is called overtravel. All factory double action guns available today have a certain amount of overtravel, and it has the effect of making the trigger feel heavier than it really is. A single action trigger with no overtravel feels very light.
Overtravel is important determinant of practical accuracy. If there is substantial overtravel, the trigger may still be traveling backwards while the bullet is exiting the barrel. If the trigger is moving so is the trigger finger, and that can result in the muzzle veering slightly off of target alignment. This isn’t a concern in most single action shooting, but in the high-accuracy games like metallic silhouette it can mean the difference between a hit and a miss at 200 meters.
The single action sear should release without any jumping or sudden movement of the trigger. Some triggers will release with what can only be described as a snap, the result of which is a slight movement of the gun just as the bullet is sent on its way. For this reason many people describe the ideal single action as feeling like breaking a thin glass rod. You’ll see this ‘glass rod’ term used in gun magazine articles and online.
Of course there is substantial variability in opinion. Sometimes what constitutes ‘best’ comes down to personal preference. Some shooters don’t mind a little creep, as long as it is perfectly smooth and doesn’t call attention to itself, while others like having a slightly heavier trigger weight. It can be a matter of what one gets used to in other areas of shooting. People who shoot a lot of military rifles, in my experience, tend to prefer a slightly heavier trigger and don’t mind some creep as long as it’s not gritty or rough.
From the standpoint of safety, having some creep and a slightly heavier trigger makes it a little less likely that an accidental discharge can happen. A cold or nervous finger is less likely to cause the gun to fire prematurely if the trigger travel is a little longer (which is what creep really is) and a little heavier. The lighter and shorter the trigger action is made, the more chance that ‘push off’ can occur – the unintentional dropping of the hammer without the trigger being operated.
A good gunsmith should be able to balance all of these aspects of the single action to make a gun that’s safe and shootable.
Double action triggers are judged by their own criteria. The most important is the feel, how the finger perceives the trigger’s motion. A good double action trigger should not have any roughness or hesitation in its stroke, regardless of weight, either in compression or return. Many factory guns feel as though they have fine sand in the action, or as though you’re running a stick down a picket fence. The shooter should not feel any evidence of parts sliding or rotating as the action operates.
A term you’ll often hear used to describe the feeling is “like butter” – smooth, viscous. I liken it to the feeling of being in a rowboat, where the pulling of the oars makes the boat glide across the water; if not for the weight on the oar handles, you wouldn’t feel anything except the sensation of movement.
For most people, the ideal double action trigger would be consistent in weight from start to finish; the term is ‘linear.’ Some guns have a trigger that gets progressively heavier toward the end of travel, which is called stacking. Others start at one weight, increase dramatically in the middle of the compression, and abruptly decrease in weight just before the sear releases. (I call this the ‘camel hump’ action, which makes sense if you think about it a minute.)
Some revolver shooters actually like a bit of stacking in their double action, as they feel it makes staging the trigger easier. I’ve never met anyone, however, who actually liked the camel hump action. It is the most difficult type of double action to shoot well, and any roughness makes it even worse.
Like the single action, the double action sear should release without jarring or jumping; it should feel as though the hammer is simply sliding off the trigger. When done properly the sear simply releases, without drama or annoyance.
I’ve found most shooters agree that overtravel in single action is to be avoided, but many of those same people like a bit of overtravel in double action. They feel that this gives the trigger a bit of free travel before hitting the stop at the end, giving the bullet time to leave the barrel before the rearward momentum of the finger has a chance to jar the muzzle off target.
This contrast in preference may be because the finger pressure is so much less between single and double action. A finger compressing a three-pound trigger for a few hundredths of an inch of travel is a very different thing than a finger moving ten or more pounds over nearly an inch. There’s a lot more momentum in the latter, momentum which can’t be stopped nearly as easily.
My personal preference is the opposite: I don’t like overtravel in double action, as I like having an immediate indication to start a smooth trigger reset. I also find that I shoot better without the overtravel. It seems counter to the physics of double action shooting which I’ve just related, but I’ve proven it over many years and many different guns. Maybe I’m just strange?
The trigger return should be judged by the same criteria as the compression: it should be linear, smooth, and without any hesitation anywhere in its travel. The trigger should reset with a distinct authority, as if it’s pushing the trigger finger back all by itself. Like the practice of trigger reset, many people forget to consider the trigger’s return as part and parcel of the whole action. Just as the reset is half of the trigger stroke, the physical return of the trigger is fully half of a good action.
You’ll note that I’ve left discussion of the trigger weight for last. It’s the first thing that most people fixate on, and I’ve actually heard people comparing the quality of their triggers solely by the weight. Weight, within certain limits, is really the least important part of a double action trigger. Far more important are the smoothness and linearity of the action.
It’s been said by many that a smooth but heavy trigger is easier to shoot than a lighter but rougher action. I’d generally agree with that, but I think it far more accurate to say that a heavy but smooth and linear trigger is easier to shoot than a lighter, rougher and camel hump action. As long as the shooter has the physical strength to actually manipulate the trigger, making it smoother and more linear will have a much greater effect on their shooting than simply reducing the overall weight.
That being said, I’ve found that the ideal range for most shooters is somewhere around nine pounds. It’s easy for all but the weakest shooters to manage, and with most guns sets the lower limit for ignition reliability. With factory revolvers having out-of-the-box double actions weighing in at twelve pounds – or even more – that’s significant reduction in trigger weight.
There are gunsmiths specializing in work for competition revolvers who can take a double action down to six pounds or so, but they can’t guarantee that the guns will always fire, or even that they’ll be usable with factory ammunition. Serious competitors usually load their own ammunition, and can do things like using extra-sensitive primers and special seating techniques to make such guns work. This is decidedly not recommended for a concealed carry revolver!
A properly experienced gunsmith can do what is variously called an ‘action’ or ‘trigger’ job on your revolver. The terms refer to the same work; there have been attempts to try to differentiate the two, but in practice there is no difference.
As we’ve already learned, it’s a lot easier to deal with a heavy trigger than it is a rough or camel hump action. The overall goal should be to make the action smooth and linear – any weight reduction should be looked at as a happy coincidence, not the primary aim.
An action job consists of re-finishing specific surfaces and internal parts so that friction is reduced in both the compression and return movements. This results in smoother trigger travel, as well as reducing the overall effort (weight) required to operate the action. This can be augmented by carefully balancing the gun’s spring rates to get the desired results.
The gunsmith starts by removing the machining and casting roughness on frame surfaces and parts, which is left by the manufacturing process. The parts have to be smoothed just the right places, and just the right way, to get rid of the roughness and friction that cause bad actions.
In some cases he or she can make slight changes to the geometry of the action to reduce or eliminate any non-linear characteristics. The classic example is the Colt Python, whose action stacks very noticeably. By carefully re-contouring the sear surfaces the mechanical disadvantage that accounts for the gun’s stacking is greatly reduced or even eliminated. The result is a smooth and very linear trigger, one that allows the shooter to take maximum advantage of the gun’s inherent accuracy.
The Smith & Wesson J-frame action tends to have a distinct camel hump in its travel. This can be greatly reduced by carefully re-profiling the double action strut attached to the hammer, making the gun much easier to shoot well.
There are other examples: the Ruger Six series have a little stacking, while the old Dan Wessons stack horribly. A good gunsmith can alter both of those to make them much more shootable, if that’s the owner’s preference.
I’ve already mentioned the importance of trigger return, and particular attention should be paid to this horribly-neglected area. As I’ve already noted, the return should be as smooth as the compression. This not only speeds up the return, but also makes it easier to keep the finger in contact with the trigger during the reset process. Sadly this is apparently a little understood aspect of action tuning, as I’ve handled guns from well known ‘smiths whose returns were no better than when the gun left the factory.
Once the action has been smoothed and any consistency problems ironed out, some attention can be paid to the overall weight of the trigger. This is a touchy subject, since there are competing criteria that must be balanced to get an action that both feels good and functions properly. As the Wicked Witch said in the Wizard of Oz, “These things must be done delicately!”
In most guns (the common exceptions being the old style Colt V-spring actions and the Ruger Redhawk) there are two springs powering the action: the mainspring, which is connected to the hammer and actually fires the gun; and the rebound spring, which is what causes the trigger to return.
The first impulse for many gunsmiths, especially those with little revolver experience, is to reduce the tension of the gun’s springs. It’s usually the easiest way to reduce the overall trigger weight, because they’re parts that are easy to reach and easy to modify or replace.
Some people will cut coils off of coiled springs or bend a leaf spring, but these are practices that have come to be seen as a form of butchery. The best method, and one that should be used only after careful consideration, is to replace a spring with one of the many reduced power versions available on the market. This can’t be done willy-nilly, because changing spring rates can have adverse effects on the overall operation of the gun.
Whenever considering a spring rate change the foremost caution is to maintain reliability. I define reliability as the expectation that the revolver will ignite primers from all common ammunition 100 percent of the time, in both single and double action. The gun needs to be able to shoot even the hardest primers (which are currently the CCI Magnum versions) every single time. It’s possible to set up a revolver such that it will ignite the very sensitive Federal primers but not, say, their Winchester equivalents. Such a gun is not, by my criteria, reliable. It may be sufficiently functional for a specific task, like competition shooting with those Federal primers, but it’s not reliable. A revolver, particularly a carry or home defense piece, needs to work with everything, every time.
Replacing the hammer spring with a lighter version usually makes the most difference in action weight, and it’s usually the easiest spring to replace. The hammer spring is also the sole determinant of ignition reliability, and if the weight is reduced the hammer may not hit primers hard enough to guarantee ignition. Reducing mainspring weight calls for careful testing to make sure that reliability is maintained. Installing an extra-length firing pin, if available, will help with reliability at reduced spring rates.
Another method of lightening the overall weight of the action is to reduce the rebound spring tension. The rebound spring is what powers the trigger return, and changing its weight can have a dramatic effect, particularly on the single action function. Changing the rebound spring doesn’t lead to ignition problems like changing the mainspring, but improperly done can have undesired side effects of its own.
The rebound spring tension can reduced to the point that the trigger sticks and doesn’t return. This is particularly common where insufficient attention has been paid to smoothing out the trigger return. Excess friction from as-machined parts, when combined with the lessened power of the lighter spring, causes the trigger to stick where the friction of unpolished parts is greatest. Even if the return works well when tested in the shop it may become unreliable later on, when the works have accumulated some dirt and/or the lubricants have thickened a bit.
This is common issue with Smith & Wesson revolvers when the rebound spring is lightened but the mainspring has been left in stock form. The rebound spring on a S&W is housed in the rebound slide; when the slide moves forward, pushing the trigger, it is also pushing the hammer away from contact with the firing pin (or, on older guns, moving the hammer and attached firing pin away from the primers). If the hammer is left with a heavy stock spring, the lightened rebound spring doesn’t have enough power to overcome the hammer. The trigger sticks at that point and fails to reset.
Changing the rebound spring weight also lowers the speed of the trigger return. In the worst cases, the shooter can actually outrun the trigger – attempting to shoot before the trigger has fully reset itself, as the trigger doesn’t move fast enough to keep up with the trigger finger. In some cases, such as with S&W revolvers, the shooter can cause the cylinder to cycle without the hammer being operated thus skipping a round. With other guns, particularly the Ruger models, the action will temporarily lock up until the shooter stops and lets the trigger reset properly.
In a competition, these side effects can lose points, but in a self-defense scenario they might be significantly more dangerous.
Changing the rebound spring, particularly if the mainspring is sufficiently more powerful, requires careful analysis and testing to insure that the action resets the way it’s supposed to. The spring rates have to be balanced, so that one doesn’t over power the other.
Proper action tuning requires a balance between reliability, trigger weight, and reset speed. It’s important to get all of those in their proper relationship to end up with a gun that meets the shooter’s needs and expectations. It’s not always easy, and it is often complicated by a lack of understanding about what is and isn’t possible.
Here’s the bottom line: you, the customer, get to choose any two of those three performance criteria – reliability, trigger weight, and reset speed – but not all three! If you want a light trigger weight coupled with good reliability, you’re going to sacrifice some return speed. If you want a light trigger and fast return, you’re going to sacrifice some reliability. If you want reliability and fast trigger reset, you’re going to have to learn to deal with heavier trigger weights.
There is no free lunch, and there isn’t a gunsmith in the world who can repeal the laws of physics: you get any two, but not all three in the same gun. You have to make the decision as to what is best for your intended use and communicate that to your gunsmith.
For a defensive gun, I believe reliability to be the first and overriding consideration. It needs to work, every time, even when dirty and neglected. It’s that last part which leads me to suggest that the second criteria for a self-defense revolver has to be return speed. The trigger needs to return swiftly and decisively, even when cold and dirty. The result is that the trigger weight will end up wherever it needs to be to ensure that the gun is both reliable and resets quickly.
For a competition gun, one which is destined for ICORE, USPSA or IDPA, most shooters find that the speed of the trigger reset is paramount. In these fast-paced games the faster the trigger returns the sooner the shooter can make another shot. With the times between shots (called splits) measuring fractions of second, every little bit counts. Of course having a trigger that resets quickly doesn’t mean much if it can’t be compressed quickly, and so the second criteria is usually trigger weight. Since the competitor will usually select or reload ammunition to suit the gun, reliability with all ammunition types is less of a concern. This gives the gunsmith the room to optimize the features that make sense in these fast-paced shooting competitions.
And so it goes – each part of the action is tuned and balanced against what the shooter wants and how he or she shoots.
Don’t get hung up on the trigger weight while neglecting the other criteria of a good trigger. Weight is easy to measure, and since it can be expressed as an objective number it’s what most people concentrate on. If weight is all your gunsmith can talk about, you might want to re-think having him work on your gun.
Trigger weight is only one-third of the equation, and focusing only on that metric ignores the other two-thirds of action performance. This is a two-way street – it’s up to the shooter to understand his or her needs, and it’s the gunsmith’s job to make sure that what the shooter asks for is within reason.
To test for push-off, cock gun and apply forward pressure to hammer. If hammer falls, gun is unsafe and should be repaired.
If the gun’s single action is to be tuned, it’s important that it be done with safety being the utmost priority. It’s possible to reduce the single action weight on a revolver to the point that the gun becomes a hazard to both the shooter and those around him.
If a single action weight is reduced too far, or a gunsmith is over-zealous in getting that ‘glass rod’ sear break, it’s possible to set up a situation where the hammer can fall without the trigger being touched. This is called push-off, and it’s the result of very light springs and/or improperly modified sear surfaces. This condition can cause the hammer to fall and potentially fire the gun without the shooter’s intent.
You can check for push-off very easily. First, make sure that the gun is empty, then double-check it. Close the cylinder and point the muzzle in a safe direction. Cock the gun, making sure to keep your trigger finger outside of the trigger guard. When the gun is cocked, push the hammer spur forward with your thumb; wiggle the thumb side-to-side slightly while doing so. If the hammer falls without your touching the trigger, it is unsafe and needs to be repaired.
Push-off can happen with any make or model of gun, though it seems to be more common on S&W revolvers – perhaps because there are more ‘shade tree’ gunsmiths working on them than any other brand. Make sure your gunsmith understands that push-off will not be tolerated, and that it’s the first thing you’ll check for.
Bobbed hammer of gun on right is a sign of double action only status, is easier to draw from concealment.
One modification that’s popular among the concealed carry crowd is rendering the gun double action only (DAO). This involves taking out the gun’s single action capability by removing the hammer’s cocking notch, leaving the gun able to be operated only through the trigger. A DAO conversion is usually combined with removing the hammer spur (called ‘bobbing the hammer’) to reduce the snagging potential of the concealed revolver.
There are several reasons for doing a DAO conversion. First, as mentioned, a bobbed hammer is less likely to snag on clothing as the gun is being drawn. A revolver carried in a pocket holster, in particular, is prone to snagging and benefits greatly from this modification. Even guns carried on the belt can snag on covering garments, however, especially if the cover in question has drawstrings or large zipper tabs. A bobbed hammer just makes the gun slicker in relation to clothing. It also makes the gun easier on the hands when practicing the draw, because there’s no sharp checkering to catch and abrade flesh. (For my money, that’s worth the trouble all by itself!)
Another argument for DAO is a perception of reduced legal liability. Many trainers believe that it’s not advisable to cock a gun to single action in a defensive shooting, as the very short and light trigger pull combined with stress-induced muscle tremors (and lack of tactile sensation) sets the stage for an accidental discharge.
As it was explained to me, if you were to deliberately shoot someone in self-defense, you can invoke the legal argument known as the affirmative defense – yes, you admit that you shot someone but you maintain that you had good reason under the law to do so. The prosecution’s job is then to prove that you didn’t have a legal reason to shoot.
An unintentional discharge, however, doesn’t have an affirmative defense. You can’t say that you intended to accidentally discharge your gun. The unintentional discharge is a much easier case for a prosecutor to make, and some have been known to falsely claim in court that the defendant cocked his gun and that it accidentally went off. Rendering the gun double action only eliminates this sort of legal maneuvering.
I’ve been told many times that this concern is overblown, but I think it’s worth noting that many police departments once rendered their revolvers double action only (and later purchased double action only autoloaders) just to prevent such problems.
The last reason for a DAO conversion is, I think, the most compelling: it’s practical. We humans, by nature it seems, want to practice what we’re already good at. It’s the easiest path to take, for practicing stuff we’re not good at is both hard and just a bit humiliating. If we find double action shooting is difficult, our natural tendency is to make it easier by cocking the gun for a shorter, lighter trigger pull.
At the range it’s not uncommon to watch someone shoot a revolver at, say, 50 feet and become disenchanted with their groups. Their frustration usually results in them switching to the easier pull of the single action, and they continue to shoot that way. They never get good at shooting double action, which through frustration makes them shoot single action more, which makes them worse in double action, which….you get the picture!
Remember my story back in the introduction? I was one of those people. It wasn’t until I made a hard resolution to master the double action trigger that I made any progress. Rendering my gun DAO made it easier to stick to my decision because I could no longer shoot single action even if I wanted to. The result is that I became good enough, and confident enough, to routinely beat good shooters with single action autoloaders in competition. That doesn’t mean I gave up single action entirely, because it’s still the only way to compete in the long-range accuracy contests like metallic silhouette. For just about anything else, though, I’m a double action guy.
If you’re going to use your revolver for concealed carry, home defense, or most competition shooting, I see no advantage to retaining the single action notch. For serious handgun hunting and long range handgun competition, single action becomes more of a necessity. Decide on a DAO conversion based on how you’re going to use your revolver.
In a previous chapter I devoted some time talking about judging gun and shooter fit. The reason is that a gun that fits the shooter properly is easier to shoot well. Trying to become a good revolver shooter is enough work without fighting a gun that doesn’t fit.
There are some things that you can do (or have done) to your revolver to make it fit your hand better. One caveat: there is a limit to how great a mismatch can be remedied by gunsmithing. If there is too great a difference between the gun and you, the best course of action may be to buy a new gun.
Stippling of backstrap dramatically improves traction against hand.
The first and easiest method to fit a revolver to your hand is to simply replace the grips. We explored the topic of grip fit in Chapter Two, but only touched on the subject of having custom grips made. In many cases the production grips available from commercial manufacturers are enough, but if you have hands that are significantly smaller or larger than the norm, a custom gripmaker may be able to get a better fit than those picked off the rack. Think of custom grips as you would a tailored suit – made to fit you and no one else.
The process of having custom grips made starts by selecting a grip pattern. Most gripmakes have general shapes that they make, but the purpose of going to a custom maker is so that changes can be made to the basic pattern to better meet your needs and wants. Someone with oversize hands, for instance, can have the grip made slightly longer and thicker. Someone with short fingers, on the other hand, can have their grips made with thinner panels to reduce the grip circumference.
The custom gripmaker will usually request a tracing of your hand before work is started. This allows him to make sure that the grips are of the proper size. Some people may describe their hands as small or large, but there are those people with large palms and short fingers, and others with small palms but long fingers. Those require different grips, even though the overall hand and finger dimensions might be the same.
Many grip makers will offer their patterns with and without finger grooves. Though I don’t personally like finger grooves, they are substantially more useful when they actually fit the user’s fingers. The hand tracing helps the maker put the grooves, if they’re ordered, in the proper relationship for a good fit.
Many makers, though certainly not all, offer checkering for added traction. Checkering helps maintain a grip on the revolver when your hands are wet or sweating, but can also be an aesthetic addition. If the gripmaker you choose doesn’t offer checkering, don’t fret – there are people who do nothing but checkering. Some of the patterns they produce are stunning and add immensely to the beauty of the grips.
Custom grips usually allow you a wide choice in materials. In a commercial grip you might find rubber and perhaps walnut, but a custom maker can work in materials and species with which you might not be familiar. Of course the old standby, walnut, is readily available, but there are many exotic woods as well. You can find beautiful and rare imported woods, as well as lesser-known domestic varieties. Some makers go so far as to have specific blanks set aside from which you can choose the best patterns. My personal favorites are the burl woods from common North American trees, which typically display gorgeous colors and patterns you might not associate with their plainer straight-grained trunks.
Though not applicable only to custom grips, if you choose an open backstrap style you can have a modification made to the gun’s backstrap to increase traction. The frame exposed by the grip is roughened by either checkering or a process called stippling.
Checkering is done on the backstrap using specially-shaped files to cut intersecting grooves. It was once a common sight on target revolvers, but has fallen out of favor in the last few decades. Part of this is due to cost, and part due to the lack of people skilled enough to checker the backstrap’s compound curves. Even those who do checkering on autoloading pistols often refuse to attempt a revolver because of the difficulty.
Part of the decline in popularity of checkering is because stippling functions about as well, but is significantly more cost effective. Stippling is done by making many thousands of sharp-edged depressions or dents in the gun’s frame with a sharp, pointed tool. The effect varies depending on the shape of the tool used, but usually appears as a slightly sparkling matte surface, not unlike that of a fine-grit skateboard tape. Stippling has very strong traction against the skin but is gentler on flesh than all but the finest checkering. It also doesn’t tend to acquire the kind of ragged look that checkering does as it wears. As noted, stippling is much cheaper.
If done on a blued gun, either checkering or stippling will require rebluing.
Sights that are integral to the barrel are not easily changed, require attention of gunsmith.
We talked about sights in depth in Chapter Four, but we didn’t cover what fits on what guns, and what those options involve in terms of installation.
If your revolver has a pinned-in front sight blade, replacing it with something of a different pattern is relatively easy as long as the parts are available. Not every revolver with a pinned blade has options readily available. While some manufacturers have different front blades available for some of their revolvers, not every model or even every variation of every model has such a factory option.
For instance, the Ruger GP100 models with adjustable sights have a user-interchangeable dovetailed front sight. Ruger offers a number of different blades for that sight, and there are several aftermarket sources for various other shapes and sizes. The same gun with fixed sights uses a pinned-in blade that’s different from every other gun in their line, and so their options are nearly non-existent.
In the cases where a factory option doesn’t exist, aftermarket makers may be able to provide a solution. There are a wide variety of sights from a number of makers which fit a large number of guns, but even so you can’t get everything for every model. The aforementioned fixed-sight GP100, for instance, has virtually no aftermarket part support.
In such cases a gunsmith can often fabricate a blade to your desires. It won’t be nearly as cheap as simply buying a ready-made part and installing it yourself, but in those instances where there are no other choices it can be an option. At the minimum, a decent gunsmith should be able to make a ramped blade, a Patridge, or a blade with a gold bead. If you want night sights he should be able to send the completed blade to one of the licensed installers of tritium vials.
Adjustable rear sights are usually very easily changed; it’s often just a matter of removing a couple of screws, or pushing out a cross pin. Rear sights are often common across many models in a maker’s line. Smith & Wesson, for instance, uses the same adjustable rear sight for most of their revolver frames, with the exception of the small J-frame models. Ruger’s adjustable rear sight fits most of their revolvers, even the single action models. This commonality makes accessory rear blades easier to find, and there are numerous options: plain black, white outline, even express-style V notches.
Integral fixed sights, either front or rear, have their own special problems. Front blades that are machined as part of the barrel cannot be replaced without machining work. In cases where the top of the barrel has a pronounced raised area or rib, the existing blade can often be cut away and a dovetail milled to take a standard 3/8-inch dovetail sight blade. This is a very popular modification, giving the owner a choice of a huge variety of sight blades.
Sometimes the profile of the barrel doesn’t allow for the necessary machining. There must be enough material on the top of the barrel to mill through without cutting too close (or into) to the bore. This is typically an issue with the very lightest barrels, such as those found on some S&W J-frame snubbies. On revolvers with such thin barrel profiles there simply isn’t enough metal to safely machine a dovetail or a slot for a changeable sight blade. (Ironically these are the guns that are in most need of better sight blades!)
Front sight blade can be milled for installation of bright polymer insert, makes for faster sight acquisition.
In these cases the only practical alternative is a modification of the existing sight. A popular modification is to machine a dovetail into the face of the sight and fill it with a polymer insert for better visibility. These inserts are usually available in white, red, and orange – though I have seen hot pink and fluorescent green. Any of these colors are more easily seen than the plain black or, even worse, the plain stainless color found on a lot of snubnose revolvers.
While night sights are usually only available for guns with removable front blades, it is possible to have a tritium tube installed into an integral sight blade. This entails shipping the frame to a custom sight shop where they’re licensed to handle the radioactive tritium tubes.
Most fixed front sights have a standard ramped profile. The face of the ramp is often serrated to reduce glare, and those with a smooth surface facing the shooter often reflect light back as glare. This makes the sight unusable in strong light, but it is possible to serrate the sight face to eliminate the problem.
The angle of the blade’s face, the ramped section, can have a significant effect on the sight usability. A ramp with a shallow angle will be more prone to glare from overhead light than one with a steeper angle. Late model Colt Detective Specials, for instance, have a very long ramp with a shallow angle relative to the sight line. They’re famous for glaring or turning grey under a wide variety of lighting conditions, and this tendency is increased by the sight’s smooth surface. In order to make these sights truly usable I’ve found it necessary to recut the ramp to a much steeper angle, and then serrate the resulting face to eliminate any residual glare.
Rear fixed sights often suffer from a notch that is too narrow and too shallow. These can be milled to deepen and slightly widen the opening, giving a much better sight picture. This can have a dramatic effect on the usability of the sighting system, but must be carefully done so that the windage (left/right impact of the bullet) is not affected.
Guns with rear fixed sights can sometimes be modified to take an adjustable sight. It requires some machining, drilling, and tapping of screw holes but it may be an option of you want the best sight picture. The extensive machining work doesn’t come cheap, and due to the increased height of the rear sight a new front blade is always required. If the blade isn’t readily available from a commercial source, it will be necessary to fabricate a new one.
One alternative for owners of the Smith & Wesson J-frames comes from Bowen Arms. The make a special low-profile fixed rear sight that gives a superb sight picture. It requires some very precise machining (using custom made cutters) and a taller front blade, but it is the best way to improve the sight picture on these guns while still retaining a slick, snag-free profile.
One of the most important modifications on a defensive or competition gun is chamfering the chamber mouths. This is a machining step that cuts a small 45-degree angle into the mouth of each chamber. The result is a funnel shape that more easily guides the bullet nose into the chamber. For such a small change it’s amazing how much easier and faster reloading becomes.
It’s important that the gunsmith chamfer the cylinder itself and not the ejector star. Putting a chamfer on the ejector dramatically increases the risk of a case-under-extractor malfunction, even with good reload technique.
Chamfered chambers make for smoother, faster reloading.
Modern revolvers come from the factory equipped with a myriad of sharp edges and corners that seem tailor made for inflicting pain on their unsuspecting owners. I’ve actually cut my fingers on the razor-sharp machined edges some of these guns. Having a gun that draws blood on both ends is not conducive to happy ownership, but luckily there is a solution: you can have your revolver dehorned, or melted.
The difference between the two is of degree. In a dehorning, all sharp edges are relieved (very slightly beveled) and then polished off. This turns the gun’s edges from a scalpel into a butter knife. Special attention is paid to the surfaces which are exposed when the cylinder is open, making the reloading process less painful. Dressing edge at the front of the cylinder, which is often an optional service, can also make holstering easier.
If done properly, a dehorned gun attains a ‘well worn’ feeling, but looks almost identical to an untouched model – at least at first glance. You have to look closely to see the extensive handwork that makes up a good dehorning job. This subtlety leads me to refer to a dehorning as a modification that you feel, but not see.
A melt is like a dehorn on steroids. On a melted gun the edges are dramatically rounded, to the extent that the gun takes on some of the appearance of a used bar of soap. Originated by gunsmith Jim Clark Sr., this was originally a modification for autoloaders. In the intervening years it’s been applied to the revolver, with various degrees of aesthetic success. It does makes for a very slick feel, but whether it’s significantly better than a simple dehorn is a matter of some debate. One thing’s for sure – if you show up to the range with a melted revolver, you will attract attention.
One modification is often done apart from a dehorn or a melt, and that is the smoothing of the thumb latch on S&W revolvers. While recent incarnations of that part are significantly more comfortable than those of old, many people still complain that the edges and checkering of the latch injures their thumb. It can be smoothed so that operation is largely unaffected while eliminating the abrasive effect on the thumb.
All modifications that involve smoothing edges require refinishing, unless you happen to like carrying around the revolver equivalent of a rusted ’72 Monte Carlo.
Deeply-serrated trigger on right is less suitable for double action work than trigger on left, which has been rounded and polished smooth.
Up into the mid-1990s, the fashion for revolver triggers was wide and serrated. Even when the triggers weren’t all that wide, they were usually serrated. These triggers, while great for deliberate single action shooting, make good double action shooting difficult. They tend to grab onto flesh and quickly chafe even the most callused trigger finger.
Colt triggers, particularly the Python, had very deep and sharp serrations while Smith & Wesson triggers came with much finer grooves. Both had sharp, abrupt edges that by themselves were the source of a great deal of discomfort. These deficiencies can be easily corrected by a gunsmith. The wide trigger can be shaved to a narrower dimension, and serrations can be polished off leaving a nice smooth surface. The edges can be deeply radiused so that the trigger feels like an old friend. The difference is quite dramatic, and may be my second most favorite modification (the first being chamber chamfering.)
Today most revolvers come with narrower and smoother triggers, but they still often have sharp edges. Ruger revolvers in particular are noted for their very sharp edges, which chafe and have caused blisters in extended shooting sessions. Having the edges radiused makes a big improvement and allows the distal finger joint to do its work unharmed.
If the gunsmith is particularly savvy he can offer a bit of an option when rounding and polishing a trigger face. It’s possible to subtly change the cross-sectional shape of the trigger face. It can be relatively flat before rounding off to the side, or it can be more hemispherical – a continuous curve from center to edge. Each has a distinct feel: a flattened face makes the trigger feel slightly wider, while a rounded face feels a little narrower.
The choice is usually determined by the overall trigger width. On a Colt, which has a very narrow trigger to start, I find that a slightly flattened face is more comfortable, while the much wider Smith & Wesson triggers feel better with a strongly rounded profile with the center distinctly higher than the edges.
One part of the trigger that is almost universally ignored is the backside – specifically, the back edges. Human flesh tends to flow around a trigger as pressure is applied, and the thicker the finger, the further back the flesh contacts. The sharp back edge that many triggers have tends to pinch the finger between the trigger and the frame, sometimes very painfully. If you have your gunsmith round the face of your trigger, have him break and polish the back edges as well. You wouldn’t think it would make a difference in comfort, but it does.
Trigger stops eliminate overtravel. This custom installation on a Ruger GP100 is adjustable; user can vary the overtravel to fit his/her needs.
As we discussed, overtravel is any amount of trigger movement after the sear releases. Most shooters prefer a single action trigger with zero overtravel, but in double action preference is not quite so universal. I prefer a double action stroke with almost no overtravel; for some reason I simply shoot them better. Others like having a bit of room for the finger to run while the bullet is still traveling down the bore.
The device that controls overtravel is the trigger stop. These are not a new invention in the revolver world; at one time S&W medium- and large-frame revolvers all came with adjustable trigger stops, or at least the provision for one. Over the years trigger stops fell out of favor, and today double action revolvers are not routinely so equipped.
A trigger stop can be added to most revolvers. Most trigger stops are external, consisting of some sort of protrusion or tab which blocks the trigger travel after a certain point. This can be attached to the back side of the trigger, in which case the protrusion hits the inside of the triggerguard and stops the trigger, or to the triggerguard itself, in which case the trigger hits it and stops. Installing a stop on the trigger is the usual method, though Ruger revolvers can be equipped with an adjustable triggerguard-mounted version.
Another option for the S&W revolvers is to have a trigger stop installed inside of the rebound slide. This is done by inserting a precisely-dimensioned rod inside of the rebound spring, which sits inside of the rebound slide. This is a quick, easy and cheap way to do the job, but many shooters complain that this type of stop is indistinct and mushy – particularly on the J-frames. It also transmits a great deal of force to the rebound slide pin, and is not recommended for the aluminum or scandium models.
One reason that trigger stops fell out of general use is the fear that they could come loose and prevent the gun from being fired. The kind of fixed stops that are typically installed today don’t suffer from that problem, but the prejudice remains.
Another concern is that dirt can get between the stop and the trigger and keep the gun from firing. This is particularly true if the trigger stop is very closely adjusted, allowing no overtravel at all. Any trigger stop used on a defensive revolver must be adjusted so that there is a slight amount of remaining overtravel, to give extra room in case debris gets caught in the gap. I recommend a minimum of .010-inch overtravel to give enough margin to prevent the occurrence. That’s not enough for the finger to notice, but it is enough that only a very large piece of junk could tie up the trigger.
With all trigger stops, if the single action capability is retained the stop must be adjusted so that both single and double actions work correctly. If adjusted for minimum overtravel in double action it may not be possible to draw the hammer back far enough to engage the single action sear. In extreme cases this may result in a trigger with much reduced overtravel in single action, but imperceptibly improved travel in double action. This is yet another benefit of a gun that’s been rendered DAO – only one adjustment needs to be considered!
For utmost comfort, back side of trigger should have edges relieved and polished.
Those whose hands are not of average size or strength often have trouble working with a double action revolver. Trigger reach can be excessive, and the heavy triggers can be challenging to master. Luckily there are some modifications (and combinations of modifications) that can make life with the wheelgun just a bit easier.
If someone has very small hands, the first order of business is to pick grips that do not cover the backstrap. This will shorten the grip-to-trigger reach, but keep in mind they will also magnify the perceived recoil. It’s sometimes a difficult trade to make as many folks with short fingers don’t have a lot of padding on their palms to help cushion the recoil. Having custom grips made that taper toward the front, or are thinner overall, will also reduce the reach a small amount. If that’s still not enough, the best recommendation may be to acquire a different gun.
With shorter or less muscular hands, it’s important that the first joint of the trigger finger get as close to the centerline of the trigger as possible. This gives the best leverage and helps avoid the steering effect of having the finger push the trigger to the side. Narrowing the trigger helps, and combining that with rounding the trigger face dramatically to the sides will give a little extra reach as well.
For those with fingers that are not terribly muscular, or those who may suffer from joint deterioration, doing some work on the action with an eye toward light trigger weight will help dramatically. It’s not unusual to be able to cut trigger weight from 13 or 14 pounds down to nine or 10. That is a dramatic difference, and I’ve found is generally sufficient for all but the worst cases.
Reducing the overall trigger weight is of course a tremendous benefit in these cases, but caution must be observed when the gun is to be used for personal protection. If the trigger weight is reduced substantially, extensive testing must be done to ensure complete reliability with common commercially available ammunition.
Guns with the camel hump trigger travel are especially difficult for some shooters to handle. Regardless of overall trigger weight, I’ve noticed time and again that shooters of all abilities rank revolvers with this problem as harder to shoot. I recently reviewed a new revolver for a gun magazine, a gun that had a very severe hump in the middle of the trigger travel. A group of a half-dozen seasoned shooters, most of them instructors, all told me that the trigger weight was 50 percent higher than it really was. They all rated it as a very difficult gun to shoot because of the action. If a revolver has a non-linear trigger, I believe big gains can be made simply by correcting that deficiency (if possible.)
Finally, it would be irresponsible of me not to point out that shooters with physical limitations are not always well served by the revolver. The longer and heavier trigger, coupled with the longer trigger reach and increased recoil over a small autoloading pistol, must be carefully considered. The revolver’s superior reliability and simpler manual-of-arms may not outweigh the fact that they are simply harder to shoot.
Though this is a revolver book, it’s important to point out that the typical resistance to purchasing an autoloader is the difficulty of operating the slide. In most cases this is a problem of technique, not of strength. The autoloader’s issues can be greatly mitigated through proper training, while the revolvers need the attention of a gunsmith. As much as it pains me to say this, sometimes the revolver just isn’t the right gun.
Porting redirects exhaust gases, forcing muzzle downward against recoil. Some factory guns, like this Dan Wesson, feature ported barrels for control of heavy magnum loads.
With Magnum-class cartridges the perceived recoil and muzzle flip are often substantial. This not only costs time for followup shots, it’s also rough on the joints of the hands, wrists, and elbows. One way to reduce the recoil and flip is to have the barrel ported.
Porting is the process of machining openings in the barrel behind the muzzle. As the bullet passes these openings, some of the high pressure gases escape and serve as a sort of miniature jet engine, driving the muzzle in the opposite direction of the gas trajectory. If the ports are on the top half of the barrel, the jet streams will force the muzzle downward and counteract the normal upward force of recoil. The higher the gas pressure, the more effective the ports.
Recoil reduction from porting can be substantial. In many cases it changes the character of the gun from painful and intimidating to tolerable – or, in some cases, actually to fun! Porting is especially valuable for the extremely powerful rounds like the big magnums, and for more sedate rounds in the ultra light revolvers.
There are some things to consider before you send your gun off to be ported. Those hot gas jets that drive the barrel can cause damage to softer things like flesh. If the gun might be used in close quarters, such as the retention shooting position taught at some schools, a ported gun may drive hot gases and particulate matter into your flesh or eyes. Be careful!
Ported guns are also louder than a stock example. As the gases escape the barrel they expand rapidly, which makes lots of noise. Instead of all those gases (and the noise) being driven away from the shooter, some come back toward the person holding the gun. If you shoot with hearing protection it’s not an issue, but you will notice increased muzzle blast, and the people next to you will complain about the noise.
Some complain that there is a reduction in muzzle velocity, but my testing has shown it’s not a big issue. Improperly done, however, a porting job can impact accuracy. If you choose to have this done, seek out a reliable source.
Ordinary, non-sponge ScotchBrite pad is used in direction of original finish to remove, blend blemishes.
The finish on a revolver serves both practical and aesthetic purposes: it protects the metal from corrosion and wear, and makes the gun look good. In most cases the factory finishes serve their purposes for many years, but modifications to the gun, hard use, and exposure to environmental extremes may require that the gun be refinished.
Stainless steel is by far the easiest material to take care of, and the only one used in firearms that needs no additional coatings or preparation to be completely functional. Most stainless guns have a brushed finish, the depth of which varies from maker to maker. As the term suggests, this finish is the result of high speed brush wheels applied to the surface of the gun. Brushed finishes hold up well and are easily repaired if scratched or worn.
(Care tip: If the brushed finish on your revolver gets damaged, it can often be repaired with an ordinary ScotchBrite kitchen pad. Put a little oil – vegetable oil is fine – on the pad and gently rub back-and-forth in the direction of the original brush marks. Don’t press too hard, a light touch is all that’s needed. Do a few passes and inspect as you go.)
Some stainless guns have a frosted appearance, which is the result of bead blasting. This process is very similar to sandblasting, except that the blasting material is made of fine glass beads. This gives the smooth matte finish so popular with custom guns. Stainless guns can also be polished mirror bright, resembling chrome or bright nickel plating.
The stainless steel revolver is very resistant to corrosion, but that doesn’t mean it can’t rust. Stainless guns carried in wet environments (particularly the salt air on the coasts) can develop rust in spots where the gun doesn’t dry completely – under the grips, for instance. I have seen examples where the owner’s skin oils were very caustic, leading to very tiny rust freckles on the gun’s surface.
Even so, stainless steel is easily the least maintenance-intensive of any gun material or finish.
Carbon steel guns were for many years the staple of revolver makers. Most carbon steel guns are blued, a chemical process that converts the top molecular layer from elemental iron to black iron oxide (magnetite.) Those molecules cannot then be converted into iron oxide (rust), affording some protection against corrosion. Blued revolvers are to many people the quintessential handguns.
Blued steel is only slightly more resistant to rust than plain steel, because under the converted surface plain steel still lurks – and the top layer is not impervious to moisture passage. A blued gun that is kept moist for even a short period of time will begin to corrode; any alkali or acid contact, no matter how slight, will greatly accelerate the process. As a result, blued guns must be maintained with some sort of rust protectant in all but the driest of climates. (See the section on rust prevention in Chapter Ten for more information.)
Blued finishes can be applied on brushed, beaded, or highly polished surfaces, with very different results. A highly polished blue was at one time the ultimate of revolver finishes, with the Colt Python being perhaps the preeminent example. The polishing step is the most important and to do properly requires a skilled worker, but in this day of automated manufacturing such people are in short supply. As a result, the mirror blue finish is largely a thing of the past. (While I don’t want my readers to think me a luddite pining for the ‘good ol’ days’, I do miss the polished blue revolver!)
Most bluing is applied by dipping the prepped metal into a heated bath of concentrated bluing salts, usually some combination of potassium nitrate and sodium hydroxide. The composition of the salt bath varies a bit from maker to maker (and often from gunsmith to gunsmith), and the resultant color varies as well.
A variant of this process is called rust bluing, which involves coating the metal with an acid which actually rusts the surface. Once the surface is covered with a fine rust it is dipped in boiling water to stop the process, which converts the iron oxide to magnetite. The rust is carded, or brushed off with a very fine wire wheel, and the process is repeated until the color of the surface reaches an equilibrium. The result is a very deep blue/black. A brown finish can be achieved by eliminating the boiling water step.
Rust bluing is a very old process, and few gunsmiths will apply it today because of the intense labor required. For a custom gun, however, it results in a finish that is unlike any other. Whether or not the look is worth the high cost is up to the gun’s owner.
All blue finishes are very susceptible to wear. Stainless steel can be similarly darkened by immersion in a chemical bath, though the resulting surface has a slight matte texture and the color is very thin. It is also not at all resistant to wear.
Alloys (aluminum, scandium, etc.) are usually anodized. Anodizing involves passing an electric current through the part while immersed in an acid electrolyte solution. The result is a conversion of the surface of the metal into it’s oxide version, which is typically harder and more abrasion resistant than the underlying material. Anodizing can be dyed to various colors, though black is the most common for firearms. Careful anodizing and dyeing can resemble bluing.
Plated finishes were once quite popular for revolvers, though their use has diminished in recent years as stainless steel has become more prevalent. Nickel plating was commonly offered as an option for revolvers from the major manufacturers, but it is rarely seen today. Nickel plate describes two very different treatments: electrolytic nickel and electroless nickel.
Electrolytic nickel, usually referred to as bright nickel, is the traditional plated finish. Bright nickel is actually two plated layers, the bottom of copper and the top of nickel, applied by submersing the parts in the respective baths and running an electric charge through the tank.
Electrolytic nickel has a definite metallic sheen and usually has a mirror-like surface, hence the term bright. Bright nickel developed a deserved reputation for fragility as it usually peeled off the metal to which it was applied, necessitating replating. Many cleaning solvents attack the underlying copper, and bore cleaners should generally not be allowed to remain in contact with the finish for any length of time.
Electroless nickel, usually called e-nickel, is a chemical process instead of an electroplate. E-nickel usually attains a very fine matte or pearlescent surface texture, as opposed to the shiny surface of its cousin. Electroless nickel is also significantly more durable and abrasion resistant, being much harder than the electroplated variety and impervious to solvents and cleaners. It is the most wear-resistant of all plated finishes, even more than hard chrome. E-nickel usually has a slight yellow or champagne tinge as contrasted with the metallic grey color of the electrolytic type. This is my favorite non-blue finish.
Hard chrome is a thick chrome plate, measured in thousandths of an inch. This is the same treatment given to things like hydraulic pistons, and is very hard and corrosion resistant. (Contrary to popular belief, hard chrome doesn’t vary chemically from the chrome on your car’s bumper; it is called hard because it is thick enough to allow a hardness test, which decorative plating is not.) Hard chrome has a distinct bluish-tinged silver color, much colder looking than even bare stainless steel. Popular on customized autoloading pistols, it is a little rare to find a revolver so treated; I’m aware of no factory hard-chromed revolvers.
There are any number of sprayed and baked polymer finishes on the market these days, from do-it-yourself types to sophisticated applications requiring specialized spraying and cooking facilities. They’re available in a wide range of colors, though their surface texture is almost invariably matte. Their principal advantage is one of cost, with color choice being a close second. They’re generally fairly durable, though not nearly so as a good plated finish. At this writing I’ve not found one that I’m completely happy with; all those I’ve tested have had unacceptable wear characteristics for a gun that’s carried on a daily basis.
Well worn stainless guns can be quickly and easily refinished with bead blasted finish.
Same gun after bead blasting and installation of fancy wood grips.
Some things, such as custom grips, can be functional and look good at the same time. Other modifications are just to make the revolver look better in the eyes of its owner, and there’s certainly nothing wrong with that.
Engraving has become less popular in recent years but it remains the most personal of all revolver modification. An engraved gun can be as simple or as ostentatious as the owner desires, and can incorporate symbols of his/her life and interests.
If an engraved gun interests you, the first thing you need to do is decide on what you want the engraving to look like. There are numerous styles, from traditional scroll to art deco to ‘bulino’ scenic illustration. Most engravers tend to specialize in one or two styles, even though they may be able to produce others. The engraving style has to be something you like, but it also has to fit the gun. Some styles don’t look right on some guns, and it’s here that a working knowledge of the art is helpful.
You’ll also need to decide on how much engraving you want. Called coverage, it’s usually expressed in terms of the percentage of the gun’s surface. Obviously the more engraving, the more it costs. Certain parts, such as hammers and triggers, are sometimes billed separately because their hardened surfaces require extra effort on the part of the engraver.
If the gun is blued, you’ll need to factor in a refinishing job once the engraving is complete. Even if the gun has a good blued surface prior to the work being done, the engraving will expose unprotected metal which will quickly rust. Rebluing after engraving is a necessary precaution.
In addition to (or sometimes instead of) the engraving, you can elect have gold inlays incised into the surface. They can be as simple as a narrow decorative band around the muzzle, or as ornate as engraved plaques of animals or busts of people. Gold inlays incur not just the cost of the engraving, but of the gold as well – and with the price of gold as this is written, that can run into very serious money.
It’s important to understand that engraving is art, and like all art there are those who are merely competent and those who are truly gifted and expressive. All engraving is not equal! I’ve seen guns whose owners invested much money to have engraving done, only to end up with something that was slightly reminiscent of a Velvet Elvis. Pick your engraver carefully, and don’t choose one without seeing the work of several others in the style you like.
Engravers are a rare breed, and those who are accomplished tend to have waiting lists measured in years. The work is really a collaboration between the owner and the artist; there are many decisions to be made along the way. You’ll need to budget both money and time. I’ve worked on revolvers which were a combination of my gunsmithing, an artist’s engraving and inlaying, and custom grips from a talented gripmaker. The time required is usually measured in years, and involves many trips between the craftspeople involved.
An engraved gun is a big undertaking, both financially and chronologically. If the idea of commissioning an engraved arm appeals to you, I recommend that you first acquaint yourself with quality work and the common motifs. Since engraved guns are not common, the best method is to research via pictures. I’ve found the book “Steel Canvas: The Art of American Arms” by R. L. Wilson as the best source of illustrations in a wide variety of styles from a great number of artists.
This is an excerpt from the Gun Digest Book of the Revolver. To get a hard copy, visit gundigeststore.com. To learn more about revolvers visit gundigest.com.
8-inch bore rod (rotates to follow rifling – for barrels)
8-inch fixed rod (doesn’t rotate – for chambers)
Bronze bore brush, caliber-specific (buy several, they wear out)
Jag or nylon bore brush, caliber-specific (for running patches through barrel)
Bronze bore brush, one caliber size up - i.e., a .40 caliber for a .357 gun (for brushing chambers)
Bronze Tornado brush, caliber-specific (for cleaning leaded barrels)
Nylon bore brush, one size up (for running patches through chambers)
Toothbrush or ‘GI Toothbrush’ (general cleaning)
Patches, cotton twill (I prefer squares of appropriate size)
Chore Boy Pure Copper scrubbing pads (for cleaning leaded or very dirty bores, cylinder flutes)
Oiler with narrow, long spout
Cotton swabs
Bore cleaner of your choice (do not use copper removing cleaners)
Lubricating oil (light, prefer type with anti-wear and anti-oxidant properties)
Rust preventative, your choice (based on information in Chapter Ten)
Spare batteries for laser (if so equipped)
Gunsmith (hollow-ground) screwdrivers (to occasionally check screws for tightness)
Years ago I mixed my first Ed’s Red (ER) bore cleaner and hundreds of users have told me that they think this home-mixed cleaner is more effective than commercial products. I urge you to mix some and give it a fair trial, compared to whatever you have been using. Competitive shooters, gun clubs, and police departments who use a gallon or more of rifle bore cleaner annually can save by mixing their own, and they will give up nothing in safety or effectiveness.
This cleaner has an action very similar to standard military-issue rifle bore cleaner, such as Mil-C-372B. Users report it is more effective than Hoppe’s for removing plastic fouling in shotgun bores or caked carbon fouling in semi-automatic rifles or pistols, or in removing leading in revolvers. It is not as effective as Sweets 7.62, Hoppe’s Bench Rest Nine or Shooter’s Choice for fast removal of heavy copper fouling in rifle bores. However, because ER is more effective in removing caked carbon and abrasive primer residues than other cleaners, metal fouling is greatly reduced when ER is used on a continuing basis.
I originally came up with this mix because I am an active high power rifle competitive shooter and handloading experimenter who uses a lot of rifle bore cleaner. I was not satisfied with the performance and high price of commercial products. I knew there was no technical reason why an effective firearm bore cleaner couldn’t be mixed using common hardware store ingredients. The result is inexpensive, effective, and provides good corrosion protection and adequate residual lubrication so that routine oiling after cleaning is rarely necessary, except for long-term storage of over one year, or harsh service environments, such as saltwater exposure.
This formula is based on proven principles and incorporates two polar and two nonpolar solvents. It is adapted from the one in Hatcher’s Notebook for “Frankford Arsenal Cleaner No.18,” but substituting equivalent modern materials. I had the help of an organic chemist in doing this and we knew there would be no “surprises.” The original Hatcher formula called for equal parts of acetone, turpentine, Pratts Astral Oil, and sperm oil, and optionally 200 grams of anhydrous lanolin added per liter. Some discussion of the ingredients is helpful to understand the properties of the cleaner and how it works.
Pratts Astral oil was nothing more than acid free, deodorized kerosene. I recommend K1 kerosene of the type normally sold for use in indoor space heaters. Some users have reported successful substitution of civilian aviation grade kerosene such as Turbo-A. I am reluctant to recommend substitution of aviation grade kerosene, because the effects upon firearm components of the additives required in aviation fuels are unknown. Some jet fuels are gasoline/kerosene blends and absolutely should not be used because of their increased flammability.
An inexpensive, effective substitute for sperm oil is Dexron (II, IIe or III) automatic transmission fluid. Prior to about 1950 most ATFs were sperm oil based, but during WWII a synthetic was developed for use in precision instruments. With the great demand for automatic transmission autos after WWII, sperm oil was no longer practical to produce ATF in the quantity demanded, so the synthetic material became the basis for the Dexron fluids we know today. The additives in ATFs, which include organometallic antioxidants and surfactants, make it highly suitable for inclusion in an all-purpose cleaner-lubricant-preservative.
Hatcher’s original Frankford Arsenal No. 18 formula used gum spirits of turpentine. Because turpentine is expensive today, and is also an aromatic solvent, which is highly flammable, I chose not to use it. Safer and cheaper is aliphatic mineral spirits, a petroleum-based safety solvent used for thinning oil-based paints and also widely used as an automotive parts cleaner. It is commonly sold under the names odorless mineral spirits, Stoddard Solvent, or Varsol.
Acetone is included in ER to provide an aggressive, fast-acting solvent for caked powder residues. Because acetone is an aromatic, organic solvent, it is recommended that users leave it out if the cleaner will be used in enclosed spaces lacking forced air ventilation. The acetone in ER will evaporate, liberating volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the atmosphere unless containers are kept tightly closed when not in use. The cleaner is still effective without the acetone, but it is not as fast-acting.
There isn’t anything in Ed’s Red which chemically dissolves copper fouling in rifle bores, but it does a better job removing carbon and primer residue than anything else which is safe and commonly available. Numerous users have told me, that exclusive use of ER reduces copper deposits, because it removes the old impacted powder fouling which is left by other cleaners, which reduces the abrasion and adhesion of jacket metal to the bore surface, leaving a cleaner surface condition which reduces subsequent fouling. Experience seems to indicate that ER will actually remove metal fouling if you let it soak, so the surfactants will do the job, though you have to be patient.
Addition of the lanolin to ER bore cleaner mix is entirely optional. The cleaner works quite well and gives adequate corrosion protection and lubrication for most users without it. Incorporating the lanolin makes the cleaner easier on the hands, increases lubricity and film strength, and improves corrosion protection if weapons will be routinely exposed to salt air, water spray, industrial or urban corrosive atmospheres, or if you intend to use the cleaner as a protectant for long term storage of over one year.
If you use other protective films for adverse use or long term storage, you can leave the lanolin out and save about $8 per gallon. At current retail prices you can buy all the ingredients to mix ER, without the lanolin, for about $10 per gallon. I urge you to mix some yourself. I am confident it will work as well for you as it does for me and hundreds of users who got the recipe on the Fidonet Firearms Echo.
Mix outdoors, in good ventilation. Use a clean one-gallon, metal, chemical-resistant, heavy gage PET or PVC plastic container. NFPA approved plastic gasoline storage containers are also okay. DO NOT use HDPE, which is permeable, because the acetone will eventually evaporate. The acetone in ER will also attack HDPE, causing the container to collapse, making a heck of a mess!
Add the ATF first. Use the empty container to measure the other components, so that it is thoroughly rinsed. If you incorporate lanolin into the mixture, melt this carefully in a double boiler, taking precautions against fire. Pour the melted lanolin into a larger container, rinsing the lanolin container with the bore cleaner mix, and stirring until it is all dissolved.
I recommend diverting a small quantity, up to four ounces. per quart of the 50-50 ATF/kerosene mix for optional use as an ER-compatible gun oil. This can be done without impairing the effectiveness of the remaining mix.
RIFLE BORE CLEANER CAUTION: FLAMMABLE MIXTURE HARMFUL IF SWALLOWED. KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN
1. Flammable mixture. Keep away from heat, sparks or flame.
2. FIRST AID, If swallowed DO NOT induce vomiting, call physician immediately. In case of eye contact immediately flush thoroughly with water and call a physician. For skin contact wash thoroughly.
3. Use with adequate ventilation. Avoid breathing vapors or spray mist. It is a violation of Federal law to use this product in a manner inconsistent with its labeling. Reports have associated repeated and prolonged occupational overexposure to solvents with permanent brain and nervous system damage. If using in closed armory vaults lacking forced air ventilation, wear respiratory protection meeting NIOSH TC23C or equivalent. Keep container tightly closed when not in use.
1. Open the firearm action and ensure the bore is clear. Cleaning is most effective when done while the barrel is still warm to the touch from firing. Saturate a cotton patch with bore cleaner, wrap or impale on jag and push it through the bore from breech to muzzle. The patch should be a snug fit. Let the first patch fall off and do not pull it back into the bore.
2. Wet a second patch, and similarly start it into the bore from the breech, this time scrubbing from the throat area forward in four- to five-inch strokes and gradually advancing until the patch emerges out the muzzle. Waiting approximately one minute to let the bore cleaner soak will improve its action.
3. For pitted, heavily carbon-fouled “rattle battle” guns, leaded revolvers or neglected bores a bronze brush wet with bore cleaner may be used to remove stubborn deposits. This is unnecessary for smooth, target-grade barrels in routine use.
4. Use a final wet patch pushed straight through the bore to flush out loosened residue dissolved by Ed’s Red. Let the patch fall off the jag without pulling it back into the bore. If you are finished firing, leaving the bore wet will protect it from rust for one year under average conditions.
5. If the lanolin is incorporated into the mixture it will protect the firearm from rust for up to two years. For longer term storage I recommend use of Lee Liquid Alox as a Cosmolene substitute. ER will readily remove hardened Alox or Cosmolene.
6. Wipe spilled Ed’s Red from exterior surfaces before storing the gun. While Ed’s Red is harmless to blue and nickel finishes, the acetone it contains is harmful to most wood finishes.
7. Before firing again, push two dry patches through the bore and dry the chamber, using a patch wrapped around a suitably sized brush or jag. First shot point-of-impact usually will not be disturbed by Ed’s Red if the bore is cleaned as described.
8. I have determined to my satisfaction that, when Ed’s Red is used exclusively and thoroughly, hot water cleaning is unnecessary after use of Pyrodex or military chlorate primers. However, if bores are not wiped between shots and are heavily caked from black powder fouling, hot water cleaning is recommended first to break up heavy fouling deposits. Water cleaning should be followed by a thorough flush with Ed’s Red to prevent after-rusting, which could result from residual moisture. It is ALWAYS good practice to clean TWICE, TWO DAYS APART whenever using chlorate primed ammunition, just to make sure you get all the corrosive residue out.
Altamont Inc.
P.O. Box 309
Thomasboro, IL 61878
(800) 626-5774
OEM grip supplier for S&W revolvers.
Hogue, Inc.
P.O. Box 1138
Paso Robles, CA 93447-1138
(800) GET-GRIP
Rubber & wood grips for a wide variety of revolvers.
Pachmayr - Div. of Lyman Products Corp.
475 Smith Street
Middletown, CT 06457
(800) 225-9626
Rubber, nylon grips for many revolvers.
Don Collins
7761 Lakewood Dr.
Unionville, IN 47468
http://www.collinscraftgrips.com
Custom gripmaker, works in wood, ivory, and Corian.
Craig Spegel
P.O. Box 387, Nehalem, OR 97131
(503) 368-5653
Grips from rare woods for S&W revolvers only, but he might make them for your Colt if you plead your case!
Eagle Grips
460 Randy Road
Carol Stream, IL 60188
(800) 323-6144
Grip manufacturer, makes wood & plastic grips for many hard-to-fit guns; one of the few to offer a selection of Ruger grips.
Herrett Stocks, Inc.
P.O. Box 741
Twin Falls, ID 83303-0741
(208)-733-1498
True custom-fit stocks at reasonable prices.
Blu Magnum Custom Grips
2605 East Willamette Ave.
Colorado Springs, CO 80909
(719) 632-2780
High end custom grips for S&W revolvers.
LB Custom Grips
The only custom gripmaker I know who works with Dan Wesson revolvers.
Gemini Customs - Marc Morganti
717 Botkins Lane
Frankfort, KY 40601
(502) 226-1230
Grips for S&W and Ruger revolvers.
Code-Eagle
1741 Forrest Way
Carson City, NV 89706
(775) 885-9992
Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers’ Institute (SAAMI)
11 Mile Hill Road
Newtown, Connecticut 06470-2539
(203) 426-4358
The source for technical information regarding any aspect of ammunition performance. Extensive website.
Steel Challenge Shooting Association (SCSA)
826 Metcalf Street PMB 73
Sedro Woolley, WA 98284
(360) 855-2245
International Confederation of Revolver Enthusiasts (ICORE)
P.O. Box 6898
Los Osos, CA 93412
The only organization exclusively devoted to revolver competition
International Defensive Pistol Association (IDPA)
2232 CR 719
Berryville, AR 72616
(870) 545-3886
United States Practical Shooting Association (USPSA)
P.O. Box 811
Sedro-Woolley, WA 98284
(360) 855-2245
National Rifle Association
11250 Waples Mill Road
Fairfax, VA 22030
(800) 672-3888
International Handgun Metallic Silhouette Association (IHMSA) Inc.
P.O. Box 95690
South Jordan, UT 84095
(801) 733-8423
XS Sight Systems
2401 Ludelle
Fort Worth, Texas 76105
(888) 744-4880
“Big Dot” Express handgun sights.
Champion Sights
The only direct replacement for Colt Python sights.
HiViz Sights
1941 Heath Parkway, Ste. #1
Fort Collins, CO 80524
(800) 589-4315
Fiber optic sight blades for many revolvers.
Bowen Classic Arms Corp.
P. O. Box 67
Louisville, TN 37777
(865) 984-3583
The most rugged adjustable rear sights for S&W and Ruger revolvers; front blades for select models and the best J-frame sights available.
Gemini Customs - Marc Morganti
717 Botkins Lane
Frankfort, KY 40601
(502) 226-1230
Fiber optic & gold bead front sights for Ruger revolvers.
Tooltech Gunsight, Inc.
20 Church Street
Oxford, Michigan 48371
(248) 628-1811
Custom night sight installation for most revolvers.
SDM FABRICATING Inc.
3775 Foskett Road
Medina, Ohio 44256
(330) 723-3098
Gold bead and fiber optic front sights, rugged rear sights for S&W revolvers.
Cylinder & Slide, Inc.
245 E. 4th Street
Fremont, NE 68025
(402)721-4277
http://www.cylinder-slide.com/
Extreme Duty fixed rear sights for S&W revolvers.
Crimson Trace Corporation
9780 SW Freeman Dr.
Wilsonville, OR 97070
(800) 442-2406
LaserGrips for many revolver models.
LaserLyte
101 Airpark Rd.
Cottonwood, AZ 86326
(928) 649-3201
Frame mounted lasers for S&W and Taurus revolvers.
Safariland Inc.
3120 East Mission Blvd.
Ontario, CA 91761
(800) 347-1200
My favorite speedloaders.
Buffer Technologies
PO Box 105047
Jefferson City, MO 65110
(877) 628-3337
JET speedloaders.
Dade Speedloaders
Available only on eBay; search for ‘Dade speed loader.’
Bobby Mac
(646) 926-2622
Imports SL Variant speedloaders.
HKS Inc.
http://www.hksspeedloaders.com
Wide range of HKS speedloaders, available only through retailers.
Maxfire, Inc.
3650 South Pointe Circle Suite 205
Laughlin, Nevada 89029
(877) 546-8701
One-piece rubber speedloaders.
5-Star Firearms
41666 N. Sheridan Road
Zion, IL 60099
(847) 731-7898
Aluminum billet speedloaders for a wide range of revolvers.
Ranch Products
PO Box 145
Malinta, OH 43535
(313) 277-3118
Moonclip manufacturer - wide range of sizes, very established company.
TK Custom
404 Fox Ridge Dr
Rantoul, IL 61866-1466
(217) 893-1035
Moonclip and accessory manufacturer, moonclip modifications to existing revolvers.
Bianchi International
A Division of Safariland
(800) 347-1200
The original SpeedStrip ammo carrier/reloading device.
Tuff Products Inc.
877-883-3776
QuickStrips ammo carrier/reloading device; available in wide range of calibers, sizes.
Warren CustomOutdoor Products
3034 Aris St. NW
Warren, Ohio 44485-1601
(330) 898-1475
http://www.warrencustomoutdoor.com/
EEzox brand rust preventatives, cleaners, greases.
PMS Products Inc.
76 Veterans Dr. #110
Holland, Michigan 49423
(800) 962-1732
Exclusive producer of original Boeshield T9 rust preventative.
Birchwood Laboratories, Inc.
7900 Fuller Road
Eden Prairie, MN 55344
800.328.6156
http://www.birchwoodcasey.com/
RIG rust inhibiting grease.
Firearms Engravers Guild of America (FEGA)
1452 Ivanhoe Rd.
Ludington, MI 49431
(616) 929-6146
These are just some of the holsters that have caught my eye; the list is by no means inclusive.
AKJ Concealco
PO Box 134
Rupert, Idaho 83350
(208) 436-7828
Can fit a large number of revolver models; my oldest holster, still in daily use after more than a decade,
is a Concealco.
Black Hills Leather
410 W. Aurora, Dept. WWW
Laredo, TX, 78041
(956) 712-9434
One of the better ‘corporate’ holster companies.
Brigade Gunleather
33301 Osawatomie Rd.
Osawatomie, KS 66064
(888) 600-2377
http://www.brigadegunleather.com
One of the few makers to offer a decently designed IWB for revolvers.
Haugen Handgun Leather
(701) 255-0723
http://haugenhandgunleather.com
Their Model 23 holster is one of the best tunnel-loops made for revolvers.
K.L. Null Holsters LTD.
161 School Street N.W.
Resaca, GA 30735
(706) 625-5643
http://www.klnullholsters.com/
Produces the SKR, one of the more unique shoulder holsters available, and my favorite gun belt.
Mernickle Custom Holsters
1875 View Court
Fernley, Nevada 89408
(775) 575-3166
Comes recommended by many of my clients.
Tauris Holsters
10 Compton Road
New Hartford, New York 13413
(315) 735-0530
One of the best selections of revolver holsters, including belt, pocket, and field models.
K&D Holsters
P.O. Box 4192
Plant City, FL 33563
(813) 659-3456
Offers an above-average number of revolver holsters to fit a wide range of models. Quality construction.
Pocket Concealment Systems
PO Box 10271
Baltimore, MD 21234
(410) 426-9004
Largest range of pocket holsters for revolvers.
Diamond D Custom Leather
3800 East Wickersham Way
Wasilla, AK 99654
(907) 631-4212
http://www.diamonddcustomleather.com
Makes a well designed and constructed tunnel loop holster for revolvers.
Tucker Gunleather
7027 Concho St. Ste. 100
Houston, TX 77074
(713) 267-4822
http://www.tuckergunleather.com
Several revolver only holsters in the line.
J.W. O’Rourke Leather Products
PO Box 1296,
Hartselle, AL 35640
(256) 751-3387
IWB, OWB, pocket holsters; one of the few who will make holsters for the Colt Python.
Winthrop Holsters, LLC
14837 Detroit Ave #316
Lakewood, Ohio 44107
(800)-216-3217
http://www.winthropholsters.com
IWB and OWB models; fits a limited number of revolvers.
Chore-Boy Products
(866) 288-0414
http://www.choreboyscrubbers.com
Makes the Chore Boy Ultimate Scrubber from pure copper knit.
Outers Gun Care
N5549 County Trunk Z
Onalaska, WI 54650
(800) 635-7656
Cleaners, oils, protectants, cleaning kits. The old standby.
Hoppe’s: A Division of Bushnell Outdoor Products
9200 Cody
Overland Park, KS 66214
(800) 423-3537
Makes Tornado brushes and the best-known bore cleaner in the country.
Lewis Lead Remover
A Product of Brownell’s Inc.
200 South Front Street
Montezuma, Iowa 50171
800-741-0015
Lead Away Cloth
A Product of Kleen-Bore, Inc.
13386 International Parkway
Jacksonville, FL 32218
(800) 433-2909
Kleen-Bore makes a huge variety of cleaning products including rods, brushes, and cleaners.
J. Dewey Manufacturing
PO Box 2014
Southbury, CT 06488
(203) 264-3064
My favorite cleaning rods and brushes; one of the few sources for solid chamber rods.
Pat Taylor Custom Checkering
1655 S. Elm St., Unit 112
Canby, OR. 97013
503-266-3684
Sherry Abraham
P.O. BOX 196
Colton, Oregon 97017
Mag-na-port International, Inc.
41302 Executive Drive
Harrison Township, Michigan 48045-1306
(586) 469-6727
The old standby for porting barrels, and still among the best.
Gemini Customs - Marc Morganti
717 Botkins Lane
Frankfort, KY 40601
(502) 226-1230
Only approved source for Jack Weigand’s ‘Hybra-Port’ system.
DeSantis Holsters
DeSantis Holster & Leather Goods Co.
431 Bayview Avenue
Amityville, NY 11701
(631) 841-6300
http://www.desantisholster.com
Bellybands available in black & tan.
Ace Case Manufacturing, LLC
160 North Main Street
St. Clair, MO 63077
(636) 629-4994
Bellybands made in white & black.
Kramer Handgun Leather
P.O. Box 112154
Tacoma, WA 98411
(253) 564-6652
Makers of The Confidant Shirt Holster.
5.11, Inc.
4300 Spyres Way
Modesto, CA 95356
(209) 527-4511
Makes a very form-fitting Holster Shirt; will carry heavier guns than others.
Brownell’s Inc.
200 South Front Street
Montezuma, Iowa 50171
800-741-0015
Brownell’s carries just about everything! Largest selection of tools, parts, and accessories.
Midway USA
5875 West Van Horn Tavern Rd.
Columbia, MO 65203
(800) 243-3220
Ammo, reloading supplies, accessories, parts - the shooting industry’s answer to ‘one-stop shopping.’
Lubriplate Lubricants Co.
129 Lockwood Street
Newark, New Jersey 07105
(973) 589-9150
The best selection of highest quality lubricants.
The Cornered Cat
Kathy Jackon’s online treasure trove of information for women who want to shoot.
Women & Guns Magazine
A Publication of the Second Amendment Foundation
12500 NE 10th Place
Bellevue, WA 98005
(425) 454-7012
The only magazine in the world written and edited by women gunowners for women gunowners.