Charter Arms 44 Bulldog cylinder alignment issue.

[randys]

I have an early Bulldog, and the face of the cylinder rubs against the rear of the barrel when closing the action. Wobble in the cylinder and a tendency to push forward under spring tension moves the cylinder forward. There is now a "bevel" worn into the barrel face. The leading outside edge of the cylinder is losing its bluing. A tiny bit of steel has protruded or been pushed into the forcing cone area. Locks up tight with even, small cylinder gap. I can slide cylinder forward to almost touch barrel when locked.

On the one hand, the bevelling and cylinder blue wear will continue to grow if I do nothing. On the other hand, the Bulldog is as accurate as I could hope for with 240gr SWC bullets over 5.9gr unique. This is a "Bridgeport" stamped gun, serial number 298xxx.

Is the wear something I should or can fix? If so, what and how? (Send it to CA, gunsmith, Bubba it, et. al., ...)

So I investigated:
My second 44 Bulldog is another early gun, Stratford stamped, serial number 721xxx. On the second, I can not force the cylinder to touch the barrel at any point, closing or otherwise. I swapped cylinder and crane assemblies between the two Bulldogs.
1) Newer cylinder touches barrel in older frame when closing.
2) Older cylinder can not be forced to touch barrel in newer frame.

So it's the frame on the older Bulldog. What's going on?

Is the wear something I should or can fix? If so, what and how? (Send it to CA, gunsmith, Bubba it, et. al., ...)

 

[rcmodel]

I wouldn't be concerned that the cylinders will not interchange on two guns made in two different factories in two different years.

One of two things is probably going on.
1. It has developed excess end-shake allowing the cylinder to move too far forward and hit the barrel.

Or
2. The barrel shank was too long to start with, and the cylinder has always hit it.

I would get a cheap automotive feeler gauge set and check the headspace, cylinder gap, and end shake.
With a fired case in the chamber and the cylinder held fully to the rear, you should have about .008" -.012" (.010" optimum) gap between the case heads and the firing pin hole on the frame.

At the same time, you should have about .004" -.008" barrel cylinder gap.

End shake should probably not exceed .002" - .004" although I have no idea what +/- specs Charter Arms used at various times.
At times, it seems they didn't have any specs at all!

If it turns out the headspace & end shake are O.K., then the barrel shank is too long and always has been.
A gunsmith could cut the barrel face to proper clearance and re-cut the forcing cone.

rc

 

[randys]

The cylinders do exchange between pistols. The two cylinder & crane assemblies are essentially identical.

I'm not concerned about when the cylinder is in firing position and locked. Cylinder gap and end shake are OK. The barrel shank sticks out of the frame the same distance, by my caliper, on both. Most important, this Bulldog is accurate and not shaving lead.

The damage to the barrel shank has something to do with the pivot point where the crane and frame are connected.

I am concerned that the cylinder will eventually wear away the barrel so that there is not an even edge to the cylinder/barrel gap. While the bevel was present when I bought it used, the pistol does not otherwise look like it has been shot, carried or used much.

Any other thoughts?

 

[BBBBill]

... the face of the cylinder rubs against the rear of the barrel when closing the action. Wobble in the cylinder and a tendency to push forward under spring tension moves the cylinder forward. ... a "bevel" worn into the barrel face. The leading outside edge of the cylinder is losing its bluing. A tiny bit of steel has protruded or been pushed into the forcing cone area. Locks up tight with even, small cylinder gap. I can slide cylinder forward to almost touch barrel when locked.

Not real familiar with Charter Arms. How is the yoke retained in the frame? If like older S&W, the yoke screw is fit to a groove in the yoke. The yoke and/or screw will wear over time allowing some yoke endshake (as opposed to cylinder endshake). Is the "bevel" from the cylinder striking the barrel when closing? Where is the "tiny bit of steel" being pushed up from?

The cylinders do exchange between pistols. The two cylinder & crane assemblies are essentially identical...

You may be able to move cylinders from one frame to the other, but that doesn't mean that they fit properly, which is what you indicated from your first post and what rcmodel was alluding to.