How to Inspect a Used Revolver: Timing, End Shake, Lock-Up

Before you touch it

Every inspection starts the same way, and it is not optional.

Ask permission to handle the gun. Then open the cylinder and confirm every chamber is empty, even if the clerk just did it. Keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction and your finger off the trigger throughout. Ask before you cock the hammer or pull the trigger; some shops do not allow dry-firing, and some guns should not be dry-fired at all, especially rimfires.

Bring a small flashlight, a white index card, and, if you have them, a set of feeler gauges and a few snap caps in the right caliber. That's the whole kit.

Step 1: Read the gun before you work it

Start with your eyes. You can learn more in thirty seconds of looking than in five minutes of clicking.

• Markings. Check the barrel caliber stamp against what the tag says. Retail and online listings mislabel revolver calibers more often than you would think. The barrel stamp is the truth. Note the model and serial number for later research; our serial-number dating guide and collecting guide explain what they can and can't tell you.
• Screws. Buggered screw heads, especially on a Smith & Wesson sideplate, mean someone has been inside with the wrong screwdriver. Not a deal-breaker, but ask why.
• Finish wear. Holster wear on the muzzle and cylinder is honest. Pitting, rust under the grips, or a fresh refinish that hides markings deserves more questions.
• Grips. Pull them if allowed. Look for rust and for cracks in the grip frame.

Step 2: Check the timing and carry-up

Timing is the most important mechanical check, and the easiest to do wrong.

1. With the cylinder closed and the gun empty, put light drag on the cylinder with the thumb or finger of your support hand, just enough to slow it.
2. Slowly cock the hammer in single-action. Feel for the cylinder stop clicking into its notch before the hammer reaches full cock.
3. Lower the hammer carefully, or pull the trigger with a snap cap in place if permitted, and repeat for every chamber. Count them.
4. Now do the same thing in slow double-action: press the trigger very slowly and feel for the cylinder locking before the hammer releases.

If any chamber does not lock up before the hammer falls, the gun is out of time or has poor carry-up on that chamber. Light drag exaggerates the problem on purpose, because worn parts may look fine when the cylinder is spinning freely.

Step 3: Check lock-up and cylinder play

With the hammer down and the trigger held fully back (or the gun at rest, depending on the design), the cylinder should be locked in place.

• Rotational play: gently try to twist the cylinder. A tiny amount of movement is normal on many revolvers. A cylinder that rattles noticeably, or that moves enough to misalign the chamber and bore, is a concern.
• Side-to-side at the crane: with the cylinder closed, try to wiggle it laterally. It should feel solid.

Do this on every chamber.

Step 4: Check end shake and the barrel-cylinder gap

End shake is how far the cylinder slides forward and back along its axis.

1. With the cylinder closed, push it toward the rear of the frame, then toward the barrel. Feel and watch for movement.
2. Hold the gun up to light and look at the gap between the front of the cylinder and the back of the barrel. Do this on each chamber.

You want a small, even gap. The gap has to be wide enough for the cylinder to turn freely when fouled, but not so wide that excessive gas escapes. If you brought feeler gauges, you can measure it, but compare the number to the manufacturer's specification, not a forum rule of thumb. Gaps vary by maker and model.

Red flags: a gap that changes noticeably as you push the cylinder back and forth (that's end shake), a gap that is tight enough to drag, or a gap that is visibly different from chamber to chamber.

Step 5: Inspect the forcing cone and top strap

The forcing cone is the funnel at the rear of the barrel that guides the bullet from the cylinder into the bore. Shine your flashlight into the frame window from the side and look closely.

• Cracks. Look especially at the bottom of the cone. A crack here is a deal-breaker. Historically, the slim S&W K-frame's forcing cone was known to suffer under heavy .357 Magnum use, one reason the L-frame exists.
• Erosion. A rough, pitted or eroded cone is a sign of a lot of use, often with magnum loads.

Then look at the underside of the top strap, directly above the gap. Hot gas escaping the gap can cut a groove there over time. Light frosting is cosmetic. A deep cut is wear you should price in or walk away from.

Step 6: Check the crane and ejector

With the gun empty:

1. Open the cylinder. It should swing out smoothly without grinding.
2. Close it gently with your hand, never with a flick of the wrist. Watch that the crane closes flush with the frame. A gap at the front of the crane can indicate a bent crane, often from someone flipping the cylinder shut Hollywood-style.
3. Spin the open cylinder. Watch the ejector rod. It should run true, not wobble.
4. Push the ejector rod. The extractor star should rise and return cleanly. Look under it for unburned powder or debris that could stop the cylinder from closing.
5. Check the ejector rod is tight. On many revolvers, a loose ejector rod can tie up the action.

Step 7: Look down the bore and at the crown

Use the white card: hold it in the frame window, angled to bounce light down the bore, and look from the muzzle end with the gun empty.

• Rifling should be visible and sharp. Some wear is normal.
• Rings or bulges in the bore are a deal-breaker. They usually mean something was stuck in the barrel and another round was fired behind it.
• Lead fouling can hide condition; ask if the gun can be cleaned before you decide.
• The muzzle crown should be even and undamaged. Dings at the crown can affect accuracy.

Look into each chamber, too. Rings or pitting in the chambers can make cases stick on extraction.

Step 8: Feel the trigger, both ways

If dry-firing is allowed and the gun is safe to dry-fire, with snap caps if possible:

• Double-action: should be smooth and consistent from start to finish on every chamber, without grinding, hitching or a sudden stack.
• Single-action: should break cleanly without creep or excessive lightness.

An unusually light double-action pull can mean someone has swapped springs or adjusted the mainspring screw, which can cause light primer strikes. Our action work guide explains what to watch for.

Step 9: Research recalls and service history

Some revolvers have known service events. For example, Smith & Wesson issued a product warning in 1987 about cylinder binding with some .357 ammunition in L-frames made before August 1987 and offered a free rework; reworked guns were stamped with an "M." Knowing about events like that helps you ask the right questions. Check the maker's website or customer service for anything model-specific.

The quick checklist

When new makes more sense

Many issues above can be fixed by a good gunsmith, and a fair price on a gun with fixable problems can still be a good buy. But if you are not comfortable judging wear, a new revolver avoids the question. A new Ruger GP100 or Smith & Wesson 686 Plus comes with a factory warranty, and you can browse the full revolver selection to compare.

When your new-to-you revolver passes a gunsmith's check, start with mild .38 Special in a .357 or .38 gun, and give it a thorough cleaning first. Our cleaning routine gets it done in fifteen minutes.

Editorial note: This is an independent editorial overview built from manufacturer specifications, retailer listings and published sources. We have not performed hands-on testing of the products discussed, and nothing here is a performance guarantee. Verify specifications, compatibility and the law where you live.

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