Is there any benefit to an unfluted cylinder over a fluted cylinder in a revolver?

[Rockrivr1]

I'm wondering what benefits, if any, there are in getting an unfluted cylinder in a revolver over a fluted cylinder. Most revolvers I've seen come fluted, but I will run across an unfluted model every once in a while. These seem to demand more money and to me they asthetically look a little better then their fluted companions. I'm thinking that the extra metal that wasn't filed away may give the cylinder extra strength, but that would be just a guess.

Anyone know more?

 

[jkelly]

I'm thinking that the extra metal that wasn't filed away may give the cylinder extra strength,...-Rockrivr1

That's what I've heard. But It's just not as pretty!


Respectfully,

jkelly

 

[FPrice]

It may also serve to add some additional weight to dampen recoil in revolvers chambered for magnum calibers.

 

[Tiktock]

Ive never seen anyone claim that an unfluted cylinder is needed for any power cartidge. My understanding is that its almost 100% aesthetics. In theory the fluting might give the cylinder a bit more surface area to aid in cooling, but that would be so minimal it wouldnt even matter as much as on, say, a long barrel.

I sometimes like the unfluted cylinders, as well!

 

[jkelly]

Ive never seen anyone claim that an unfluted cylinder is needed for any power cartidge.---TickTock

I do remember hearing something about that but I can’t remember when or where. I have heard that cutting the flutes in the wrong place will weaken the cylinder. I think it’s about 33% of the thickness then with correctly cut flutes. And I remember seeing a blown up incorrectly fluted cylinder, which of course proves squat.

My understanding is that its almost 100% aesthetics.---TickTock

Yep, the flutes sure make a bland cylinder look pretty.


Respectfully,

jkelly

 

[Scrivener]

Yep, the flutes sure make a bland cylinder look pretty.

Although a solid cylinder provides a marvelous surface for engraving. See the 1851 Colts, for example.

 

[jkelly]

Although a solid cylinder provides a marvelous surface for engraving. See the 1851 Colts, for example.---

That is true!

Respectfully,

jkelly

 

[Pilgrim]

Is there any benefit to an unfluted cylinder over a fluted cylinder in a revolver?

Only to the manufacturer. They do away with a machining operation and charge you more for it.

Sorta like not putting lead in gas and charging you more.

Or charging you not to put your name in the phonebook.

 

[gene]

The flutes give you a place to put your fingers (NOT)!

 

[BuggsBunny]

The flutes give you a place to put your fingers (NOT)!

Well, as a matter of fact, one of the reasons why I much prefer fluted cylinders is that the flutes provide a tactile way of telling where the charge holes are.

It's kind of a stretch to argue that this is a vital feature in a defensive revolver, but I can imagine that it might come in handy if you ever had to reload in the dark. Pretty unlikely scenario, though.

 

[Jay G]

I'm wondering what benefits, if any, there are in getting an unfluted cylinder in a revolver over a fluted cylinder. Most revolvers I've seen come fluted, but I will run across an unfluted model every once in a while. These seem to demand more money and to me they asthetically look a little better then their fluted companions. I'm thinking that the extra metal that wasn't filed away may give the cylinder extra strength, but that would be just a guess.

Anyone know more?

IMHO, one advantage of the unfluted cylinder is that there's one (well, five or six) less place for crud to accumulate...

 

[Jose]

I can't say I've read this as a fact anywhere, but it makes too much sense.

Cylinder flutes serve a purpose in single action revolvers. In order to load and unload those pistols you have to index the cylinder by spinning it to line up each chamber with the loading gate. The flutes make it much easier.

On double action revolvers they just look right.

 

[Scrivener]

Then why were flutes NOT part of the original design?

 

[EddieCoyle]

Then why were flutes NOT part of the original design?

Flutes were an improvement made early on. A trigger guard was not even part of the original design, but it was an improvement.

 

[jkelly]

It’s an interesting question when you really think about it. Fluting a cylinder removes metal from the cylinder but doesn’t decrease the minimum distance between the chamber wall and the outside of the cylinder, as the flutes are offset from the cylinders. In the event of an over pressure (enough just to rupture the cylinder in question), I would expect the chamber to rupture at the thinnest part of the chamber/cylinder wall first (daaa).

So how much would the metal lost to fluting, which appears to only support the assumed ruptured area from the side (although not just at 90 degrees), have helped?

Do you think that a pressure, just great enough to rupture a fluted cylinder, pushes the metal surrounding the rupture enough to pinch the fluted area closed at all?

Just wondering what you might think.

Respectfully,

jkelly

 

[z0mbi]

I don't know much about the subject, but a friend of mine says flutes actually strengthen structural integrity by increasing the amount of surface area on an object such as a barrel or a cylinder.

I have no idea if he's right or not.

 

[Chris]

So, if you have an NAA revolver, should you refer to the flutes as piccolos? (^_^)

My .500 has flutes. If anything would 'need' a non-fluted, you would think that would. The Ruger .480 is unfluted, but if you look at how thin the metal is between cylinders, you realize just how little metal is really required.

 

[RKG]

It’s an interesting question when you really think about it. Fluting a cylinder removes metal from the cylinder but doesn’t decrease the minimum distance between the chamber wall and the outside of the cylinder, as the flutes are offset from the cylinders. In the event of an over pressure (enough just to rupture the cylinder in question), I would expect the chamber to rupture at the thinnest part of the chamber/cylinder wall first (daaa).

So how much would the metal lost to fluting, which appears to only support the assumed ruptured area from the side (although not just at 90 degrees), have helped?

Do you think that a pressure, just great enough to rupture a fluted cylinder, pushes the metal surrounding the rupture enough to pinch the fluted area closed at all?

Just wondering what you might think.

Respectfully,

jkelly

This analysis is spot on. Steel, in a high pressure situation, may be thought of as a plastic. When used as a pressure containing vessel, its strength (both working and failure) is a function of the thickness of the container wall at its thinnest point. Considering either the flutes or the absence of flutes in thicker regions as bolstering the strength of the vessel (in the nature of buttresses in a rigid structure bearing dead load) is not correct, since in the high pressure scenario envisioned, the cylinder is not a rigid structure.

Once the thin wall has ruptured, the portions of the wall adjacent to the split will tend to bend out. The form of the bending may (and likely will) be affected by whether the cylinder is fluted, as this will change the pivot point of what is, at this point, a cantilevered arm. However, the presence or absence of flutes will have no effect on the amount of pressure that the chamber can contain before rupturing.

If you get deeply into this subject, you will observe that the once difference between 6-shot Colt and 6-shot S&W revolvers is that the cylinder stop recesss in the latter is aligned with the chamber radial (and, therefore thins the chamber wall at its thinnest point, but not at its weakest point fore-and-aft), while Colt's have the cylinder stop off set from the radial. In real life, there is no significance in terms of pressure containing capacity.

Fluted vs. non-fluted is strictly a matter of aesthetics.

 

[jkelly]

Fluted vs. non-fluted is strictly a matter of aesthetics.---RKG

Very interesting, thank you for the information!

Respectfully,

jkelly