Top Strap Cutting!

[badbrass]

I bought this Colt Official Police revolver a few months back. I was wandering
what is considered too much top strap cutting, in this case I think the revolver should have been
tuned in single action as lockup was not right on!(sloppy?)and my have created this problem.
What do you think? to much to shoot, any comments? Thanks
Better picture!

 

[B]

I see flame cutting in every revolver I have ever owned. Even .22 LR does it. I wouldn't worry unless it doesn't stop. Your picture is too blurry to make anything out.

 

[badbrass]

Better picture inputed!

 

[B]

That is an engineered feature (fouling cup..?) not flame cutting. Shoot away!

 

[Hitzy]

Looks pretty symmetrical for flame cutting, sure it wasn't made that way?

 

[badbrass]

No Idea! if it was made that way? or not?

 

[Hitzy]

No Idea! if it was made that way? or not?

It was...did some Googling. Fouling Cup is the correct term as mentioned above, it keeps the cylinder from binding due to fouling of the top strap. It was carried over from the black powder days as it fouled much worse then smokeless.
Flame cutting is usually a straight line across the to strap at the cylinder gap.

 

[badbrass]

Thanks Hitzy & B! Did a check and found out the same! Thanks!

 

[Harry Callahan]

That is an engineered feature (fouling cup..?) not flame cutting. Shoot away!

That groove is called a fouling cup and its purpose was to give powder fouling a place to collect so that it wouldn't jam the cylinder. They lasted in Colt revolvers until mid 1940’s. Flame cutting of top-straps didn't become an issue until the 1970's.

 

[B]

^ old guns aren't my thing so I wasn't certain. I thought the name was self explanatory so I didn't bother typing out it's function.

 

[badbrass]

Learning all the time!

 

[VICIOUS]

Flame cutting will be a straight knife cut.

 

[hoytcanon]

If it was cutting it wouldn't be blued.

 

[John Y Cannuck]

flame cut