Used GP100...slight cylinder play OK?

[SavageSig]

I tried out a used gun the other night and I like it enough to put it on lay away. It's a 6" blued GP100 that shot very well. I tried .357 mag and .38 special and the sights were dead on. Two things worry me though:

1) The cylinder has slight rotational play. It doesn't move back and forth within the frame, but it will wiggle slightly. I read the famous post about what to look for in a used revolver, but I was looking for clarification on how much wiggle is OK and what a little wiggle is indicative of. Does that mean this pistol has been shot a lot?

2) On one shot I felt powder or some sort of dreck spray back into my left hand. It didn't burn me, but I can't recall that happening in my other revolver. Is that indicative of a gap that's out of spec?

[Murgatroy]

I don't know about the 'limits' but I do know that if you feel uncomfortable about it, get it checked out or pass.

I passed on a pretty little pearl handled Colt that I could have gotten for a nice deal because it had too much play in the cylinder. It was pretty, and would have been nice in my collection, but bugger it, I want to shoot them.

[Guest oldsmobile98]

A quote from here:

A Colt, when the trigger is pulled and held back, should have absolutely no cylinder rotation. None, zip, zilch - absolutely no movement at all! Not a little, not a bit, not a smidgen - zero movement. A S&W, on the other hand, normally has a bit of rotational play - which is considered absolutely normal and fine.

The Rugers also should have a little bit of rotational play. How much is too much, I don't know.

Your 2) makes me uneasy, though. Sounds like it might need some gunsmithing done.

Here's something that may be helpful...

Edited May 26, 2010 by oldsmobile98

[hkusp40cal]

Not an expert here but my SP101 has play when the hammer is down. When the hammer is cocked, there is ZERO play. If there is any play with the hammer cocked I would get it checked out before I purchased it.