Best Tool To Scribe A Cylinder?

[Montelores]

What tool should one use to etch/engrave the serial numbers on a cylinder (Single Six magnum and LR cylinders)? This is in order to avoid mixing up cylinders between guns.

The manual warns that both cylinders should have this marking, but the LR cylinders of recent vintage (new from dealers) do not. I inquired with Ruger, and apparently they do not adhere to the practice consistently.

Thank you,

Monty

 

[contender]

Well, you could go to your local police dept,, borrow an electric etcher,, and add the last 3 digits of a serial number to the face of the cylinder like Ruger used to do.

 

[nn]

Is not one fluted and the other not.

 

[Montelores]

I don't want to mix up cylinders between different (more than one) guns. On each Single Six, only the magnum cylinders are numbered, so it's possible to confuse the LR cylinders between different guns.

I'll give the sheriff's office a call.

Monty

 

[Hangfire]

Go to your local Radio Shack and talk to them about circuit etch. Tell them that you are wanting to etch some numbers in metal and they can fix you up. Both Ferric Chloride and Cupric Chloride work real good. Just besure and neutrialize with borax or baking soda wash.

 

[rugerguy]

yessir, the common 'electric pencil' or go 'old fashioned, and use 1/16 or such size, number stamps and just hand stamp them,olde Rugers and Colts and others are hand stamped...whichever works for you,we've done it either way over the years.........

 

[twobisquit]

Places that do trophy engraving or jewelers will do it for about $0.25 per letter

 

[J Miller]

Electric engravers are inexpensive. Go buy yourself one and forget the police or sheriffs dept. Trust me on this, you don't want to talk to them about your guns.

These things are at Wal-Mart, Target, KMart and most hobby shops.

Joe

 

[HammerMTB]

If your general location was known, some Ruger fan right on this site might just let you use their electric engraving pencil.
I know I would.
I engrave all my tools and valuables withou8t s/n's so I can ID them if needed.

 

[Montelores]

Thank you. Harbor Freight has a model for less than $10.00. A good investment.

Merry Christmas and thank you,

Monty

 

[cas6969]

Practice on some other stuff first before you ruin your cylinders.

 

[Cholo]

Is not one fluted and the other not.

Yes, and no. The OP's 1st paragraph was of a general nature. I currently have an OM and a NM Super Single Six, '73 and '75 respectively. Both cylinders look the same from the side; fluted. Quite a bit of difference where you stick da bullets. It would be very easy for me to get the cylinders mixed up between guns if the #'s aren't on each cylinder.

I'd forget any engraving stuff. Think Rube Goldberg :wink: Just use a push pin or tack and scribe the last 3 #'s on the cylinder...where it belongs! Believe me, it will look a lot better than what the factory turns out. You can even hide it a bit with some cold blue.

Factory etching: Is that a 4 or a 9...or is it the symbol for Prince?

 

[The Happy Kaboomer]

Another way is to cut the carbon rod out of a D-cell battery and sharpen one end. Clamp it with one clamp of your battery charger. PLace the other clamp on the cylinder or whatever metal you want to write on and commmence writing. This is just another option. A $6.00 electric etcher may be more you cup of tea.

 

[Montelores]

"Another way is to cut the carbon rod out of a D-cell battery and sharpen one end. Clamp it with one clamp of your battery charger. PLace the other clamp on the cylinder or whatever metal you want to write on and commmence writing. This is just another option."


Now THIS is ingenuity!

Thank you, and Merry Christmas!

Monty