Pinecone":27xfgwuo said:
Load that Ruger DA revolver and then look at how much room you have for such things as: Headspace, ratchet room, cartridge "support" for the "other" five cartridges that are not lined up with the barrel under recoil, and the "extra" strength that Ruger puts into their guns...
S&W, Colt, Charter, Taurus, Rossi, Dan Wesson, etc etc etc have gotten along just fine for many decades with much less "meat" in the recoil shield, so these things are non-issues.
Making room for Ruger's unique cylinder latch, however, might well be a real and valid reason why they've made that part of the gun look the way it does. On the left side, anyway.