New Vaquero cylinders

[Doc Holloman]

Question on cylinder markngs.  Is the small number on the face of a New Vaquero cylinder supposed to match the last digit of the serial number?  N recently purchased 3 New Vaqueros in .357 from an estate.  One has been problematic from the start.  The cylinder is stiff and locks up periodically.  I'm wondering if the cylinders for the 3 guns have been mixed up?

[wildman1]

Mark them so you know which guns they came from, then try swapping them around for compatability.
wM1

[Pettifogger]

The last three digits of the serial number are SCRATCHED very lightly on the front of the cylinder.  They are hard to see when the cylinder is new let alone after they have some carbon buildup on them.  I finally stamped the numbers so I can see them.  Cylinders are not interchangeable and will often bind if installed in the wrong gun.  On this photo you can just see part of the scratched number 6.

[Mustang Gregg]

YES, YOU ARE CORRECT!
THEY DO BIND WHEN INSTALLED IN THE WRONG REVOLVER!

We have "more than one" Blackhawk and Vaquero here.
I have marked each cylinder on the aft face with the last two digits of the serial no.
They are much easier to see there than the forward face that gets all carboned up.

Mustang Gregg