I have a model 10-5. The hammer and trigger have very little to no case color left. I see complete hammer and triggers on gun broker and such. Are hammer and triggers drop in parts or must they be fitted?

Thank you in advance.
P

Post war hammers and triggers drop in successfully more so than pre war, but there still can be issues. Are the replacements a set as they came from the factory or were the set put together from two different guns? you need to get the correct style hammer and trigger that is appropriate for your gun's age. Several styles were used over the years; I do not what style is correct for the 10-5. You may or may not end up with a trigger pull that is as nice as your original.

You might check into having your hammer and trigger color case harden.

Charlie

Having the hammer and trigger re colored hardened is an idea. Do you know who could do it and about what the cost would be?

Probably run $100 or so.Some of the better known restorers offer case coloring.

Even if you get period correct hammer and trigger, there's no guarantee they'll drop in and mesh perfectly; you might luck out, or some handfitting may be required.

I'd be more inclined to look into having the current pair re-case hardened, although with the supply of original carbon steel parts diminishing, there is an argument for having extras at hand.

Is this an aesthetic issue for you, or is there a different reason you're looking into this? Personally, I'd just live the pieces as is.

Sometimes they drop in and sometimes they need fitting. Luck of the draw kind of thing. If you get a "set" that was already in a working gun your chances are a lot better.

Heating the parts and then immediately immersing them in oil will give them the colors of case hardening.

The pistol is a really beautiful 6 in. Nickel m 10-5 that must have sat for years un-used. It was gummed up and needed polished up, but now is a dream gun......except the trigger and hammer turned black, for lack of a better description. In wiping off the oxidation(?) the trigger lost some color. The gun is too nicely nickel-ed to have such an ugly trigger. The hammer is not so bad, but I would like to have them match.

P

Turnbulls charges $100,Fords offers torch for $30,oven for $125.Have you checked local gunsmiths?

I completely get it. I'm a function over form guy by and large, but there's always a little something here and there I have to do because it appeals to my eye.

In this case, I'd look for replacement pieces then, so at least you have back ups if ever needed. Numrich is a good start...

Thank you all. I found a complete short action trigger new in military package dated 1955. that might be a cool one to add.

I have a 1971-ish nicekl Chief which has color-case hammer & trigger. They look really dark, maybe due to the contrast with the nickel finish on the rest of the gun. IMHO clor-case parts don't look all that great on a shiney silver gun, even thugh they came stock. S&W should have put flash-chromed parts on the nickel guns like they did a lot of the stainless models.
I've dropped in a few repalcement hammers & had them work OK, but have tried to drop in several triggers in the past and had no luck with them. I bought a narrow service trigger for my 442-2 recently from someone on this forum, and he suggested taking the hand off the old trigger & putting it on the replacement, which worked out well.