Is there any purely objective data (as opposed to subject common belief) that indicates that a carbon steel or stainless steel S&W revolver, that is 60 or 70 years old, is more likely to fail than when new?

I have read somewhere that Smith claims that their revolvers can be relied on even with the newer +P loads. Can anyone confirm that?

Is the theory that so many rounds would have been fired in that time that the metal will have fatigued? In that case rounds fired or total rounds fired would be the important date. I don't know.

Thanks in advance for any information.

Joe

I have S&W revolvers dating back well over 100 years that I still fire (with my mild handloads or standard factory loads). Think about the "average" revolver form the 20's and 30's or 40's. think realistically about how many rounds they have actually fired. In most cases, a few hundred. Many many less than a hundred. Only those used by competitive shooters would have thousands of rounds through them. I'm not afraid to shoot any S&W revolver with the appropriate "standard" velocity ammo. Anything newer than the 30's I might fire a few +P's. Only the older pre heat treat would be relegated to mild ammo.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

Age seems to have nothing to do with it, as long as it's a modern gun made of modern steel and heat treating.

What does have an effect is rounds fired, and how hot those rounds were.
In other words it's wear and tear, and it takes a LOT of shooting to wear a revolver out.
Usually, you'll need to send it in to have worn parts replaced and have it restored to in-spec condition, a LONG time before it's worn out.
In fact, very, very few people have ever worn a quality revolver out.
Most are damaged by shooting very hot ammo or just abusive treatment.

As for +P ammo, S&W says that if the revolver has a model number stamped on it (like a Model 10 or a 66) it's good for use with +P ammo. That started in the 1950's??
Guns made before that are not rated for +P by S&W.

Assuming proper care, any S&W chambered for 38 Special made after about 1921 should be safe with +P ammo. Accelerated wear? Yes. Earlier need for service? Yes. Good idea for a revolver for which parts are not generally available? No. Catastrophic failure? NO. NO. NO.

M&P revolvers with 2 inch barrels, when first introduced, were certified safe with the 38/44, which is a 158 grain at 1,150 foot seconds. That is far hotter than any of today's +P ammo that everyone seems so concerned about.

S&W has picked an arbitrary date to say that +P ammo is ok in their steel frame 38s - and that is about 1957. Basically, if it is marked with a model number, then use of +P is ok in the steel frames. This date was more for ease of determination as there was no change in construction or engineering that distinguishes a non-model marked revolver made on the last day of such production from a model marked revolver made the next day on the first day of such production.

Heat treatment of cylinders, however, is a different story. That happened in 1921 or thereabouts. Thus, I would not use +P in a steel frame revolver made prior to heat treating.

As to age of the revolver related to metal fatigue, I have never even heard it theorized that this is a problem for a gun which has been properly stored and not subjected to abuse, such as having been in a fire or similar.

That answers all my questions. Thanks to those who replied.