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S&W Revolvers: 1961 to 1980 3-Screw PINNED Barrel SWING-OUT Cylinder Hand Ejectors WITH Model Numbers


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Old 05-09-2022, 04:44 PM
mrsig mrsig is offline
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Default Bringing a Model 10-6, 4”, Bull barrel blued back to long life

I recently acquired the above referenced gun that’s kind of a project from my dealer. It is in fine mechanical shape as a great trigger pull but need some help on being restored from what appears to be a reasonable carry where on the bluing. On the stainless revolvers that I try and restore I use either mothers, flitz or Renaissance wax to bring a tired blue finish back to somewhat of a shiny surface. Would any of these chemicals do damage to the bluing or are there any recommendations on what I can use to clean the gun up? Thanks much
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Old 05-11-2022, 05:10 AM
John Patrick John Patrick is offline
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Brass or bronze wool with a little synthetic motor oil as lubricant has made a couple of dingy looking blued revolvers look much better for me.
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Old 05-11-2022, 07:11 AM
stansdds stansdds is offline
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Best thing for sprucing up a blued finish would be copper, bronze, or brass wool and some oil. Apply oil and gently polish, this will lift dirt and the oil plus the copper, bronze, or brass will react with any rust and help to mask the damaged steel. Once you are satisfied with the results, clean, then oil or wax the revolver.
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Old 05-11-2022, 07:40 AM
ColbyBruce ColbyBruce is online now
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Kano Kroil will loosen rust but not damage bluing.
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Old 05-11-2022, 07:45 AM
Delta Romeo Delta Romeo is offline
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Take some before and after pictures and post here if you can. Im really curious about the brass wool and oil
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Old 05-12-2022, 09:16 AM
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Reasonable blue wear? If not rusty, I don't think I'd change anything. But, it's what you like. I have a nickel 10-6 4" HB obviously a police gun at one time. Not pristine but nice enough. However if you are wanting to just spruce up the blue a bit, I'd be interested to see before/after pics myself.
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Old 05-12-2022, 10:33 AM
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Every previously owned revolver I buy is soaked for about a week in a bath of 50% ATF and 50% Acetone in a sealed container to revove old gunk and loosen rust.
Then it is lightly stroked with bronze wool and oil to remove any stubborn spots.
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Old 05-12-2022, 10:57 AM
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I have used Flitz (lightly) and Ren Wax, in that order, with excellent results.
You will be amazed at the crud a gentle dose of Flitz will remove.
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Old 05-12-2022, 11:42 AM
BSA1 BSA1 is offline
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Well a picture would help on what the exterior of the gun looks like.

I have a 10-6 that was a trade-in from a security company. The right grip panel had been beat almost to splinters from banging into doors. However the rest of the exterior was in good condition with no rust or pitting and the usual holster wear on the front of the barrel and cylinder. Fortunately I had a used right grip panel in the parts box which is a close enough match to the left grip panel

Go easy on your “restoration”. I resisted the strong temptation to have the gun reblued and used a combination of Hoppes #9 and very light rubbing with Simichrome polish with a cotton patch on the cylinder flutes and other areas that had been neglected in cleaning other the years. Then a good rub down with a cotton tee-shirt and a few drops of oil. The result is the remaining finish is bright and clean with exposed areas of bare steel from holster wear. In other words it is a honest cop gun carried for decades.

I love the 10-6 and 64 and look for them at every gun show and gun shop I go to.

Last edited by BSA1; 05-12-2022 at 11:45 AM.
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Old 05-12-2022, 03:44 PM
John Patrick John Patrick is offline
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I just picked up an M10 3” today and took some before and after photos which I hope convey the improvement in appearance.

The gun came to me (from a member here) very clean compared to most used guns, with barrel and cylinder clean, internals clean, etc.

Close inspection revealed a few small specks on the front sight and some “water spots” on the cylinder.

I didn’t strip the gun, just took the side plate off to look and, because it was bone dry, to add a bit of oil. I removed the cylinder for the bronze wool and synthetic motor oil rub down.

ETA: total time about 45mins from the box to the last photos with grips.

I took a couple of photos of the paper towels used to wipe off the excess oil to show how much crud comes off even a clean revolver.

Last edited by John Patrick; 05-12-2022 at 03:53 PM.
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Old 05-12-2022, 04:35 PM
raisedin99 raisedin99 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by John Patrick View Post
I just picked up an M10 3” today and took some before and after photos which I hope convey the improvement in appearance.

The gun came to me (from a member here) very clean compared to most used guns, with barrel and cylinder clean, internals clean, etc.

Close inspection revealed a few small specks on the front sight and some “water spots” on the cylinder.

I didn’t strip the gun, just took the side plate off to look and, because it was bone dry, to add a bit of oil. I removed the cylinder for the bronze wool and synthetic motor oil rub down.

ETA: total time about 45mins from the box to the last photos with grips.

I took a couple of photos of the paper towels used to wipe off the excess oil to show how much crud comes off even a clean revolver.


I'll give you a hunnert dollars for that 3" 10

terry
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Old 05-12-2022, 04:42 PM
John Patrick John Patrick is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by raisedin99 View Post
I'll give you a hunnert dollars for that 3" 10

terry
Tree fiddy!
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Old 05-12-2022, 04:55 PM
kbm6893 kbm6893 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by StakeOut View Post
Every previously owned revolver I buy is soaked for about a week in a bath of 50% ATF and 50% Acetone in a sealed container to revove old gunk and loosen rust.
Then it is lightly stroked with bronze wool and oil to remove any stubborn spots.
Yep. Me too. Except I just use straight automatic transmission fluid. Lightly rub down with 0000 steel wool and then a final overnight soak in the ATF. I've seen some nasty stuff going on under the sideplate. A full breakdown and cleaning does wonders.
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