I'll finally pick this up tomorrow evening, feel like a 10 year old on christmas eve, and want to head straight to the range to shoot it. Thing is, I've never bought a new S&W revolver - every gun in my collection was bought used and shipped between 1962 and 1986. So, do I need to clean or lube it first or is it ready to go out of the box? Also, I have blued and stainless pistols, but nothing scandium or painted black. What cleaning products do I need to avoid in order to protect the finish?

Not sure if it is common protocol but I shot mine straight out of the box and then gave it a good cleaning just like all my other guns. I wear mine in a holster on my property in dust,dirt,rain and all kinds of abusive weather and a TON of sweat on it and a good rub down with a Hoppe's oil rag seems to do an awesome job and the scandium is still perfect. That's just my experience. I admit I expect more from a gun I spend more money on. No safe queens in my stable......

No safe queens here either, but I do baby them when their not working. I currently use M Pro 7 cleaner and bore gel as well as Slip 2000 EWL, mostly because that's what I use on my AR. Seem safe to assume if it doesn't mess with the finish on a black rifle it won't hurt my TRR8?

I really am not qualified to answer that but I use CLP and a synthetic oil that I have had great success with then a nice light oiling like I said with the Hoppes oil. No trubles here. I will say if what you are using on your AR is good on it I would assume it would be just fine on the TRR8...ALSO, You are gonna love shooting it...better load up on .357!!

Groo here
I don't know what you are planing to shoot in it , but,
the gun was designed to shoot 125gr flame throwers.
I have shot 180gr cast , 125gr , and leverevolution.
With a red dot and a bench , clay birds at 100+ yards
quake with fear.
Also Dad used mine with leverevolution last year.
" Got him a deer in his 80th year , With A Handgun!!"

Lube it per the instructions, shoot it.
I was told not to use anything abbrassive on the frame; not even ScotchBrite. I don't fully understand the issues, but I hear you can damage the surface. Further information would be appreciated.

I shoot LeverEvolution rounds in it as well as 110- and 125-grain full-power ammo with no problem.
I do have one significant problem, though. My first one was stolen by our LEO son. Bought a second one. It was stolen by our professional military son. Do NOT want to know what he does with it. Bought a third one, "share it" with third son. He recently "borrowed it" to take to a family cabin in the north Wisconsin woods. Seems black bears want to share the victuals. He reports he didn't have to fire it. At a bear.
I put about five thousand rounds through the first one before it disappeared, cleaning no differently than I would any other revolver. The third one has the fewest rounds through it - so far, but still in the low thousands - , something that son #3 and I are remedying.
Here's a pic of the first one with my backpacking holster made for the 629. Fits like it was made for it.
327 TRR8 30.jpg

Shoot it and enjoy it. I clean mine with CLP. Never had the side plate off.

I shot the heck out of it last night. Pure Joy! My only concern has nothing to do with the gun, it's the RMR. I put it on assuming it would increase the speed in which I acquire targets, but it was just the opposite. Took me as much as 5 seconds to find the dang dot. Guess I'll keep practicing before I decide whether or not it has to go.

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Looks great!
That's one of the issues with any RMR equipped pistol. You have to be used to how the gun draws and points. I would honestly work with it without the red dot for a while (live or dry fire) until the draw stroke and sight acquisition become more instinctual.

Such a sweet gun, I have an R8 and I wish I could figure a way to make it my EDC. I don't wear a suit or sportcoat to work so I guess I will stick to my .45c. My wife loves shooting the R8 also and is looking to get one this fall. Nice purchase.

With a new gun I clean with an alcohol soaked patch and apply FP10 wet. Let it sit for a while and wipe it down with a dry patch. I do not even own or have any solvent. After 300 rounds a wipe down with FP10 is all that I need. Then again I do not shoot lead, only copper jacketed ammo.

What holster are you guys using for your R8 ?

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Smith & Wesson MP 9c and 45c

My 327 TRR8 rides comfortly in a Kramer OWB. I bought it used, on the interweb. It was intended for a 5" full lug barrel and 6rd cyl. seen in the detail boning.

Garrett Silent Thunder Champion dropped and off set.