S&w basic revolver armoring

[haifabuddy]

What should I buy by way of DVDs; manuals, etc. to learn disassembly, cleaning, for regular maintenance, spring replacement, and similar work on my S&Ws?

[500 Magnum Nut]

AGI dvds are good

[robertrwalsh]

I don't know where you live, but there are three or four schools in the U. S. that run excellent gunsmithing programs, and during the summer often teach armorers courses in the same facilities. I have taken several of these classes at the college at Susanville, CA. Some of the AGI type classes are good, but there is nothing to beat hands-on with an experienced instructor who is also a trained teacher in a classrom atmosphere. If you have a few bucks and a few weeks to kill during the summer, I recommend it highly.

[dfariswheel]

As always, the Jerry Kuhnhausen book "The S&W Double Action Revolvers: A Shop Manual".

They also have DVD's. All available from Midway and Brownell's.

[haifabuddy]

Thanks. Ordered the AGI video and will pick up the book soon.

[Gunhacker]

Originally Posted by robertrwalsh

I don't know where you live, but there are three or four schools in the U. S. that run excellent gunsmithing programs, and during the summer often teach armorers courses in the same facilities. I have taken several of these classes at the college at Susanville, CA. Some of the AGI type classes are good, but there is nothing to beat hands-on with an experienced instructor who is also a trained teacher in a classrom atmosphere. If you have a few bucks and a few weeks to kill during the summer, I recommend it highly.

Uh, you do know... that Bob Dunlap, who does many of those AGI videos (including the ones on S&W's), taught for 25 yrs at Lassen Community College in Susanville, until his retirement as a Senior Instructor with the Gunsmithing program?

In 2000 after enrollments had declined to the point of where canceling the program was being considered, Bob was brought back as a consultant to help revamp and save the program, and it's likely that the courses you took are a product of his efforts.

I agree, hands on training is a better way to learn with the ability to interact with the instructor... but books and videos are also great way of developing basic knowledge and building a foundation that can be readily enhanced with classes.

American Gunsmith is a publication from the American Gunsmithing Association (American Gunsmith Magazine Subscriptions, Renewals, and Gifts) that's worth subscribing to as they often have articles devoted to a particular gun... such as the S&W 3RD Gen pistols.

I can also recommend Jerry Miculek's "Trigger Job" DVD, he throughly explains the lock work of S&W revolvers and how to tune them up.