Just got a unfired 66-2 for $799 beautiful but tell me why the sideplate screw heads look like someone tested new screwdriver set on it sideplate lineup is a bit off why it caught my eye I don’t take off sideplate but everything is snugged up and action seems as expected plan on shooting it tomorrow.

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Take it easy. Chris

Some folks can't leave well enough alone!

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

Stainless need superfine sandpaper, micro file,flitz Take the screws out one at a time work with them slow and easy may not need new screws.

Absolutely correct - imagine buying a car from one of these “kitchen table
engineers”.

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S&W factory revolver armorer

The screws being dinged up is a really good sign someone has been inside the gun. If you can't use the right tool to remove the sideplate screws, there is a good chance that the side plate wasn't removed correctly, and God only knows what mess they did inside.

I have bought screws from this guy for other guns that had mangled screws. I am leery of a gun with mangled screws but will still buy if I can get a deal and there is no push off.

Smith & Wesson K L N Frame Revolver Side Plate Screw Set - Stainless Steel - The Gun Garage

It's usually an easy job to fix. Put the screws in a small bench vise and tap the metal back into place with a small ball peen hammer. Next, clean up screw slot with a Grobert edge file. Then, dress with a fine Swiss file and polish with appropriate fine paper to match finish.
If it was a blued gun you could fire blue the screws or just touch up with cold blue.

A good 66 is a sweet shooter.
Nice score!

Definitely no push off so that’s a good thing.

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Take it easy. Chris

You hear new members here all the time new to revolvers taking off the side plate to visually inspect a perfectly fine action all the time.

There was a kids song i remember MANY years ago called "Leave well enough Alone...Leave well Enough Alone .. so you dont make a Mess".https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...BShos9lghVre23

The seller only claimed it was "unfired" ...
Didn't say a word about it being "unmolested" ...
Someone's been playing around in there ... makes me wonder what else happened with the sideplate off !
Gary

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Certified Cajun
NRA Member

Mayhap that molestation would be the reason it remains "unfired . . . "

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Wisdom comes thru fear . . .

You didn't see pics before you bought it?

As anal retentive as I am... and assuming all else is well... I don't let one or two messed up sideplate screws prevent me from buying and enjoying a fine vintage S&W revolver. They are too easily fixed or replaced to pass up a "pre-owned" gun I want for the collection.

On the other hand, brand new revolvers arriving with over-tightened and/or messed up screws... or defective revolvers coming back "fixed" from S&W CS similarly messed up... would and do tick me off to no end.

I bought a M60 earlier this year and when I took off the side plate I discovered the mainspring stirrup swivel had been replaced with a filed down hex nut.

Took it out this AM before some day off errands and ran fine 18 357 rounds and 18 38spl rounds and trigger is extremely smooth I’d compare to action of 629 I sent in to performance center years ago. Gonna go put it on paper here in a bit. Final stage of double action is not much of a wall at all very smooth.So hopefully just some idiots messing up screw heads and that’s all.

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Take it easy. Chris

Look on the bright side. At least S&W has stuck loyally with 1800's screw technology. No reason to upgrade just because.

Well that is kind of amazing. Fact that he could get it to work that way is interesting.

I have disassembled every revolver I have ever owned, except the unfired 25-3 I bought recently.

I like to clean any old crud out, and use a little synthetic grease to lube the action. It stays in place and doesn't weep like a drop or two of oil will.

Then again, I have the right tools for the right job. I have never bungled a screw.

Doesn’t necessarily mean that they tuned up the innards but I too would be a bit skeptical. A mdl 66 is worth a little extra effort to make right

So I rest easier at night I took to gunsmith/friend he took apart inside looks good was bone dry so applied a bit of tetra grease he agreed trigger is very nice he’s ordering new elevation screw and sideplate screws to remedy that issue and he is going to check ejector rod for true it’s just not perfect I told him cylinder locked up on me while going thru 100 rounds one time and after I cleaned rod was loose two spots on star extractor are clearing rubbing. Locked up with Tul A ammo 357. So let’s hope this brings it back to perfect. On a side note he had a well worn 28-2 holster wear smooth as butter otherwise with plastic Pachs on it for $235 OTD so that helps with the bad taste from the 66. I have a 28-2 already but for that price what’s another.

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Take it easy. Chris

Many years ago my fathers idiot son who is typing this took the sideplate off his father's ww-2 surplus 5 inch export M&P the idiot managed to bugger up the screws a bit, a classic case of curiosity getting in the way of good judgment. I am sure something similar happened to your S&W.