I got my newest acquistion under good light the other night and discovered that the barrel bushing doesn't seem to be SS, or at least it is certainly darker than the rest of the pistol. I know they have some different metal on the back strap, and safety lever, but what about the bushing? What about the rest of you 639 owners?

I don't know why SS wouldn't be strong enough for a bushing? They make pretty big revolvers out of them. I've ask S&W if their replacement bushing is SS or what?

Could be carbon build up from a lot of firing, sorta like the chambers on a stainless revolver after shooting. Or they used a different grade of stainless which doesn't make sense!
Tell ya what, if you have access to some scotchbrite pads give it a once over with that and see if it shines it up. Dale

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"Long live the S&W 3rd. Gen.!"

The bushing on my 639 gets blackened-much like the front of a revolver cylinder-after shooting. Some Flitz or Break Free gets it as clean as new. There should be a small "S" (denoting stainless) stamped on top of the bushing.

Best,

Heekma

I had thought of the carbon, but don't really think that's it, but will check again. I had just cleaned it.

On my e-mail to S&W: "We are on vacation this week. Please re-submit your e-mail next week." DUH! Resubmit? Don't they have an e-mail file in the big corporation?

I'm new here so I hope I am not out of line for asking an unrelated question. I would like to know if it is OK to dry fire my SW 639?

Grumpy

Dry fire always seems to draw a lot of opinions. I can't think of a firearm I have owned that I didn't dry fire at one time or another. I would hate to think I owned a gun that fragile. At the same time, I don't make a habit of it, either.

Hey Armyphotog,

I just got a 659, and while cleaning I took a close look at the bushing. It seems to look as if it was cast--not saying it was, just looks that way. It has a slightly porous surface and does seem darker than the other stainless parts, even after cleaning.

The bushing on my 639 looks the same.

They are both marked "S" for stainless.

Don't know if that helps much, but it seems to be the norm, at least on my 659 and 639.

Best,

Heekma

Thank You,