622 VR rescue thread

[Slidemuzik]

Welcome and I hope you will not scoff at me for being so excited about finding a 622 VR 4.5".

If this series of S&W .22 semi autos isn't your thing and you think. "It's just another .22.", this thread might be silly to you. If not, please read on and I hope you enjoy the read and help advise me if you can.

A little background, feel free to skip ahead if you know the history of this series. The 622 VR (vented rib) was only made in 1997, the last year of production of the 422/622/2206 series. They came with a 6" or a 4.5" barrel like the rest of the series. I believe there were fewer of these made than any of the others.

According to S&W, I was told there were 1029 total 4" 622 VRs produced. Of that, only 320 were made with fixed sights. I was actually surprised that there were that many because I have only read of one other, and have seen no photographic evidence of any. That's why when I saw this one with the fixed sights I was immediately drawn to it. Any 622 VR is hard to find. A 4.5" is really hard. A fixed sight version of either I haven't seen before in about a year of watching this series. Perhaps not the definition of really rare to some of the more serious on this board, but one of 320 total sounds rare from my perspective.

This poor thing has definite marks from use. Some wear, a couple of scrapes and absolutely filthy. My FFL looked at it and said "OMG, that looks like it's never been cleaned. Ever."

I said, "Seller told me that it's been jamming."

"Ya Think????" he said and laughs. I examined the bore with a light and it was.... furry. I said, " I can't tell for sure, but it doesn't look pitted." He said, " Probably too filthy to rust."

So I field stripped it and the retaining clip in the top of the slide took a lot of coaxing to remove. I removed the recoil spring and pin. Both were powder and oil caked. I then took the slide off and something fell on the desk that looked like a felt washer. I wondered if this was some sort of buffer? NO it was **** that accumulated at the back of the recoil spring housing and formed into that shape! At this point I promised this poor thing it would never look like this again as long as I own it. I have reassembled it to show it to a friend before I begin the cleaning. If I don't show him now, he'll think I'm exagerating when I get it cleaned up.

I thought about some detailed photos, but it seems a little like hanging a crime victim photo with the rest of the family pictures. It's bad enough that the pistol went this long without being cared for, photographic record seems cruel.

Has anyone here actually done a complete disassemby/reassembly on one of these?? I've seen a two part youtube video and it looks difficult.

What can anyone tell me about ultrasonic cleaning? Does it have to be completely disassembled to do it?

I'd appreciate hearing any comments so far.

[Lost Lake]

Since I have never seen a 622VR, pictures would add considerably to this post.

.

[yeti]

Originally Posted by Lost Lake

Since I have never seen a 622VR, pictures would add considerably to this post.

.

I must concur. I say post the dirty pictures.

[Slidemuzik]

OK, I'll post some photos, but I've never done that here and will have to figure out how to do that when I get time.
I appreciate your interest.

[Slidemuzik]

If I've done this correctly, here is my 622VR from the original listing so you can see what I'm talking about.



EDIT: Woo Hoo, it worked.

[Lost Lake]

Excellent! Now I need one!

.

[Slidemuzik]

Ok, now that I think I have the hang of this. Here's what I'm starting with. Can't imagine why it was jamming.

Grip Screws





Slide


The good news is that it cleaned up pretty well and seems to function just fine. Using CCI 40 grain solid nose, I ran two 10 rnd mags through it and I have an issue with one mag. It didn't want to feed the first and second rounds, but loosened up and fed the other 8 fine. Shells eject just great. Went through the second mag and fed and ejected all ten rounds just as it should have. No FTF. No FTE. Firing pin and ejector seem to be good. No signs of rust on anything I could see, but I only field stripped it. I'm not brave enough to attempt a complete disassembly for fear of not being able to reassemble successfully. Any owners out there done that before? There's a youtube video on it, but I need time to get my nerve up.

Bore is shiny and clean now. It seems to be hitting where it's pointed, although admittedly I hurried through them. No precision shooting. 10 from 20' and another 10 from 40' all the rounds were within the 8" circle. I think we're good. I'm happy for now.

I'll keep praying that .22 ammo frees up. The two boxes of 50 CCI was $12 from my LGS! It's so hard to get, if he doesn't price it high enough, it's gone to the hoarders. Can't blame him for trying to keep something on the shelf. I need range time!

[yeti]

Nice looking pistol...but, boy was it was dirty!

A complete breakdown is best, but is not without it's risks. Make sure you don't lose/bugger any tiny parts.

Consider dunking (or maybe several dunks) the field stripped parts in some mineral spirits with a wee bit of CLP in it...followed by some light (<40Lbs) compressed air to blow out the stubborn chunks/dry everything. Then when dry and looking good...lubricate with thin viscosity oil like FP-10 or CLP, etc. and then hit it with compressed air again to disburse oil and remove excess. This cheater method has served me well to greatly extend teardown intervals on all kinds of firearms.

I hope you can find more .22 to enjoy your nice clean 622VR.

[Slidemuzik]

Originally Posted by jackrabbit000

Thanks for posting a pic, it's the first time I've seen one.

Glad you enjoyed seeing it. I can't find another picture of one with the fixed sights anywhere on the internet.

[TinsleyC]

I enjoy my 6" 622 VR. I never knew it could get that dirty! Hmmm.. I wonder what's under my grips?

Funny, I just bought a new grip screw for it last week from Numrich.

[cs45pilot]

My 622VR isn't that dirty but due for a cleaning.

[3dots]

By the looks of it, I think this gun got wet...submerged actually.

[timn8er]

+1 to Lost Lake. Now I want one too!

[skjos]

I've done the complete tear down on my 2206, including replacing the extractor. I haven't seen the youtube video, but I had a book to help keep me straight on the disassembly/reassembly steps. I would rate it slightly more difficult than a complete teardown of a 3rd gen auto, and much less intuitive when you start digging into all the levers.

The book I have is an old version of the "Gun Digest Book of Automatic Pistols Assembly/Disassembly", it has instructions for a 622.

I think they are now on the 4th edition and you can grab it on ebay for like $20.

If you look at the amazon preview of the book (click on the picture of the book), you can see some of the more difficult disassembly steps on pages 610 thru 613.

[TinsleyC]

I've got an issue with my 622 VR. I stored it in a safe for several years while my kids were young and it seems to have developed some slight rust patches on the brushed aluminum slide and other aluminum areas. I want t scrub it off but I'm afraid I'll discolor the brushing and end up with a patchy look.

Any ideas? I can post a photo or two...

[TinsleyC]

Originally Posted by cs45pilot

My 622VR isn't that dirty but due for a cleaning.

That is a beautiful 622 VR! Awesome grips. I want mine to look that good.

[TinsleyC]

Okay I must be brain dead because the rust is on the slide, but the slide is steel, not aluminum. I feel better about cleaning/scrubbing that but would still appreciate some advice.

Here are the pics... ugh.







Maybe 0000 steel wool and oil? Also, only the left side has the rust. That's because it sat in my safe with the left side up, right side down. I should have used a desiccant packet in there, but I was younger & dumb.

[Slidemuzik]

Tinsley if you look carefully you will see the steel slide on the VR has some kind of coating. I think the rust is coming through from under the coating. I'd contact S&W for suggestions and options.

[TinsleyC]

I'll call them, thanks for the advice. I didn't think they would care much about this old .22.

[skjos]

000 or 0000 bronze wool, steel wool can embed steel fibers that can rust.

Note: when using bronze wool, the bronze color will temporary turn the steel a bronze color, don't worry this wipes right off with gun solvent.

Grey scotch-brite pads can also be used, but these are a little more aggressive and can start to polish the slide.

[3dots]

I've had this come through on my nickel Colt '70 Series. Try a baking soda lemmon juice paste first. If it doesn't work, try some diluted LimeAway. If you start using abrasives initially, it may look worse than it does now.

[dsanders3906]

Man, those 622 VRs make me and my 422 feel inadequate.....Darn good looking pistols! I love my 422, I never knew they made VR....

[dustbusterplus]

I recently acquired a 622VR with slight rust on the slide. Has anyone tried the mentioned things to repair it? I mistakenly got it thinking I would just use scotch brite on the sides and blast the top strap like a stainless 1911, that is until I looked more closely at the finish in person.

If anyone had tricks or tips for rust similar to the pics shown above, I'd appreciate it.

Regarding disassembly, I completely tore down a 422 and it isn't too bad expect for actually pulling the sideplate off. I have some pics I got on taking the side plate off on another forum I'd have to track down if anyone needs them.

[Slidemuzik]

Originally Posted by dustbusterplus

I recently acquired a 622VR with slight rust on the slide. Has anyone tried the mentioned things to repair it? I mistakenly got it thinking I would just use scotch brite on the sides and blast the top strap like a stainless 1911, that is until I looked more closely at the finish in person.

If anyone had tricks or tips for rust similar to the pics shown above, I'd appreciate it.

Regarding disassembly, I completely tore down a 422 and it isn't too bad expect for actually pulling the sideplate off. I have some pics I got on taking the side plate off on another forum I'd have to track down if anyone needs them.

Dust, unfortunately I think your options are limited. I have not heard if any of the above has worked. If it were my gun I think I'd contact S&W to see if they might help. I'd first explore the lifetime warranty (nicely) to see if they might cover it because it seems to be a common issue with the VR's. Even if they didn't cover it in warranty, would they refinish? I think they are discontinuing the 22a/s which appears to have the same, or very similar finish. I wouldn't wait in case that affects their ability to do the refinish.

Second choice would be to take it to a good reputable company that can refinish it. I've seen a VR refinished in black with wood grips and it looked really nice. Don't know how it was durability wise, as the black finish on the 422's showed wear on the sharp edges if you look at it wrong. You might consider another color like Flat Earth, etc. A little too trendy for my taste, but companies seem to be selling plenty of them.

I frankly can't see that hurting the value beyond it's current condition, but I'm sure plenty would disagree with me on that. Proof would be in the pudding to see what it auctions for. Would it sell for enough to cover the cost of the refinish plus what you have in it now? Probably iffy, but I have to believe it would have more interest.

If you'd post those photos of the disassembly that would be great. If you'd consider a video with close ups, that would be even better! It would get consistent views, I'm sure.

[N99780]

Glad I finally found this blog, been looking for something similar for 622VR Enthusiasts. I enjoyed the posts about the 4.5 in versions, interesting to find out they came in Fixed sight versions also.

Yes, the finish on the slide can be a problem but I've only encountered minimal rust on one of mine. Another one (I have 7) was located in a pawn shop and someone had removed all the finish with a buffing wheel to the point of an almost Nickel or chrome finish, plus it was filthy. It's looked like some sort of gangster PIMP gun. It needed a better home. The shop was willing to negotiate on price and got it fairly cheap ($300). Cleaned it up at home (definitely crusty on the inside parts), but it ran just fine afterwards. It just looked awful, plus it had some noticeable scratches and abuse. I found a guy locally that did Ceracote, had it refinished in Polar Grey, which is like a "Battleship" grey. OK, so it's not factory or a knock-off fake, but it sure looks better than before and I'm not ashamed to take it out at the range. In fact, I often get compliments, but so few people are familiar with the gun, I've found.

Glad to have found info on the 4.5 VR's. Nice to know how many were made. Any chance of someone posting the "Starting" S/N's and ending S/n's?? I have one 4.5in, adj. sights, black grips. I will visit often now that I know about this page.

[Slidemuzik]

Welcome to the forum. Hope you'll find it helpful and look forward to your experiences in return. Are all 7 of yours VRs?

[vigil617]

Originally Posted by N99780

Glad I finally found this blog, been looking for something similar for 622VR Enthusiasts. I enjoyed the posts about the 4.5 in versions, interesting to find out they came in Fixed sight versions also.

Yes, the finish on the slide can be a problem but I've only encountered minimal rust on one of mine. Another one (I have 7) was located in a pawn shop and someone had removed all the finish with a buffing wheel to the point of an almost Nickel or chrome finish, plus it was filthy. It's looked like some sort of gangster PIMP gun. It needed a better home. The shop was willing to negotiate on price and got it fairly cheap ($300). Cleaned it up at home (definitely crusty on the inside parts), but it ran just fine afterwards. It just looked awful, plus it had some noticeable scratches and abuse. I found a guy locally that did Ceracote, had it refinished in Polar Grey, which is like a "Battleship" grey. OK, so it's not factory or a knock-off fake, but it sure looks better than before and I'm not ashamed to take it out at the range. In fact, I often get compliments, but so few people are familiar with the gun, I've found.

Glad to have found info on the 4.5 VR's. Nice to know how many were made. Any chance of someone posting the "Starting" S/N's and ending S/n's?? I have one 4.5in, adj. sights, black grips. I will visit often now that I know about this page.

Welcome to the Forum! A guy with 7 622VR pistols is definitely welcome here!

You'll find that Slidemuzik is the authority on these around here. Thanks to him, I was able to buy my first a few weeks ago, and I really enjoy both owning and shooting it. Mine has been picky about ammo (CCI Mini-Mag 40 grain exclusively, so far, among the couple of types I've tried), but it is a ton of fun to shoot.

We have a saying around here, "Pics or it didn't happen!" I can't wait to see photos of your stable of these. They are rare birds, and increasing in price, and I'm lucky to have a friend like Slidemuzik who put me on to one for $400 that was practically "new and unfired".

[Slidemuzik]

I'm not sure the authority is accurate, but I do have a passion for these and I've done quite a bit of research. Thanks for the kind words tho Vigil.
It gives me satisfaction sharing what I've learned and talking with other owners. When I see a good one out there that can't go home with me, I think it's just good gun karma to let those that appreciate them know about it. Look forward to hearing more from our newest club member.

[N99780]

S&W422-622 Collection.jpgWow, I haven't been here in a while. I'll try to post some pics, but I've added some to the mix. Don't really know how many I have now.[IMG]S&W422-622 Collection[/IMG]. I can't seem to figure out how to post pics from my computer files? The link for pics doesn't seem to want to accept my selection

[N99780]

Since this pic was taken, I've added 3 other 6" versions and one more 4.5 inch. Was watching one on G/Bkr with fixed sights. Just sold for $956, no box or ppwk......I quit bidding around $900. Too rich for me.. I buy everyone I find in Pawnshops and Gun Shows.....

[vigil617]

Originally Posted by N99780

Attachment 186867Wow, I haven't been here in a while. I'll try to post some pics, but I've added some to the mix. Don't really know how many I have now.[IMG]S&W422-622 Collection[/IMG]. I can't seem to figure out how to post pics from my computer files? The link for pics doesn't seem to want to accept my selection

Sometimes the size of the original file just won't load into the necessarily-smaller format for attaching the way you are trying to do it. I've had good luck with setting up a free Photobucket account, uploading my pictures to there, and then simply copying the image link from Photobucket and pasting it into my post here on the Forum. It's easy, and a big advantage is that the photos display larger even before clicking on them.

You've got a lot of interesting examples! Those 422 6" models with the ventilated rib cuts must have been done by someone with milling equipment, right? I don't think the factory ever produced any in that configuration; only in the 622VR 6" and 4.5" models.

I think a lot of folks were watching that Gunbroker auction last night on the 4.5" 622VR with the fixed sights. Really interesting gun that I don't think I've ever seen before; only the one with the adjustable sights.

Looking forward to more of your pictures!

[Slidemuzik]

Originally Posted by vigil617

... I think a lot of folks were watching that Gunbroker auction last night on the 4.5" 622VR with the fixed sights. .

You can bet I was watching with interest.

Originally Posted by vigil617

Really interesting gun that I don't think I've ever seen before; only the one with the adjustable sights.

Vig, buddy... did you look at the photos I posted at the beginning of this thread? lol

[vigil617]

Originally Posted by Slidemuzik

You can bet I was watching with interest.



Vig, buddy... did you look at the photos I posted at the beginning of this thread? lol

Well, Bill, thanks for reminding me that my memory is the second thing to go.....

And yes, I bet you were watching that auction last night with interest!

I had no idea where that auction would end up. $956 is hard to believe but it's great too -- the more these pistols become more widely collectible, the better for all of us!

[Slidemuzik]

Originally Posted by N99780

Since this pic was taken, I've added 3 other 6" versions and one more 4.5 inch. Was watching one on G/Bkr with fixed sights. Just sold for $956, no box or ppwk......I quit bidding around $900. Too rich for me.. I buy everyone I find in Pawnshops and Gun Shows.....

N99, do you go by a different name on another forum? These look familiar.
I'm going to guess that the two black VR's have been refinished in black and one has swapped slides with a fixed sight 422 or 622 and an aftermarket adjustable sight put in the dovetail and it's sporting some TGT grips. The other one has the plastic TGT grips.

[Slidemuzik]

Originally Posted by vigil617

Well, Bill, thanks for reminding me that my memory is the second thing to go.....

And yes, I bet you were watching that auction last night with interest!

I had no idea where that auction would end up. $956 is hard to believe but it's great too -- the more these pistols become more widely collectible, the better for all of us!

I told the seller I thought that would sell for between $800-$1000. It definitely went for the high end. These 4.5 " vr's don't come up often, but they have been selling pretty consistently for $800 plus. This looked to be exceptionally nice, I'm really curious what it would have brought with the original box.

I can't remember what else I was going to tell you. Oh yeah. Memory being the second to go... It keeps you from being upset about the first thing to go. Don't miss what you can't remember.

[vigil617]

Eyesight.

20/20/ eyesight was the first to go.

[NDFRC]

Very nice and informative thread on these 622’s, thanks! and the more I read, the more I like my latest score.. yes a 4,5” vr !! I have been learning lately about the 2213/14, 2206, 622 and 422 family and just acquired a couple nice 422s in 4” and 6”, then I see this vr and was able to capture it, because it seemed to be an allusive bird, which now I believe it is, no box though how perfect would that be but in this case- no box is fine! I am stoked!!

[cherrypointmarine]

I just saw this thread and ran back to my safe(s). I dug mine out , but alas adjustable sights . This is the only thread I've seen about these . I also have a 22A , but the M622VR is a lot more fun to shoot . It just fits perfect in my hand , and my wife . Slidemusik , it's a shame to see such a gun treated like that , but my hats off to you for saving her !

[NDFRC]

Great 622VR writeups, so I have a question, what’s to stop someone from taking a fixed sight slide from a 622 and put it on a 4.5 VR frame?

[indigo22]

The only thing stopping someone is finding an adjustable sight slide. Should fit and function...

[shoot summ]

Originally Posted by NDFRC

Great 622VR writeups, so I have a question, what’s to stop someone from taking a fixed sight slide from a 622 and put it on a 4.5 VR frame?

Nothing, I prefer the fixed sights, so I regularly swap the slides.

[WPWarhawk]

I’ve had both fixed and adjustable sight versions, I prefer the fixed sight guns.

I have two 4.5 inch 422s and two 6 inch 622s. I love the 622 front sight with the vertical black line, and they shoot dead on for me. The fixed sight 422s shoot high for me. They are also the perfect handgun for teaching a lady or a kid to shoot.