4506-1 Flash chromed parts

[18DAI]

Does anyone know when the flash chromed hammer and triggers on the 4506-1 ended? I am guessing around 1996/1997.

I have come across several 4506-1s with post 1995 serial Prefixes that have the flash chromed parts. And others that have blued forged hammers and triggers.

Do the flash chromed hammers and triggers have less than great trigger pulls? Can an action job be done on a gun with flash chromed parts? Or does removing the surface finish cause problems? Thanks! Regards 18DAI

[4T5GUY]

All I can say for sure is I got my 4506-1 in 1992, it would take me a bit to find what month. It has flash chrome parts.

I liked it so much I ordered another and when I received it all the flash chrome parts were gone. I don’t think it took me a year to decide I wanted another one.

I did a complete disassembly and cleaned, de-burred/sanded/polished all the parts and changed some springs for Wolf’s.

It has the best trigger of a factory 3rd Gen I have and in fact I have been disappointed with latter ones I have done. I have never been able to duplicate the flash chrome 4506-1 and I don’t really know why. Maybe someone else does?

Jim

[JohnHL]

Originally Posted by 18DAI

Does anyone know when the flash chromed hammer and triggers on the 4506-1 ended? I am guessing around 1996/1997.

At S&W, things don't "end".

They "transition" as new parts show up and old parts get used up. (And if someone finds a box full of old parts, then they "magically" reappear, until those get used up.)

I have come across several 4506-1s with post 1995 serial Prefixes that have the flash chromed parts. And others that have blued forged hammers and triggers.

Do the flash chromed hammers and triggers have less than great trigger pulls? Can an action job be done on a gun with flash chromed parts? Or does removing the surface finish cause problems? Thanks! Regards 18DAI

"Blue" forged and "silver" flash chromed parts can have a rough machined surface and can result in a "gritty" trigger pull.

Later MIM parts tend to be much smoother and consequently result in a smoother trigger pull.

It is primarily a rough area on the hammer (upon which the sear drags during the double action pull) that causes most of the aforementioned "gritty" pull.

This area can be smoothed with no ill effects to the parts involved.

Another problem can be the metal mainspring cup which gets rubbed on by the spring.
Replacing it with the plastic cup is the quickest solution to that problem.

HTH

John

[Erocksmash]

I cant speak to any difference, but my 1066 has a duty action trigger job (via BMCM) and is by far one of the best triggers I've felt.... that has both trigger and hammer flashed chromed

[stansdds]

Originally Posted by JohnHL

At S&W, things don't "end".

They "transition" as new parts show up and old parts get used up. (And if someone finds a box full of old parts, then they "magically" reappear, until those get used up.)



"Blue" forged and "silver" flash chromed parts can have a rough machined surface and can result in a "gritty" trigger pull.

Later MIM parts tend to be much smoother and consequently result in a smoother trigger pull.

It is primarily a rough area on the hammer (upon which the sear drags during the double action pull) that causes most of the aforementioned "gritty" pull.

This area can be smoothed with no ill effects to the parts involved.

Another problem can be the metal mainspring cup which gets rubbed on by the spring.
Replacing it with the plastic cup is the quickest solution to that problem.

HTH

John

Excellent answer!