Two backstraps for my SW99 - that I acquired separately from different sources - both ooze a sticky, tacky, oil-like residue when the backstraps become warm. It appears that the rubber compound these are made of is susceptible to even mild heat as it ages. Has anyone else experienced this and figured out a solution?

Recent discussion - Customer Service tale re: SW99 + & -

I have Howard Leight hearing protectors and the volume control and battery cover are a sticky mess. It is maybe five years old.

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Made it, Ma! Top of the world!

I had the same issue with a laser rangefinder. The whole outside got sticky over the years. I ended up wiping the whole thing down with toluene to get rid of the sticky. Bill

Made in China????? I recall having something that was black rubber that did that years ago, but my memory banks are at full capacity. I have to forget some stuff in order to learn something else.

Going to think on that some more, I can almost remember what it was......... I wanna say it was a set of Tasco binoculars that got all sticky when warm. It was a few year ago though, I think I gave them to someone at deer camp.

Maybe there's a scientist here that knows something......

Insect repellent has been known to cause problems with some polymers

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My sgntr is mor thn 30 chrctrs

The problem everyone is discussing appears to be the same one that plagues TV remote controls. (The appearance of a oily like substance beneath the keypad that stops them from working.)

It's a type of plasticiser migration which happens in many plastics, in remote controls it's a silicone oil coming from the rubber keypad. it happens basically because it hadn't been heated enough when they made it (Also cheaper plastics).

There wasn't much you could do to stop it, at the factory there's a few things they can do has to do with additives etc.

There are those said you could heat the plastic item

(Like we do with bowling balls that have lost hook because of plasticizer migration to the surface and oil saturation).

But it's dangerous because you can destroy your plastic part easily if you do it wrong.

There was also the option to put a sealer on the plastic, But I don't know what the sealer was or if that worked for all plastics.

The best option was just to just clean it, when needed with something that cut the oil, soap & water, alcohol. etc.

Attached Images

remote_oily.jpg (79.2 KB, 27 views)

I know that they will dry rot and actually crumble apart under certain circumstances. A few years ago when I night my SW99 9mm full size I took it to the range and as I was shooting it pieces started falling off in my hand. I then pulled it apart with my fingers and it disintegrated.

I looked for a replacement S&W one and none were in stock. I then realized that the Magnum Research MR9 had used the same one, right down to the texture pattern. Called and ordered one for $7, fit perfect

Thanks guys. Sounds like the MR9 backstrap is my best bet. Given they were produced years after the SW99 backstraps hopefully the materials or process used was different so this issue doesn't reoccur.

That post linked earlier in this thread was mine. Experienced the very same thing. I am suprised the Smith rep you got didn't advise you like they did me. If you can't get that cheaper one, just call Walther...and 'dummy-up', LOL.