Quote:
Originally Posted by 18DAI
Hmmm......
In eighteen years of carrying and shooting S&W 3rd generation pistols, the only part - besides recoil springs and mag springs - I've needed was a mag catch for a 4516-3.
And I wouldn't have needed that, were it not a MIM part that fractured like the cheap pot metal it was.
You folks either shoot ALOT more than I do......or you're beating on those pistols, to need so many parts.
Extra sideplates? Are getting the grips on and off causing that? Seriously, what parts are you seeing break? Regards 18DAI
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You're correct, 3rd Gens are tough!
Most of the parts that I have are small springs and plungers which can get lost and are relatively cheap. Side plates can and do get damaged when installing new grips. If one is careful, that usually doesn't happen. I currrently own 19 3rd Gens, but have had about another 11 pass through my hands over the past 5 years. Sometimes I would purchase a nice pistol but when I would disassemble it, I note that the prior owner, while generally taking good care of it, damaged one of the fingers on the side plate and bent it back into shape. Yeah, it would work, but I prefer to change it out for a new one.
As for the recoil spring guides (the ones that are aluminum), they have been known to crack over time, especially those used in 10mm pistols. Also, the steel back end of the guide that is punch-fitted
(staked) into the aluminum body can become excessively loose over time. And, of course, once and a while I would acquire an otherwise nice 3rd Gen that for some reason would have a damaged recoil spring guide. Yeah, it might be serviceable, but I prefer a 99%+ guide on an otherwise 99%+ pistol, but that's just me.
Of course, the trigger play spring gets damaged rather easily over time, so having a few of those along with
extra rivets is nice. The rivets are hard to handle and easily lost, the S&W techs suggested having two or three rivets for each trigger play spring in your parts kit. And, by the way, the latest revision of trigger play spring (the fingers are not separate, but are linked by a cross bar) is far and away stronger than the original.
I like having several sear release levers on hand. I've obtained 3rd Gens that, while their levers work, changing the lever (sometimes trying more than one) gives a cleaner break when operating the safety. Each one seems to vary a bit.
I like having extra grips, grip pins, magazine bases and followers on hand. You might be surprised how useful they are. Sometimes I would acquire a dirty 3rd Gen that looked like it was an 85% pistol. After a good cleaning, new grip to replace the original which was a little beat up, new grip pin, new magazines bases, new followers and the pistol would
easily pass as 95%+.
I believe that anyone who has disassembled an 3rd Gen adjustable rear sight would tell you that having a few extra plungers and spring on hand is a good thing.
Finally, I like having a number of parts when I'm searching gun stores and gun shows for 3rd Gens. There have been more than a few times that I would see a pistol for sale that was really nice except, for whatever reason, it would have one or two damaged parts. Interestingly, I would use that fact to try and reduce the price (sometimes it would work) and then take it to my work bench and
bingo, like new again.
FWIW