S&W Model 2?

Paddy 60 · Apr 28, 2025

Hello,

I'm Patrick with an old gun that my family has had for at least 120 years. We had a house burn to the ground 40+ years ago. I found it the next day and oiled it and stuck in a bag.

I have no plans to ever shoot it. But I want to pass it on to one of my grand sons.

The hammer now moves freely. It tips fine but the trigger is frozen and the screws are all buggered up.

The tip pivot screw head is missing part of the slot. Not just distorted.

I've seen a few videos on screw removal. I have ground two screw tip that fit tight now. It's been soaking in PB blaster for a week.

Can these screws be purchased?

Thanks for any help.

BMur · Apr 28, 2025

Restoring

Welcome Patrick,
Restoration is a lot of fun but often requires you to fabricate.
You have a lot of options.
First, is that a 5” barrel?
Can you show a photo of the barrel address with the entire length showing?
Your Number 2 sure doesn’t look like it’s been in a fire. I’ve restored many fire damaged guns and frozen screws is extremely common. It depends on what temp the gun was exposed to and how long.
Are you trying to replace the barrel pivot screw?
Side plate screw?
I’m assuming the wood grips burned from the fire?

Murph

Paddy 60 · Apr 29, 2025

Murph,

Thanks for taking interest.
Yes it does have a 5 inch barrel. Serial number is 29656. Six cylinder, 32 cal rim fire
I now think it may be a S&W Model 2 Army, 3 pins
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smith_&_Wesson_Model_No._2_Army

This site is partially down and won't let me attach a photo, but will once we are back up and running.

The stamp on the top of the barrel;

SMITH & WESSON SPRINGFIELD MASS.

Yes I would like remove and replace or repair the pivot and side screws.

I can see the pivot screw threads in to the barrel tang of the hinge, so I think a bit of heat will break the rust joint. I may have to get creative to get the screw out with nearly no slot left. I was thinking I could cut a pc of steel 1 inch square, drill a 0.20 hole in the center, screw head dia. Lay it over the screw head and tig weld the little plate the the screw. I would dome the plate to keep clearance to wrench the screw out.

The cover plate screw is not so clear where the pin is threaded. Lucky the screw slot is in much better shape.

As of now, I have done nothing but look at it

BMur · Apr 30, 2025

Patrick,
Wow, yeah I guess the Website is being refurbished.
You need to know how hot the gun got in the fire.
Is the main spring still functional? Spring tension? If it still has spring tension then the gun didn’t get that hot and only mild heat applied to the screws should loosen them.
However if the main spring is soft, no tension then the gun got really hot and you will have to either drill out the screws or apply significant heat to them to loosen. When the gun gets that hot burning vapor is introduced and acts like a braze. Very difficult to free up.
You mentioned Tig welding? If you tig weld this repair is easy. I mig weld and more often I just weld a new head onto the original screw. See photos. Very productive and fun repair vs trying to fit new screws can be a pain.

Murph

Paddy 60 · Apr 30, 2025

Murph,

good to know we can repair the screw head. But I have to get them out first!

Attached is the photo of the barrel.

Potential heat expose from house fire;
I have the main spring out. I just put it kinda back in for the photo! It is not soft, so it sounds like it didn't get that hot. My wife and I came back to the house site the next day to roast hot dogs over the embers. All was cold. It really wasn't much of a house. We built a 15 x 13 ft cabin.

Tip Up Pivot screw
A friend of mine owned a specialty fab shop servicing the medical industry. They made fixtures to very tight tolerances. This friend can do any thing with metal! He is the one that has the tig welder and has done precise work. He gave an example of a production run, welding a bead around a 3/32" pin to secure it. Because the screw slot is mostly gone, the idea to tig weld a washer or square pc on the screw head as seen in the photo. Clear to heat the tip up hinge.

Trigger screw pivot/side cover, see photo from on line. Where to apply heat? opposite of the cover? I saw a cool screw extraction trick on line. After penetrating oil/heat/tap, place the correct size screw tip driver in a drill press. Using the drill press lever arms, put a downward force on the screw head. With vice grips on the chuck or steel rod where chuck key goes, rock forward and backwards to break the threads free. I also thought I could use an engraver to vibrate the screw slot. Like a 1000 tiny taps?

BMur · Apr 30, 2025

Patrick,
That’s great! The main spring is strong so no real heat damage. I like the idea of welding a washer to the head of the screw. That will give you the torque to extract it. It’s always better to save and repair an original screw if possible. So much easier.
Be very careful not to get weld on the surrounding metal. That’s not going to be easy.
I would first try to center drill the head and use a very small easy out with a little heat applied/oil. Once you remove the screw simply weld a new head on the screw.

Murph

Paddy 60 · May 1, 2025

Murph,

Thank you for all your advice.

S&W Model 2?

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