loose screws on my 625-8

B

butaking

Member
Joined
Dec 11, 2011
Messages
33
Reaction score
0
Location
Sun Diego, CA
I have been noticing that a couple of screws have been working loose on my 625 JM. When I was disassembling the gun for some deep cleaning, I found that th rear screw on the side plate was loose. Now I am not a fan in using loctite especially when ther may go into places you do not want them to go. So I just tighten them snug. next time out from the range. I notice that the same screw has gotten loose again, and this time the front retaining screw on rear sight is also loose. I can only imagine if the retain screw on the mainspring is making it's way loose as well. explainin the rare FTF LPS.....care to comment?
 
Register to hide this ad
You only need a tiny dot of red or blue thread lock for either to work. If you ever need to remove it then a hair dryer will heat it up enough.
 
Coming from one that has had these screws snap-off even with the frame because the previous owner thought super-glue was a great idea, or the heads of the screws stripped so badly they had to be drilled-out....I vote for simply keeping a check on them from time-to-time. If you want to use anything, go with the soft-type of thread locker you see on the yoke retention screw.

Spare screws for those that get lost are a heck-of-a-lot cheaper in the long run than gluing them in now. A little blue locktite may be okay, but stay away from the red stuff, or the super-glue.
 
Last edited:
I will have to agree,do not use loctite on the screws you are talking about! One thing you can do is to spray a degreaser into the screw hole and thoroughly degrease the screw and hole.Then assemble the revolver.
 
I get the anti super glue comments, but I'm confused by the anti thread lock talk. I suspect that some are either using way too much or aren't using heat to remove the screws. Yes, a drop of Kroil or similar is a good thing for initial screw removal, and degreasing the threads is of course a good idea. But thread lock is your friend, not your enemy. Ask your scope rings and mounts, they know.
 
Understood Max. The problem is that we know some folks don't know what a "drop", or a "little" is. Your "way too much" comment I think is more the norm.....that's the only problem I have with it.
 
Blue loctite doesn't require heat and doesn't require any additional force to loosen the screw. Blue Loctite simply prevents the screw from vibrating loose. Red Loctite on the other hand is like super-super glue. You only use Red when you never want it to come apart.

I use blue Loctite on just about everything. My motorcycles, my film cameras, my guns, glasses, etc, etc
 
I can certainly attest to the fact that red loctite is very much necessary in some applications. Beemer.....you ride a BMW.....I ride a Harley. Need I say more.:D
 
As others have suggested, really clean the interior, you can use canned air to blow it out, then clean the screw itself see if that helps. I like the idea of starting soft and working my way up, so if needed I would start by using a drop or two of clear nail polish. If that did not work then try PURPLE Loctite, made for small threads, then finally blue Loctite.
 
I think I have exactly ONE S&W revolver which does not need Loc-tite on any of the screws. I believe Loc-tite is mandatory on any mainspring strain screw that must be trusted to defend your life. If this screw loosens up at all, you run the risk of having big problems somewhere down the road. A loose yoke screw runs the risk of allowing the cylinder to be pushed off the front of the revolver if you do a weak hand reload. And I have an ejector rod on a Model 66 that would not stay tight unless it too got the Loc-tite treatment. If you shoot S&W revolvers, Loc-tite is your friend. The simple fact is that Loc-tite will eliminate most of the problems attributed to a good S&W revolver gone bad.

Dave Sinko
 
In reference to your comments on the strain screw backing out, I carried a 6" M66 for a while in my last career(LE). One day at the range I was going to shoot it and got several clicks instead of a 357 boom. My strain screw has loosened itself under the target stocks. Fortunately, I was able to correct it with a proper fitting screwdriver, and no harm was done. I agree with the previously mentioned threads, I've found that a properly fitting screwdriver applied correctly will correct most loose screw problems with a S&W revolver. Always check the front rear sight screw after shooting, as they ususally back out. Bob!!
 
thanks guys. I think I will just make sure I degrease the side plate screws and check them from time to time and drop a little blue loctite on the strain screw (which I replaced with a ss 8-32 x .5 socket head set screw).
Finally gave up on trying to lighten up on the trigger pull and just trained myself on how much it takes to cycle the trigger. This thing shoots like a dream and is so much fun.
johnny
 
I'm surprised one option that nobody has mentioned is to apply blue locktite to the screw, and let it dry BEFORE assembling the screw in the gun. This eliminates the potential problem of applying too much locktite in the threaded hole and making a mess. I've used this technique with good results. The locktite sticks to the screw for several insertion/removal cycles, and of course it's easily removed because it's blue.

You can also do this with red locktite. Let it dry completely on the screw, then assemble. It still disassembles without heat, because it's really only adhering strongly to the screw, not the threaded hole.

Lou
 
I will have to admit that I am about the last one to make recommendations on loose screws. I read about it all the time, but I simply never have a problem. Every time I take one out to shoot, I simply go over it real good and then do it again as I clean it. BUT...I am not a heavy range shooter and don't shoot a lot of magnum loads. Mostly 38-special and not even much +p......so I don't jar that many guns apart.

My issue is when I find them for sale, or do a spring replacement for somebody else....I find them way too tight, or glued-in in some cases. When a gun that looks like Bubba had a tire-tool hold of the side-plate screws crosses my table....I generally hand it back across the table to him.

Do what works for you buddy. I just like to err on the side of losing one that I can replace as opposed to having to dig one out.
 
Lou NC said what I do. Blue lock tite the screw and let is dry before screwing it in the hole. Some times I do two coats. If you have ever taken any factory guns apart and find lock tite, that is what they do. Very easy to deal with that way.

John
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

sandog
66-1 Purchase
Replies
5
Views
519
S&W Fan
S
A
27-2 stripped yoke screw
2
Replies
21
Views
2K
Alk8944
Alk8944
ddeanjohnson
WTS: list of 22 guns that remain -- MORE PRICE REDUCTIONS -- collection liquidation
2
Replies
28
Views
15K
ddeanjohnson
ddeanjohnson
ddeanjohnson
  • Locked
WITHDRAWN -- Collection reduction: 40 guns (15 S&W + Colts, etc.)
2
Replies
26
Views
10K
ddeanjohnson
ddeanjohnson
booyahbaconbits
PPC 9 Ramblings
2
Replies
21
Views
978
pasnyder
P

Latest posts

Back
Top