Do you keep Revolver spare parts?

Rivers2k · Jul 10, 2012

I love my 686+ and dreamed about owning one for years and now I finally do. I love the .357 caliber I love the reliability of the revolver, I love the way it feels when I shoot it. I love almost everything about it.

I know one of the reasons many people like wheel guns is they last for ever and always go bang. They tend to be more reliable than semi autos. That being said they are still mechanical and made out of parts that can break.

What if any extra parts do you keep or would you recommend keeping around?

I am handy but by no means a gun smith is there anything I should have on hand for a quick at home or at the rage do it your self repair? kind of thinking like extra spark plugs and fuses in the glove box.

Or are they really that durable that nobody gives a thought to extra parts.

youngda9 · Jul 10, 2012

I guess I have some extra springs and front sights lying around...but only since I've changed out some stock components.

General cleaning should keep it running for a lifetime. After many thousands of rounds endshake may need to be addressed. Frames can stretch I hear...but you gotta shoot the snot out of it with HOT loads for years.

bigshep85 · Jul 10, 2012

Actually

I just added some parts to my collection. For the first time I changed parts on my wheel gun a S&W 640. I took a chrome flashed trigger and replaced the hardened one. I have been debating selling the old trigger. I still have it and for the same reason you mentioned above I guess I havent tried to sell it. It is off an old model pre MIM trigger and I figured if I ever bought another J frame (I am sure I will) with MIM parts I can always put the pre MIM trigger in it.....I dunno guess I am just making excuses to either keep the part or buy another gun

I would like to have a 649 pretty bad.....hmmmmm

DeeBee · Jul 10, 2012

Heres mine. J-frames only.

I found having spare extractors and hands come in handy. But you never know?

JJEH · Jul 10, 2012

Rivers2k said:
What if any extra parts do you keep or would you recommend keeping around?

I always try to keep some parts on hand, you never know what's coming...

Rivers2k · Jul 10, 2012

DeeBee said:
Heres mine. J-frames only.
I found having spare extractors and hands come in handy. But you never know?

Looks like you could build another gun or two with your extras

Are those left overs from customizing?

DeeBee · Jul 10, 2012

Rivers2k said:
Looks like you could build another gun or two with your extras Are those left overs from customizing?

Some purchased new, and a lot purchased off of Gunbroker. You don't have to pay a lot for a complete spare parts kit. There are some good deals out there.

snake charmer · Jul 10, 2012

I keep everything on hand except frames, I'm a competition shooter and have broken everything over the years.

Rivers2k · Jul 10, 2012

DeeBee said:
Some purchased new, and a lot purchased off of Gunbroker. You don't have to pay a lot for a complete spare parts kit. There are some good deals out there.

Didn't know they sold complete parts kits. I will have to look into picking one up.

gr7070 · Jul 10, 2012

Rivers2k said:
I know one of the reasons many people like wheel guns is they last for ever and always go bang. They tend to be more reliable than semi autos.

I'm a revolver guy, but I don't know how accurate that statment is in 2012. Especially a highly tuned revolver looking to be reloaded quickly after 100 rounds have been fired.

I don't keep any parts on hand, and I'm a competition shooter. Granted I'm not shooting every weekend like some, but I likely shoot a lot more than the median shooter, which is not at all.

NYlakesider · Jul 10, 2012

Back in the 70-80s I did a lot of PPC shooting and learned from a cop friend that was S&W trained on police weapons how to do Rev tune ups.
That was in the era before the spring kits came out and you had to cut/ bend/ snip springs to get a nice trigger pull.(of course a little stoning also helps out)

After I did 2 of my own Smiths friends asked me to improve there’s.
To keep clear of NYs crazy gun laws I only worked with the owner present. I went to the factory and picked up a bunch of springs, triggers, hammers, white outline sights so that I could keep the old stuff with the gun in case of a want to return to stock.My friends were very happy to do it that way.

I did that for any friend’s gun I worked on and any more of mine since the original 2. I still have a cigar box of little plastic bags with the my gun info written on a piece of paper packed in each envelope.

As I tinker with 1911s I have a bunch of parts available for that gun also..

ILLWIND · Jul 10, 2012

I have some hammers & triggers for N frames, springs and a few other odds and ends. I have fitted a trigger on a 29 because I didn't like the sharp checkering. Now it has a smooth trigger like my 625-4 SAC. Best gun I ever owned.

Nightowl · Jul 10, 2012

I keep hands and change those more than anything else. Cylinder stops would be the next most changed in my experience. Most of the other parts rarely break it seems. Mostly guns need minor adjusting back to specs by correcting endshake and minor adjustments.

LeMans · Jul 11, 2012

Rivers2k said:
I know one of the reasons many people like wheel guns is they last for ever and always go bang.

That only holds true until one gets a faceful of copper...

I tend not to keep spare parts but spare guns instead.

MTKTM · Jul 11, 2012

I don't keep any parts on hand. I've been shooting handguns since the mid-60s and have done competition (IPSC and IDPA) at different times, have shot many many 10s of thousands of rounds, with very few problems. I did replace springs and have had to repair some of my guns, and that was especially true during my competition years, but it was occasional and sporadic and I'd address each problem as it arose.

Re S&W revolvers, the first two guns I ever owned, a 27 no-dash given me by my dad for Christmas of 1965 when I was a junior in high-school, and a 67 no-dash that I purchased in '72 right after getting out of the Army, were both shot, carried, hunted, hauled, smudged, dipped, dunked and, at times, borderline abused for many many years, and neither ever required a single repair or part......I still have both and they are bone stock. If a gun breaks, I fix it or get it fixed. But they just don't break very often in my experience.

Dpris · Jul 11, 2012

Considering that S&W has largely abandoned the older guns as far as major parts like hammers & triggers, firing pins & rivets, etc., it'd be wise to have spares on hand if you plan to keep your gun running for many years. They do wear out & do break, and if you can't provide your own, you may not be able to get repairs done.
Denis

Titegroups · Jul 11, 2012

You own one 686, you don't need any spare parts. Email me in 5 years and let me know if I'm wrong.

Bullet Bob · Jul 11, 2012

In my non-professional opinion, the best spare part would be a second 686. Has always worked for me with 17's, 14's, etc.

colt_saa · Jul 11, 2012

Here is my 625 snubby and a full set of spare parts for it.

Dpris · Jul 11, 2012

Up to you, but you'll be seeing an increase in "Where can I find parts for my S&W?" posts.
The odds are in your favor, but SOMEBODY has to fall on the wrong side of the curve & it's not always somebody else.
Denis

Do you keep Revolver spare parts?

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