Flash Chromed vs. Case Hardened

T

TheLeadMachine

Member
Joined
Jun 9, 2014
Messages
77
Reaction score
16
What are the advantages and disadvantages of one over the other for hammer and triggers?

I just purchased a 686-4 with a case hardened hammer and trigger and I want to know if it is better or worse than flash chromed technology. I like the look of the case hardened ones more and because I don't know too much, I just assumed that the word "hardened" means that it's more durable and resistant to wear than flash chroming.

Let me know why in your response.
 
Last edited:
Register to hide this ad
Just cosmetics IMO,

Your 686-4 + has forged hammer trigger that are case colored ,
the older SS Smiths had the same forged hammer triggers but those parts were finished by "Flash Chroming" them .

Your 686-4 + with case colored hammer trigger can swap with the older flash chromed parts if you think they are more attractive but there is no strength advantage in changing those parts and it will probably devalue it to a purist collector.

BTW the 686-5 + is also pre lock but has internal firing pin and MIM hammer trigger so can not swap with older hammer triggers.
 
Last edited:
Case hardening is a method of adding surface hardening to low carbon steel. It increases resistance to wear and impact, while leaving the interior of the part tough, but not brittle. The color is achieved by controlling the quenching process, and has nothing to do with the strength and wear resistance. The flash plating is applied after the hardening for appearance and rust resistance purposes.
 
Agree. Flash chrome is a plating (rather hard) over what's under it. It's an appearance thing. If I had to make a choice, I would choose IHC over nickel, but case hardening would not bother me on it's own.
 
I prefer the case hardening trigger and hammer on the blued and nickel guns. It just looks right.
 
My S&W revolvers are all 1980 - 1995 production and I think color-casehardened parts just look more "old school" and "higher-grade" than flash-chromed ones. The only guns in which I haven't exchanged flash-chromed parts for color-casehardened ones are limited-run models that were only made with flash-chromed.

Ed
 
IIRC the chronology of the SS revolver internals is,
1965 original Model 60 had SS hammer trigger which resulted in galling a brief change to case colored hammer trigger in the mid 60's then flash chromed in the late 60's ,
The early 70's saw the intoduction of the Model 66,64 and 67 all with Flash chromed H/T up until the dash 3 or 4 revision which appeared with case color H/T ,
When you consider the S&W evolution of design it makes sense they would reduce inventory costs by using the same H/T on both blue and SS revolvers.
 
Notice S&W literature doesn't use the term "case hardening". They use "case colored". I dated a blonde once who's carpet didn't match the drapes... if you get my meaning. The coloring was fake. I wonder if S&W is doing something similar with some of these case "colored" parts. The reason is, I've seen some triggers where it looked like the case coloring was flaking off. TTBOMK, real case hardening shouldn't flake off. It can wear off to nothing, but I've never seen it flake. Not saying all, but maybe some.
 
Kernel Crittenden said:
Notice S&W literature doesn't use the term "case hardening". They use "case colored". I dated a blonde once who's carpet didn't match the drapes... if you get my meaning. The coloring was fake. I wonder if S&W is doing something similar with some of these case "colored" parts. The reason is, I've seen some triggers where it looked like the case coloring was flaking off. TTBOMK, real case hardening shouldn't flake off. It can wear off to nothing, but I've never seen it flake. Not saying all, but maybe some.
Click to expand...

Is this recent literature or from the old literature? From doing research online, I can't seem to find a good answer from anyone regarding case hardening and case coloring. Some say they're one in the same and others are saying different. I hope my 686-4 is case hardened. :(
 
An item can be case hardened with out the colors. The colors are achieved in the quench after heating to above the critical temperature in the a carbon rich environment. Usually the item is packed in a mixture of wood charcoal and bone, and heated to red heat for a period of time, depending on the size of the part and the depth of the hardening desired. The part to be hardened is then dumped into the quench, usually water. If the water is being agitated by a flow if air, various colors will result, and can be controlled somewhat by the charcoal and bone mixture used. The colors are essentially only on the surface, but the hardened layer is several thousandths of an inch deep.
 
Skeetr57 said:
An item can be case hardened with out the colors. The colors are achieved in the quench after heating to above the critical temperature in the a carbon rich environment. Usually the item is packed in a mixture of wood charcoal and bone, and heated to red heat for a period of time, depending on the size of the part and the depth of the hardening desired. The part to be hardened is then dumped into the quench, usually water. If the water is being agitated by a flow if air, various colors will result, and can be controlled somewhat by the charcoal and bone mixture used. The colors are essentially only on the surface, but the hardened layer is several thousandths of an inch deep.
Click to expand...

So does that mean that both the colored (rainbow) look and flash chromed hammer and trigger are both case hardened, it's just that the last step is different, i.e. quenching the parts for a rainbow look or chroming?
 
TheLeadMachine said:
So does that mean that both the colored (rainbow) look and flash chromed hammer and trigger are both case hardened, it's just that the last step is different, i.e. quenching the parts for a rainbow look or chroming?
Click to expand...

Yes.


Although, technically the case coloring is often part of the process, so no extra steps needed if contemplated beforehand. The colooring can be done separately, but usually it's only done that way if there's no hardening needed. Speeds up the cycle time for processing considerably as the carbon diffusion needed with the thicker functional case takes time.
 
Last edited:
Both flash chrome plating and case hardening are far superior to any MIM parts.
I am very happy with my 686-3 and 686-4, equally so.

I do have a 617-5 and since it is not a self defense gun, the MIM parts are OK but I would still rather have an earlier model.

I do not mean to start up a MIM parts debate but there is a reason the Remingtom 870 Police model and the Colt Gunsite CCO do not use MIM parts yet the civilian 870 and regular Colt have MIM parts.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

413Maxwedge
Polished Case Hardened Parts?
Replies
14
Views
1K
Mike SC Hunter
M
O
Another 3" M66 added to the herd
Replies
7
Views
726
Frank V
F
S
S&W color case hardening methods?
Replies
17
Views
1K
Jaco1234
J
SLT223
How many folks here have a 620?
Replies
16
Views
969
Hal H.
H
The_Truth
  • Locked
**SOLD** [WTS] 1956 S&W Chiefs Special
Replies
1
Views
953
Wengayoo
W

Latest posts

Back
Top