Can this 64-5 be salvaged?

[kaaskop49]

As a milsurp guy who leaves the finish alone as much as possible, I'd clean the bore, slap on some grips, and take it to the range to see if it shoots before doing anything else. I might be the outlier of the group, though.

...and then sell it to me! Can never have too many HB 10/64's.

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103

 

[Baxter6551]

If you want as a shooter I think that is a perfect candidate for a bead blast. If you want to make it look factory finished I would follow all the excellent guidance in posts above. My 64 was a former police duty gun. Not rusted but showed some miles. It’s now bead blasted but I really like that look. Once I got my 3 inch 65 back from the factory with the “combat revolver package”, I’ve had other guns including the 64 done over in a similar fashion.
The 67, 66 and 64 shown in photos were all done by my gunsmith buddy using a Harbor Freight cabinet.

 

[Yendor357]

Oh good lord, it looks like Bubba done took a wire wheel to that poor thing.

I don’t know if a bead blast would resurrect that thing. I like used stuff. But I’m not one for buying rusty neglected stuff. I’d sell it.

Not everything can be fixed. Melt that thing down and start over.

 

[T44spl]

Bead blasting will give a nice uniform appearance that will if you have a good hand give you close to a factory look. I would suggest using New fine
beads. Don't try to use old stuff filtered or not. Fresh media will not have rust particles, moisture, dirt etc. So for best results use new media.

 

[TAROMAN]

SS guns can be saved.
This 65-5 Ladysmith showed up at a LGS. It had apparently been a "boat gun". Rusted in numerous places.
As it was complete with its box and soft case, I decided it was worth saving.
Off to S&W for a vapor blast refinish and laser etching.
Turned out like new:

 

[SweetMK]

I guess no one has been to a car show in the last five years,,

That gun is the perfect example of the current rat rod craze,,

Heck, if it shoots good,, why do anything to it??
Nothing will make it a "collectable".

If it shoots good,, that might go away if you refinish,,

I would take the refinish money,, spend it on ammo,, and enjoy it!!

 

[SGT ROCK 11B]

Hello everyone. I have recently come into possession of the below model 64-5. It has plenty of rust, grime, and scratches, but mechanically seems to be fine per to my novice eyes ...

Was it a "boatgun? Back in the 1970s people thought stainless was same as rustproof.

Apparently not so.

 

[Gudou]

I did some cleanup including a complete teardown of a revolver for the first time. It was edifying. I got the most rust out of the trigger assembly followed by the cylinder release nut. The internals were dirty but not bad overall. I'm hoping to take it to the range tomorrow to see how it shoots. I'm not sure what if anything I'll do to the finish at this point. The thing that bugs me the most is this big burr on the yoke.

 

[Gudou]

SS guns can be saved.
This 65-5 Ladysmith showed up at a LGS. It had apparently been a "boat gun". Rusted in numerous places.
As it was complete with its box and soft case, I decided it was worth saving.
Off to S&W for a vapor blast refinish and laser etching.
Turned out like new:

That is tremendous. How much did it cost?

 

[BC38]

That cleaned up well.
As others have said, to refinish it, give it a light bead blast or rub it down with a grey Scoth Brite pad. If you go the Scotch Brite pad route, be sure to go in one direction only - front to back and back to front (not up and down or around the cylinder). Only rub parallel to the bore of the barrel.
If you aren't happy with the results you can still go the bead blast route.
Once it is refinished to your satisfaction, reassemble, lube the internal workings with a little gun oil of your choice.
I'm not seeing the burr on the yoke. Can you post a closeup of it? If you're going to refinish it you should be able to dress any burrs down with a fine diamond needle file.
Good luck with the next phase of your project.

EDIT: Is this the "burr" you were talking about?

I was looking for a big "peeled back" sliver of metal - not a bunch of little dings. My bad. As Jaymore says below - they can probably be tapped flatter with a small hammer and then dressed with a file if still needed.

 

[jaymoore]

I'd take the yoke off and lightly peen the dinks with a jeweler's or engraver's hammer. (Or any small hammer that has a well polished, contoured, striking face. If you have a way of securing the yoke, you can contour a punch face as well, but it still just about needs three hands.) Depending on how the metal is displaced, you may not need much file work at all. Having experience previously does help!

Otherwise, as long as the sight picture is good, I'd not spend much, if any, time refinishing it. Shoot it until it wears out and be happy. Safe queens are for looking at. Shooters just need shooting.

FWIW, I tutored under a great gunsmith who made stuff for folk up to and including princes and a former US President. He enjoyed showing up at rifle and IHMSA matches of various venues with horrible looking beaters, sometimes wrapped with duct tape, and often win against all comers. I particularly remember a rusty tip-up Stevens .22 which he had relined, slapped on a crudely shaped grip made from pine, and added a cheap set of peep sights. His "Secret Weapon". Awesome!

 

[murphydog]

Nice work! Unless the rough edge of the yoke assembly binds up opening or closing the cylinder it would be a purely cosmetic fix.

Now you can ask for at least $300 at the next local gun confiscation event . Please let us know how it works at the range.

 

[Chuck Edwards]

That cleaned up well. Assuming it shoots well at the range, I'd carry it as is. It's probably regulated for 158s.

 

[stansdds]

It cleaned up nicely, but that was definitely a used, abused, and neglected firearm. Looking at the pics of the forcing cone and recoil shield, I'd say it was not shot very much, just lead a life of abuse and neglect.

 

[Gudou]

I took it out to the range for a function test today. The only 38 Special ammo I had on hand was 125gr Speer Total Metal Jacket so that's what I used.

First groups here from 7 yards standing/unsupported. Left target is 3 cylinders single action. Right is 3 cylinders double action.



Then I shot the rest of the box (14 rounds) at 25 yards standing/unsupported.



I think this gun is a much better shot than I am capable of making. So far so good.

 

[murphydog]

Yeah, don’t turn that one in.

Nice shooting!

 

[ken158]

I didn't read the 36 replies but a blasting with soda or glass would go a long way in your restoration attempt - and your serial number is on the butt, not the yoke area you mentioned - that is an assembly number which means nothing.

 

[BC38]

I took it out to the range for a function test today. The only 38 Special ammo I had on hand was 125gr Speer Total Metal Jacket so that's what I used.

First groups here from 7 yards standing/unsupported. Left target is 3 cylinders single action. Right is 3 cylinders double action.



Then I shot the rest of the box (14 rounds) at 25 yards standing/unsupported.



I think this gun is a much better shot than I am capable of making. So far so good.

Yeah, most S&W revolvers - especially older ones - are more accurate than most shooters!

 

[Chuck Edwards]

Yeah, most S&W revolvers - especially older ones - are more accurate than most shooters!

That's true for me, that's for sure.

 

[stansdds]

It is definitely within minute of miscreant accuracy standards. I'm sure it will produce excellent accuracy from a bench rested position and maybe different ammo.