Cleaning and tuning recent production Smiths?

[lrrifleman]

Recently, I purchased my first new Smith (686+) in over twenty years. I grew up with blued carbon steel firearms and weened on Hoppes 9. This is not only my first IL Smith, it is my first stainless steel firearm.

I have read where Hoppes tends to remove the blueing on the newer production Smiths. Can I continue to use Hoppes on my stainless 686+ without fear of damaging the finish?

Also, short of the injection molded sintered metal action parts in my Colt Trooper MkIII, I have never dealt with MIM parts. Should I eventually find the need to have a trigger job done, can a traditional trigger job be performed on the new MIM parts without shortening their lifespan?

I realize that these probably sound like nooby questions, but being new to the world of MIM parts and stainless steel, I just don't want to inflict any damage to this revolver.

Thanks for your advice!

 

[ContinentalOp]

Not an expert, but based on what I know...

I wouldn't worry about using Hoppes 9 on an all-stainless revolver. The only issues I've heard about involves the clear coat on airweight guns and blued guns, and even then it's only with ammoniated solvents, which I don't believe applies to the currently produced Hoppes 9.

I wouldn't worry about MIM parts. From what I've read, trigger jobs and such can be done on them as well as forged/barstock parts. I've yet to see any evidence that MIM parts don't last as long, either.

 

[bigwheelzip]

Congrats and enjoy the 686-6. I've used that product on all my 686-6s without incident. You might also want to get a Lead Away cloth for cleaning the stubborn schmutz on the front of the cylinder.


Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using Tapatalk

 

[hammer 1]

I have a 57-6 classic, blued in 41 magnum, 6". I have changed the grips to English walnut combats by Culina, and I changed the trigger return spring to a little lighter wolff to smooth and lighten the double action trigger pull. I love the handgun, it is one of three, that are not for sale. And I have not had an issue in 3 years with it and hopes doing any damage to the finish that I can discern. Congrats on your new purchase

 

[lrrifleman]

You might also want to get a Lead Away cloth for cleaning the stubborn schmutz on the front of the cylinder.

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BWZ,
A "Lead -away" cloth is standard practice in my shooting box for my Model 17 K22. If I don't use the cloth after every 40-50 rounds, it gets difficult shooting single action.

 

[Protocall_Design]

Good call on the 686+! One of the best revolvers ever. You can change the texture of the surface with abrasives, but it's bare SS all the way through. Not just a surface coating like blue or nickel. Use all the Hoppe's #9 you want.

Also, the MIM parts are just as good (maybe better) than the old machined parts. They may be better in terms of all being more nearly the same dimensions and geometry. They are just as good in terms of durability and hardness. You can get a great trigger on these parts just as you can on the old style parts. The S&W revos will outlast all of us.

 

[BLUEDOT37]

I love stainless steel revolvers!

And from a cleaning standpoint they're pretty carefree.

What took you so long ?

.

 

[lrrifleman]

I love stainless steel revolvers!
... What took you so long ? .

Fair question!

First, while I was still able to work, none of the S&W stainless steel revolvers tickled my interest. Once I became disabled, I had to learn how to stay within a fixed income budget raising two younger children. Then I discovered the 686+ 3" that is like a more versatile version of my 36-6! I now have a 629 3" on layaway!

But honestly, for the bullseye games, I still prefer my blued steel Smiths! I plan to use the stainless 3 inchers for PPC matches!

 

[Rule3]

There really is no reason to use a lead away cloth or any metal cleaner on the front of the cylinder. As soon as you shoot it it will get carboned/lead up again. An effort in futility. Only time to clean it is if you want to sell it.Once there is a layer it is not gonna get worse, Just wipe it off with whatever cleaner you use, Hoppees is fine.

 

[ladder13]

I doubt you’ll need any trigger job, MIM triggers seem to have a rep for being very good. You save $’s sending it out.

 

[stansdds]

MIM fire control parts tend to be smooth and very uniform. Can you get a better trigger job with the forged steel parts? Yes, but it is expensive to have a good gunsmith perform this work. You can safely clean a stainless firearm with a Lead-Away cloth, I've done it, but the next time you shoot that firearm, it's stained again. I gave up on keeping mine in a "better than new" cleanliness condition.

 

[lrrifleman]

I can appreciate everyone's feelings of how unnecessary repeatedly cleaning the cylinder face of a stainless steel revolver is. Unfortunately, my grandfather, father, and gunsmith were like drill sergeants when it came to cleaning my firearms. Their oversight and demands for a clean firearm are deeply embedded with me, and will be embedded with my children! It was pounded in to never give a firearm a reason to fail!

 

[growr]

I know......see how many rounds you can run through this fine revolver to see when you have an actual stoppage due to carbon build up on the cylinder face and then do a range report for all of us.....

Randy

 

[Rule3]

I can appreciate everyone's feelings of how unnecessary repeatedly cleaning the cylinder face of a stainless steel revolver is. Unfortunately, my grandfather, father, and gunsmith were like drill sergeants when it came to cleaning my firearms. Their oversight and demands for a clean firearm are deeply embedded with me, and will be embedded with my children! It was pounded in to never give a firearm a reason to fail!

By all means clean it. And clean the front of the cylinder however it doesn't need to be ground down to bright stainless every time. You just do not see the black as much on a blued gun, but it is there.

 

[pistolpete10]

I have a half dozen of the newer S&W revolvers. Did a little tuning on some of them. You can get a good trigger on them, good as the older guns with the forged parts in them. You may want to put lighter springs in some of them, for some reason the D/A pull varies a lot from one gun to another. I do have a 629 that had a hitch in the D/A pull, it was hard at the first part of the pull as if hanging on something. Turns out it was, the leg on the hammer that has the sear was hitting the trigger if the trigger was pulled double action. Stoned the corner just a tad(not anywhere near the actual sear), had to really study it to find it. Only problem I've had other than the springs.