bassoneer
Member
I have been reading threads about the internal lock for months. I had been debating with myself whether to remove them on two of my guns, or to keep them in since they never malfunctioned on my guns. Well, for some reason yesterday I had enough and decided to get the damn things out of the two guns that had them...a 638 airweight bodyguard and a 686P. First was the 638 - I followed the instructions in the famous internet video regarding lock removal from a 642. I have a 640 that I had taken apart, and it looked similar on the inside, so I felt pretty confident I could do it. The only problem was, as soon as I took the side plate off a little part fell out that didn't seem to go anywhere. I proceeded with succesfully removing the lock and then partially put the gun back together. It still worked without the part, so I was stumped. I sat there and studied the part for about half an hour, and finally turned over the side plate and saw the grooves in it. I thought there is no way S&W would have put that there for no reason because it looks expensive to do...then I played around with the part until I figured out what it did. It blocks the hammer until you pull the trigger or cock the gun, then it ever-so-slowly moves down and out of the way, allowing the gun to fire. GENIUS (S&W, not me, although I did feel a sense of accomplishment and felt better about know what all the parts did). I went ahead and re-assembled the gun and tested everything - perfect! And no lock. I also did the 686P and there was the same part. That was not in the internet video of the 642 because it doesn't have an exposed hammer and no need for that feature. I know the gun works without the block because I tried it, but it fits perfectly and provides an extra barrier of protection in case you drop the gun. After I did all of this, I found some schematics on the web and one or two photos (after hours of looking) and found out it technically is called a "hammer block". By now you guys are probably thinking everybody knows what a hammer block is - but I wouldn't be so sure. And it is only on newer guns with an exposed hammer. After an hour or two I had successfully removed two internal locks, put them in the little bags with the keys, back in the blue S&W box where they belong, and then successfully reassembled both guns. Now, I think I could disassemble them again easier in the future.
By the way, I have ordered two "plugs" from Bullseye Smith and they should be coming my way in the mail tomorrow. I plan to post photos of the installed plugs once they go in. Also, I may take a photo of the hammer block and show how to reinstall that - I think whoever designed that thing must have been a very good mechanical engineer.
My only disappointments were that on the side of the 638, there is a tiny hole that is where the hinge point of the lock was. I may just let that go. Anybody have a good way to fill that in with something? And, of course on the 686P there is a little slot where the flag used to be, but it is not very noticable. Actually, neither is the hole in the 638. The hammers had been notched also to accomodate that stupid internal lock, but that is also not very noticable. I had fun taking them out and feel the guns are now much more reliable.
Later, B
By the way, I have ordered two "plugs" from Bullseye Smith and they should be coming my way in the mail tomorrow. I plan to post photos of the installed plugs once they go in. Also, I may take a photo of the hammer block and show how to reinstall that - I think whoever designed that thing must have been a very good mechanical engineer.
My only disappointments were that on the side of the 638, there is a tiny hole that is where the hinge point of the lock was. I may just let that go. Anybody have a good way to fill that in with something? And, of course on the 686P there is a little slot where the flag used to be, but it is not very noticable. Actually, neither is the hole in the 638. The hammers had been notched also to accomodate that stupid internal lock, but that is also not very noticable. I had fun taking them out and feel the guns are now much more reliable.
Later, B