"K" Frame Trigger in Stainless?

[sndbggr1484]

I was going through my parts box and noticed some .265,serrated triggers with an "S" stamped on the back. I have others that don't have the S stamp that are flash chromed. Could these really be stainless or are they flash chromed? I know early model 60's has stainless hammers and triggers. Recently a rare model 15 showed up that is stainless but when regular production started for stainless guns I thought hammers and triggers were flash chromed. Any ideas?

Thanks

 

[stansdds]

Probably is stainless. In the first production run of the stainless K-frames, S&W used stainless hammers, triggers, and rear sights.

 

[H Richard]

The stainless triggers and hammers were short lived as they found the same materials when working against each other "galled" and caused operational problems. That's when they went to the flash chromed items. Then the customers complained about the rear sights that they couldn't see very well, and that's when they changed to regular black rear sights. I kind of wish they would have also changed the front sight to black, but that would have caused additional machining to attach a separate sight. I'm sure the bean counters said no.

 

[Protocall_Design]

The first ones also had a stainless main spring, with an S stamped on it. Those lost their springiness fairly quickly. If you get a gun with a stainless mainspring, replace it with carbon steel one. The carbon steel ones seem to last forever.

 

[Hapworth]

Interesting. I thought S&W dropped stainless hammers and triggers due to galling shortly after the 1965 introduction of the Model 60 -- many years before stainless K-frames were in wide production...

Anyone have a definitive source?