Lubrication and Maintenance of 686+

[cda322]

I was lucky enough to purchase back a pre-lock 686+ that I foolishly sold many years ago. Having been out of revolvers for a long time, I'm hoping that you knowledgeable folks can help me out with some basic maintenance before I take it out to shoot again. I am very unfamiliar with revolvers and I only have a basic understanding of parts terms.

Does anyone have some simple pictograms or something similar showing the proper lube points on an L frame? This thing is bone dry. Hasn't been shot in years.

Second, if you think it's advisable, I'd like to replace some of the springs and other parts that are subject to hardest use/most likely to break. Is this something I should attempt on my own? If so, are there fairly simple instructions that someone could point me to?

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[armorer951]

I found this in a ten second "google" inquiry....."how to properly clean a revolver." There were 391,000 results to my search.

How to Correctly Clean Your Revolver Gun | The Art of Manliness

Unless the gun you refer to above has been in police service or shows signs of neglect or misuse, I wouldn't change anything, springs included. If you have doubts about it's serviceability, have the revolver examined by a trusted, experienced local gunsmith.

The next....and best.... thing to do is to get familiar with the gun by putting some projectiles down the barrel at your local range. Ammunition is available at your local sporting goods retailer, or Wal-Mart.

 

[cda322]

I'm very familiar with firearms in general. One of my questions, specifically, was at what points on the revolver to apply lubricant to. The gun is not dirty, shows no signs of any out-of-the-ordinary wear, and I've already cleaned the barrel and chambers.

Advice taken on not replacing anything, but I would still like to know what points to lubricate on the gun. I understand Google, as well, but I would like to hear from users on a forum dedicated to S&W firearms.

Thank You

 

[armorer951]

If it were mine, I would put a scant drop of a high quality, synthetic oil on the hammer stud, the trigger stud, the top of the rebound slide just in front of the hammer seat, the hammer block pivot pin on the rebound slide, the hook of the hammer at the point it interfaces with the cylinder stop, and would also lightly oil the barrel of the yoke, and the tip of the extractor rod where it interfaces with the front locking bolt. Think bearing points.....and....less is better.