Model 19-4 Needs Recoil Shield Replaced.

[Texas Roots]

I bought the gun used, in about 1996. Several years ago, I had a bad experience with some primers that caused pock marks on the recoil shield....that is, the bushing that is staked into the frame that has the hole in it for the firing pin to protrude when the gun is fired. (I am not sure about the part name either....I'm assuming it is either the recoil shield or the firing pin bushing). It is staked in place in the frame.

Note: I've since gotten rid of all those bad primers after I'd traced it to a certain lot that I had purchased.

Besides the pock marks (which are actually small holes that were burned out of the metal from the hot gases from the bad primers as the gun was fired), the hole that the firing pin protrudes from is oversized; there's far too much space between the firing pin and the bushing when the hammer is all the way down.

In summary, I'd like to get this bushing or whatever it's called, replaced. I approached a well known pistol smith in my area several years ago about this and he said he couldn't even get the part from Smith and Wesson. Further, that I should just write the gun off and forget about replacing this part as neither he nor the factory could replace it.

Mr. Jim Stroh of Alpha Precision, replaced a bushing/recoil shield for me that had also gone bad in a Model 27-2 about 7 years ago. Of course, he has since retired.

Does anyone know if/how/who can fix this for me?

 

[Fuddster]

I would give Smith and Wesson a call. Don't believe they can't do something till you hear it from them.

 

[tennexplorer]

In the past, Cylinder&Slide has replaced two of them for me. It has been a few years ago.

 

[muddocktor]

I sent my 27-2 off to S&W a few years ago to get tuned up and recut and set back the barrel and one of the parts they changed out was the hammer nose bushing (the part you are talking about). Mine had some erosion from pierced primers like yours, but probably not as bad as yours because the hole was not enlarged. So I would say for you to give S&W a call and let them go through your pistol and change out the hammer nose bushing.

 

[Alk8944]

What you are describing is called the "Hammer nose bushing". The factory most certainly can replace it! Who told you they couldn't, the "gunsmith" that said he couldn't? The most expensive part of the repair will be the postage to and from.

Erosion of the hammer nose bushing is quite common and caused by primer cup failure. I had so much of a problem with Remington 1 1/2 Small Pistol primers that I refuse to buy them, and have not for over 40 years!

The most common cause of enlargement of the center hole of the hammer nose bushing is from dry-firing, not the primer issue. This is merely one of several issues caused by dry-firing almost any gun, regardless of S&W saying dry-firing is perfectly OK. Of course they do, they do repairs and sell parts to repair dry-firing damage, of course they encourage it!!!!

 

[murphydog]

The factory has had to replace many model 580 and 680 series L frame .357 hammer nose bushings under a warranty recall program over the past 30+ years; it may even be the same part that fits your model 19, so I would definitely call them and see if they will do the work.

 

[Texas Roots]

Thank you all, very much, for your replies. I had pretty much given up on ever getting this fixed.
Alk8944, yes, that is the primer that caused my headaches too; the Remington 2 /12. I've been a reloader since 1969 and have only experienced that one particular problem with that brand and with that batch out of all the thousands of rounds I've reloaded in my life. Just our luck, huh?