Remove the lock!

[500 Magnum Nut]

With all the talk here of the internal locks, I want to share my method of killing the beast. I've done this to several guns, and personally it's a pain in the neck to do. The parts are tiny, and when to try to customize stuff it's sometimes slow and tedious. This method removes all the parts, no forks, springs or junk left inside the frame.

When you measure the parts, the lock cylinder hole is about .200 diameter. ALL cylinders are the same size which are .130 thick, so your dealing with parts that are hard to see and hard to hold. Tap the hole on the side using a M6x1 tap. The tap drill size is a number 6 drill which is .204 thousands, so you don't have to drill anything. You get 2 full threads on a J frame. 4 threads on the X and somewhere in the middle for the other frame sizes. The best part of this is that if you want to put the gun together with the cylinder again, since you didn't drill the hole bigger, it will return to normal rather easily and nobody will know any different. Tapping aluminum or stainless frames is like cutting butter, just add oil to the tap to make sure the threads don't tear as you do the tapping operation.
Now I've found the screw needs to be glued in place, the stronger the glue the better. Locktite doesn't seem to work well with aluminum frames with stainless screws.
Tap the hole with a drill press if you got, if not this method of using a 1/4 drive socket aligning the tap to cut straight will ensure a good looking job.

Find a screw of your liking, then cut it down to .130 for the Js. If too long it will rub the hammer tying up the action. Keep the screw short so it won't affect the thumb release either.
Well that's it, here are the other pics.

I never said it was easy to do.

 

[Zilmo]

Good info, and great pics! I have only found one easier way to deal with the IL issue:









I don't own any Smiths with locks.

 

[500 Magnum Nut]

I don't own any Smiths with locks.

Come on Zilmo, you have to suffer like the rest of us!

 

[tlr16]

Theres a guy selling a Plug that would hide everything better

 

[617fan]

Theres a guy selling a Plug that would hide everything better

I bought three, they fit great and look great, the only down-side is that they are held in place by the fork and spring. May never cause an issue but if a press fit would work; it would be an even better solution. I sure appreciate the guys working on a fix to correct something that never should of been to start with!

 

[617fan]

And a special thanks to Magnum Nut, I would have been in a jam installing my plugs; his FAQ "sticky" saved me!

 

[500 Magnum Nut]

I just made another kind of mouse trap, that's all. It gives you guys another option to pursue.

 

[500 Magnum Nut]

a press fit would work; it would be an even better solution.

I suppose if you heat the gun, and have a plug in dry ice, assemble it without burning your fingers, let it warm up it would be so darn tight it won't fall out.

That's how they build the dragster front ends in NHRA...

 

[clint_lnl]

question, if you remove the IL would that void the lifetime warranty?

 

[500 Magnum Nut]

Just put it back to original if you send it back. This mod won't affect the original parts.

 

[Mountainbear]

The tapping is a good idea, but why not put the screw slot on the inside and just low strength loc-tite the screw in place when the smooth side is flush? I haven't tried this, so I'm not sure the logistics involved with the screw interfering with the bolt or other internal pieces.

 

[500 Magnum Nut]

There's not a lot of room for a screw head. If there was, then it would be a very easy modification.

You could make the job permanent with silver solder, but that was not my intention as I did wanted the option of un-doing the screw in the event you needed to ship the gun back for repairs.

I kinda like the look of the screw, it flows with the rest of the slotted screws on the gun....

 

[Mountainbear]

Then just use a flush mount (plug screw). I know its not very thick, but if you can get the screw flush with the outside of the frame so as not to interfere with the thumb piece, you should be able to loctite (removable) one in with the slot on the inside.

I understand your point as well. I just don't want an extra holes on the side of my gun. Problem is, a few of the guns I like either were never made without the lock (in which case I have to make it myself, and my own projects never pay as well as gunsmithing for other people) or are rare and expensive without the lock. If I could hide the extra hole with the slot on the inside of the frame, I might forget the hole was there.

 

[jim42]

Nice job,500

 

[500 Magnum Nut]

As Elvis would say "thank you, thank you very much"

 

[Marshall 357]

Very Nice!

 

[Sugar River]

500,
Another big thank you. I may have to give that a try.

Pete

 

[500 Magnum Nut]

If you try and grind the screw (or turn the screw on a lathe, mill, etc) and have a hard time of holding it in your fingers, make a holder for the screw.

Take a round piece of bar stock, drill and tap it thru (M6x1). Then put your screw into the threads. Add another screw to the opposite side of the "tool" and tighten it up with the wrench. Now you have a holder for the screw which you could turn on a lathe or grind it with your fingers to the length you need it.

Hope I make some sense...

 

[500 Magnum Nut]

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