Rust Protection Removal fron New S&W 66-8

[Kasian]

Jacketed bullets shouldn't leave enough residue to worry about.
Some people obsess over getting every trace of jacket fouling out of the bore after shooting by scrubbing and scrubbing.
A little copper streaking in the bore doesn't hurt a thing.

Nice to know, appreciate it !

 

[murphydog]

Years ago S & W would treat stainless steel revolvers by putting them in a dilute acid solution, which would leave a thin coating on the metal, called "passivation". I have no idea if this is still done.

I see no harm in using a light polish (Flitz, blue Wenol) to make your new revolver's finish more uniform or slightly brighter.

And you have my admiration for being a gun owner behind enemy lines!

 

[Alk8944]

Years ago S & W would treat stainless steel revolvers by putting them in a dilute acid solution, which would leave a thin coating on the metal, called "passivation". I have no idea if this is still done.

I see no harm in using a light polish (Flitz, blue Wenol) to make your new revolver's finish more uniform or slightly brighter.

And you have my admiration for being a gun owner behind enemy lines!

You are only half correct. Passivation is not a coating, it is a "Pickling" process. It removes the free Iron atoms, exposed on the surface of the stainless steel as a result of machining and polishing operations, by etching, to reduce the likelihood of rusting and tarnish. It makes the metal less reactive with oxygen and moisture, it makes it "passive" as opposed to active. This is a standard treatment for many products made of stainless steels.

Polishing with even fine abrasives like Flitz, Mother's, etc. re-exposes the free Iron and can result in greater probability the metal will then rust /tarnish. This is why when revolvers are polished they have to be re-polished periodically to maintain the shine, because the metal now tarnishes more freely. It is far better to leave the gun alone!

Does S&W still passivate stainless? Who knows. They don't do a lot of things anymore that used to result in the finest revolvers ever built that we remember so well and miss!

 

[Kasian]

Esthetics is not my priority softly speaking. I have shiny Walther PP. Doing nothing is kind of natural. Waiting for NYPD adding revolver to license is a torture. Next one - more fitted for conceal carry (currently thinking of Diamondback Firearms SDR 2" or Charter Arms Undercover II 38 Special 2.2") will repeat that strain...

 

[Kasian]

ABout the lock

Got S&W 66-8 into my possession finally. It's a beauty and no no surface intervention needed. (There was a piece of S&W lightly oiled paper in the box).

Question - does anyone use that lock (black round thingie) with a key ever ? Picture below to explain what I was talking about:

I know briefly the story how this lock appeared in S&W. . That lock in a single user is not so reasonable, just a chance to lose the key (like you ALWAYS lose the stiletto for the phone MicroSD card extraction).

 

[kbm6893]

No soap and water ... use a gun cleaning solvent such as Hoppe's Elite Gun Cleaner ... the Elite cleaner is safe for all finishes and plastic .
It comes a spray bottle and even has a pleasant smell "Scent Free" is on the bottle ... This is NOT the old Hoppe's #9 but is called "Elite Gun Cleaner" and it does a great job of cleaning ... barrel , chambers and exterior ... Good Stuff !
They also make an "Elite Gun Oil" that is "Low Odor" ... it smells good too ... My wife likes both ... she has a nose that a blood hound would envy ... and can smell Hoppe's #9 a mile away .
Gary

I have some of that Elite Gun Cleaner and it works well. Also bought a gallon of MPro7 which is basically the same thing. Works
Well and is non toxic. But guns don't feel clean to me if they don't smell like Hoppes #9.

 

[kbm6893]

Got S&W 66-8 into my possession finally. It's a beauty and no no surface intervention needed. (There was a piece of S&W lightly oiled paper in the box).

Question - does anyone use that lock (black round thingie) with a key ever ? Picture below to explain what I was talking about:

I know briefly the story how this lock appeared in S&W. . That lock in a single user is not so reasonable, just a chance to lose the key (like you ALWAYS lose the stiletto for the phone MicroSD card extraction).

Never knew anybody who actually used the the key lock, but I'm sure you'll find somebody who does. I know I never did in my old 642.

 

[Kasian]

Never knew anybody who actually used the the key lock, but I'm sure you'll find somebody who does. I know I never did in my old 642.

Thank you for clearing the issue up for a beginner.

 

[roycohutta]

Thank you all for advices to a revolver rookie. Ordered Hoppe's Elite Gun Cleaner, so far I had Gun Wipes SLIP 2000 which I used on Walther PP .32 first time recently.
After some search found a nearby range allowing .357, not every one does in the city...

Regarding the range rules: Maybe you already know this, but: You could go to the range and just shoot .38 Special in the gun if they won't allow .357. Some people almost never shoot .357 in their .357 revolvers.

 

[38magnum]

Regarding the range rules: Maybe you already know this, but: You could go to the range and just shoot .38 Special in the gun if they won't allow .357. Some people almost never shoot .357 in their .357 revolvers.

most ranges are only concerned about the damage to their target system.

And most places doing concealed training classes in my state wont allow a magnum chambered handgun. Though that is mostly because they assume no one can shoot a magnum caliber. And they charge 50$ to rent out a 22 semi auto

 

[smoothshooter]

70% Isopropyl Alcohol.
Should come off pretty easily with almost any mild cleaner.
My other go-to is Hoppe's #9.