should you clean an 40 year old gun only factory fired

[paul1911]

Ok, I am the new guy and need some help.

I just got an old Model 66 No dash. Stainless Steel. Stainless rear sights. Serial number is 2K99XXX It was only fired for the factory test. It doesn't appear to have been cleaned from the factory fire. Should I clean it. If the answer is yes, should it be ultrasonic only? I am afraid to use a brush....


I have the original box, S&W logo wax paper, papers and tools. It will be put in the safe and never shot. How should I best preserve it.

I am going to put in a letter requested for another Smith I have, I think this gun would be worth a letter.

 

[Hapworth]

If you intend to safe and never shoot it, there's no point cleaning it. Wipe it down periodically and keep it properly stored.

 

[Laketime]

I have 12 guns factory fired only.Each one got a cleaning before getting oiled for long term storage.But this is only what I do and not to suggest that you do the same.

 

[andyo5]

I would definitely clean it. The bore and cylinder should be cleaned, even if only fired a few times; rather than leaving the fouling there for eternity. It will eventually lead to some corrosion. I would also remove the grips and use a surface cleaner/protector such as Birchwood Casey Barricade or even WD-40. I would also remove the side plate, spray out the guts with something like carb cleaner or even rubbing alcohol. Allow it to dry, then thinly lube the parts.
Many of the older guns that I have purchased over the years, were either dry inside or full of thickened, goopy oil. Some had a bit of rust. I wouldn't want to let that kind of thing fester.
That's what I would do, anyhow.
You will not harm the authenticity of a gun by properly servicing it. Most folks buying an old gun expect it to have been kept clean.

 

[Jaymo]

I bought a factory-fired-only 50 year old 10-5.
Clean it, hell. I cleaned/lubed it and shot it.
And, I enjoyed it. I almost felt bad about breaking it's virginity.
But, it's such a good shooter, I got over it quickly.
These guns were too good to sit in a safe, in my opinion.
I don't have a problem with safe queens. I just don't own any.

 

[Point 357]

^What he said. Myself, I don't shoot my guns often but I can't see having one that will do nothing else but sit in a cold dark safe. I do shoot everything I have.

A M66 is a very sweet shooter and I think you're missing a bit of the pleasure of gun ownership by not lighting it off once in a while.

Just my two pennies.

 

[murphydog]

It certainly wouldn't hurt to wipe down the exterior (including taking the stocks off carefully and doing this to the grip frame), and lube the internals lightly.

As far as shooting it, usually the factory would use every other chamber for test-firing. Who would know the difference if you did the same thing?

 

[Dan Camaro]

I don't get it, were all different I'd never buy a gun and not shot it but I'm not a collector.

 

[Jaymo]

66s are sweet shooting revolvers. My 2.5" is one of my favorites.

 

[O2Guy]

You should definitely clean it........after you shoot it.

 

[kbm6893]

Hell, yeah you should clean it. And after you clean it if you never do shoot it, take it out once a month and wipe it with a silicone rag.

For me, I would shoot it. It is an extremely nice gun and you should be proud, but it's never going to be worth a million dollars. S&W made a ton of them. it's not like it's the gun that Ruby used to shoot Oswald.

 

[Hapworth]

OP isn't asking for opinions on whether or not he should shoot the 66 -- he's made it clear this is a collectible condition piece and he wants to keep it that way; he's asked for opinions relating to that.

OP: don't pull it apart, don't ultrasonic clean it, don't worry. If in forty years proper inspection shows it hasn't corroded from factory fire, it's isn't going to.

As stated, wipe it down periodically with a light, protecting oil like CLP. A light coat of same applied with a cotton patch on a brass rod down the bore and chamber is advised, too. Then store properly.

Repeat every few months.

By your description, you have a collectible and collectible condition no-dash 66 that you want to keep that way. By all means do. There are plenty of shooter-grade 66s out the if you're itching to pull the trigger one.

 

[JSR III]

I don't get it, were all different I'd never buy a gun and not shot it but I'm not a collector.

You would probably never buy a stamp and not mail a letter with it. But then again, that's why they make chocolate and vanilla......

 

[paul1911]

thanks

Yes, I have made the decision not to shoot this one. I have guns I shoot and ones I don't.
I get shooting what you have, but I have plenty to go bang with.

 

[hobby-gunsmith]

should you clean a 40 year old gun

I take all of my collectables out of the safe once a year and run a patch of MPRO 7 LPX gun oil down the barrel, cylinder chambers if a revolver, and remove the side plate and lightly oil the parts, inside of the side plate and reassemble. I remove the grips and and apply wax to the inside of the grips and grip frame and reassemble. In conclusion, I wax the entire gun, enclose it with wax paper, place in box and restore in the safe. When the time comes to sell them, the customer will appreciate the care of the collectables and will bring a higher price. All of my collectables are functional and original. Hope this helps.

Nick

 

[Revolver-time]

Do not touch the 66. Gently place it back in the box. Mail it to my FFL where he will transfer it to me. Since it is stainless steel I will check it for chloride stress corrosion which likely has rendered it unsafe for you to own.

Just kidding of course. Wipe it off and put it away.

 

[Kentucky Dave]

Not condemning the practice, but out of geniune curiosity:

I can understand it with an antique or a really rare/made for collection inlaid/engraved type gun, but do people often buy regular guns like the one in this thread and not shoot them, but put them away in a safe? To what purpose?

 

[Comrad]

Gentle wipe down, cloth only if it was me and I would probably store it in a gun sock and keep the box and accessories separately. I don't think these S&W boxes were intended for more than just shipping containers and not for long term, decades of storage. In other collectable storage it's a big deal to have acid free archival paper and I wonder what the cardboard holds that could damage the finish. IMHO

 

[Laketime]

I don't get it, were all different I'd never buy a gun and not shot it but I'm not a collector.

I'm not a collector either.But I do tend to want to keep a model that is no longer in production preserved for my own enjoyment. I save the shooting for the ones still being made that can be replaced easily if needed. Some have two categories within their collection.Selfdefense and range guns,and special ones that they are accumulating for personal reasons.

 

[Boogsawaste]

Not condemning the practice, but out of geniune curiosity:

I can understand it with an antique or a really rare/made for collection inlaid/engraved type gun, but do people often buy regular guns like the one in this thread and not shoot them, but put them away in a safe? To what purpose?

Because once all the shooter grade ones have been shot up and beaten for years, the safe queens will be the last men standing so to speak. I'm sure there are less and less 66's every year for whatever reasons. I'm glad some make the decision to keep them as is for many future generations to see them. I don't own any safe queens, but we're all different and I'm fine with that!