Smoothing(stoning) the rebound slide?

[Rule3]

In another thread I asked about spring installation. That is done, now on to smoothing the rebound slide. I took some photos as not sure of where and how much?

One side has the mold marks, do I smooth so much as to remove those marks? I can see a few spots on other sides that show a slight wear mark so I gather these are areas to smooth a bit?

Also I notice on the frame of the gun a slight indent on the bottom where the slide goes. Should this be polished or left alone? (pencil points to it)

How about the top part with the bumps??

 

[Marksman]

You're on the right track, using a 3/8" square medium india stone lightly stone the are in the frame the pencil tip is pointing to and the corresponding surface 90 degrees from that. All that you're looking to do is remove any burrs or high spots. The surfaces do not need to be stoned completely smooth. The corresponding surfaces on the rebound slide are stoned too, about a 50% clean up is good enough here. Lay the rebound slide flat on the stone and using light pressure stroke the part back and forth on the stone. Use some gun oil as a lubricant to allow the stone to cut and to prevent the pores of the stone from becoming clogged with the metal you are removing. Stop occasionally and clean the part and the stone and check your progress. After you have stoned both surfaces of the rebound slide, use your stone to lightly break all sharp edges. When completely done clean all parts that you have stoned thoroughly to remove any abraisive grit, apply your favorite lube sparingly and re-assemble.

 

[ImprovedModel56Fan]

IMO, it helps if your favorite lube is RIG +P Stainless Steel Lube. Use sparingly.

 

[Big Cholla]

OCD1: In addition to Marksman's advice, I would add unless you really really know what you are doing, don't touch the bumpy side of the rebound slide. In polishing the area of the frame where the slide rubs, look for wear (rub) marks. Look at the interior side of the side plate. On occasion the rebound slide will be rubbing there too.

Look at the slide for wear (rub) marks and concentrate on those areas of the slide. It helps the double action pull a little to polish the spring hole; I use a Foredom Tool with a split bit and a small amount of oil soaked 600 grit wet/dry paper.


While the handgun is open is a good time to remove the hammer and trigger and polish their 'rotation' bosses a little. I use a very fine grade polishing rubber in a Foredom Tool for this. Just a little polishing goes a long way. When you put things back together be sure that all surfaces were cleaned and then lubed with oil of your choice.

I recommend Jerry Kuhnhausen's "THE S&W REVOLVER---A Shop Manual" as a great instructional book. I think that you can still get it from Brownell's or most certainly from Amazon. .... Big Cholla

 

[HEADKNOCKER]

Also break the sharp edges on the bottom of the slide front & back. This helps smooth out the stroke & return..
Also polish the outside of the rebound spring with some flitz/mothers & the hole in the rebound, I do this by chucking a Q-Tip into my Dremel.. Also you can use this same technique to polish the inside of the mainspring on a J Frame..
Good Luck!!
Your on the right track..
Smooth is "GOOD"
Gary/Hk

 

[Rule3]

Thanks for all the replies.

The closest I have to a smithing stone is a Hard Arkansas knife stone, came in a kit with a soft stone. It is for final edging. I have every grit of wet dry paper and emery cloth.

So I am NOT taking it down so far to remove the mold marks correct?

Actually, as I look at the inside of the plate I can see a semi circle rotation mark where the internal hammer has rubbed. There are no marks by the rebound slide. Maybe the hammer rubbing is also a big factor?

Maybe I'll fill it with abrasive whitening toothpaste and dry fire 1000 times. I have heard of folks doing that on semi auto slides.

 

[Spotteddog]

Your on your way!
Great advice given above...

 

[Rule3]

Well I am done with this one. I do not have a trigger pull gauge but used my really nice bronze fishing scale. Near as I can tell it looks like I took a few lbs off the pull.

Anyone use the 13lb rebound spring??

Seems to break at around 8-10 lbs. My other 642 is at about 12lbs or more.

Not real accurate or scientific I know, but it is a bit smoother. Now to shoot it and see if it goes bang every time.

 

[Marksman]

I've tried the lighter Wolf rebound springs but did not care for the feel. I use Wolf's S&W standard weight rebound spring, I like the positive feel with which it resets the trigger. I have a Hamilton Bowen conversion which Mr. Bowen worked his magic on the action, while it is silky smooth I installed a standard weight rebound spring because I prefer a very positive action when the trigger resets. This is just a perosnal preferrence, others may have good luck with the lighter weight rebound springs.

 

[Tired Gunsmith]

We used to polish up the internals on the M&P ( later Model 10) NYCPD revolvers. As a final touch for smooth action we installed the FACTORY "Single Action" rebound springs.
Never had one come back as unsatisfactory, and of course never revealed the secret in those days. ( Retired in 1993).

 

[500 Magnum Nut]

Thanks for all the replies.



So I am NOT taking it down so far to remove the mold marks correct?

Correct, Stone 3 sides 80% clean, no more! Add oil and your done.

 

[Rule3]

Correct, Stone 3 sides 80% clean, no more! Add oil and your done.

Thanks Magnum. I only did enough to start seeing silver, removed just a bit of whatever is on the MIM coating.

In your spare time, when are you going to do a segment on the whole trigger job?

 

[500 Magnum Nut]

The MIM guns are easier to do. The frames are nearly perfectly smooth so you don't have to chase burrs and high spots on the insides. The MIM rebound block is nice and flat too, so what you did is fine, as just to clear the burrs and insure it's flat.

Someday when my life slows down, I do a trigger job on camera for you.

 

[Electraclyde]

I am being told by a local shop/gunsmith not to try smoothing the rebound slide because it is a mim part and has a VERY thin hard surface, which if I go to far will cause premature wear. Is this true?
I have a couple of J-Frames, (442 and an M&P 340) that are not very smooth and require about 12.5 lbs of pull. I did install a Wolf 14lb rebound spring in the 340 M&P, but that did not make any difference.

 

[Bullseye Smith]

The rebound is a $5 dollar item, I don't stone anything but the edge around all parts. The best is 1000 wet sand paper, you can wrap it around the rebound and do the frame easy. You want to polish, not remove the surface with a stone.

 

[Rule3]

The rebound is a $5 dollar item, I don't stone anything but the edge around all parts. The best is 1000 wet sand paper, you can wrap it around the rebound and do the frame easy. You want to polish, not remove the surface with a stone.

That's a good tip for doing the area on the frame.I'll try that on my next one. This one. I just hit it with a Dremel felt polishing tip with some Flitz.

 

[Bullseye Smith]

Never use a Dremel on the inside of a smith, they have tore up more than help, the finish is un even - Please just don't. Get Jerry's book and read it, it takes a long time to learn how to do a trigger job right. I have been doing it for almost 40 years and still don't know it all. The MIM parts are made hard where the forge aren't, they have a thin hard surface on them of .002 to .006 and that isn't much. Do it by hand, and you will have a better job. Get a 6 inch metal ruler and stick the sand paper to it and try (HINT).

 

[Rule3]

Never use a Dremel on the inside of a smith, they have tore up more than help, the finish is un even - Please just don't. Get Jerry's book and read it, it takes a long time to learn how to do a trigger job right. I have been doing it for almost 40 years and still don't know it all. The MIM parts are made hard where the forge aren't, they have a thin hard surface on them of .002 to .006 and that isn't much. Do it by hand, and you will have a better job. Get a 6 inch metal ruler and stick the sand paper to it and try (HINT).

Understood.

 

[Marksman]

Check out Brownell's section on S&W tools, you'll see a 1/2" X 1/2" X 6" medium India stone. Smith & Wesson Armorer's School kit includes this stone, they use the 6" length for the specific job of stoning the trigger to correct push off. While this stone is also usable for other stoning jobs, I find a 3/8" or even 1/4" square medium india stone more useful for stoning small parts like the rebound slide and its seat in the frame. A medium india stone gives the cutting action you want for the job while still leaving a smooth finish. With an Arkansas stone or 1000 grit wet or dry you'll be all day, either one is made only for polishing. The depth of the case hardness is .002-.006, you'll get tired of stoning long before going through that depth of hardened steel. I attended S&W's Amorer School 35 yrs. ago and have done many action jobs since then, I speak from long years of experience.

 

[500 Magnum Nut]

you'll see a 1/2" X 1/2" X 6" medium India stone. Smith & Wesson Armorer's School kit includes this stone, .

Yes that's the stone I use (Norton). When they get used I snap them in pieces and use the small broken ones to dress the burrs inside the frame. I add gun oil to the stone and use ceramic (glass) stones for the hooks on 1911 pistols. I add water to the glass stones.

Stones, files, hammers, pics, pliers (Now magnifying glasses ) all basic tools working on guns.