Unable to open cylinder on S&W .38Spl

[mm93]

I've used the acetone/atf mix for decades with good results. The acetone gets the ATF into areas nothing else will, and it eats away at rust. But it needs a good long soak, so trying it one evening isn't long enough!
You can take it out every 8 hours, and try the brass punch tapping the release, as it will jar things loose. Then back into the soak and wait. Eventually the soak, and occasionally tapping will free it up, if it's not rusted solid.

 

[Arquebus357]

If you are not concerned about the bluing, I suggest Evaporust. It will dissolve the rust. I don't know if it will work with all the penetrating oil that you have already used though. I love working on gun that are down on their luck. That one sounds like it may be too far gone.

 

[eddie h]

I would take that sucker and put some of your penetrating oil in a ultra sonic cleaner, whole gun minus the grips and try that. The fluid with the heat will do wonders for it.

 

[steelslaver]

Warming it up really helps. But, use something like an electric hot plate and keep the oil off the hot plate itself. Most penetrating oils are flammable. Have had Kroil flash off spraying it on the studs of a real hot flange. Flames in a refinery are always exciting.

 

[eddie h]

Another old ironworker millwright trick is to heat it in oven hot plate cover with non flammable cloth,,then drop it in cold water. The shock from hot to cold will work on lots of things.
Ask me how I know !

 

[Jake Stevens]

Thanks to everyone!! Combining your knowledge and suggestions plus a UTube video I was able to get it completely disassembled, cleaned and reassembled. Seems to function perfectly, just have to order a set of grips as the original wooden ones are deteriorated beyond repair. This gun was left in a tractor fender tool well for no telling how long and was rusted badly. Somehow the bore and cylinder have no pitting. External finish is shot but it will be a good CCW for me. YEARS ago (1958-1963) I actually was a platoon armorer on the old M1 but never really fooled with anything like this.

Thanks to everyone again!!

 

[oldbrownhat]

Woo hoo! "You gonna post some pics or just whistle Dixie?"

Lucky the critical bits are OK. Depending on the condition of the outside you might be able to do a refinish with Duracoat or similar, or perhaps parkerize it. For wooden grips that won't break the bank, check out Altamont.

 

[Jake Stevens]

One final note....after researching on this site and finally getting the cylinder open (it was rust in the frame that held it, I was afraid of hitting it too hard but it later released with the illustrated mallet) to get the model. From the serial number it is a 1971 "Combat Masterpiece" model 15-3 with 2" barrel. Finish is terrible, pitted badly but I completely disassembled it and cleaned all the internal parts which had very little rust on them. It works great, will take it to the range next week and try it out. Thanks to everyone again, this was a fun learning experience!!

 

[Jake Stevens]

Still not smart enough to get the picture posted....will work on that tonight. Hopefully will not make a mess of the thread trying!

 

[ABPOS]

Great to hear. Looking forward to the pics!

 

[toddimusnimski]

I've been faithfully following this saga and won't have closure without pics! Please?
Well done sir.

 

[hittman77]

Finish is terrible, pitted badly ....
It works great .....

Congrats!

Sounds like an excellent carry gun or truck gun "as is". Guns with character don't bother me one bit.

Enjoy!

 

[Mrnurse]

ATF and Diesel 50/50 then wipe and CLP.... dip again if needed. to remove rust I use Vinegar ....like 4 hours to remove most rust... do NOT leave for days.

 

[BC38]

ATF and Diesel 50/50 then wipe and CLP.... dip again if needed. to remove rust I use Vinegar ....like 4 hours to remove most rust... do NOT leave for days.

You might want to read post 26.
Besides, from everything I've read vinegar will not only remove the rust, it will also remove whatever bluing there is left on the gun.

 

[Waveski]

Pictures

Kake -

Take pictures with your cell phone , or borrow one. Send the images to your own email. Open the emails on your computer and download. Go to the forum thread , scroll to the last post and click on POST REPLY - not "Quick Reply". Look below the text box , click on MANAGE ATTACHMENTS. A box will pop up , click on BROWSE. Then fish around to find the images you just downloaded and select one. Click on OPEN. Then you'll get back to the forum attachment screen and click on UPLOAD.

It's all there in front of you , you just have to learn to recognize and understand the various screens along the way. All this from a knuckle dragger who flunked out of typing class in 1967 and is presently using the advanced "Hunt-AndPeck" keyboard technique.

If I can do it , you can too. I'll waltz thru the procedure right now ...

 

[Waveski]

All that smart talk - and my image came out sideways. Now , that's funny.

 

[Jake Stevens]

OK, I finally got the photo to upload

 

[Bosquebass]

I see an excellent project gun there. It's not every day a 2" m15 falls into your lap.

That gun would look good with a bead-blast blue finish and some fake ivory boot grips.

 

[Jake Stevens]

Had forgotten how heavy these older guns were. Years ago while in RVN they took our 1911s and issued us Colt 38 revolvers with I think 4" barrels. We hated them, too hard to hit anything with them compared to the 1911s. I have a newer Taurus Mod 85 MicroLight 38 that I CC and the difference is significant. Will research getting the recommendations done.

 

[Narragansett]

One final note....after researching on this site and finally getting the cylinder open (it was rust in the frame that held it, I was afraid of hitting it too hard but it later released with the illustrated mallet) to get the model. From the serial number it is a 1971 "Combat Masterpiece" model 15-3 with 2" barrel. Finish is terrible, pitted badly but I completely disassembled it and cleaned all the internal parts which had very little rust on them. It works great, will take it to the range next week and try it out. Thanks to everyone again, this was a fun learning experience!!

I have had this old corroded M12 soaking for 3 months in a mixture. Every week I try another screw. They are all loose now. I am just too lazy to brush everything down, blow it dry, spray it with a cleaning medium, and lube it. Time does loosen the rust, and remove surface corrosion. Not sure what I am going to do with it, after i get it together. Believe it or not, the grips are numbered to the gun.

EDIT: Well, I did decide to finish the project. 3 months of soaking got rid of all the rust. Pits are still there, but they are white metal. Did the compressed air, aerosol cleaner, more air, then lubed and reassembled. Works like a champ