What is your preferred "De-Lockification" technique?

[Frank V]

I have never removed the lock device on a S&W, but I am wondering? Has anyone done it & drilled & tapped the hole that is left & put a filler screw in it? Would that make sence? Seems like a clean way to deal with it.Or is the S&W frame too hard to drill & tap (just thought of that)? Hope I'm still on topic, thanks. Frank

 

[DJINCO]

Originally posted by Alx:
(If) you are killed in auto accident, and someone else inherits your gun, and thinks the lock is operative and somehow an AD happens, it's going to be your fault, and you might get sued by a devilish lawyer in your afterlife.

Basically, you never know what will happen in court.

Good point.

I guess the same could be said if a meteor hits my house and kills me while I am asleep, the house burns to the ground and my liberal brother inherits my guns. He has the safe drilled to open it and gets my guns. Takes said guns to a pawn shop and sells them for pennies on the dollar (because he's a money grubbing liberal, and hates guns) and someone buys the guns.

Now who would they sue? Me (I'm dead remember) or my money grubbing liberal gun hating brother? Yep, that's right!

Now that doesn't sound so bad does it?

 

[Old Navy]

Originally posted by Cayoot:
Wow! You guys really embarrass me!

I guess I'm pretty lazy. Cuz when I pulled the locking system out of my 642, I was worried about lint and dust getting in the little hole. All I did was to remove the cylinder release latch, put a piece of quality clear tape over the hole, and replace the cylinder release latch. It has been pretty much invisible in the 3 years since.

However you guys are really doing nice things...I guess I'm going to have to re-think what I do.

That is same thing I did with mine and have had no problem either.

The reason I took it completely out is I was afraid that the spring tensioned fork could come out like it did on my 647 and gum up the works. And all the parts are in a small zip bag in the blue box.

 

[i8mtm]

Hi Old Navy,

You wrote:

"The reason I took it completely out is I was afraid that the spring tensioned fork could come out like it did on my 647 and gum up the works."

Can you give us more details? I thought it would be impossible for the fork part of the lock to come out since, when re-assembled, the hammer is putting pressure against those parts.

What happened? It would be very helpful to know. Thanks!

 

[Alx]

What is the problem some (owners) have with the remaining little holes in the side of a revolver after removing all the IL parts ??
Your revolvers are full of holes and cracks.

Concerned that a bit of pocket lint or some dirt will go in there ? Carry it bare in your pocket, not even a pocket holster ? Even so, there are plenty of places on your revolver where dirt can go even if it had no IL at all.
Something could jam the cylinder, get stuck in a charge hole, go down the barrel, enter thru the trigger cut, get under the hammer, in the hammer channel, get stuck between the cylinder and top strap, you name it. And then, worry about a couple of small holes in the side plate ? Fuggetaboutit. Just take out all the parts and store them undamaged for whatever.
The "L" stands for "lubricate" -- a drop of gun oil in the holes every once in a while.

 

[Frankie2blue]

I guess it's all a matter of opinion. I would never own a lock gun under any circumstance mostly because I hate the way they look. That said, if I did have one and I removed the lock, I would go to great pains to plug the hole with a matching pin and try my best to make it look factory. For me, it's all about the looks, so I have found it much more interesting and rewarding to search out the old closet queens without the porthole..

 

[29-1]

Just don't buy one in the first place. Pretty simple really.

 

[MACHTECH]

Geeze-O-Peets, I go away for a few days and look what happens to this thread. All the legal eagles have to jump all over it??

??

It was just suppose to be a "How to" "If you want to" thread, not a legal debate.

Todd

 

[i8mtm]

Originally posted by MACHTECH:
Geeze-O-Peets, I go away for a few days and look what happens to this thread. All the legal eagles have to jump all over it??

??

It was just suppose to be a "How to" "If you want to" thread, not a legal debate.

Todd

EXACTLY! Thanks MACHTECH

 

[photoman]

I just remove all the offending junk and the gun works just fine. Nevermind the hole in the side. It's a tool for cryin' out loud.

 

[MACHTECH]

.

 

[i8mtm]

Beautiful work and beautiful pic!

I wonder if any executives from S&W bother to look at this forum and see how much the lock is hated?

Many S&W fans go to great trouble to avoid the lock completely. We either buy pre-lock guns only or we disable the poorly designed abomination as soon as we get the gun home.

ARE YOU LISTENING S&W??

(and yes I know there are some new guns coming out without the lock, but I wish they would jettison it from the entire line - throw a cheap cable lock in the box with each new gun and call it a day!)

 

[silvertiphp]

Hey Todd,
Got yourself a nice little gun there. Nice work!
silvertip

 

[MACHTECH]

.

 

[rburg]

Originally posted by texagun:

Originally posted by Alx:
(If) you are killed in auto accident,you might get sued by a devilish lawyer in your afterlife.

If you are killed in an auto accident, isn't getting sued in court the least of your problems?

Time for some thread drift, as we've pretty well beaten this subject to death. Where's Dixie and her beating a dead horse?

Regardless, the joke: A young couple about to get married is killed in an auto accident. While waiting at the pearly gates, they ask St Peter if they can get married in heaven. He gets this grave look on his face and says "wait here, I'll be back." About 2 months later he returns and says "yes". So as they're entering, the turn and ask him "what if we're unhappy, can we then get divorced in heaven?"

Of course St Peter blows up at them. "It took me 2 months to find a priest in heaven, you know how long it might take to find a lawyer?"

Sorry, it was just the right time for that joke.

Back to the action and thread. One soft technique for plugging the side hole (the only hole the lock has, as opposed to the slot) is to just fill it with silicone. Use the black or silver automotive stuff, depending on the color of your gun. Put it in from the inside, with a piece of tape (any kind of tape) on the outside. That'll keep it from oozing above the finished surface. If it extends a little on the inside, no one can see it. Then its easy to reverse the process, just push it out.

Chucks advice is good, just don't buy the gun if you'll spend eternity pissing and moaning about it. The reason to buy a gun with the lock is also pretty simple. They're some of the most interesting and useful revolvers ever produced. We all wish we could buy a 329, 357, 386, 360 (I've got one), 396 (I've got 2), etc without the lock. If you can't find one, then do without or pull the lock, simple.

 

[Old Navy]

Originally posted by i8mtm:
Hi Old Navy,

You wrote:

"The reason I took it completely out is I was afraid that the spring tensioned fork could come out like it did on my 647 and gum up the works."

Can you give us more details? I thought it would be impossible for the fork part of the lock to come out since, when re-assembled, the hammer is putting pressure against those parts.

What happened? It would be very helpful to know. Thanks!

The best I could tell is the fit was not correct and it would come partly out and bind the works. I would only take a few pulls of the trigger before it would fail again. I would have to take the side plate off and just push it back down into its track. I thought about sending it back to S&W but it was just easier to remove.

This was before I ever got a chance to fire the gun. I shot it a few times and was disappointed in 17HMR performance so I sold the gun.

Sorry for not answering sooner but I never got a notification of a responce to this thread till this morning.

 

[Stophel]

My plug blends pretty well..

 

[MACHTECH]

I can't stand when people can't control themselves and stay off someone elses thread

. This thread was started by a guy that had a justifiable question. You guys that crapped all over it should be ashamed of yourselves.

Todd

 

[parable]

Has anyone found a YouTube or other video of how to service the locks on S&Ws? Hank

 

[pittpa]

Great thread to find as I shop for a 642. I am now well armed with information. I no longer fear the lock. I will buy whatever gun suits me, and have my way with the lock. And I'll keep paying for my umbrella liability policy, too. Thank you.