What's with the dirty looking triggers?

[Davidnssbm]

There must be a function behind this. They just look like they are begging to be polished!

 

[leeshearer]

I believe they are hardened steel.

 

[ChattCat]

Dirty Hammers?

Only the devout know for sure! The True Believers!

 

[shawn mccarver]

There must be a function behind this. They just look like they are begging to be polished!

To refer to S&W's case hardening process and the beautiful mottled appearance it leaves as "dirty" is nothing short of an abomination. To polish it is an act of treason. To polish too much leaves the soft steel underneath exposed which will quickly result in an unsafe condition in the hammer/trigger interface, and somebody might get hurt.

Leave it as it is meant to be.

Besides, any S&W afficionado (well, as seen by this post, not every S&W afficionado) would immediately recognize a polish job for what it is - an amateurish attempt to do something - most likely a "kitchen table trigger job" - and the value of your S&W drops by a few hundred dollars on the theory that "if bubba did that, then no telling what he did to the internals."

 

[Bullet Bob]

To give you a more complete answer, the case-hardening process used for the triggers and hammers give the external metal a very hard "skin" that ensures the crisp trigger engagement surfaces will stay functional for years, while the softer steel underneath prevents problems with brittleness.

The pre-MIM hammers and triggers have a prettier appearance to most of us, but even the new MIM ones have the same advantages.

 

[avigar]

That's the first thing I noticed at the gun dealer's counter when I was looking to buy my 617. At first, I thought it was just dirty. I was going to post a question about polishing the trigger a few days ago. It's a shame since it takes away from the overall S/S look of my 617.

 

[wbraswell]

Have you seen a Colt Single Action Army?

 

[AveragEd]

I'll take the color-casehardened parts over the flash-chromed ones any day, especially in older Smith & Wesson revolvers. It just looks more old school and lends a professionally-fitted look to the gun.

Ed

 

[Arik]

Never bothered me. I try not to polish anything anyway. Why? Its just going in my iwb holster totally out of anyones view

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk 2

 

[bgrafsr]

I'll take the color-casehardened parts over the flash-chromed ones any day, especially in older Smith & Wesson revolvers. It just looks more old school and lends a professionally-fitted look to the gun.

Ed

Exactly.... I install color case hardened hammers (usually the .500" target type) and triggers (usually the smooth .300" combat type) on all my SS guns. Of course I keep the original hammers/triggers with their appropriate revolver.

 

[fredg19]

Here is a WHOLE gun that is case hardened:

http://northamericanarms.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/thumbnail/600x600/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/c/a/case_hard_mag.jpg

 

[Warren Sear]

There must be a function behind this. They just look like they are begging to be polished!

Send them out be gold plated. While at it, get an internal lock and accessory rail installed. If the grips are wood, now is the time to re-shape them. Also, don't forget to inscribe your name with an electric pencil.

 

[66Park]

I am amazed that something I consider to be so beautiful is not universally appreciated. The case colored hammers and triggers on my Smith and Wessons are absolutely stunning looking to me. To each his own, I guess, but PLEASE DO NOT POLISH IT OFF!

 

[arjay]

The cch pre mim is quite pretty,the new stuff,not so good.

 

[Chris L.]

I didn't realize there were so many impassioned feelings about these "dirty" triggers. I personally don't find the appearance of my 642's trigger appealing at all. It looks like it had been found at the bottom of a spent campfire.

Then again, it is one of my carry guns after all. I didn't buy it as a show piece, so I don't plan on doing anything to change it's looks.

 

[JNewell]

Case-hardened forged parts, "dirty"???

 

[mkk41]

Think he's bad , I knew a guy who inherited an 1892 Winchester octagonal barrel deluxe sporting rifle , an 1892 saddle ring carbine and first generation Colt Frontier Six-Shooter , all in 44-40 of course and all in prime condition , nice patina , and still beautiful color case hardening.

Well he soon went out and bought a Birchwood Casey total gun refinishing kit for wood and metal.

I think you know the rest!

 

[66Park]

This is what I'm talking about. It doesn't look dirty to me at all.

 

[Retired W4]

A color case hardened hammer/trigger on a Smith & Wesson revolver is a thing of beauty. A piece of random art. You never know what you are going to get until it's there. Now the finish on a MIM part leaves me flat, but the older parts are something that makes the gun, like the ones on 66 Park's gun. Beautiful.

 

[madmikeb]

I bought a 25-7 on GB a couple years back. To say that I was disappointed when I picked the gun up and found that the hammer and trigger had been polished would be an understatement. It was just the sides though, the contact surfaces were untouched so the function is fine. I figure some day I'll try to find a set of case hardened parts and put it back to the way it should be. I just couldn't see shipping the gun back when it was mint other than that.