Who really knows hammers and triggers, M 66 ???

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Need some help here. The top gun is a 66-1, the bottom is a 66-4.

Note the difference in the triggers and hammers. The bottom (66-4) to me is case hardened, yes?

The top (66-1) is what???:confused: I would think the early one would be the case hardened unless, something was changed which I do not want to think about,:eek:

Any advice or vast knowledge appreciated:)




 
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Thanks, I was fearful that the trigger and hammer might have been replaced. I need to research this flash chrome

I looked in the SCoS&W and did not see any changes indicated on the model dash section
 
S&W found the flash chrome or stainlees trigger and hammer did not hold up as well as the case hardened models and switched back.
 
Keep in mind that which parts go in which dash number gun gets blurred. S&W tends to use (at least did use) whatever parts happened to be "on hand". Makes it so you have to look carefully before buying if there are features (supposed to be) specific to a dash number you want.
 
Keep in mind that which parts go in which dash number gun gets blurred. S&W tends to use (at least did use) whatever parts happened to be "on hand". Makes it so you have to look carefully before buying if there are features (supposed to be) specific to a dash number you want.

Yes, that's why am surprised that "the book" does not mention this or at least I have not found it.

Guess the real question is what is flash chrome. I certainly know what chrome is and the process but are these hammers and triggers stainless or regular metal with a matte chrome finish?
I have never seen one that is scratched or lost it's finish like regular chromed items.??
 
I don't know when they changed around but the first M66's I remember had stainless steel adj rear sights and stainless steel hammer & trigger.
A couple of local PD's here got them when they first came out about '70/'71 and I remember them set up that way. Later the rear sight was blued. Perhaps the hammer/trigger went to chrome plated at that time too.

The chrome plating was done to regular carbon steel parts,,not stainless steel parts.
I know it's generally refered to a 'flash chrome',,but I would think it's just another term for 'industrial hard chrome plating'.
It's offered under a number of different proprietary names like Metaloy, Metalife, ect. by different finishers. 'Tool chrome' is another common term for it though I don't know if that's correct use or not.
Very hard, tuff and but yet an extremely thin coating for it's strengths.

I think S&W got away from using the stainless steel for the hammer & trigger because they couldn't get what they wanted in heat treat and performance from the available alloys.
Using their regular hammers& triggers and hard chroming them gave them the rust resistance and look of stainless.
Hard chrome is much different from decorative chrome and can't be compared for hardness, ect.

Later,,I guess it just didn't matter any more if the hammer & trigger matched the stainless steel frame or not!.

The Model 60 jumped around with the use of polished stainless, chromed and casehardened hammers and triggers in the very early production.Not really following a strict progression.
It may be the same for the 66 too, but more from the 'use the parts up' mentality than experimentation.
 
Need some help here. The top gun is a 66-1, the bottom is a 66-4.

Note the difference in the triggers and hammers. The bottom (66-4) to me is case hardened, yes?

The top (66-1) is what???:confused: I would think the early one would be the case hardened unless, something was changed which I do not want to think about,:eek:

Any advice or vast knowledge appreciated:)





Top picture: hammer and trigger are case hardened and then flash chromed.

Bottom picture: hammer and trigger are case hardened without flash chrome.
 
Top picture: hammer and trigger are case hardened and then flash chromed.

Bottom picture: hammer and trigger are case hardened without flash chrome.

Now you are just trying to confuse me even more:D;)

So for sure, absolutely,positively, without a doubt the top one is this flash chrome finish and that is what they were at the time??:)
 
Sooo?, does anyone really know about this Flash Chrome Process or when it was used by SW? Seems some of the new guns today have it?
 
Here's the S&W stainless revolver hammer and trigger story.

The first stainless steel revolvers ever made were the S&W Model 60 and Model 66.
These early guns had actual stainless steel hammers and triggers and bright finish stainless steel rear sights.

Within a year or two, S&W had second thoughts with how the stainless hammers and triggers were standing up to actual use, and they were getting complaints about glare off the natural finish rear sights.

So, S&W stopped making hammers and triggers from solid stainless.
Instead S&W used standard production forged and color case hardened hammers and triggers.
To prevent rust and to make them more or less match the rest of the stainless gun they gave them a "flash" coating of hard chrome.
This was a faster, more porous type of plating than normally given to hard chrome plated guns.
The hard chrome process they used gave the parts a dull satin gray color that is noticeably different in appearance from stainless steel.

Around the same time, S&W started giving the stainless steel rear sights some sort of flat black finish to eliminate glare.
These blackened stainless steel sights have an "S" stamped on the underside of the sight leaf to identify them.

In the early 1990's S&W decided to stop plating the hammers and triggers as a cost savings, and after that the hammers and triggers were standard color case hardened forged parts.
Finally, in the later 1990's S&W changed the old forged and milled parts to the new MIM cast process. These MIM parts have a case hardened finish but instead of the old brighter colors, the new parts have a dull grayish mottled appearance.
 
Dfariswheel is correct and the reason was explained to us at the S&W Armorer School in the late 1970s. The instructors said that the m60 and M66 originally were fitted with SS hammers and triggers but they had a problem with galling and were replaced with more durable forged plated parts to maintain the appearance of the original issue SS.
 
People, let me jump in, if I may. Just pulled my Model 67 from 1972, S/N 3K3xxxx, out of the safe. Am I looking at flash chromed hammer and trigger on this, or stainless? Just curious. Thanks in advance.

Kaaskop49
Shield # 5103
 
People, let me jump in, if I may. Just pulled my Model 67 from 1972, S/N 3K3xxxx, out of the safe. Am I looking at flash chromed hammer and trigger on this, or stainless? Just curious. Thanks in advance.

Kaaskop49
Shield # 5103

The m60 was introduced in 1965 and the m66 in 1970. Only a few of the very early examples were fitted with SS hammers/triggers as the galling problem was identified very early in production and the change was made to the flash chromed parts to ensure durability. The m67 wasn't in production until 1972 which I am relatively certain was well after the change. FWIW every m67 I have ever seen has had the the forged flash chromed hanner and trigger. Hope this helps.
 
This is really good info, thanks for posting. Would a magnet be a good way to test the hammer? I'll presume a case hardened, flash chromed part would be highly magnetic. A stainless hammer would not be magnetic or just barely?
I have a NIB 66 'no dash' and I was always a bit puzzled about the rear sight leaf. it looks black, but not quite totally black. Now I know why. I'm not gonna remove the rear sight leaf, but I can guess what's on the bottom of it.


Here's the S&W stainless revolver hammer and trigger story.

The first stainless steel revolvers ever made were the S&W Model 60 and Model 66.
These early guns had actual stainless steel hammers and triggers and bright finish stainless steel rear sights.

Within a year or two, S&W had second thoughts with how the stainless hammers and triggers were standing up to actual use, and they were getting complaints about glare off the natural finish rear sights.

So, S&W stopped making hammers and triggers from solid stainless.
Instead S&W used standard production forged and color case hardened hammers and triggers.
To prevent rust and to make them more or less match the rest of the stainless gun they gave them a "flash" coating of hard chrome.
This was a faster, more porous type of plating than normally given to hard chrome plated guns.
The hard chrome process they used gave the parts a dull satin gray color that is noticeably different in appearance from stainless steel.

Around the same time, S&W started giving the stainless steel rear sights some sort of flat black finish to eliminate glare.
These blackened stainless steel sights have an "S" stamped on the underside of the sight leaf to identify them.

In the early 1990's S&W decided to stop plating the hammers and triggers as a cost savings, and after that the hammers and triggers were standard color case hardened forged parts.
Finally, in the later 1990's S&W changed the old forged and milled parts to the new MIM cast process. These MIM parts have a case hardened finish but instead of the old brighter colors, the new parts have a dull grayish mottled appearance.
 
Bert Man: It helps very much, thank you! I always enjoyed the armorers and range personnel I worked with: helpful and friendly. And they really knew revolvers.
Also, S&W would send their people to the annual combat pistol matches in Nassau County, Long Island, NY in the 70s to assist competitors with their weapons and clean up any problems with their service revolvers. Some real dust bunnies in those guns! All on the house. Those days are long gone.

Kaaskop49
Shield# 5103
 
This is really good info, thanks for posting. Would a magnet be a good way to test the hammer? I'll presume a case hardened, flash chromed part would be highly magnetic. A stainless hammer would not be magnetic or just barely?
I have a NIB 66 'no dash' and I was always a bit puzzled about the rear sight leaf. it looks black, but not quite totally black. Now I know why. I'm not gonna remove the rear sight leaf, but I can guess what's on the bottom of it.

I would doubt the magnet "test" would reveal anything.

There are many grades of stainless. More carbon steel in some like knifes. All about how strong or hard the stainless is.

A stainless gun frame is very magnetic. The cleats, screws and fittings on my boat are not.
 
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