Why We Strip Our Revolvers

[Vtgw938]

I picked up a 66-1 snubbie today and started the cleaning process. After some soaking, I got all the screws out and parts removed. The gun was very dirty on the outside but otherwise showed very little signs of use. With the side plate off it looked quite clean but when the thumb piece bolt was removed I found a totally rusted bolt plunger spring. The plunger itself may be rusted as well but I just threw them in some oil to soak. I'm assuming the spring is simply carbon steel (probably the plunger as well) and got some moisture in there that just couldn't evaporate in time.

Metal rescue will remove all traces of rust and I will at least replace the spring.

Added 9/4 - I stand corrected. After getting back to the gun today I see that the spring is not rusted but the plunger is.

 

[jmiles1960]

Sounds like a rewarding project! Post some pics if you get a chance.

 

[Vtgw938]

Sounds like a rewarding project! Post some pics if you get a chance.

I get in a hurry and never take before pics.

 

[SGT ROCK 11B]

... I found a totally rusted bolt plunger spring. The plunger itself may be rusted as well but I just threw them in some oil to soak.

Metal rescue will remove all traces of rust and I will at least replace the spring.

When my Police Department approved stainless steel revolvers we had to remind the non-gun enthusiasts that "stainless" does not mean rust proof.

Model 60s were very prone to abuse since they were only shot annually as Back Up Guns. The 66s were shot quarterly but they got rusty too.

A 66-1 is going to be 40+ years old. Who knows what maintenace program the previous owner(s) used.

 

[Sgt. Buzzard]

A 66-1 is going to be 40+ years old. Who knows what maintenace program the previous owner(s) used.

And how about the very senior captain who somehow escapes qualifying for the last ten years and turns in his model 10 with it welded into that leather holster by green mold.

Oh, and the 12 brass cased 158 gr. LRN bullets stuck in the bullet loops of the ancient NYPD style swivel holster?

 

[Green Frog]

But it’s a Model 66dash one!. It just doesn’t get any better than that! I would gladly replace plunger, spring, and all and still be happy to get it. Yah dun gud boy, yah dun reel gud!
Froggie

 

[Vtgw938]

Sounds like a rewarding project! Post some pics if you get a chance.

Here you go, all cleaned up. I think I'll keep it.

 

[chief38]

It is my opinion that there has never been a gun made that never needs to be fully stripped, cleaned and lubricated at some point! It is a mechanical devise and parts that interact with each other need attention, routine cleaning and lubrication. I am not talking about just guns either - but any mechanical devise. Most mechanical devises are not subject to gun powder, holster dust, debris getting into them, dampness, congealed oils, etc. Many non gun mechanical devises fail and are thrown out solely due to lack of maintenance, cleaning and proper lubrication!

The reason the gun company's frown upon taking their guns apart is that they do not want the liability of telling the average Joe to do that. Yes, there are some here like myself who are fully competent, skilled and have the proper knowledge and tools to do so, but there are probably more that are can not and should not attempt it.

So it's NOT that the gun doesn't require maintenance, it is just that the manufacturers do not want YOU to do it because if you screw something up, they might be on the liability hook! I guess they have rolled the dice and come up with, the gun will might loose some performance without maintenance, but at least it is assembled correctly.

Whenever I get a "new to me" gun (new or used) it gets disassembles, properly cleaned and lubricated. Over the years I have personally encountered brand new in the box Smiths that have had rust inside! It is rare to take apart a rifle or shotgun and not find rust inside the magazine tube. I bet most never even look.

 

[steelslaver]

Stain less,as opposed to stain not at all

When if fact stainless is more prone to galvanic action than carbon steel. Under the right conditions it basically becomes a plate in a very weak battery

 

[Oldsalt66]

All pre-owned guns I buy get stripped down, cleaned, and serviced regardless of how externally clean they appear to be.

Sometimes I uncover maintenance issues, and sometimes I don't, but I always take them down for inspection.

 

[skwchock]

Thanks for the information. You are all experts at gunsmithing. Some of us don't have those skills, so to have one of us 'newbies' totally disassembling and try to reassemble the mess afterwards is un-nerving. I guess cleaning what you can "see" is better than trying to "screw it up" completely.

 

[PatriotX]

Thanks for the information. You are all experts at gunsmithing. Some of us don't have those skills, so to have one of us 'newbies' totally disassembling and try to reassemble the mess afterwards is un-nerving. I guess cleaning what you can "see" is better than trying to "screw it up" completely.

“The S&W Revolver – A shop Manual – Jerry Kuhnhausen”

This is what helped me with dis- and reassembly.

 

[Sgt. Buzzard]

When our department went from S&W #10's to Sig's I was assigned the transition training and department armourer. Sent to Sig Armourers School I came out of it with both knowledge and what they believed was enough spare parts for what might break on a 200 gun department.

Yeah I did replace some parts over the next 15 years but it was only from the guys that went beyond a field strip and cleaning.

Guys would complain during twice a year qualification " Hey sarge this mag won't drop I need more time"

"Let me see the f'in gun." 5 seconds later, "I told youse guys not to remove the grips" The complainer, "I never touched them" me "then why is a star washer missing from under the grip screw. The grip screw is dragging on the magazine. That didn't happen by itself"

It got to the point I could dry fire a gun that didn't fire, just once, and know by the trigger pull that someone had pulled apart the right grip and took off the trigger bar spring and replaced it in a hole instead of the proper notch. In time distorting the spring on the grip until failure. They had no business in there and Sig's just plain worked until they are Bubbaized.

When I retired there were still significant amounts of parts left. But bottom line I really can't remember any gun with a failure that wasn't the assigned officers fault. BTW these were P series DA/SA. The striker fired plastic guns are more of a high maintenance glamor model. Glad I retired by then.

 

[Oldsalt66]

Thanks for the information. You are all experts at gunsmithing. Some of us don't have those skills, so to have one of us 'newbies' totally disassembling and try to reassemble the mess afterwards is un-nerving. I guess cleaning what you can "see" is better than trying to "screw it up" completely.

Respectfully, no one starts out with the knowledge and ability to strip their firearms down, but it's a skill worth trying to learn incementally over time.

 

[Vtgw938]

“The S&W Revolver – A shop Manual – Jerry Kuhnhausen”

This is what helped me with dis- and reassembly.

Get the manual and only read the parts of the book that have to do with taking the gun apart. Grab a gun and start the process. Remove a piece and put back, remove again and put back. Continue doing this and remove another piece and do the same. Continue step by step until you are comfortable taking everything apart. Take a break if things bind up or you get frustrated.

You will get so that you look for those diamonds in the ruff as well as having more guns that you don't have to pass on. It is rewarding as well to bring a nice gun back to life.

 

[Timothy2700]

“The S&W Revolver – A shop Manual – Jerry Kuhnhausen”

This is what helped me with dis- and reassembly.

Good to know - just ordered a copy from Midway. My K22 shows, under bright sunlight, a few tiny corrosion spots in hard-to-reach external nooks and crannies. Wondering what’s the condition like inside…I’ll dive in when the book arrives.
Thanks
Tim

 

[Sgt. Buzzard]

S&W rule #1. Don't pry off the side plate with a screwdriver.

 

[chief38]

All pre-owned guns I buy get stripped down, cleaned, and serviced regardless of how externally clean they appear to be.

Sometimes I uncover maintenance issues, and sometimes I don't, but I always take them down for inspection.

You might want to include new ones as well - QC today is not up to snuff with some manufacturers. I have encountered rust, metal shavings, lots of factory debris and either zero or too much lubrication inside.

 

[chief38]

Thanks for the information. You are all experts at gunsmithing. Some of us don't have those skills, so to have one of us 'newbies' totally disassembling and try to reassemble the mess afterwards is un-nerving. I guess cleaning what you can "see" is better than trying to "screw it up" completely.

If you have the inclination to learn, now might be a good time. If you don't (nothing wrong with that and I am not picking on you as you are not alone) now might be a good time to seek out an honest, thorough and competent LGS - the search might take a while so start now before you have any issues. Guns are mechanical devises and no mater the brand, model or type will eventually need care, maintenance or repair work.

 

[steelslaver]

There was a time when the idea of taking the side plate off and looking at the fine mechanical marvels inside made me nervous too. But, in reality it just isn't that difficult. Especially if you leave the cylinder stop in place, the hand attached to the trigger and the cylinder release slide (bolt) and thumb piece in place. Once the grips (stocks) are off, remove the side plate screws with the proper sized screw driver. Take a small piece of card board and push each screw into it after righting down its location on the side plate. The one in front and above trigger is specific to that hole. The older guns had a flat top screw for location high up towards rear that gets covered by the grip. Then swing cylinder out and it and the yoke will slide forward as the tip of that screw rode in a cut in yoke and held it in the frame. Now hold the gun by the barrel side plate either up or down over a cloth and rap the opposite side of the frame a few times with the handle. The side plate will fall off if its down and pop up if held up.

Take a picture of the insides
There is only one loose piece that will come out and that is the hammer block, a safety device that keeps the hammer back if the trigger is not pulled. It has a flag on top and an oval with a slot on bottom. The slot sits on the pin sticking out the side of the little 1/4" high 1" long piece in the frame just above and behind the trigger. The flag part goes down between the upper part of hammer and the frame. There is a slot it rides in in the side plate, look at the side plate and you will recognize it for what it is. The 1/4'' x 1" piece is the trigger return. You will see it has a slot in it and a spring inside it. The slot is over a pin sticking up from frame and the sprig is pressed against the pin. You will also see a long leaf spring that has a set of hooks that attach it to a toggle on the hammer. The screw on bottom front of grip frame tensions it and holds it in place. Loosen screw all the way and you can jiggle out the spring and its hooks off the hammers toggle. The thumb piece will be forward as cylinder is out so hammer can not rotate as it hits part of the bolt operated by the thumb piece. Press thumb piece back and pull the trigger part way and the hammer nose (firing pin) will clear the frame. You can no let go of thumb piece, but hold trigger in position and you can jiggle the hammer up and out off its stud. Let go of trigger. Look at how it has a toggle with one ball like end that rides in a socket in trigger return slide. You will also see how a "hook" on the front portion of trigger is meshing with the cylinder stop. Thew cylinder stop and trigger each have a separate pin or stud they ride on. Then use tip of screw driver to lift up slot end of trigger return slide keeping a finger behind it to catch the spring when it clears the pin. Now you can also see the hand and how it is on the side of the trigger and the top portion of it is riding in a slot in the frame. The sprig is pretty light and you can easily rotate the hand back to clear the frame and then jiggle and lift the trigger out. Leave the hand attached to the trigger. Now except for the cylinder stop and bolt you have a stripped frame. If you study the cylinder stop you can see how its spring works if and you could lower the top piece down and jiggle it up and out being carefully to not loose the spring. I rarely remove the stop however. You can also remove the crew that hold the thumb piece to the bolt then press it back and up and out, nut be very careful as the rear of it has a tiny spring and plunder that can and will launch to never never land if you are not careful. Unless the bolt is sticky I just leave it alone, unless I want to do a complete tear town for a blue job or something, because at this point you can spray and clean every action surface. It goes back together the same way it came apart. The trigger goes over its pin with the hook going in its spot in cylinder stop, Hold the had pack as you lower it so it clears the frame and then pops in it slot. Now with the spring inside it place the socket in front of the slide against the ball end of the triggers toggle. It will be at an angle ovet the stud the slide rides on. Carefully press the spring with the tip of a screwdriver untill it compresses fare enough inside the slide that it clears the stud and the slot goes down on the stud. Now pull the trigger back most of the way and jiggle the hammer on its stud. You will have to press the thumb piece back again to set the hammer. Then hook the top of the
leaf spring back on the hammers toggle and the bottom in its slot in frame and tighten screw. Now with frame laying on it side place the hammer block with flag between hammer and frame the dlot over the pin on top of trigger return slide and push the flack up as high as it will go on pin. Take the side plate and about an inch down from its actual position line the groove in it up for hammer block over side of block and then side the plate up into its position and press it down. Replace screws.,

Helpful hint. If take all the screws out but you leave yoke and cylinder in the frame you will not have to mess with thumb piece and bolt to get the hammer out and in.

Done it so many times that that was from memory.

This video is pretty good, except he should use a proper hollow ground screwdriver

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XlyXs7QCu88[/ame]