Why We Strip Our Revolvers

[huthike]

GunBlue490 has a well done YouTube video on disassembling a Smith and putting it back together. Watch it, stop it, rewind, etc. Go slow and be patient. I’m all thumbs - if I can do it, anyone can.

I recommend an Optivisor or some such and lots of light, too. Taking pics as you go is helpful, too. Use the right tools.

 

[SG-688]

"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."

Good idea.
I hit on filing a small notch on the bottom of the screw behind the trigger to differentiate it at reassembly.

The new front screw spring loaded to retain the yoke was a terrific improvement, although somebody may know of a fault with it. If nothing else, it removed the confusion about which screw is which.

 

[Vtgw938]

Here is a more obvious example. A model 29 four screw that has had a rough life.

 

[Oldsalt66]

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

Also rule numbers 2, 3, 4, and 5.

 

[SafeTFirst]

What do you do if the yoke and side plate screws don’t want to budge?

 

[Vtgw938]

What do you do if the yoke and side plate screws don’t want to budge?

Apply penetrating oil or give the gun a bath in it (may take days) and you can also carefully apply heat to the screw head. I used a wood burning tool once and it worked. Depends if it is stuck from rust or just hardened oil/grease. A whack with a hammer and carefully held screwdriver might work as well. Soaking is the easiest.

 

[Bald1]

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.

Google is your friend. If attempting something for the first time watch a video first.

 

[CH4]

I take mine down to the extent necessary to change the rebound spring. While apart, I clean and lube. Don’t recall finding one with much crud inside.

 

[Vtgw938]

What do you do if the yoke and side plate screws don’t want to budge?

SafeTFirst:
I just started on a friends gun that has a stuck sideplate screw, a stuck strain screw and a stuck ejector rod. I'm starting with soaking. I won't be as aggressive with a gun that is not my own so we will see. I will let you know if I can budge any or all.

 

[SafeTFirst]

SafeTFirst:
I just started on a friends gun that has a stuck sideplate screw, a stuck strain screw and a stuck ejector rod. I'm starting with soaking. I won't be as aggressive with a gun that is not my own so we will see. I will let you know if I can budge any or all.

Thanks! What oil do people like? Is Kroil worth it? Maybe just a penetrating oil from Home Depot, etc?

 

[Vtgw938]

Thanks! What oil do people like? Is Kroil worth it? Maybe just a penetrating oil from Home Depot, etc?

Kroil Oil has a good reputation. I would try whatever you have or can get. I put my guns in a bath of Ed's Red (combination of products) and right now the Acetone has evaporated out of it. I just got the sideplate screw out with heat (woodburning tool) and the strain screw out just by soaking. The strain screw was rusted. The rod is still frozen as well as the leaf screw in the rear sight.

 

[Vtgw938]

The above gun finally gave up the extractor rod but not the leaf screw.

A new to me gun had an undetected problem even after a strip down. Cylinder stop was not holding the cylinder locked when trying to turn the cylinder by hand in one direction but shot fine. Stripped it again and found a slight burr on the top of the stop on one side. A little fine sand paper and stone work and now the stop fully engages the notches. Problem solved.

 

[kbm6893]

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.

Watch this. Makes an unnerving task quite easy.


https://youtu.be/WqmlI3FBvLE?si=evM6-lxTLmwNis-S