Why you should thoroughly check used guns

[PhysicsGuy]

Well I recently picked up a beautiful 2.5" S&W 686 no dash in a local trade. I ended up taking a shorter end in the trade and "overpaid" a bit on the gun, but I really wanted it.

Anyhow I gave it a good look over before trading the other day. Today I was checking it out some more in my free time, and gave it a push off test. Now I've never ever had any problems with push off in any smith I've bought, so I ended up forgetting to check during the pre-trade inspection, and just my luck, the hammer fell. Pulled it all apart and noticed wear on the trigger edge where it engages the hammer, I can't quite tell if its just from a lot of use, or from someone with a stone and not knowing what they were doing. Also this model has the stainless trigger that is flash chromed, so I can't just stone a new angle, so its off to order a new trigger. So in the end it ended up being a $50 mistake, but I still love the gun nonetheless.


I hope to get some pics up of it soon in the modern section!

 

[HEADKNOCKER]

You should be able to stone the hammer & fix the push off problem as long as it's not ruined by the previose owner.
In the FAQs there's a small section that shows how to remedy this with an 6" India stone..
On this page in the FAQs
http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-smithing/94072-faqs.html

 

[WhistlerSWE]

Exactly the same here!
I had to check if I had written this thread in my sleep!

I bought a slightly overpriced 2,5" 686-1 (M) via an online auction (they are very rare here in Sweden). It has terrible trigger pull and the hammer falls from single action when pushing it with my thumb.

I'm sending it to the smith after new year for a trigger job (gotta get rid of the floating hand as well) and removal of the horrible front sight, to replace it with a target sight.

 

[PhysicsGuy]

You should be able to stone the hammer & fix the push off problem as long as it's not ruined by the previose owner.
In the FAQs there's a small section that shows how to remedy this with an 6" India stone..
On this page in the FAQs
http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-smithing/94072-faqs.html

You don't stone the hammer to fix push off, you stone the trigger. But as far as I know you cannot fix the stainless/flash chrome parts once they have wear or have been "smithed" because the stainless cannot handle the wear in that sort of geometry like carbon steel can. That is why most of the newer stainless revolvers have case hardened carbon hammer and triggers.

But if someone has stoned their stainless trigger and it has managed to keep its edge, it would be nice to know.