Educate me on the newer large frame S&W

4

4V50 Gary

Staff
I saw the insides of a new S&W and didn't have a chance to examine it. There's been many changes from the older 3 screw S&W I was trained on in the '80s. Mim hammer is the most apparent change.

There's a milled groove in the interior of the frame right above where the rebound bar sits. What's that for?
 
I take it, you're speaking of the big X frame for the 460 and 500?

This slot?:


S&W_Safety by matneyw, on Flickr

I tried two other photos here, from another flickr account, but they wouldn't show.

If it is the extra stuff on the other side of the hammer, it is the new hammer lock mechanism, and the indicator. The hammer, as you said, is totally different. It seems to be a casting now, and the side you can't see has a big groove in it for the lock. There is another view on my Flickr account with the hammer removed.
 
Last edited:
That's the gun, but you have to remove the hammer to see it. It runs perpendicular to the locking bolt (operated by the thumbpiece).
 
Garry,

Yes, there is a vertical slot, with a part that has a a type of hand slot in the top, that slides in the groove. It looks to work off the extended hand pin through the trigger, which would ride in a slot in the base of this piece. I am pretty sure it is part of the MiM's system of parts (it looks molded), but exactly how it works, I'm not sure, as I haven't had the pleasure of tearing one down yet. I only have the parts list on these X frame guns, but no drawings. I guess I'm too tight to keep coughing up the $15 that S&W wants for a new catalog. I have the photo uploaded to my Flickr account, if you want to see it. It looks to me that it might be to block the locking bolt with the trigger fully pulled.


SW_Inside by matneyw, on Flickr
 
Last edited:
Thanks!

That's it.

I wonder if that groove is for a matching protrusion in the rebound slide. The old slides were flush on the left side (shooter's view) though and I'm wondering if the new slides have a pin that goes all the way through from right to left.

I'm also wondering how that little hand in the frame operates and what it does.
 
If the following pic will show, it looks like the rebound slide just comes up to it. I saw another photo of the top view of the trigger, with the hand installed, and its pin sticks through the trigger to the other side, and out enough to fit into something, and I would say that slot. It looks to me like it slides up, and into the way of the bolt lock at the front.

I think this may be it; No. 103, 210550000 $13.29 X BOLT BLOCK


S&W Hammer Lock by matneyw, on Flickr
 
Last edited:
Thanks guys. It makes sense now. Depressing the trigger rotates the trigger tail up, causing the pin to push the bolt lock up and prevent the bolt from unlocking due to the recoil.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top