SEAL Revolvers?
- Thread starter jarucru
- Start date
juliet charley
New member
They have a history of having used both the Model 66 and Model 686, but to what extent they are still using them (or even if), is open to question. The early attraction was the stainless steel and superb reliability (particularly in silty water which tends to reek havoc with autoloaders--especially magazines).
Dfariswheel
New member
The first SEAL use of S&W revolvers was at the very beginning, when they used standard US Navy S&W Model 15 revolvers.
They'd asked for Model 19 .357's, but a supply officer "saved the Navy money" and gave them the Model 15 in .38 Special.
There was some use of the S&W Model 36 and Model 60 Chief's Special as a concealed carry gun.
When SEAL 6, the anti-terror unit was formed, Richard Marchinko, the first commander, made sure they got the S&W Model 66 Combat Magnum because of it's ability to handle immersion in salt water and still function.
In his book "Rogue Warrior" Marchinko goes into some detail about the SEAL's problems getting the weapons they needed, and the efforts to get the Model 66.
He also shows pictures of SEAL's using the 66 in training, including during a practice take-down of an off-shore oil rig.
Later the S&W Model 686 was bought, and is likely still used for special purposes.
They'd asked for Model 19 .357's, but a supply officer "saved the Navy money" and gave them the Model 15 in .38 Special.
There was some use of the S&W Model 36 and Model 60 Chief's Special as a concealed carry gun.
When SEAL 6, the anti-terror unit was formed, Richard Marchinko, the first commander, made sure they got the S&W Model 66 Combat Magnum because of it's ability to handle immersion in salt water and still function.
In his book "Rogue Warrior" Marchinko goes into some detail about the SEAL's problems getting the weapons they needed, and the efforts to get the Model 66.
He also shows pictures of SEAL's using the 66 in training, including during a practice take-down of an off-shore oil rig.
Later the S&W Model 686 was bought, and is likely still used for special purposes.
antediluvianist
New member
Well, I've got a 686, and I'm gratified to know that the SEALS use 686s and 66s in "silty water", but I wonder about silt's effect on a revolver's workings. Not good for semis either, but other threads tout the fewer openings of a semi as an advantage over revolvers when grains of sand/grit/dirt/silt/mud are flowing/blowing etc. in and around a handgun.
Maybe the silt grains- light enough to be semi-suspended in water - are so small they don't much effect a revolver?
Maybe the silt grains- light enough to be semi-suspended in water - are so small they don't much effect a revolver?
"Maybe the silt grains- light enough to be semi-suspended in water - are so small they don't much effect a revolver?"
If you have an auto go down the first thing to suspect is the mag. Crud like sand, silt, and dust screws up the mags smooth feeding. The gun itself may not be affected by the crud but the mag will.
If you have an auto go down the first thing to suspect is the mag. Crud like sand, silt, and dust screws up the mags smooth feeding. The gun itself may not be affected by the crud but the mag will.
I think it may have something to do with the fact that you can muscle a revolver to fire, but, not an auto. No matter how crappy the guts are, if you crank back on the trigger, it will likely go bang six times. By the same token, you could likely force the slide back and forth on an auto and get the same result, but, that takes two hands.
I have read some of Marcincos novels. They are good tales.
However, I always wondered about immersing a stainless steel revolver in salt water. Stainless does rust and many of the internal parts are carbon steel. It is very hard to 'strip' a revolver to get the rust out of the internals.
Inquiring minds and all that.
By the way, some folks who can't help it, question how accurate Marcinco's books are. Well folks, they are such good tales that such questions shouldn't get in the way. His first couple of books are much better than the last couple.
However, I always wondered about immersing a stainless steel revolver in salt water. Stainless does rust and many of the internal parts are carbon steel. It is very hard to 'strip' a revolver to get the rust out of the internals.
Inquiring minds and all that.
By the way, some folks who can't help it, question how accurate Marcinco's books are. Well folks, they are such good tales that such questions shouldn't get in the way. His first couple of books are much better than the last couple.
UltimaThule
New member
Jaysouth,
That said, this thread is about government property, not family heirlooms.
Even if it was my own gun, if I really had to take it with me into salt water, I would be much more concerned with its reliability right now than whether or not it will turn into a lump of rust sometime next week.
If a gun of mine, stainless or not, were to be immersed in salt water, I would treat it the same way I treat pretty much any other object that becomes immersed in salt water, including electronics. At the first possible opportunity immerse it in fresh water to wash out the salt, then dry it as quickly as possible, and hope for the best. With a gun, I would strip it as much as the circumstances allow and pour liberal amounts of boiling water over it to speed up the drying, same principle as when cleaning black powder guns. WD40 might be a good idea too, until the gun can be stripped and properly cared for. But before anything else, I would want to give it a good rinse in fresh water, even if it was already dry after the salt water dip.
That said, this thread is about government property, not family heirlooms.
Even if it was my own gun, if I really had to take it with me into salt water, I would be much more concerned with its reliability right now than whether or not it will turn into a lump of rust sometime next week.
juliet charley
New member
They pop the sideplate off and Dunk-It.
Dfariswheel
New member
Marchinko's later books are works of fiction.
"Rogue Warrior" is his autobiography, his Vietnam tours, and the story of how SEAL Six was formed.
It's non-fiction.
After "taking a gun swimming" SEALs flush it out with fresh water and give it a good spray with a lube.
They don't pull side plates from what I understand....no need to.
One of the most terrifying and interesting things I ever heard about SEAL gun maintenance is in multiple Vietnam-tour veteran Harry Constance's book "Good To Go".
Constance is one of the most respected Vietnam era SEALs and is known among SEALs as a "hunter and shooter" for his VERY proactive, aggressive tours.
Constance writes about his gun maintenance when coming off a patrol.
He said that he removed the plastic stocks from his Stoner light machine gun and dropped the gun AND the linked 5.56 ammo into a cut-off 55 gallon drum of gasoline.
He let the gun AND ammo soak while he got cleaned up and had breakfast.
He then dried the gun and ammo off, finished cleaning the Stoner, then SPRAYED THE ENTIRE GUN AND LINKED AMMO THOROUGHLY WITH WD-40.
He said he never had a stoppage in all his tours.
SEALs are fanatics about gun maintenance, but have a attitude about not wasting time on it either.
Most people believe WD-40 is NOT a gun lubricant, but that's exactly what the SEALs used in Vietnam.
True, they cleaned the gun EVERYDAY.
"Rogue Warrior" is his autobiography, his Vietnam tours, and the story of how SEAL Six was formed.
It's non-fiction.
After "taking a gun swimming" SEALs flush it out with fresh water and give it a good spray with a lube.
They don't pull side plates from what I understand....no need to.
One of the most terrifying and interesting things I ever heard about SEAL gun maintenance is in multiple Vietnam-tour veteran Harry Constance's book "Good To Go".
Constance is one of the most respected Vietnam era SEALs and is known among SEALs as a "hunter and shooter" for his VERY proactive, aggressive tours.
Constance writes about his gun maintenance when coming off a patrol.
He said that he removed the plastic stocks from his Stoner light machine gun and dropped the gun AND the linked 5.56 ammo into a cut-off 55 gallon drum of gasoline.
He let the gun AND ammo soak while he got cleaned up and had breakfast.
He then dried the gun and ammo off, finished cleaning the Stoner, then SPRAYED THE ENTIRE GUN AND LINKED AMMO THOROUGHLY WITH WD-40.
He said he never had a stoppage in all his tours.
SEALs are fanatics about gun maintenance, but have a attitude about not wasting time on it either.
Most people believe WD-40 is NOT a gun lubricant, but that's exactly what the SEALs used in Vietnam.
True, they cleaned the gun EVERYDAY.
juliet charley
New member
Straight from TF: