Stainless S&W question

Q

QuakertownRich

Moderator
I recently purchased a S&W model 65-3, replaced the target grips and polished the hell out of it. I've noticed the hammer and trigger are not stainless, but are forged color case. My S&W model 64 has stainless hammer and trigger, and looking over ones on gunbroker I don't see any for sale that have different hammers/triggers. Is this common? Or do you think someone switched them out somewhere down the line?
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I have several S&Ws with the same hammer and trigger situation. Bought two of them new, so I know the case color hardened parts came on it from the factory. I do have a 686 that has stainless hammer and trigger.

I actually like the ones with case-coloring better than the ones in stainless. Gives the gun more character in my book.
 
At some point, S&W stopped using flash hard-chromed internal parts in their stainless revolvers (only the early M66 and M60 had stainless internals and those had problems with galling IIRC) for the color case hardened parts just like the blue and nickel guns used. My 66-2 has the flash hard chromed hammer and trigger, but both my 629-6 and my sister's 64-8 have color case hardend hammers and triggers.
 
Thank you for the quick reply. The reason I ask is because the hammer feels so thin and looks so odd. I also don't like the smooth trigger on it. My model 64 has the serrated trigger albeit not a target trigger, but feels better than the smooth one. What I'd like to do is swap out for target hammer and target trigger, but am wondering whether it is worth it to seek out the matching set or just go with the color cased ones. It appears to be alot easier finding the color cased.
 
Odd:

The gun I shoot the most, and best, is my Model 64. I shoot it in most of my pistol competiton.

Had it for years..................and reading this post, I realize I don't know if it has the stainless or case hardened colored trigger and hammer.

Now I have to go to the shop dig it out of the safe and see.

How stupid it that.
 
Back in the good ol' days there was the occasional problem with SS parts galling. The 1911 was notorious about this. The problems have, to the best of my knowledge, all been cleared up. You can order replacement parts and go all SS or not. Your choice.
 
Here's the story on the S&W hammers and triggers.

The early S&W Model 60 and 66 had solid stainless steel hammers and triggers.
S&W didn't like the way the stainless wore so within a year or so they replaced the parts with standard carbon steel parts with a "flash" plated hard chrome finish.
Under the plating, these were standard color case hardened parts.
This was to help with rust resistance and to match the stainless of the rest of the gun.

In the 1990's, as a cost savings S&W stopped putting the flash hard chrome plated finish on the hammer and trigger and just used the standard color case hardened carbon steel parts.

The early real stainless steel S&W hammers and triggers are unavailable unless you luck out and find some on an auction site. These will be the wider "combat" smooth trigger and wider "combat" hammer.

The standard production hard chromed hammers and triggers are available from some parts houses.
Your S&W would have shipped with the narrow "service" type hammer and the slightly wider, smooth "combat" trigger, which is what you have.

Narrow "service" type triggers with grooves are available with or without the chrome plated finish, and the wider "combat" type hammer is also available in both finishes.
Last, there are long, wide "Target" hammers available also.
What type of hammer and trigger a S&W revolver shipped with was usually determined on the model and barrel length.
 
Thank you Dfariswheel. My model 64 is fine the way she sits. Trigger feels good, hammer is good. But the model 65 is bugging me. I can live with the color cased parts, looks odd to me but I can deal with it. The problem is, the hammer is so thin, it's like putting my thumb on a thin straight-edge screwdriver. I also don't care for the smooth trigger. As stated earlier, I'd like to swap them out for target parts, but prices on ebay start at $200. Add the cost of gunsmith installing and it becomes a hefty upgrade on a $400 gun.
 
I'd like to swap them out for target parts, but prices on ebay start at $200. Add the cost of gunsmith installing and it becomes a hefty upgrade on a $400 gun.
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I would eschew the target trigger, but I do like the target hammer. They tend to go on gunbroker for under $100, but checking now, there are no K-frame hammers for sale right now (exc: a rimfire hammer is up for bid). You might look into getting a trigger shoe , which are pretty cheap. Neither the target trigger nor a trigger shoe are appropriate for holster work, however, as the wider trigger tends to catch on holsters and then you end up with a hole in your leg.

If the hammer is that difficult to cock, you might instead think about getting a trigger job on it, or simply replacing the mainspring with a reduced power mainspring. As with any modification, test thoroughly after installing the parts to ensure reliable function.

Installation is not that difficult; the main difficulty is reinstalling the rebound spring. There are a lot of videos on the web that will show you how. I admit the first time I tried it, the end result was me at my gunsmith with a bag of s&w parts. However, I can now dis/re-assemble a s&w in a few minutes.
 
If the hammer is that difficult to cock, you might instead think about getting a trigger job on it, or simply replacing the mainspring with a reduced power mainspring. As with any modification, test thoroughly after installing the parts to ensure reliable function.

Installation is not that difficult; the main difficulty is reinstalling the rebound spring. There are a lot of videos on the web that will show you how. I admit the first time I tried it, the end result was me at my gunsmith with a bag of s&w parts. However, I can now dis/re-assemble a s&w in a few minutes.
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I never said it was difficult to cock. I said it felt like a flat-head screwdriver when cocking it. The action is very good, and not hard to pull back at all. As for difficulty of working on it, I'm sure it is not, but that doesn't mean I have the experience of doing it or know all the intriciques one should. I am an electrician and work on high voltage. What I do is not difficult, but I wouldn't recommend someone without knowledge or experience to dive into such endeavors. The last thing I want to do is what happened to you and look foolish. It opens up the opportunity for higher gunsmith charges for parts/labor.
 
The last thing I want to do is what happened to you and look foolish.
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Really, the last thing? From the perspective of someone that taught themselves the (relatively easy) process of disassembling a weapon with the worst thing being that I looked foolish in the eye of my local gunsmith, I think I made a better decision than you are making.

It opens up the opportunity for higher gunsmith charges for parts/labor.
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Wouldn't you know you were being robbed when the price for a spring you could get on line for $5 is billed at $10? But maybe looking over a bill is a foolish thing to do.

And, of course, there are the ten S&Ws I've owned that I've inspected and done routine maintenance on that you are going to have to take to a gunsmith for anything other than a simple cleaning. Looking foolish once has saved me a lot of money.

BTW, your welcome.
 
QuakertownRich said:
...I also don't care for the smooth trigger. As stated earlier, I'd like to swap them out for target parts,...
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If I lived closer to you, I'd offer to swap your smooth trigger for a case-colored "service" trigger I've got kicking around in my parts box (which matches the shape of the trigger on your Model 64); I like either trigger for double-action work, but I like the smooth "combat" trigger you have more.

I find it interesting that you find the narrow service hammer (and trigger) of your Model 64 OK, but the same shape hammer on your Model 65 feels too narrow for you. But then, the shape could be different enough that it simply feels different.
 
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