NETim
02-06-2013, 09:42 PM
First things first, yes I had to pay for it and I paid too much. That's the way I roll.
I got my latest GB acquisition Tuesday morning and then had to go to work, so I didn't get to play with it until that night... late (after an indoor IDPA-like match.)
I noticed, after stuffing the little Model 18 with snap caps and trying the DA and SA modes, that occasionally, just occasionally, I couldn't pull all the way through the DA cycle. Cocking the hammer felt clunky. The trigger absolutely refused to budge just before the point where the hammer should fall.
Oh oh. The guy said it was excellent and he was the original owner. Oh oh. What did I get stuck with?
After fussing and fuming all day today, I consulted with the guys at the S&W forum. I was told to detail strip it. It might be gunked up.
Having never done this, I was a little nervous.
So tonight, I thwacked the sideplate off with a hammer handle ala' Kunhausen and inspected the guts of the Smith.
I could see nothing wrong... no big balls of dried grease or hunks of metal floating around. So I got out the TW-25B and lubed contact surfaces. (I did not strip it down. I was content to view the inner workings.)
I did notice that one particular cylinder was a problem child when pulling through the DA cycle. When I pulled the hand out of the slot, the trigger could be pulled and the hammer would drop. (I think now this whole affair was related to a deformed snap cap in that particular chamber.) I greased up the slot a little anyway.
It seems to run much smoother and no more DA hangups. And now I'm not afraid to get into a Smith (too much.)
Why yes, I do lead a rather quiet and dull lifestyle. Why do you ask? :) (I'm just happy I didn't get stuck with a POS.)
I got my latest GB acquisition Tuesday morning and then had to go to work, so I didn't get to play with it until that night... late (after an indoor IDPA-like match.)
I noticed, after stuffing the little Model 18 with snap caps and trying the DA and SA modes, that occasionally, just occasionally, I couldn't pull all the way through the DA cycle. Cocking the hammer felt clunky. The trigger absolutely refused to budge just before the point where the hammer should fall.
Oh oh. The guy said it was excellent and he was the original owner. Oh oh. What did I get stuck with?
After fussing and fuming all day today, I consulted with the guys at the S&W forum. I was told to detail strip it. It might be gunked up.
Having never done this, I was a little nervous.
So tonight, I thwacked the sideplate off with a hammer handle ala' Kunhausen and inspected the guts of the Smith.
I could see nothing wrong... no big balls of dried grease or hunks of metal floating around. So I got out the TW-25B and lubed contact surfaces. (I did not strip it down. I was content to view the inner workings.)
I did notice that one particular cylinder was a problem child when pulling through the DA cycle. When I pulled the hand out of the slot, the trigger could be pulled and the hammer would drop. (I think now this whole affair was related to a deformed snap cap in that particular chamber.) I greased up the slot a little anyway.
It seems to run much smoother and no more DA hangups. And now I'm not afraid to get into a Smith (too much.)
Why yes, I do lead a rather quiet and dull lifestyle. Why do you ask? :) (I'm just happy I didn't get stuck with a POS.)