S&W yoke "rust-grease"?

[bikemutt]

I pulled apart a mid-80s S&W revolver today and noticed when I pulled the cylinder forward the yoke appeared rust colored. I set it aside and removed the sideplate only to find the internals in pristine condition. I then wiped all the "rust" from the yoke only to discover it's not rust but some sort of rust-colored grease.

So now I've done it; all the secret-sauce brown grease is safely sequestered in a rag

What to do on re-assembly? I'm thinking a bit of lithium grease. It's a plated gun.

 

[ColtPythonElite]

Outta the gun product list, I would use Rig. I no Rig, I would use a dab of any automotive grease or even anti-seize.

 

[rcmodel]

All I have ever used is plain old gun oil I am using on the rest of the gun.

Usually Rem-Oil.

I have never seen S&W use anything but oil in a new gun either.

rc

 

[BYJO4]

I also just use gun oil and never had any issues.

 

[bikemutt]

Thx all, picked up some Rig today. Local consensus is it's good to go.

 

[Remllez]

Interesting, was it like the copper infused grease Glock uses on the frame rails? I think I've seen a grease similar to that for sale at gun shows, not sure but I think it was from one of the high end custom .45 shops.

 

[rcmodel]

Once again.

I have been messing with S&W's, both new & used for about 50 years now.

And I have never seen anything but light oil used by the factory, or anyone else.

I think perhaps it got mosture in the oil at some point and changed color & consistency.

Or somebody else put it there.

rc

 

[billybob44]

Gas Ring??

http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-revolvers-1961-1980/166399-gas-ring.html

I believe that you are seeing the carbon/rust/grease in the gas ring on the cylinder.

I came across that same question on some of my Smiths awhile back..Bill.

 

[bikemutt]

Upon final examination I'd have to say this could best be described as rusty oil, thick. I'm thankful the yoke is the only pace I found it and it wiped from the surfaces easily. I thoroughly cleaned the yoke cylinder as well, G96 Gun Treatment and Q-tips until no residue visible. Then I used a bit of Rig and put it back together.

Thanks for all the help!

 

[jhvaughan2]

BikeM. I have purchased a few old S&Ws that have seen it for a while. I have seen the same -- much more in the crane than in side "the works".
Never could explain it -- but your last post seems reasonable. I just clean it off and oil.

 

[hemiram]

I've seen a couple guns, of various makes with some sort of thick reddish orange lube or polishing compound in and on them. I bought a gun on Gunbroker a few years ago, and the "rust" (small specks all over the muzzle and bottom of the slide) was visible in the pics. It was super cheap, and so I bid on it, it looked ok otherwise, and it was about 2/3rds the going price for that gun. When I got it, first thing I did was clean it, and the "rust" wasn't rust, it was some kind of polishing compound, like rouge. It all wiped off with Hoppe's and the gun was pretty close to 100%. A friend bought an S&W 28 about six months ago, and it had what appeared the same stuff all over the insides of it, the action was very stiff due to unburned powder and the stuff acting like sludge. I'm guessing that this was an attempt to smooth things up and they never wiped it off/cleaned the insides. I'm guessing that since it was from an estate, they just thought it was "an old gun", and sold it off cheap, not thinking it basically needed to be cleaned up.