I have been using my 642 fairly extensively over the past 2 years and I think it is time to get a detailed strip and cleaning. I want to do this myself and would like to know where I can find the appropriate instructions. Up until now, I have been able to do this with my autoloaders, but revolvers remain more of a mystery.
Full Disassembly of S&W 642, 686
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rcmodel
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Jerry Kuhnhausen's S&W book is the best there is.
http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/st...805&title=Jerry Kuhnhausen SHOP MANUALS/BOOKS
You will also need a good set of gunsmith screw-drivers, and a rebound spring tool.
http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/store/ProductDetail.aspx?p=774&title=S&W REBOUND SLIDE SPRING TOOL
Brownell's sell all of it.
But in all reality, you never need to tear a S&W DA revolver down completely unless something breaks.
Some things are best left un-molested!
At most, take off the side-plate and blow it out with gun-scrubber or brake cleaner & a soft brush.
If you decide to do this, keep the screws in order and put them back in the same holes.
Rap the end of the grip frame with a wood hammer handle until the side-plate comes up out of it's recess from inertia.
DO NOT try to pry it off!
Then clean, re-oil, and put the side-plate back on.
Also, DO NOT try to take apart the ejector rod / cylinder assembly!
It is normally not considered an owner-serviced parts collection.
rcmodel
http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/st...805&title=Jerry Kuhnhausen SHOP MANUALS/BOOKS
You will also need a good set of gunsmith screw-drivers, and a rebound spring tool.
http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/store/ProductDetail.aspx?p=774&title=S&W REBOUND SLIDE SPRING TOOL
Brownell's sell all of it.
But in all reality, you never need to tear a S&W DA revolver down completely unless something breaks.
Some things are best left un-molested!
At most, take off the side-plate and blow it out with gun-scrubber or brake cleaner & a soft brush.
If you decide to do this, keep the screws in order and put them back in the same holes.
Rap the end of the grip frame with a wood hammer handle until the side-plate comes up out of it's recess from inertia.
DO NOT try to pry it off!
Then clean, re-oil, and put the side-plate back on.
Also, DO NOT try to take apart the ejector rod / cylinder assembly!
It is normally not considered an owner-serviced parts collection.
rcmodel
JohnBT
Member
I bought one of those rebound slide tools. Pfui, didn't work worth a darn. Finally shaped an old screwdriver to do the job properly.
John
John
Ive always just used a small flat blade screw driver for the rebound spring.
Kuhnhausens book is outstanding. I recommend it to anyone that wants to tinker with their s$w's.
heres a picture of how everything fits back together.... Its easy, just a bit intimidating the first time.
Kuhnhausens book is outstanding. I recommend it to anyone that wants to tinker with their s$w's.
heres a picture of how everything fits back together.... Its easy, just a bit intimidating the first time.
NorthAlabamaShootingSports
Member
Personally, I would avoid brake cleaner like rcmodel advised, while it does work, its not suggested and usually only used by very old gunsmiths and the LCDs of the shooting community. Remember, you can survive dehydration on your own urine, but its not very good now is it?
A No. 2 Philips screwdriver works fine on the return spring, no need for a special tool.
Also, I STRONGLY recommend you NOT, repeat NOT, remove the hand from the trigger. Hard for a beginner to get back in on the older guns, the very devil on the new MIM triggers. Just leave the parts together; there is NO reason to separate them.
Also, it is recommended that the mainspring tension be released BEFORE removing the sideplate and not restored until the sideplate is back on. With the sideplate off, the mainspring can put pressure on the unsupported end of the hammer stud and could bend or break it.
Jim
Also, I STRONGLY recommend you NOT, repeat NOT, remove the hand from the trigger. Hard for a beginner to get back in on the older guns, the very devil on the new MIM triggers. Just leave the parts together; there is NO reason to separate them.
Also, it is recommended that the mainspring tension be released BEFORE removing the sideplate and not restored until the sideplate is back on. With the sideplate off, the mainspring can put pressure on the unsupported end of the hammer stud and could bend or break it.
Jim
PotatoJudge
Member
I'll second that one. Got the Kuhnhausen book and had one of those "ah, so that's where I screwed up" moments. I don't remember how I got that one put back together, but it involved a bit of thread with a loop on the end and a small spring forged by the devil himself. Had one of those moments with the Nylon 66 too- after taking it down to it's bits and spending my spare time over the next week getting it back together.
A further tip - when removing the trigger, do NOT pull the hand back any further than necessary to clear the frame. If you do, the hand spring will slip off the stud and you will have a problem. With the older design, it is only a matter of pushing the end of the spring up and slipping the hand back in. But on the new design, the spring just sits in there and it is hard to get it back right even with the inspection hole in the side of the trigger.
Jim
Jim
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