S&W 65-4, Correct Hammer and Trigger?

[Speedo66]

Need some help from the S&W cognoscenti here. I just picked up a S&W Model 65-4, serial # dated to about 1994.

The hammer and trigger appear to be case colored steel rather than stainless like the rest of the gun. So my question is, did S&W ever ship guns equipped like that back then, or were they definitely changed at some time?

My 64-5, shipped 1989, has both stainless hammer and trigger.

Thanks

 

[GRIZ22]

I've always seen stainless on stainless guns.

However, I remember reading some time ago someone saying you can't tweak stainless parts to improve the trigger pull as well as you can case hardened. I don't know if that's true but I have heard of people swap out stainless innards with case hardened.

It would seem to me buying a blued revolver would be less expensive. FWIW I think Ruger uses stainless innards even on its blued guns.

 

[Slamfire]

Need some help from the S&W cognoscenti here. I just picked up a S&W Model 65-4, serial # dated to about 1994.

The hammer and trigger appear to be case colored steel rather than stainless like the rest of the gun. So my question is, did S&W ever ship guns equipped like that back then, or were they definitely changed at some time?

My 64-5, shipped 1989, has both stainless hammer and trigger.

Thanks

I doubt your 64-5 has a stainless hammer and trigger. I remember calling S&W at the time and asked about the finish on the hammer and trigger of my 1986 44 Special. I purchased it new in 1986 it might have been made a year or two earlier. (It was heavily discounted, $250 out the door, the Gunstore owner claimed it was the worse business decision he had ever made)



S&W told me the hammer and trigger were not stainless but carbon steel with a silver finish.

This COP Gun, a George Department of Control pistol, probably mid nineties, has the silver finish on the hammer and trigger.



This is from 2007:

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

I doubt your 64-5 has a stainless hammer and trigger. I remember calling S&W at the time and asked about the finish on the hammer and trigger of my 1986 44 Special. I purchased it new in 1986 it might have been made a year or two earlier. (It was heavily discounted, $250 out the door, the Gunstore owner claimed it was the worse business decision he had ever made)

View attachment 845935

S&W told me the hammer and trigger were not stainless but carbon steel with a silver finish.

This COP Gun, a George Department of Control pistol, probably mid nineties, has the silver finish on the hammer and trigger.

View attachment 845936

This is from 2007:

View attachment 845937

These are matte flash-chromed I believe.

 

[AK103K]

I have a 65-3, and the hammer and trigger appear to be stainless, but hard chrome makes sense.

 

[earlthegoat2]

The hammer on my Model 60 and 66 is steel but silver colored. So I’m in agreement with that camp.

Had to blue the area where the hammer got bobbed on that 60.

 

[Eddietruett]

Most of the stainless Smiths did come with Flash Chrome Triggers and Hammers, however it is not uncommon to find case colored hammers and triggers. I see the most of them on Model 686-4. but have seen the case color on a lot of 66s and 686. One thing I've never seen is one mixed the the other. Another configuration you don't see too often but they are made is a target trigger and hammer on stainless guns. I've seen them on 65,66 and 686's but always in the Flash Chrome. I've never seen a target hammer/trigger on a stainless gun in case colored. At least from the factory. I have a couple of 686 that I hunt with that have target triggers that were changed out to older case colored and still have the original hammer.

 

[sgt127]

Very early stainless Smith’s had stainless hammers and triggers. Smith did not like the wear characteristics of the stainless parts and went with hard chrome carbon steel parts.

Most you will see are hard chromed. A great finish. Some will have carbon steel parts because someone thought it had a better trigger.

And, sometime in the late 80’s-early 90’s (I’m guessing) Smith used regular case hardened triggers and hammers on stainless guns.

Since MIM Parts, they’ve all been carbon steel.

 

[Speedo66]

Thanks to all for the great info! I guess it sounds like a steel hammer and trigger is not unusual on a stainless gun. Also learned the "stainless" hammers and triggers were actually a form of chrome plating.

Still learning.....

 

[ATLDave]

All else equal, I like the un-plated triggers and hammers... easier to work on if you (or your gunsmith) are into that.

 

[Speedo66]

It came with lesser weight Wolff springs, double action is smooth and light, single action is extremely crisp and light.

Good to know it's better to work on, but I'm not touching a thing.

 

[earlthegoat2]

I knew I saw a stainless Smith with case hardened hammer and trigger before and who would have thought that it is one of mine. Haha

629-4

 

[P5 Guy]

All 'L' frames you will notice the 696 in the middle has case hardened trigger and hammer.
The left and right are respectively a 686-4 and a no dash 681 with flash chrome trigger and hammer.

 

[Cocked & Locked]

Not Unusual...