S&W used K-frame revolver - most common issues?

[il.bill]

The THR "Revolver Checkout" thread is a wealth of information for a potential buyer of a used revolver. I have become a big fan (shot one and was hooked) of the S&W K-frame revolver shooting .38 spl. I have somehow bought a number of them, with the Model 10 in various forms easily being the most numerous in my humble collection.

The only significant work needed to date on my relatively inexpensive used revolver purchases have involved extractor functions. A couple just needed a thorough carbon cleaning, but three required a part or repairs. On one I had to straighten out a bent Center Pin; another was missing the Extractor Rod Collar; and a nickle plated snubbie appeared to have been previously dropped, knocking the front of the hole in the Yoke out of round and causing it to bind on the Extractor Rod. I suspect I was able to buy each of these handguns over the internet at a reasonable price in part due to those issues. An interesting hour or so figuring things out and 'fixing' each one had me feeling like I had made those S&W's mine.

What other common S&W K-frame issues have you found that needed attention on a freshly purchase used revolver?

 

[dfariswheel]

The most common problems I saw were:
Bent ejector rod.
Excessive cylinder end shake.
Badly leaded bores and chambers.
Damaged adjustable sights.
Rust, especially under grips.
Defective actions and hammer "push-off" caused by mis-attempted "trigger jobs".
Just plain dirty guns.

 

[Old Fuff]

My experience is much the same, but with "action tinkering" being higher on the list. The first thing I look for, either with the gun in hand or detailed photographs, is burred or otherwise damaged screw heads. When I find them I usually stop. Exceptions are sometimes made for antiques or lower priced/well worn examples.

 

[rcmodel]

Add to the list of most common problems:
Backed off strain screw.
Loose ejector rod housing.

rc

 

[243winxb]

Spring kits that cause misfires.

 

[Jim K]

"Ooops. I decided to work on my gun and now I have screwed things up and the gun won't work so it is off to the gun shop to trade it in on something else I can mess up."

Jim

 

[evan price]

Loose/bent ejector rods
Somebody trying to make trigger 'better' by clipping the rebound spring or filing down the strain screw
Generally being full of carbon, lint, crystallized lubricant and crud inside from never being cleaned well

Had one where the crown of the muzzle and the first inch of barrel looked like a ploughed field. Turns out owner was in the habit of sticking the barrel of the gun on a nail in a shelf to store it. That one got a new(used) barrel.