AustinTX
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How far into the test are you? And how far along do you think you’ll be in, say, six months? I’m very eager to see the results!
Service life on new S&W revolvers?
- Thread starter William Dykstra
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- .357 magnum s&w 66
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How far into the test are you? And how far along do you think you’ll be in, say, six months? I’m very eager to see the results!
ontarget
Member
I have 6-8 S&W revolvers. I will let you know if I ever wear one out.
I could see wearing out my 642 Airweight with strictly +P rounds but my steel and SS framed guns? I wish I could afford enough ammo to wear them out.
I could see wearing out my 642 Airweight with strictly +P rounds but my steel and SS framed guns? I wish I could afford enough ammo to wear them out.
Pat Riot
Contributing Member
FYI for everyone regarding “the lock”:
* Not trying to pick a fight. Just stating my observations.
I have 3 S&W revolvers with the lock.
A 327 Night Guard - weight 27.5 Oz.
A 60 Pro - weight 23.2 Oz.
A 63 - weight 26 Oz. - doesn’t really count for power.
I have never had a lock engage in its own shooting full house .357 Magnum through the 327 or the 60 Pro. And I am talking about >300 rounds per gun of .357 Magnum rounds.
You haven’t lived until you’ve touched off a hot .357 round in a 60 Pro. Quite invigorating.
ColtPythonElite
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- Jan 8, 2011
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- 10,484
My 4k round Smith has a lock. No problems with it so far.
John Joseph
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IIRC the L frame was S&W's solution to the forcing cone cracking problem.
The was also the issue of top strap cutting attributed to shooting a lot of 125 gr SJHP and JHPs, which were the LEO's most revered .357 loads back "in the day."
Any good K frame should outlast you if you feed it .38s
If .357JHPs are your load, I'd look for an L or N frame
If CCW is your game, that 19 or 66 should serve you well if you refrain from, or limit, launching barn burners.
The was also the issue of top strap cutting attributed to shooting a lot of 125 gr SJHP and JHPs, which were the LEO's most revered .357 loads back "in the day."
Any good K frame should outlast you if you feed it .38s
If .357JHPs are your load, I'd look for an L or N frame
If CCW is your game, that 19 or 66 should serve you well if you refrain from, or limit, launching barn burners.
adcoch1
Member
I shot my redhawk till the barrel came loose right around 7000 rounds. Ruger put the barrel back on for me. Ironically, about 7000 rounds is where my 29 classic started having issues with misfires. Really interested in the results of your 29 torture test.
I'll be bankrupt 5 times over before I shoot enough rounds through my 686+ to kill it. We look at ownership, math, and depreciation weirdly, sometimes.
We want a machine that cost $700 to last 3 generations. We buy another machine costing $40,000 and hope to get 10 years out of it.
The $700 should be able to be kept going with minimal "over the counter" care every couple ten thousand rounds (over $7,000 using cheap plinking .357 as measure). The $40k we will expect to drop $80-100 every three months with a grand at a time in preventive maintenance at various milestones and tires.
I say shoot it how you want. Baby it, rag it out, maintain it to meticulous degree or just wipe it down when it starts to give you lock up issues. They have made these guns for generations. Heck, you can still get obsolete black powder revolvers that are 100 years behind the times. They will keep making more of these things for the foreseeable future.
If one really wanted to be mathematically savvy, buy TWO at today's prices. Wrap one up and carefully preserve it in a sealed container. By the time you manage to kill the first one, if you are blessed to live so long, you'll have one ready to pass down that didnt cost you 2,300 bitcoins or whatever they are using by then.
We want a machine that cost $700 to last 3 generations. We buy another machine costing $40,000 and hope to get 10 years out of it.
The $700 should be able to be kept going with minimal "over the counter" care every couple ten thousand rounds (over $7,000 using cheap plinking .357 as measure). The $40k we will expect to drop $80-100 every three months with a grand at a time in preventive maintenance at various milestones and tires.
I say shoot it how you want. Baby it, rag it out, maintain it to meticulous degree or just wipe it down when it starts to give you lock up issues. They have made these guns for generations. Heck, you can still get obsolete black powder revolvers that are 100 years behind the times. They will keep making more of these things for the foreseeable future.
If one really wanted to be mathematically savvy, buy TWO at today's prices. Wrap one up and carefully preserve it in a sealed container. By the time you manage to kill the first one, if you are blessed to live so long, you'll have one ready to pass down that didnt cost you 2,300 bitcoins or whatever they are using by then.
Riomouse911
Member
I have a k-frame M&P .38 from the 1940’s that’s still plugging along, so if you don’t abuse the gun you’ll have a great chance to get 80 years out of yours, too. 
Stay safe.
Stay safe.
Driftwood Johnson
Member
Forgive me boys, but I can't help myself.
You newbies with 3 or 4, or 6 or 8 Smiths, step aside.
I have dozens, and dozens of Smith and Wesson revolvers. No, I ain't going to say exactly how many, let's just say a lot.
Yes, some of them are quite worn. A few don't even work quite right any more, but that is because I got them cheap, to help fill out my collection and I do not intend to shoot them.
But the great majority of them are shooters, and still shoot very well.
This is my favorite 22 in the whole world. A K-22 Outdoorsman that shipped to the Providence Rhode Island Board of Public Safety in 1932. Roy Jinks told me he thinks it was used by the Providence pistol team. Look how sad this puppy looks with most of the blue missing where somebody's finger rested for a long time. Incorrect grips too. But this is the most accurate 22 revolver I own, and I own quite a few. 1932, shot the dickens out of it, and it is still my most accurate 22.
Another favorite. A very early 44 Special Triple Lock that shipped in 1907. Almost no blue left on it at all, except in the cylinder flutes. The grips are worn almost smooth. But this puppy is as tight as the day it left the factory, and just as accurate.
Another favorite. A 44 Hand Ejector 2nd Model that left the factory in 1921. Some wear to the blue, but still just as accurate as when it left the facotory.
I could go on and on. With reasonable care you are not going to wear out a Smith and Wesson revolver. Even the new ones that are full of MIM parts. Ooops, sorry, did not mean to say that.
You newbies with 3 or 4, or 6 or 8 Smiths, step aside.
I have dozens, and dozens of Smith and Wesson revolvers. No, I ain't going to say exactly how many, let's just say a lot.
Yes, some of them are quite worn. A few don't even work quite right any more, but that is because I got them cheap, to help fill out my collection and I do not intend to shoot them.
But the great majority of them are shooters, and still shoot very well.
This is my favorite 22 in the whole world. A K-22 Outdoorsman that shipped to the Providence Rhode Island Board of Public Safety in 1932. Roy Jinks told me he thinks it was used by the Providence pistol team. Look how sad this puppy looks with most of the blue missing where somebody's finger rested for a long time. Incorrect grips too. But this is the most accurate 22 revolver I own, and I own quite a few. 1932, shot the dickens out of it, and it is still my most accurate 22.
Another favorite. A very early 44 Special Triple Lock that shipped in 1907. Almost no blue left on it at all, except in the cylinder flutes. The grips are worn almost smooth. But this puppy is as tight as the day it left the factory, and just as accurate.
Another favorite. A 44 Hand Ejector 2nd Model that left the factory in 1921. Some wear to the blue, but still just as accurate as when it left the facotory.
I could go on and on. With reasonable care you are not going to wear out a Smith and Wesson revolver. Even the new ones that are full of MIM parts. Ooops, sorry, did not mean to say that.
slickracer
Member
- Joined
- Jan 4, 2013
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- 254
The new K frames no longer have this issue. You'll run out of money for ammo before you wear one out.
Purchased my model 19 new in 1972 and its had some heavy use and is still in excellent condition ,both visual and mechanical. By heavy use I mean its been to the range almost weekly or bi weekly in the winter. Its had about an 70 diet of HOT 38sp with the balance being mid range .357s. AS I said its still a beautiful piece of workmanship and is a pleasure to hold and behold. Even the original bluing is still 99% just a little lighting at the edge of the muzzle from holster! I think you would be hard pushed to wear the 19 out. Clean after every range trip and check the screws every so often and it will last you! 48 years old and still a heck of a firearm!
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