Shooting Older Smiths?

[JCooperfan1911]

Anyone made a shooter out of an older S&W? Have my eye on a 63 kit gun from 1980. But does anyone have a contingency plan of their old Smith breaks? Does the factory even work on older pre lock models? If not do any gunsmiths?

Basically if I were to make it a regular shooter I’d want to make sure it could still be serviced if it does end up breaking a part or need adjustment down the road. Thanks for the help.

 

[murf]

the s&w factory won't touch my fifties built k-22. per the guy @ the factory: we don't make parts for that anymore so we won't fix it. my pistolsmith will (and did) fix the k-22. you may get lucky on that 80's model, but i'd call first.

luck,

murf

 

[Pat Riot]

I would do a general parts search to see what’s available, determine what parts you may think you may need and see if you can find them. Not sure what “dash” number a 1980 model 63 is but here is a listing.
https://www.gunpartscorp.com/gun-manufacturer/smith-wesson/revolvers-sw/63-3

If you’re concerned contact a good local gunsmith and have them go through the gun to see if there are any parts wearing that need replacement.

I would definitely buy replacement springs to have on hand. Brownells can help with that.

 

[J-Bar]

If your revolver has not been abused I would shoot it. Most of my S&Ws are from the 60s, 70s & 80s and I’m doing my best to wear them out! I would be more cautious about very early ones, like from 1900-1930. Keep it clean and lubed and feed it moderate loads and enjoy it!

 

[ontarget]

I bought a 38 H.E. that dates to around 1930.
In my excitement I missed a bent ejector rod. It also needed new grips. Numrich aka Gun Parts Corp. Has lots of parts for the old Smiths.

 

[earlthegoat2]

I shoot two pre-70s and two pre-80s S&Ws all the time with the full house loads in the cartridges they have marked on their barrels. I have yet to have one break. If they do, I will do with them what I would do with any Smith revolver. Work on it myself.

 

[trackskippy]

I have quite a few older S&W's and shoot them all the time. Im still shooting a 1917 and a couple of WWII era M&P's on a regular basis as well. As long as they are in good shape, and youre not trying to hot rod the ammo, whats to go wrong?

S&W may not fix them, but parts still seem to be plentiful, and unless you should happen to have something major fail, they are pretty easy to work on.

 

[WestKentucky]

These are my latest purchased shooter smiths. Both late 1860s vintage. Just shoot it. If it breaks, fix it. If it breaks again, fix it and then figure out why it keeps breaking and fix that.

while I’m at it, here’s the full collection of S&W products I shoot. Picture taken around Christmas.

and 2 TC contenders. They are S&W by marriage. Again, all get shot. Especially the #1 and the 30-1. The #3 single action is a hoot too. The only one I don’t like shooting is the 32sh and it’s just uncomfortable. My 9 yr old claimed it the minute she saw it.

 

[jonnyc]

I have two each S&W 1917, Colt 1917, Enfield/Webley MkVI. I shoot them all the time, usually with gentle reloads. They were meant to be shot and enjoyed. If something breaks you can usually find or make a part, and then figure out how to fix it.

 

[Monac]

You know, I didn't think I was older than JCooperfan1911. But I must be, because it would not occur to me to call an S&W Kit Gun from 1980 an "older S&W". He's right, of course; it's now over 40 years old. It just jars me to realize how old I've gotten.

I guess I would say that S&W made a LOT of this model of Kit Gun, and they were high quality, durable guns. Between the quantity and the quality, I would not worry much about parts replacement or finding gunsmiths who are familiar with them, unless you intend to put a really amazing number of rounds per year though it.

 

[wcwhitey]

My Model 15 is from the 70’s. Shoot it weekly. Just standard pressure target ammo. If it’s a good one and you just take care of it it will outlast most of us.

 

[Gladius]

I consider most of my older Smiths shooters. The only part I've broken so far is a firing pin on a 66 -- got it replaced and it's good to go. I don't hotrod them or abuse them, but otherwise I don't worry too much about it.

 

[Rubone]

1980 is modern times. Most of mine date much before then, and they are all shooters. A couple years ago my wife ran over 500 rounds through my late sixties Model 60 in a 24 hour period for a class she was in. Never a hiccup. I shoot my 22/32 HFT .22 from around 1919 all the time...

 

[.38 Special]

Like a few other folks, I got a bit shook up by the idea that an 80s S&W revolver is "older". Hell, my EDC Model 19 is from the 70s and I still consider it cutting edge!

I personally consider just about any S&W revolver less than a hundred years old to be reasonably modern. While steels and heat treatment have improved a bit, the basic design remains essentially unchanged across that century, and there are lots of parts floating around out there. I am fortunate to live within driving distance of a highly regarded S&W revolver specialist who has quite literally drawers full of spares, and he certainly is not the only such fellow around.

 

[ThomasT]

I shoot my old 1960s flat latch model 34 and never worry about a part breaking. People still shoot guns made around the first of the century. And not the 21st century. The 20th century. Worry about a gun breaking will never stop me from shooting one. They were made to shoot and will hold up to thousands and thousands of rounds if you don't try to turn them into magnums.

 

[Old_Grouch]

Anyone made a shooter out of an older S&W? Have my eye on a 63 kit gun from 1980. But does anyone have a contingency plan of their old Smith breaks? Does the factory even work on older pre lock models? If not do any gunsmiths?

Basically if I were to make it a regular shooter I’d want to make sure it could still be serviced if it does end up breaking a part or need adjustment down the road. Thanks for the help.

"Older. 1980"? Kids, geez! I'd answer but it's almost 8:00. Time to take my Geritol and head to bed.
Seriously, I don't think there is a difference in parts for pre-lock and lock model Smiths (save for the lock parts themselves and some hammer mounted firing pins). Thanks to the magic known as the internet I don't think you have anything to worry about. Parts should always be able to be found for many years to come.
BTW, conventional wisdom is that the rebuild round count for S&W revolvers is in the 80,000 round neighborhood.
Buy it.
Shoot it.
Enjoy it.
Relax.

 

[Oldschool shooter]

I have a 1917 Smith in 45acp and still shoot it regularly. Also a mid 70s Model 10. Shoot it regularly as well. If I can't shoot them, I won't own them.

 

[Riomouse911]

With the exception of a 317, a 686+ and a 642, all S&Ws I have are at least 25 years old and counting. All, including my 1970’s vintage Model 34-1 Kit Gun, get shot with no worries about breaking them.

Shooting it is why you bought it, go ahead and have fun .

Stay safe.

 

[halfmoonclip]

Yeah, turning an '80s vintage stainless kit gun into an octogenarian seemed pretty weird to me.
Have a kit of that vintage, and if I had a nickel for every round thru' it, I could drink free for a year.
Learned to shoot double action with it, and it's good as new. Shoot the dickens out of that puppy, and don't worry about it.
Moon

 

[Pat Riot]

I have several revolvers older than 1980. I bought insurance after I bought them. I found all the springs that go to them and bought them as well as replacement screws. I had planned to buy other parts but haven’t. Funny thing is, since I bought all those springs and screws, nothing has gone wrong. Nothing. Reverse Murphy’s Law. I planned for things to go wrong and it didn’t.

But, in researching parts for S&Ws made prior to the 80’s I am starting to see parts becoming harder to get. I want an ejector rod for my 19-4. I am having a hard time finding one. Mine is worn and the threads are wearing.

 

[Tallball]

I have two from 1915-16 that were shot a lot and never restored. One is a 32 and one is a 38. The 38 is my only handgun with such obviously worn rifling in the barrel.

The 38 is a tiny bit loose. The 32 is still nice and tight.

They still both go bang every time, and are about as accurate as any similar revolver with tiny sights.

Both of them have pretty stiff triggers. I've assumed, perhaps incorrectly, that the triggers are normal for that era. After I retire in a couple of years I may get bored enough to open them up and see what they look like inside.

 

[edwardware]

. . . does anyone have a contingency plan of their old Smith breaks? Does the factory even work on older pre lock models?

Yes, and (generally) No.

My plan is that I 'smith my own Smiths. Parts availability is good, both aftermarket new and used, and while they are complicated it's not rocket surgery.

 

[Meeks36]

Shoot the snot out of it. And if and when it does break and parts are unobtainable then strip it down and sell the parts. Make someone else’s day. And some cash in your pocket.

 

[tallpaul]

why would you shoot an old gun smith anyway? they are rare...

 

[Rock185]

Although I don't consider a 1980 S&W, "old", now days I wouldn't expect any help from S&W. If S&W wouldn't service a gun of mine, and something needed repair, I'd figure it out.

I have 1970s S&Ws that I don't hesitate to shoot. Also have a 1918 Webley that still functions properly. I mention the Webley because I would expect S&Ws to be ay least as durable...