Great job rescuing a S&W. Reminds me of a video of another youtuber Gunblue490 who showed how to break down and clean a S&W Revolver, and his cautions about over lubrication.
Now that that beautiful firearm out to the range and show us how well it shoots now. The day we were issued our Model 66s in the academy we opened them up and took them apart and then put them back together. The reload ammo we shot in training was so dirty that by the time we were ready for our "official qualification shoot" prior to graduation, we were expected to take the pistols apart and clean them inside to get out all of that unburned powder and cleaning fluid. Good video. Thanks.
Revolvers require maintenance. Revolvers that were shot but not cleaned will experience malfunctioning. This is a good video that shows a clean looking revolver from the outside with the internal mechanism all gummed up. I purchased an old S&W Target Master from 1949. Smith and Wesson said that any revolver that was a pinned barrel was no longer being serviced. I took the revolver apart and did exactly the same type of cleaning. Definitely helped function after.
How timely. I recently acquired a Colt Official Police made in 1949, via GB. When I picked it up from my FFL cosmetically it exceeded my expectations but the action was sluggish, just like yours. I’ve opened up plenty of Smiths, but this is my first Colt so I decided to leave the cleaning to the pros. I took it to my local gunsmith, and I’m waiting for the call to pickup. I now have a good sense of the labor required for my job. Doesn’t look easy, and good gunsmiths aren’t cheap. Thanks for the vid. Keep up the good work.
We used to use an ultrasonic cleaner that slightly heated the solution once a year for a deep clean of our stainless pistols followed by a VERY light coat of stainless steel lube. In between cleanings used Hoppe #9 and standard cleaning gear with a very light oil lube. I loved my Mod 66 but was unable to purchase it when we switched other to S&W 6906s
I have found this issue with lots of firearms. It occurs with not only revolvers, it happens with pistols, rifles and shotguns as well. The main cause is the firearm is stored for long periods of time; years likely. No lubricant has a shelf-life for years. The owners maintain the outside of the firearm and internal parts are left often with just the factor applied lube. The only oil added is on outside surfaces. What happens is the outside protective oil is replace with regular maintenance and inside lube dries and freezes the moving parts in place. The best way to avoid damaging a traditional blued finishes is using hot soapy water and soft brushes. Hot water and Tide dry detergent soap works better than the liquid Tide. I hang the action or frames in a tank and let the hot water and detergent do the work. Stainless steel welding rods make good hangers. Then rinses with water and use water displacing oil or compressed air or both too dry the parts and action. This is really good for cleaning Black powder guns too. Question for you; do you remember when Smith & Wesson revolvers were sold with wooden presentation boxes?
I own two Model 19's and two Model 66's and would not hesitate to use one as a duty gun. Back in the day one did not hear of too many incidents where a lot of rounds had to be fired to stop someone.
I remember when WD-40 came on the scene. We all thought it was the best thing since sliced bread and we used it liberally on all of our firearms and anything else that moved. Little did we know that over time it would congeal. We go a new pastor about 30 or 40 years ago and I did the same to his revolver. Fast forward 30 years or so and he asked me to take a look at his little Rossi as it was completely locked up. I finally got it apart and I hosed it down with WD-40, blew it out, and oiled it a little with Mobil 1 full synthetic. He was so happy that he gave me his Bianchi holster which I gave to our eldest son.
Dear HR, That is one absolutely spectacular M66! I suspect the “varnishing” the previous owner performed (quite possibly, more than once) now actually benefits you, because that beautiful older Smith (I noted the hammer-mounted firing pin and the square butt) unquestionably was VERY little carried or fired. Therefore, I respectfully suggest you have a “like new” Combat Magnum, but with “old school” S&W precision craftsmanship and quantity. This was an absolutely wonderful video. I thank you so much, especially because the detail you used (notwithstanding TH-cam’s restrictions) really allowed me thoroughly to observe the job you did. I love to see your “shooting” video, but (personally) I actual prefer these “armorer” tutorials. Perhaps of some interest, many years ago I bought a used, pre-1950’s, six inch barrel, .38 Special K-14 Target Masterpiece (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smith_&_Wesson_Model_14). It is a greatly prized possession, its accuracy is superb, and of course (dating from 1947/1948) its craftsmanship, fitting and quality are outstanding. BUT, when I purchased it at a remarkably low “steal price,” it really wasn’t functioning properly. The problem was essentially identical to yours, and so was my solution (although, while the revolver was disassembled, I changed all the springs). After a days effort, it shot perfectly (although - currently - my near-75 year old eyes can no longer do its design and quality justice). Finally, I have a related question for you: after restoring my K Frame Target Masterpiece the “old fashion way,” a friend at the Quantico Shooting Club suggested that an ultrasonic cleaner might provide easier and more detailed cleaning. I thanked him, of course, but I both wanted to inspect carefully and to replace springs . . . plus - somehow - I trusted “elbow grease” more than current technology. What do you think, is my crotchetiness interfering with good practices? THANKS VERY MUCH for a great video and BZ! = = = = = = = = = = P. S.: It’s impossible for me to believe, but 30 years ago today Desert Storm initiated.
Very good video. I would have loved to see the disassembly and reassembly. I have a couple of revolvers but not as familiar with them. They function and are maintained. Thanks for the video. Very nice 66.
Ballistol will gunk up a pistol. Hickok45 is a good guy, but he douses his pistols with Ballistol. I used it on a 1911 about 5 years ago, and put it away in my safe. Over a year later, I took the pistol out, and the trigger returned VERY slowly. The Ballistol had congealed into varnish, and I never used it again! Gunblue490 has video rants about using too much lubrication, and he also uses two drops per pistol. Great Video, Chief! 👍👍👍👍🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
Excellent video. Thanks for getting this beauty back in service. Gunblue490 would be proud. Check out his video on the S&W revolver maintenance with detailed disassembly and reassembly.
As a former armorer, H.R. I can tell you that it was probably "lubricated" with WD40. People, please do NOT use WD40 on your firearms!!! That "varnish" is exactly what happens when WD40 hardens!!!
People need to know what WD40 actually is. The WD stands for Water Displacement. It was originally designed to remove water from electronics. Not as a lubricant. It actually can dissolve and displace many lubricants.
Sir you do great and very professional instructional videos. We’re from a long line of dedicated policemen from Greece to the US, and we are pro-cop as it gets.
Back in the 90s I worked in a local gun store. A customer brought in a Remington 7400 with the bolt unable to move. Turned out when he mounted his scope instead of using a drop or two locktite he used pretty much the whole bottle. It had ran done inside the receiver making s big mess. We finally got it apart and cleaned.
I received my first handgun when I was about 13 years old. It was one of the early model 67's with the stainless rear sight. I was always told by my Dad that all she needed was a couple drops of oil down the hammer for internal lubrication. I never had a problem with the oil getting sticky, but reevaluated that advice in my adult life. Shooting bullseye pretty heavily one summer I ended the season with a 686 that wouldn't stop weeping oil from out of the trigger. I disassembled, cleaned, and relubricated it with a touch of red synthetic grease and never looked back. All my guns are treated as such now, including that old model 67.
I had 2 66's back in the day. Both were 2 1/2". I shot Remington's hot 125 gr jhp in one of the to the tune of about 300 rounds. It cracked the forcing cone so I contacted S & W and they paid the shipping both ways. They replaced the barrel and cylinder and maybe some other parts on their dime. Those were the good old days. Their smith put a note in the box stating "practice with .38's and carry magnums".
@@hrfunk This was in the late 70's and early 80's where the ammo was loaded much hotter than today's fodder. The k frames would not take a constant beating from the 125 gr. as they were by far the worst offenders.
very informative .. this one begs for a more thorough cleaning though ... this revolver is classic S&W .. and just the right size to weight to balance for most people .. one of my favorite revolvers .. once you figure out the puzzle pieces .. it is an amazingly simple design that works well .. glad you shared the information ...
Thanks HR! I just purchased a used S&W Model 66-8 and the trigger pull is very heavy and the working are stiff. Similar to the one you cleaned but not nearly as bad. So, this was a learning experience for me and I just wanted you to know how much I enjoy your expertise. Semper Fi.
I was just talking about this this am at my buddy s gun shop. Guy comes in with a 1100 rem and said he thinks his brother took out his firing pin . He took it apart and it was frozen with old lube WD40. great vid as always
I found a 27-2 made in 1980 at a local hardware store that was in the same condition. Looking this over with a fine tooth comb I thought it looked like a brand new gun with no scratches, no carbon on the front of the cylibder, and a forcing cone that looked like it hadn't seen a round through it. When I took it apart I found the cylinder assembly full of what looked like sticky cosmoline, it was also inside the frame on the trigger parts. I think this was lubricated at the factory, tested, and never shot again. It had old lube in the spots HR lubed so I don't think it was someone overlubing it. At any rate I have a brand new looking 27-2 with an extremely nice trigger pull. I'm afraid to shoot it as I don't want to devalue it.
Oh, that brought back some memories ... When I was an LEO/Firearms Instructor I had several officers that had problems with their revolvers. One I recall had a model 19 that he had owned for 5+yrs., and he had never taken it apart to clean it. I ended up taking quite a few revolvers apart for a thorough cleaning (Colts, Rugers & S&Ws). I currently use Break Free CLP and/or Hoppes on my guns. No problems.
@@hrfunk I really enjoyed watching! This has actually turned into one of my favorite videos of yours, so thank you! Although I really wish you could have shown the disassembly/reassembly for future reference.
Very educational video. As I read through other comments, I do have a suggestion. I like the Jerry Kuhnhausen book on ' smithing a S&W. Another book I like is Pistolsmithing by George Nonte, another is the Gunsmith Kinks series from Brownells. I found S&W revolvers aren't hard to take apart with a little written guidance.
There are a couple of special tools that make the job easier. Without them, it's a struggle and you may bugger up some important places in the process.
I carried a mod 19 for several years and then a mod 66 before being issued a Beretta 92. I still have the 66. It's won of my favorite shooters. Great video thanks. Blessings brother
Friends of mine thought I was crazier than an out house rat when I took apart the lockwork on my Dad's old Colt Cobra to clean it and check it out. "You'll never get it back together! Take it to a Smith!" Proved them wrong. Love to see you getting into the guts on these old wheel guns HR! Great video.
That, kids, is what WD-40 looks like after some time. Basically, Cosmoline with a carrier. Good stuff for a lot of things, but this demonstrates, not a long term solution.
@@hrfunk I've used WD-40 for over 30 years on all my firearms with no trouble at all. I use it as a cleaner and rust preventative then follow with 3 in 1 oil for lubrication. I stopped using Hopes 9 because it does get sticky and gummy as it dries. These days I use sythetic motor oil (0W-20) as a lubricant, especially on AR BCGs.
Had the same problems with my first 66. Mine was the first model with the unusable stainless front and rear sights that I bought while in the USAF in the 70's. My revolver would lock up when using top-end loads of Herc 2400 and H110, fouling would get past the gas shield, and 'stick' the cylinder. Didn't take long to trade it off, as S&W didn't seem interested in taking care of it. Later 66's I owned didn't have the same problem, nor did my 686's..... Couple of years ago, I acquired another 66 "no dash", it having a six inch barrel and the same 'invisible' sights, but it didn't seem to have the same problems as my first 4'' gun. Maybe just one of those with a bit of a problem that slipped out the first time 'round.
That was is a known issue with the early M66 revolvers. The problem actually resulted from the way the stainless steel expanded when the parts heated with full power loads. The same thing would have probably happened if you were shooting light .38 Specials, but it would have taken more rounds to do it. The design was modified by S&W and later revolvers did not have the same issue.
@@hrfunk That's right. My 'every day' loads were hard cast 158 "Keith type" from a Lyman mold, and used a bit of Unique to get the load to 8-900 fps. Took a few more rounds, but the .38's would eventually do the same thing. I could 'nurse it along', if I coaxed a bit of Hoppe's down the crane, but that was a PITA in the middle of a prairie dog town, and had to do a teardown when I got home. Not what I had in mind when I bought the piece.
That’s interesting. I’m not sure when the 66 was changed to eliminate that problem, but the fact you had a before and after version indicates the design modification was effective.
The biggest issue with the K frame .357’s turned out to be certain very hot 125 grain, and in some cases 110 grain, JSP and JHP loads. These caused a great deal of stress at the forcing cone, a fairly thin area of the barrel. Early on, these same loads proved to be a problem with the 686, when a combination of hot loads and soft primers were pushing metal back into the firing pin bushings on the breech face. The 686 action is not inherently more durable than the 19/66. In fact, because of the heavier cylinder of the 686, cylinder stop wear, as well as peering on one side of the cylinder stop window in the frame, is greater.
No need to disassemble. Remove the grips and set aside. Remove the sideplate and cylinder/crane assembly. Place all metal parts in a sonic cleaner filled with any form of mineral spirits, turn on for 24 hours, and go about other business. Next day, remove and blow off with canned air or let air dry. Lube with LSA or other proper firearm lube and reassemble. Be happy with a very nice M66!
Lived in Springfield in 73,,,bought a used Model 19-3 that was beat...cylinder wouldn't turn...firing pin bushing was chewed from too much dry fire...gun cost me 75 bucks..figured if it cost me a few to get it going, why not?....Called S&W...secretary says "What's wrong with the gun? told her..she's say's "bring the gun over, I'll have somebody take a look at it"...pulled up to the main gate . Guard comes out, says "what's up?"...I hold the gun up, tell him I was told to bring the gun over. He's say's 'hang on a minute"..goes into the guard shack..comes back out..says "Go up to the main building, ask for Fran"...Walk in, secretary says..."Fran will be right out. Fran comes out...looks at the gun and says' "let me have this for a few minutes" Comes back out..straightened the ejector rod,, new firing pin bushing, and checked the cylinder timing..hands me the gun.."no charge".Gun hasn't missed a beat since then. Still have it. Loves .38 Specials.
@@hrfunk You are absolutely correct,, and in this day and age,, I wonder how many holes I'd have in me if I pulled up to the main gate and held up a revolver now...hahaha
@@hrfunk : It works fine now, but did require several attempts at reassembly. At first with all the side plate screws snugged down the hammer wouldn't fall freely. Unfortunately I still haven't figured out what was going wrong with the reassembly.
Another practical video, thank you so much. Over 20 years ago, I bought a used-629, which I used for bowling-pins with. All was okay till the gun froze in mid-competition. Was shooting double action, but the trigger would only go about halfway back and the hammer would not go all the way to complete the cycle. The smith I went to see swore there is nothing wrong, no broken parts. I'm gonna have to revisit this.
Great video! Very informative. You just helped out a lot of folks who will stumble across this video with a similar problem in the future, and you helped us from making the same mistake of over oiling and having to restore the inside of the action like you just did.
My brother-in-law has one... they are nice. We shoot at his little range ( he has a small farm ), he'll get his 66 and I get my 686 and we make some noise! Makes for a fun afternoon.
My favorite S&W is the model 19. I carried one for over ten years as my duty weapon and still have it. Our PD sold us our old duty weapons to us for $65.00 when we went to the Sig P220.
@@hrfunk I have the old blue box and all the paper work and tools that came from the factory The bluing is wore off much of it but mechanically it is excellent with a smooth action. It was bought in 1970 by the PD.
That is very cool. I’ve got a 1980 version I bought from another officer who had carried it for years on duty. It shows some finish wear, but it still runs like a top.
Let me know when you can hit an aspirin sized target, from the holster, in 2/5 of a second..... Bill Jordan’s gun...and, boy, could THAT Jarhead shoot one! J, L & N frames are my thing with the M586 6” being my favorite of them all.
STILL, I will take a Smith before any other revolver. A couple of things I noticed: You use Hoppe's No.9, it is my choice also probably because it is a lifetime habit. And you pronounce it Hopp-ees, not Hops. The first time ever I heard "Hops" was on TH-cam and I wondered which was correct. Feel like now I know the answer to that question. Lastly, I never owned a stainless S&W revolver simply because the blued ones are so beautiful, thinking I may begin a search. Thank you for another eye-opening video!
Probably used vegetable oil (soybean oil) it's a drying oil and sets up like varnish. Believe it or not I have used cooked veg oil as a varnish on wood rifle stocks, when it dries not much will cut it
Excellent Video! I have an old S&W M10-6 that was in similar condition when I got it. To free up the Action, I took off the Grips and soaked it in Kerosene for about a Month. Finally got the Action freed up, but I probably should do what you did here and give it a good going through.
That square butt 66 is a beauty. I have the round butt 686 which is no slouch in the looks department either. Still there's something about that shorter under barrel lug.... Be well, sir.
Groo here Old smith told me [he tuned Pythons! ] Remove grips, take cylinder off if you can [auto field strip] then put in bucket with Clear K1 for 24 to 48 hrs. Then drip dry or Blow dry with air. Called it his 50 cent trigger job!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I wonder how well a sonic cleaner would work on that gunk. It seems like over time every lube evaporates and leaves some residue. Another simply great video sir. By the way, its great to hear someone pronounce Hoppes #9 the way its supposed to be. Younger shooters often call it hops .
Great video, I only made the WD-40 mistake once. Instantly gummed up. Ridiculous that TH-cam won’t allow you to show disassembly and reassembly as I’d like to do the same to my Smiths. I’m confident enough to have changed the mainspring and rebound springs out on several, but am leery of full disassembly.
There are videos and other reference materials out there to show you how it's done. The important thing is to go slow and be careful. You don't want to force anything because some parts will break.
Great revolver. I picked up a late model round butt version close to 20 years ago. Looked like an unissued police trade in. $220. Great deal , great revolver
My mother was putting cooking oil on her guns. She thought this a good, cheap way to preserve and lubricate the firearms. Well, it wasn't. The cooking oil had a similar effect months later.
It's funny but I've seen this happen to lever actions. When it was stored standing up in a closet. Taken out for deer season. Hunters take aim . Pull the trigger and the hammer drops in slow motion. And the rifle doesn't fire. Missing their trophy buck. By the way is that a late model 66 no dash or a 66-1? I guess since I'm stuck inside because of covid I got some cleaning to do. Thanks again. Stay healthy. Peace!
@hrfunk yeah, I did. I was young when we first got them, but we got them cleaned enough to function. Last year during the 'lockdown' I took every single gun in the house one at a time. Took it to the cellar, looked up the exploded diagrams, and watched videos on how to take them all the way apart and did so. Cleaned the hell out of them all, lubricated, greased, and put them all away. At this point, I have more gun cleaning and repair related tools, and supplies than the rest of my 30, if not more family members combined lol
With cracked forcing cones and deep flame cutting plaguing many smith 357s or the internal lock,I think the 28 29 is by miles the best choice,it really is not much heavier or cumbersome than the 19.
I'm almost wondering if that was dried grease and not oil. Either way, for the inside of a Revolver, Remoil works excellent as it evaporated the carrier and leaves behind an ultra thin coating of rust protection and lubricant BUT will never congeal or attract debris. Since a Revolver doesn;t get torn down al the way often - it os very important to use a thin, non hardening product. I always used Rig #2 Oil but since its discontinuance, Remoil is a close second.
I hope you picked it up for a song, since we know you can sing now. Looking at the internals you show here is a great representation of why fine revolvers are so pricey. Too many people expect old technology to be cheaper, but it’s like a Swiss watch in there. Great video as always Chief.
Good video. It was very satisfying watching this classic brought back into working order. It was probably happier too 😊
Great job rescuing a S&W. Reminds me of a video of another youtuber Gunblue490 who showed how to break down and clean a S&W Revolver, and his cautions about over lubrication.
So enjoyed that thank you,from Britain were we do not have guns but love them,will be happy to watch your channel.
Thank you Angela!
Now that that beautiful firearm out to the range and show us how well it shoots now. The day we were issued our Model 66s in the academy we opened them up and took them apart and then put them back together. The reload ammo we shot in training was so dirty that by the time we were ready for our "official qualification shoot" prior to graduation, we were expected to take the pistols apart and clean them inside to get out all of that unburned powder and cleaning fluid.
Good video. Thanks.
You’re welcome Frank! I had to do something similar to that when I went to Revolver Instructor training.
Revolvers require maintenance. Revolvers that were shot but not cleaned will experience malfunctioning. This is a good video that shows a clean looking revolver from the outside with the internal mechanism all gummed up. I purchased an old S&W Target Master from 1949. Smith and Wesson said that any revolver that was a pinned barrel was no longer being serviced. I took the revolver apart and did exactly the same type of cleaning. Definitely helped function after.
Good! I’m glad you rescued that one.
How timely. I recently acquired a Colt Official Police made in 1949, via GB. When I picked it up from my FFL cosmetically it exceeded my expectations but the action was sluggish, just like yours. I’ve opened up plenty of Smiths, but this is my first Colt so I decided to leave the cleaning to the pros. I took it to my local gunsmith, and I’m waiting for the call to pickup.
I now have a good sense of the labor required for my job. Doesn’t look easy, and good gunsmiths aren’t cheap. Thanks for the vid. Keep up the good work.
You’re welcome Pete, I hope your Colt runs well when you get it back!
We used to use an ultrasonic cleaner that slightly heated the solution once a year for a deep clean of our stainless pistols followed by a VERY light coat of stainless steel lube. In between cleanings used Hoppe #9 and standard cleaning gear with a very light oil lube. I loved my Mod 66 but was unable to purchase it when we switched other to S&W 6906s
I have found this issue with lots of firearms. It occurs with not only revolvers, it happens with pistols, rifles and shotguns as well. The main cause is the firearm is stored for long periods of time; years likely. No lubricant has a shelf-life for years. The owners maintain the outside of the firearm and internal parts are left often with just the factor applied lube. The only oil added is on outside surfaces. What happens is the outside protective oil is replace with regular maintenance and inside lube dries and freezes the moving parts in place. The best way to avoid damaging a traditional blued finishes is using hot soapy water and soft brushes. Hot water and Tide dry detergent soap works better than the liquid Tide. I hang the action or frames in a tank and let the hot water and detergent do the work. Stainless steel welding rods make good hangers. Then rinses with water and use water displacing oil or compressed air or both too dry the parts and action. This is really good for cleaning Black powder guns too. Question for you; do you remember when Smith & Wesson revolvers were sold with wooden presentation boxes?
I do, but it’s been a while.
I own two Model 19's and two Model 66's and would not hesitate to use one as a duty gun.
Back in the day one did not hear of too many incidents where a lot of rounds had to be fired to stop someone.
Thank you for all the information.
Very nice piece sir!
Thank you!
This was another great video. The world needs more clean S&W blasters!
Yes it does!
I remember when WD-40 came on the scene. We all thought it was the best thing since sliced bread and we used it liberally on all of our firearms and anything else that moved. Little did we know that over time it would congeal. We go a new pastor about 30 or 40 years ago and I did the same to his revolver. Fast forward 30 years or so and he asked me to take a look at his little Rossi as it was completely locked up. I finally got it apart and I hosed it down with WD-40, blew it out, and oiled it a little with Mobil 1 full synthetic. He was so happy that he gave me his Bianchi holster which I gave to our eldest son.
Great rescue job!
Thanks Jim!
Satisfying. Just like watching a good power washing video. Great stuff Funk!
Thanks Robert!
Another great video, Howard!!! Keep up the good work!!
Will do Bruce. Thanks for watching!
Dear HR,
That is one absolutely spectacular M66! I suspect the “varnishing” the previous owner performed (quite possibly, more than once) now actually benefits you, because that beautiful older Smith (I noted the hammer-mounted firing pin and the square butt) unquestionably was VERY little carried or fired. Therefore, I respectfully suggest you have a “like new” Combat Magnum, but with “old school” S&W precision craftsmanship and quantity.
This was an absolutely wonderful video. I thank you so much, especially because the detail you used (notwithstanding TH-cam’s restrictions) really allowed me thoroughly to observe the job you did. I love to see your “shooting” video, but (personally) I actual prefer these “armorer” tutorials.
Perhaps of some interest, many years ago I bought a used, pre-1950’s, six inch barrel, .38 Special K-14 Target Masterpiece (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smith_&_Wesson_Model_14). It is a greatly prized possession, its accuracy is superb, and of course (dating from 1947/1948) its craftsmanship, fitting and quality are outstanding. BUT, when I purchased it at a remarkably low “steal price,” it really wasn’t functioning properly. The problem was essentially identical to yours, and so was my solution (although, while the revolver was disassembled, I changed all the springs). After a days effort, it shot perfectly (although - currently - my near-75 year old eyes can no longer do its design and quality justice).
Finally, I have a related question for you: after restoring my K Frame Target Masterpiece the “old fashion way,” a friend at the Quantico Shooting Club suggested that an ultrasonic cleaner might provide easier and more detailed cleaning. I thanked him, of course, but I both wanted to inspect carefully and to replace springs . . . plus - somehow - I trusted “elbow grease” more than current technology. What do you think, is my crotchetiness interfering with good practices?
THANKS VERY MUCH for a great video and BZ!
= = = = = = = = = =
P. S.: It’s impossible for me to believe, but 30 years ago today Desert Storm initiated.
I really enjoy your videos.
Thanks Larry!
Very good video. I would have loved to see the disassembly and reassembly. I have a couple of revolvers but not as familiar with them. They function and are maintained. Thanks for the video. Very nice 66.
You're welcome. Thanks for watching!
Great video! I always enjoy your content!
Thank you Wes!
Excellent video.
Thank you very much!
One of my favorite handguns.
I always found SW revolvers to be very easy to disassemble and clean.
Great video!
Ballistol will gunk up a pistol. Hickok45 is a good guy, but he douses his pistols with Ballistol. I used it on a 1911 about 5 years ago, and put it away in my safe. Over a year later, I took the pistol out, and the trigger returned VERY slowly. The Ballistol had congealed into varnish, and I never used it again! Gunblue490 has video rants about using too much lubrication, and he also uses two drops per pistol. Great Video, Chief! 👍👍👍👍🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
You’re welcome Frank! Thanks for watching!
We need a range report!!! 😊👍 Goid work HR!
Stay tuned!
Just the fact that you can take one apart with ease and reassemble it with ease speaks volumes to me HR. Great video sir. I thoroughly enjoyed it!
Thanks Tom!
Always enjoy finding one of your videos! Cool that you could get that revolver "rolling" again... now, take it out and shoot it!
I will, stay tuned!
Excellent video. Thanks for getting this beauty back in service. Gunblue490 would be proud. Check out his video on the S&W revolver maintenance with detailed disassembly and reassembly.
Thanks! Will do!
Now Thats what I call Marine Clean !! Semper Fi !
As a former armorer, H.R. I can tell you that it was probably "lubricated" with WD40.
People, please do NOT use WD40 on your firearms!!! That "varnish" is exactly what happens when WD40 hardens!!!
Amen. And it also kills primers.
People need to know what WD40 actually is. The WD stands for Water Displacement. It was originally designed to remove water from electronics. Not as a lubricant. It actually can dissolve and displace many lubricants.
Sir you do great and very professional instructional videos.
We’re from a long line of dedicated policemen from Greece to the US, and we are pro-cop as it gets.
Thank you!
great tutorial HR !! thanks so much !!
You are most welcome Joe!
Awesome resurrection video !!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks Jerry!
Back in the 90s I worked in a local gun store. A customer brought in a Remington 7400 with the bolt unable to move. Turned out when he mounted his scope instead of using a drop or two locktite he used pretty much the whole bottle. It had ran done inside the receiver making s big mess. We finally got it apart and cleaned.
Wow! Now that must have been a mess.
Standing by Chief, make my day, great classic revolver
It's up and ready for your inspection Sergeant Major!
I received my first handgun when I was about 13 years old. It was one of the early model 67's with the stainless rear sight. I was always told by my Dad that all she needed was a couple drops of oil down the hammer for internal lubrication. I never had a problem with the oil getting sticky, but reevaluated that advice in my adult life.
Shooting bullseye pretty heavily one summer I ended the season with a 686 that wouldn't stop weeping oil from out of the trigger. I disassembled, cleaned, and relubricated it with a touch of red synthetic grease and never looked back. All my guns are treated as such now, including that old model 67.
I’m glad you still have that 67!
I had 2 66's back in the day. Both were 2 1/2". I shot Remington's hot 125 gr jhp in one of the to the tune of about 300 rounds. It cracked the forcing cone so I contacted S & W and they paid the shipping both ways. They replaced the barrel and cylinder and maybe some other parts on their dime. Those were the good old days. Their smith put a note in the box stating "practice with .38's and carry magnums".
The hot 125 grain loads seemed to be the biggest culprits for that back in the day. I run 158 grain magnums in mine and I've not yet had a problem.
@@hrfunk This was in the late 70's and early 80's where the ammo was loaded much hotter than today's fodder. The k frames would not take a constant beating from the 125 gr. as they were by far the worst offenders.
very informative .. this one begs for a more thorough cleaning though ... this revolver is classic S&W .. and just the right size to weight to balance for most people .. one of my favorite revolvers .. once you figure out the puzzle pieces .. it is an amazingly simple design that works well .. glad you shared the information ...
Thanks HR! I just purchased a used S&W Model 66-8 and the trigger pull is very heavy and the working are stiff. Similar to the one you cleaned but not nearly as bad. So, this was a learning experience for me and I just wanted you to know how much I enjoy your expertise. Semper Fi.
Semper Fi! I’m glad the video was helpful.
I was just talking about this this am at my buddy s gun shop. Guy comes in with a 1100 rem and said he thinks his brother took out his firing pin . He took it apart and it was frozen with old lube WD40. great vid as always
Thank you!
I found a 27-2 made in 1980 at a local hardware store that was in the same condition. Looking this over with a fine tooth comb I thought it looked like a brand new gun with no scratches, no carbon on the front of the cylibder, and a forcing cone that looked like it hadn't seen a round through it. When I took it apart I found the cylinder assembly full of what looked like sticky cosmoline, it was also inside the frame on the trigger parts. I think this was lubricated at the factory, tested, and never shot again. It had old lube in the spots HR lubed so I don't think it was someone overlubing it. At any rate I have a brand new looking 27-2 with an extremely nice trigger pull. I'm afraid to shoot it as I don't want to devalue it.
Oh, that brought back some memories ... When I was an LEO/Firearms Instructor I had several officers that had problems with their revolvers. One I recall had a model 19 that he had owned for 5+yrs., and he had never taken it apart to clean it. I ended up taking quite a few revolvers apart for a thorough cleaning (Colts, Rugers & S&Ws).
I currently use Break Free CLP and/or Hoppes on my guns. No problems.
The good part is that it didn't cost much of anything to fix! - except your time which of course is quite valuable.
Nope, nothing but a little bit of time and elbow grease. I enjoyed bringing it back to life.
@@hrfunk I really enjoyed watching! This has actually turned into one of my favorite videos of yours, so thank you! Although I really wish you could have shown the disassembly/reassembly for future reference.
@@jthrelf I wish I had. YT demonetized this video anyway.
Very educational video. As I read through other comments, I do have a suggestion. I like the Jerry Kuhnhausen book on ' smithing a S&W. Another book I like is Pistolsmithing by George Nonte, another is the Gunsmith Kinks series from Brownells. I found S&W revolvers aren't hard to take apart with a little written guidance.
I've got the Jerry Kuhnhausen book. I'm sure the others are great references in their own right. Thanks for watching Dave!
Thanks HR for the educational vid 👍
You’re welcome Paul. Thanks for watching!
Well done, Sir! It's nice to see that classic get some TLC and be ready to serve again when duty calls.
I was happy to revive it. Thanks for watching!
Job well done. Thank you again.
🇱🇷👍☕😎
You’re welcome Peter. Thanks for watching!
This video makes me think I shouldn’t be afraid to open a revolve up if I needed to. Not as complicated as I thought it would be
There are a couple of special tools that make the job easier. Without them, it's a struggle and you may bugger up some important places in the process.
With the wood and/or plastic away, nail it good with a can of brake cleaner!
No scrubbing needed.
Hope to see this beautiful revolver out on the range in the near future.
Stay tuned!
I carried a mod 19 for several years and then a mod 66 before being issued a Beretta 92. I still have the 66. It's won of my favorite shooters. Great video thanks. Blessings brother
You're welcome Woodrow. Thanks for watching!
Friends of mine thought I was crazier than an out house rat when I took apart the lockwork on my Dad's old Colt Cobra to clean it and check it out. "You'll never get it back together! Take it to a Smith!" Proved them wrong. Love to see you getting into the guts on these old wheel guns HR! Great video.
Thank you!
That, kids, is what WD-40 looks like after some time. Basically, Cosmoline with a carrier.
Good stuff for a lot of things, but this demonstrates, not a long term solution.
Agreed!
@@hrfunk I've used WD-40 for over 30 years on all my firearms with no trouble at all. I use it as a cleaner and rust preventative then follow with 3 in 1 oil for lubrication. I stopped using Hopes 9 because it does get sticky and gummy as it dries. These days I use sythetic motor oil (0W-20) as a lubricant, especially on AR BCGs.
Now you’re using what I use except Mine is Mobil 1 synthetic.
Yep. WD-40 has mucked up a lot of revolvers! I would have considered boiling the whole disassembled gun to clean it and remove rust.
The only thing WD-40 is good for is lighter fluid.
What a great video , loved to have seen the complete video but there rules are very strict.
Yep. I wish I could have shown it.
Had the same problems with my first 66. Mine was the first model with the unusable stainless front and rear sights that I bought while in the USAF in the 70's. My revolver would lock up when using top-end loads of Herc 2400 and H110, fouling would get past the gas shield, and 'stick' the cylinder. Didn't take long to trade it off, as S&W didn't seem interested in taking care of it. Later 66's I owned didn't have the same problem, nor did my 686's..... Couple of years ago, I acquired another 66 "no dash", it having a six inch barrel and the same 'invisible' sights, but it didn't seem to have the same problems as my first 4'' gun. Maybe just one of those with a bit of a problem that slipped out the first time 'round.
That was is a known issue with the early M66 revolvers. The problem actually resulted from the way the stainless steel expanded when the parts heated with full power loads. The same thing would have probably happened if you were shooting light .38 Specials, but it would have taken more rounds to do it. The design was modified by S&W and later revolvers did not have the same issue.
@@hrfunk That's right. My 'every day' loads were hard cast 158 "Keith type" from a Lyman mold, and used a bit of Unique to get the load to 8-900 fps. Took a few more rounds, but the .38's would eventually do the same thing. I could 'nurse it along', if I coaxed a bit of Hoppe's down the crane, but that was a PITA in the middle of a prairie dog town, and had to do a teardown when I got home. Not what I had in mind when I bought the piece.
That’s interesting. I’m not sure when the 66 was changed to eliminate that problem, but the fact you had a before and after version indicates the design modification was effective.
This is an extremely educational video.
Thanks!
The biggest issue with the K frame .357’s turned out to be certain very hot 125 grain, and in some cases 110 grain, JSP and JHP loads. These caused a great deal of stress at the forcing cone, a fairly thin area of the barrel. Early on, these same loads proved to be a problem with the 686, when a combination of hot loads and soft primers were pushing metal back into the firing pin bushings on the breech face. The 686 action is not inherently more durable than the 19/66. In fact, because of the heavier cylinder of the 686, cylinder stop wear, as well as peering on one side of the cylinder stop window in the frame, is greater.
You tell just by the sound of the action how much better that is.
You shoudl feel it!
@@hrfunk I believe it
Sorry for all the typos below - should have proofed it before posting.
Don't worry about it. You should see some of mine!
No need to disassemble. Remove the grips and set aside. Remove the sideplate and cylinder/crane assembly. Place all metal parts in a sonic cleaner filled with any form of mineral spirits, turn on for 24 hours, and go about other business. Next day, remove and blow off with canned air or let air dry. Lube with LSA or other proper firearm lube and reassemble. Be happy with a very nice M66!
Sonic cleaner for 24 hours? You serious?
Great work HR. However, I must point out that you cleaned the wrong revolver.... My dirty 66 is still sitting right here.
Awesome as always!
Sorry! My mistake.
Lived in Springfield in 73,,,bought a used Model 19-3 that was beat...cylinder wouldn't turn...firing pin bushing was chewed from too much dry fire...gun cost me 75 bucks..figured if it cost me a few to get it going, why not?....Called S&W...secretary says "What's wrong with the gun? told her..she's say's "bring the gun over, I'll have somebody take a look at it"...pulled up to the main gate . Guard comes out, says "what's up?"...I hold the gun up, tell him I was told to bring the gun over. He's say's 'hang on a minute"..goes into the guard shack..comes back out..says "Go up to the main building, ask for Fran"...Walk in, secretary says..."Fran will be right out. Fran comes out...looks at the gun and says' "let me have this for a few minutes" Comes back out..straightened the ejector rod,, new firing pin bushing, and checked the cylinder timing..hands me the gun.."no charge".Gun hasn't missed a beat since then. Still have it. Loves .38 Specials.
That's a great story about how S&W operated in the old days. I doubt things would still go that way now, but I wish they would. Thanks for sharing.
@@hrfunk You are absolutely correct,, and in this day and age,, I wonder how many holes I'd have in me if I pulled up to the main gate and held up a revolver now...hahaha
As you described the video, I started imagining how fantastic the pistol was going to be when you were done !
And it is absolutely that fantastic!
Great video. I can't tell you how many times I've gotten a good price for a revolver for the sake of a simple detail cleaning.
You're a wise man Dave. I never seem to find those deals!
Love to see you take it out for a range test👍
Stay tuned!
Chief, I had a 19 that was worse than this. I used brake kleener to get the gunk from old lube out first. REMOIL was the culprit.
Hmm, I haven’t heard of Remoil doing this. Then again, probably just about any lubricant used to excess will do it to some degree.
I ran into the same problem, though not nearly so bad, on a pre model 10 K frame from 1947. It had 70 years of congealed gunk.
I hope you cured it.
@@hrfunk : It works fine now, but did require several attempts at reassembly. At first with all the side plate screws snugged down the hammer wouldn't fall freely. Unfortunately I still haven't figured out what was going wrong with the reassembly.
@@craigbenz4835 Gremlins.
Another practical video, thank you so much.
Over 20 years ago, I bought a used-629, which I used for bowling-pins with. All was okay till the gun froze in mid-competition. Was shooting double action, but the trigger would only go about halfway back and the hammer would not go all the way to complete the cycle. The smith I went to see swore there is nothing wrong, no broken parts.
I'm gonna have to revisit this.
I hope it’s helpful. Good luck!
Great video! Very informative. You just helped out a lot of folks who will stumble across this video with a similar problem in the future, and you helped us from making the same mistake of over oiling and having to restore the inside of the action like you just did.
I hope so. I like the idea of helping folks out with these videos.
Oh you tease! I carried a Model 66 for half of my career. What a workhorse!
You’ve just got to love a good Combat Magnum.
It's up and waiting for you Frank!
I wish I still had my S&W Mdl 66 .I miss it.
You need to look for another one.
@@hrfunk I have $750 & $800 bucks
My brother-in-law has one... they are nice. We shoot at his little range ( he has a small farm ), he'll get his 66 and I get my 686 and we make some noise! Makes for a fun afternoon.
@@markgoostree6334 That sounds like a fun afternoon. Best shooter gets bragging rights I take it?
You sir are amazing with your knowledge and teaching ability. Great videos. Please keep it up and thank you sir for your service
You are most welcome. Thanks for watching.
My favorite S&W is the model 19. I carried one for over ten years as my duty weapon and still have it. Our PD sold us our old duty weapons to us for $65.00 when we went to the Sig P220.
I’m glad you still have that fine old wheelgun.
@@hrfunk I have the old blue box and all the paper work and tools that came from the factory The bluing is wore off much of it but mechanically it is excellent with a smooth action. It was bought in 1970 by the PD.
That is very cool. I’ve got a 1980 version I bought from another officer who had carried it for years on duty. It shows some finish wear, but it still runs like a top.
Let me know when you can hit an aspirin sized target, from the holster, in 2/5 of a second.....
Bill Jordan’s gun...and, boy, could THAT Jarhead shoot one!
J, L & N frames are my thing with the M586 6” being my favorite of them all.
The Distinguished Combat Magnums are great wheelguns in their own right!
STILL, I will take a Smith before any other revolver. A couple of things I noticed: You use Hoppe's No.9, it is my choice also probably because it is a lifetime habit. And you pronounce it Hopp-ees, not Hops. The first time ever I heard "Hops" was on TH-cam and I wondered which was correct. Feel like now I know the answer to that question. Lastly, I never owned a stainless S&W revolver simply because the blued ones are so beautiful, thinking I may begin a search. Thank you for another eye-opening video!
You are most welcome. If you pick up a stainless Smith, be sure to let me know what you get.
Probably used vegetable oil (soybean oil) it's a drying oil and sets up like varnish. Believe it or not I have used cooked veg oil as a varnish on wood rifle stocks, when it dries not much will cut it
I was thinking 3 in 1 oil, but it could have been vegetable oil.
Excellent Video! I have an old S&W M10-6 that was in similar condition when I got it.
To free up the Action, I took off the Grips and soaked it in Kerosene for about a Month.
Finally got the Action freed up, but I probably should do what you did here and give it
a good going through.
I've used "Ed's Red" to clean a few guns. Soak for a day, flush with fresh liquid, blow the excess out. Works good.
Great job! This classic revolver deserved the HR Funk treatment.
Thanks Mike!
YT, I don't get notifications not happy for that. Your uploading cool. Thanks
Thanks for watching Randy!
That square butt 66 is a beauty. I have the round butt 686 which is no slouch in the looks department either. Still there's something about that shorter under barrel lug....
Be well, sir.
Thanks, and I agree!
An elegant weapon, for a more civilized age.
Yes it is.
My L.A.P.D. pals would use LPS--2 to keep their revolvers clean. I use it on my 19-4 and 28-2. I'll try synthetic and see how it goes.
Santa Barbara, CA is in need of new Chief of Police: You would be a most welcome change
Thank you Jon. I don’t think the west coast would agree with me.
Well done. I have a victory model with the same symptoms. Thanks for the education.
You’re welcome!
I know what I’m doing tomorrow morning! Sounds Interesting, Chief! 👍👍👍👍
Groo here
Old smith told me [he tuned Pythons! ]
Remove grips, take cylinder off if you can [auto field strip] then put in bucket with Clear K1 for 24 to 48 hrs.
Then drip dry or Blow dry with air.
Called it his 50 cent trigger job!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I wonder how well a sonic cleaner would work on that gunk. It seems like over time every lube evaporates and leaves some residue. Another simply great video sir. By the way, its great to hear someone pronounce Hoppes #9 the way its supposed to be. Younger shooters often call it hops .
Thank you Max!
Great video, I only made the WD-40 mistake once. Instantly gummed up. Ridiculous that TH-cam won’t allow you to show disassembly and reassembly as I’d like to do the same to my Smiths. I’m confident enough to have changed the mainspring and rebound springs out on several, but am leery of full disassembly.
There are videos and other reference materials out there to show you how it's done. The important thing is to go slow and be careful. You don't want to force anything because some parts will break.
Good lesson, good job. Now a shooting video
Stay tuned!
Great revolver. I picked up a late model round butt version close to 20 years ago. Looked like an unissued police trade in. $220. Great deal , great revolver
Yes they are. You’ve just got to love a good Combat Magnum!
My mother was putting cooking oil on her guns. She thought this a good, cheap way to preserve and lubricate the firearms. Well, it wasn't. The cooking oil had a similar effect months later.
Yeah, I can imagine that was quite a mess.
Sounds like wd-40 just listening to the first minute. vegetable oil will do this also.
S&W K is one of my favorites.
Mine too!
It's funny but I've seen this happen to lever actions. When it was stored standing up in a closet. Taken out for deer season. Hunters take aim . Pull the trigger and the hammer drops in slow motion. And the rifle doesn't fire. Missing their trophy buck. By the way is that a late model 66 no dash or a 66-1? I guess since I'm stuck inside because of covid I got some cleaning to do. Thanks again. Stay healthy. Peace!
My 66 was getting finicky from unburned powder residue, from reloads.
Where was the residue building up?
You have to show us how you got the ejector rod out of the cylinder.
Hmm, maybe I'll make that a short video in the future.
This is exactly what was the issue with all the guns that my grandfather gave me
I hope you were ablet to get them cleaned and working properly.
@hrfunk yeah, I did. I was young when we first got them, but we got them cleaned enough to function. Last year during the 'lockdown' I took every single gun in the house one at a time. Took it to the cellar, looked up the exploded diagrams, and watched videos on how to take them all the way apart and did so. Cleaned the hell out of them all, lubricated, greased, and put them all away. At this point, I have more gun cleaning and repair related tools, and supplies than the rest of my 30, if not more family members combined lol
Reminder Set 😀👍🏼
With cracked forcing cones and deep flame cutting plaguing many smith 357s or the internal lock,I think the 28 29 is by miles the best choice,it really is not much heavier or cumbersome than the 19.
Missed the live feed, damn. I love the 19,66 and 686.
Me too. They’re all great classic wheelguns.
I'm almost wondering if that was dried grease and not oil. Either way, for the inside of a Revolver, Remoil works excellent as it evaporated the carrier and leaves behind an ultra thin coating of rust protection and lubricant BUT will never congeal or attract debris. Since a Revolver doesn;t get torn down al the way often - it os very important to use a thin, non hardening product. I always used Rig #2 Oil but since its discontinuance, Remoil is a close second.
I'm just glad these old wheelies can be restored as easliy as they can.
I agree. I use Remoil, too, on my revolvers.
I hope you picked it up for a song, since we know you can sing now. Looking at the internals you show here is a great representation of why fine revolvers are so pricey. Too many people expect old technology to be cheaper, but it’s like a Swiss watch in there. Great video as always Chief.
You’re welcome Ben! Actually, this one doesn’t belong to me. Another viewer bought it and asked me if I could get it working again.