Removal of innards of S&W K-22

[smoked turkey]

I have recently come into possession of an old 4-screw K-22. This revolver is without a doubt one of the worst I've seen due to lack of maintenance. The old grease and oil have dried to a hard state. The revolver is mechanically very sound, but the blueing is well worn. I have the side plate off and have sprayed it down good with carb cleaner. I would like to go ahead and take the hammer/trigger assemblies out of the frame in order to do a really good job of scrubbing behind those parts. I have looked on S&W's site and have googled the "how to" do the above. So far I haven't seen the instructions on line. I may have to resort to the purchase of a book for that purpose. I thought before I did that I'd see what the local think tank would recommend I do from nothing to strip it all down type of responses. Thanks.

[slide]

Check on U tube. There a lot of video on taking down a Smith & Wesson

[2ndAmendmentNut]

YouTube has some pretty good videos.

[2ndAmendmentNut]

Slide was faster on the trigger...

[Trey45]

I just replaced two DAO hammers with SA/DA hammers, I can help with the hammer removal, but that's about it. Loosen the mainspring screw, this can be found on the front strap of the grip frame, near the bottom, there's no need to completely remove this screw, just loosen it to the point that the mainspring can be removed. I have found by holding the cylinder release back, while manipulating the trigger slightly, the hammer will slide up and out. That's as far as I can go.
Good luck!

[ReloaderFred]

The S&W revolvers are one of the easiest to strip down and put back together. The only tricky part is getting the trigger block spring in and out without loosing it, since it's under a lot of pressure.

If I had your gun here in front of me, I could strip it down in about a minute and a half, it's that easy.

I hope you didn't pry the side plate off! To properly get the side plate off a S&W, you simply remove the screws holding it, after removing the grips, and then lightly tap the grip area with the plastic handle of a screw driver, on the same side as the side plate. It will pop loose and no damage will be done to the tight fit of the side plate to the frame. Prying it can/will warp the side plate and leave unsightly marks on it.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[Jack Stanley]

Brownells sells a small tool that is invaluable in removing and replacing the trigger return spring . An over night soak in kerosene or mineral spirits shoulf get things loose enough to move . Otherwise , I'd use Kroil or liguid wrench in large doses .

Congrats on finding a neat old revolver , you are gonna have fun with that

Jack

[brassrat]

I would be done in 10 sec. or maybe a little longer if I used the whole can of brake cleaner.

[smoked turkey]

Thanks for your info and helpful comments. I did find that u-tube has a lot of info on breaking down the S&W revolver. I watched one today on the mod 29 that gave me the info I needed. I may also look at others. There was one on the mod 10. I did know that you don't pry the sideplate off. I did soak the three screws in kroil for two or three days prior to getting them out. I used a small round section of broom handle and tapped on the grip frame below the side plate. It just poped off without any trouble. I am glad I am doing this because I tried the carb cleaner and it seems to me that the insides still have some junk that needs to come off. I am sure I can get it apart and hopefully back together without losing the little spring. Thanks again to all. and yes Jack it is a neat old revolver. It was very dirty inside but the trigger pull is absolutely like breaking a small glass rod. It is very nice. I am anxious to shoot it. I am redoing the grips with 2/3 Linseed oil plus 1/3 turpentine. I have done a couple of coats and they look good.

[Jack Stanley]

When putting it all back together I found a product that seems to work really well . It's called "Friction Block" , I don't remember where I got the stuff but it looks like an extremely light oil that has very small white particles in it . Revolvers I cleaned twenty years ago are still running fine with this stuff in their guts . Of course I suppose there are lots of other lubes that are just as good . As long as the lube doesn't get gummy over time any would probably work .

Jack

[smoked turkey]

Well I got the old girl cleaned up good and back together. It was sorely needed as the oil/dirt had solidified to some degree. I used 3-in-1 oil by the drop here and there. I can't honestly tell whether the action is much smoother but now both the revolver and I are happier with some lube at wear points in the action. What I need now before the assembly is complete is information on the two sideplate screws (the round head ones, not the flat head one under the grips). I found some slightly flattened threads on them and can feel a little resistance to their female counterparts when I install them. I would like to get a die (or maybe a nut of proper thread) and "clean them up" before installing them. I called S&W. The customer service rep was helpful but not sure what thread per inch they were. He guessed at #6-48 but my thread gauge tells me they are 44 tpi. I need someone with gunsmith knowledge about what the screws likely are on this old K-22 made in Feb. 1956 if that is possible. Smith is sending me two new screws that are currently used on Smith sideplates which may or may not be what I have. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

[floodgate]

3-IN-1 oil? Not my preference, though I believe they reformulated it some years back. Back in the '40's and '50's, it used to dry to a heavy, rubbery varnish after a few years in storage. I must have scraped a couple of pounds - well, ounces, maybe - with razor blades and X-Acto knives out of various firearms over the years. There ARE better lubes available.

While I'm on the subject, never, EVER use the original Hoppe's No. 9 on a nickeled firearm or tool; the ammonia in it will attack the copper under-plating and the nickel will break up and craze the finish. Don't ask me how I know...

Back before 1900, when the ancestor of your S & W (the "M & P" of 1899) was made, screw threads were not standardized (as they became when the Society of Automotive Engineers came into being), and odd-ball (to us) threads are common and - in some cases, such as the various 30-tpi threads used in the Lyman / Ideal tong tools - still in use.

floodgate

[Char-Gar]

Side plate screws on Smith and Wesson DA six guns are 5-44. They are almost impossible to find and when you do the screw heads are wrong.Best bet is to get some from Smith & Wesson. IIRC brownells sell a tap if you need to chase the threads in the frame.

Be aware the screws are not the same length and must go back in the hole they came from. New screws need to be fitted to each hole and shortened as needed.a

[smoked turkey]

Thanks Char-Gar. The 5-44 agrees with what I thought. I looked at some supply catalogs for screws/taps/dies in 44tpi and did see some in 5-44. I have Smith sending me a couple of "new" screws but I really want to use the originals if I can. I'll see what I can find locally and I may have to resort to ordering what I need. I think a tap for the threads in the frame would be a good investment. I'll do some careful fitting of the screws as I have mixed them up now and am not sure which goes where.

[Char-Gar]

Thanks Char-Gar. The 5-44 agrees with what I thought. I looked at some supply catalogs for screws/taps/dies in 44tpi and did see some in 5-44. I have Smith sending me a couple of "new" screws but I really want to use the originals if I can. I'll see what I can find locally and I may have to resort to ordering what I need. I think a tap for the threads in the frame would be a good investment. I'll do some careful fitting of the screws as I have mixed them up now and am not sure which goes where.

The critical fit on the side plate screws is the one that you have to back out to remove the cylinder. It is too long, the cylinder will bind. This is the shortest screw of the set. If you cylinder binds when opening, you have the wrong screw in there.

The others screws are fine as long as they don't bottom out. Turn in each screw, but not until they pull the sideplate tight. Then turn in one screw at a time and see it it will hold the plate tight. It will, unless it has bottomed out. Back that screw out and try another. Same as the mount screws on scope mounts.

As long as the cylinder crane is not binding and the others screw are not bottomed out, you are good to go. When removing the sideplate screws, arrange them in such a way as you know which hole they go in. Don't mix them up.

[9.3X62AL]

GREAT info from Char-Gar, as usual.

Smoked Turkey, you're going to really enjoy that rimfire jewel. Mine is a much newer Model 617, complete with superfluous Python-esque underlug, but it is still a delight to shoot and hunt with.

[TXGunNut]

Pics!

[Jens]

now you need to shoot it. also a bad idea to dry fire it.