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S&W internal lock question

Diskothek

Diskothek

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... will it blend?

Not without a bitchin' blender.

But actually, can the internal lock be removed from the gun (in this case a J-frame revolver) without causing any reliability issues? I'm making a trade for one tomorrow, the current owner let me know its from the era of the lawyer lock and thought removing it wouldn't be a big deal. I asked about this at my local shop but the clerk said they couldn't do that because its "part of the hammer." Then upon getting home I did a google search and I found some videos of how to do it. So... was he full of it?
 
look on YouTube, quite a few vids on how to remove it.

There are no problems with removing it, IMHO it makes the gun more reliable.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Glockaholic said:
look on YouTube, quite a few vids on how to remove it.

There are no problems with removing it, IMHO it makes the gun more reliable.
Click to expand...

How does the lock fail?

That video took out the ability to lock, but not the bits that the key actually moves, is that a problem??
 
If Davis Sunturri says it did I am pretty sure it did

http://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/20...firmed-smith-wesson-686-internal-lock-failed/

Massad Ayoob http://backwoodshome.com/blogs/MassadAyoob/2009/09/03/internal-gun-locks/

"My experience and research has shown that spontaneous locking of the guns during firing (characterized as an ILF, or Internal Lock Failure) has occurred, but rarely. It normally involves very powerful guns with very violent recoil, and also very light guns (Scandium, Titanium) firing these extremely hot rounds. The buffeting from the heavy “kick” seems to be what’s jarring the parts out of alignment. However, one of our readers reported in the comments section that he saw an all-steel S&W spontaneously lock after it was accidentally dropped. Again, a violent impact to small parts seems to have been the culprit."
 
I bought my J-frames without the lock...do not want a "malfunction" down the road. If you do have a lock, you can definitley remove it as seen in posts on this thread.
 
The assembly portion of the video looks like he is putting the gun back together with a loaded cylinder.

Also, I remove the yolk and cylinder as soon as I remove the front screw. The trick here is to open the cylinger and pull the yoke out without sliding the cylinder along the gun (to reduce the possibility of scratching it).
 
I'll repeat this because even though it's shown in most how to videos, people forget and try to pry off the side plate. Don't do that. It can really screw up the side plate. Remove the screws and then tap on lower frame (handle) with a screw driver. The side plate will pop off after a few whacks. Another thing I learned, that's not shown in the videos I've seen is to put the gun in a large (1 Gallon or larger) zip lock bag. That way if parts come loose, they won't scatter, they'll stay inside the bag. It takes a little getting used to, but you can work with you hands and the gun in the bag. I took my new 642 apart the other day to replace the main and rebound springs. When I tapped the side plate off the sear and sear spring came out too. The spring is really small and if it wasn't for the plastic bag, it would have been lost.

The LGS probably didn't want to do it for liability reasons.
 
Garys said:
The LGS probably didn't want to do it for liability reasons.
Click to expand...

I don't mind this, but I'd rather he just say it than BS me. I e-mailed another shop and they said they would do it.

But after watching the video I'll just do it myself. The ziplock bag is a good idea.
 
Diskothek said:
I don't mind this, but I'd rather he just say it than BS me. I e-mailed another shop and they said they would do it.

But after watching the video I'll just do it myself. The ziplock bag is a good idea.
Click to expand...

A guy over on the Smith and Wesson forum sells "The Plug", which is a plug (duh) that fills the hole where the IL was. I forget the cost, but it's not bad.
 
I thought about buying those plug things for my modern S&W revolvers, but I was concerned about what S&W would say if I had to send any of them back for warranty service.

That said, if I was using one of them for carry I would probably remove the lock. Your own safety trumps warranty claims.
 
exodious said:
I thought about buying those plug things for my modern S&W revolvers, but I was concerned about what S&W would say if I had to send any of them back for warranty service.
Click to expand...

Just take it out before you send it back. It is only held in with a clip.

Picture007348.jpg
 
Wish Id known about that plug when I did the trigger on mine. That shit was a humongous pain in the ass to get back in. I really need to take that bastard out.
 
A number of individuals remove the internal lock. I for one have left mine in. I have shot more than 10,000 rouinds through each of three revolvers with the internal lock without a single issue.
 
I just got one online without the lock, why would you buy one with it? My understanding is that it doesn't need the lock to be compliant enough for a dealer to sell. Any dealer can transfer it in.
 
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Mark from MA said:
I just got one online without the lock, why would you buy one with it? My understanding is that it doesn't need the lock to be compliant enough for a dealer to sell. Any dealer can transfer it in.
Click to expand...

Because for a long time you could only get one with a lock. S&W finally smartened up, but there are still tons more with locks than without.
 
Didn't realize that. Thought they always had both available. But laws being what they are ma shops carry the lock model.
 
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Last I knew the 442 and 642 were the only ones being made without locks now, can anyone confirm otherwise for new production?
 

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