gamestalker
Regular Member
imported post
I took a model 66-5 S&W to a local so called gunsmith who nearly distroyed it. The main spring was broken by the previous owner and I wanted to purchase a new one and put it in my self, something I've done a number of times without problems. The gun smith offered to do it right there for me, no charge. I watched as he pryed the side plate off chingering it up some while removing the screws as well. When he started to put the side plate on he couldn't get the transfer bar to line up properely because he was doing it with the transfer bar in the gun rather than in the side plate and of course it wouldn't seat. I had enough at this point and had him hand the gun back to me and quickly without warping or other wise ruining the weapon finished the task. He didn't know anything about these type guns and this is the second smith I've been to over the years who didn't know the proper procedure for removing and replacing the side plate on a S&W or similarwheel gun. So if you own one of these fine weapons be careful who you allow to work on them. A good number of smiths don't actually know the proper procedures for various parts replacement and can badly damage your gun. My model 10 had to have a new transfer bar and side plate ordered for it after a smith warped the plate and bent the bar. I had to polish the scratches out of this 66 and was pissed allthanks to a careless and inexperienced smith. Also had a long gun years ago that the smith split the stock when improperely seating the action and then trying to tighten the stock down, causing it to split. That guy had to order and pay for a new stock, not cheap considering that action was glass bedded. Watch out for wanna be smiths!
gamestalker
I took a model 66-5 S&W to a local so called gunsmith who nearly distroyed it. The main spring was broken by the previous owner and I wanted to purchase a new one and put it in my self, something I've done a number of times without problems. The gun smith offered to do it right there for me, no charge. I watched as he pryed the side plate off chingering it up some while removing the screws as well. When he started to put the side plate on he couldn't get the transfer bar to line up properely because he was doing it with the transfer bar in the gun rather than in the side plate and of course it wouldn't seat. I had enough at this point and had him hand the gun back to me and quickly without warping or other wise ruining the weapon finished the task. He didn't know anything about these type guns and this is the second smith I've been to over the years who didn't know the proper procedure for removing and replacing the side plate on a S&W or similarwheel gun. So if you own one of these fine weapons be careful who you allow to work on them. A good number of smiths don't actually know the proper procedures for various parts replacement and can badly damage your gun. My model 10 had to have a new transfer bar and side plate ordered for it after a smith warped the plate and bent the bar. I had to polish the scratches out of this 66 and was pissed allthanks to a careless and inexperienced smith. Also had a long gun years ago that the smith split the stock when improperely seating the action and then trying to tighten the stock down, causing it to split. That guy had to order and pay for a new stock, not cheap considering that action was glass bedded. Watch out for wanna be smiths!
gamestalker
