Have you disabled your S&W internal lock?

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Most FTF's I've read about that were blamed on the lock clearly were the result of something entirely different. If the lock self-engages, the hammer won't move. Take strain off the hammer and push down on the locking "flag" with a fingernail. It'll unlock, if that's the problem. The flag is kept out of the way by a very small spring, which can be mispositioned during assembly of the firearm. The credible problems I've read about happened on the gun's first or second trip to the range, giving further evidence of a factory screwup. If you raise the flag with a pen tip or equivalent, and upon release it snaps home cleanly, the lock is not going to self-engage.
 
No locks here either. They are just another place for Mr. Murphy to hide.

Since none of my S&W revolvers have one, it's a non issue for me too!
 
Legal Notice: I would never deliberately bypass or modify a manufacturer-installed safety feature.

That said, every one of my Smiths that come with the lock are totally dissembled when I first get them home. This allows me to clean and inspect the interior parts for burrs, etc. While I'm doing this, I disassemble the lock mechanism and clean it thoroughly with degreaser, then reassemble it. The funny thing is, after I do that, I always manage to accidentally spill a few drops of the green (penetrating) Loc-tite into the lock mechanism. After it sets up the lock is virtually glued together and there's no way to tell that anything foreign was spilled in there. :)
 
pinkymingeo
Most FTF's I've read about that were blamed on the lock clearly were the result of something entirely different. If the lock self-engages, the hammer won't move. Take strain off the hammer and push down on the locking "flag" with a fingernail. It'll unlock, if that's the problem. The flag is kept out of the way by a very small spring, which can be mispositioned during assembly of the firearm. The credible problems I've read about happened on the gun's first or second trip to the range, giving further evidence of a factory screwup. If you raise the flag with a pen tip or equivalent, and upon release it snaps home cleanly, the lock is not going to self-engage.
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Do you ask the bad guys to hold their fire while you fingernail the safety:eek:

That lock has no place on a defensive weapon.

jim
 
Dog A** safety....

I don't care for the lock, I have 18 S&W's and 17 of them are lock free. My X frame 500 has it. I am thinking of doing away with it but I haven't made up my mind yet. It's only used for deer hunting and plinking so I may keep it.:confused: If there was an oversized thumb safety that would cover the hole I'd do it for sure. I also have a 50th anniversary Ruger Blackhawk that has a lock but the good ole boys at Ruger had enough sense to hid the thing under the grips, why can't the Smith boys do this? If they started I bet you could get the current models for a song.

J.B.
 
As we so often do, we've taken this discussion to the dead-horse Lawyer Lock discussion............

None of my Smiths have Hillary Holes. I buy what I want to with my money, and that includes old Colts, older Smiths and older Rugers. I support your right to do the same with your money. (I also don't really give a Schumer whether you agree with me or not................)
 
If a person wanted to remove the IL, it would not be hard. I would have to wonder what would happen if you used such a revolver for SD. The DA may not may not file charges but the revolver will be examined if a civil suit follows.
Just thinking.
 
Lock, schmock...I just don't use it...no big deal to me, so why should it bother someone else who doesn't own my gun? The only S&W I own is a 642 with a lock. The trigger is terrible...the barrel is mishapen and I can barely hit the target beyond 7 yards with the minisucle barrel...but hey, it goes bang every time I pull the trigger and it is light and fits in my front pocket. This will be my last S&W...but I will keep it until Ruger comes out with a light frame pocket revolver that is comparable. Damn...I wish Taurus still made those small framed Total Titanium .44 specials or, even better, the .45 Long Colt again in the smaller, light, 5 round pocket snubby.
 
I would have to wonder what would happen if you used such a revolver for SD. The DA may not may not file charges but the revolver will be examined if a civil suit follows. Just thinking.
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And how would the lock figure into an SD shooting? The IL is for disabling the gun while it is unattended, that is all it is for. Would a civil suit claim that the shooter should have been carrying the gun with the lock engaged so the victim wouldn't have been shot?
 
Besides the lock.
I don’t like the slotted screws (frame). Hex-screws are better. When it comes to wood stocks on handguns. Why not make a plug (wood) for the screw? The screw, showing…… is ugly looking and defaces (drilling the hole) the wood.
The cylinder turning (during firing), from right to left, bothers me!!!, why not have it turn, left to right?
I’m not going to buy any more handguns! Sell off the ones I have! Hopeless….Handguns!
 
The cylinder turning (during firing), from right to left, bothers me!!!, why not have it turn, left to right?
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The hand (the part that revolves the cylinder) is located on the right-hand side, so it pushes the cylinder to the left.

Not to worry. Buy an older Colt. They revolve the cylinder from left to right.

Custom grip-maker Guy Houge has a system where the stocks are one-piece, and held on by a single screw that comes up from the bottom. It's located where you usually don't see it.
 
It is sad that S&W succombed to the clinton administration when they were no longer american owned. Now that they are back in american hands, they still have to comply with the mandatory lock deal. S&W needs to get some lawyers on this and start selling revolvers without the internal locks before i will buy one. Gunwrtier Michael Bane had a S&W revolver "lock up" on him while firing and he's out of the S&W revolver game now.
 
The Clinton deal is dead and has nothing to do with current S&W design. Also, S&W is owned by a lock company! Don't expect them to give up on the lock. It would be nice if they relocated it though, along the lines of the Ruger or even Taurus locks.
 
As I am capable of using common sense when it comes to gun safety, and particularly revolver safety, I would prefer anything that I can't control, like a key safety, not be installed on my gun. S&W signed onto a deal that makes it maditory for all revolvers to have the "hillary hole" there is no other reason for the internal lock except for that.
 
My M&P 340 Centennial has functioned just fine, with various ammunition ranging from standard & +P .38 Spl to full-power .357 Magnum loadings.

I can think of at least one other guy at work, who picked up a 442-2, who has received reliable service with his lock-equipped J-frame with both standard pressure and +P loads. He shoots it a bit, too.

I've also heard from someone at the factory that in some instances it has been wondered if the locking arm spring may not have been improperly installed during production.

The flag is kept out of the way by a very small spring, which can be mispositioned during assembly of the firearm.
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Yep, the torque lock spring, installed in the locking arm, is a very small spring. I could also see how positioning the spring leg in the small recessed shelf in the frame could be done improperly.

My M&P J-frame's locking mechanism is still in normal functioning condition, and it'll remain so ...

I'd rather it were an option, though.
 
And how would the lock figure into an SD shooting? The IL is for disabling the gun while it is unattended, that is all it is for. Would a civil suit claim that the shooter should have been carrying the gun with the lock engaged so the victim wouldn't have been shot?
__________________
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Very simple. Malicious Intent. We all know, what the idiotic IL is for. In a SD shooting, the DA may not inspect/have the weapon inspected. In a Civil Suit, it will be. An Attorney will/can use the disabling of a safety feature as the "victim" meant malicious intent.
I was involved in a SD shooting, when I was younger. The DA ruled in was justified. The family of the deceased, brought a civil suit. Their Attorney had my P220 inspected. He/they wanted to find some type of alteration to the firearm. They did not. I ended up winning the suit.
As far a disabling the IL. Why give the bottom feeders ammo, to use against you.
 
Jomax you IM isn't working could you contact me if you would be intrested in selling the eagle sp101 grips that you said in another (older) thread that you threw in the draw.
 
fastbolt:

Yep, the torque lock spring, installed in the locking arm, is a very small spring. I could also see how positioning the spring leg in the small recessed shelf in the frame could be done improperly.
Click to expand...

Assume for argument that the lock came from the factory correctly assembled, but the revolver’s owner or some other person improperly assembled the spring later. Or that in an emergency the owner forgot that the revolver was locked, and didn't notice the flag... :uhoh:

This couldn't possibly happen in one of my earlier non-lock guns...

Those who seek to protect us from ourselves always forget or ignore the unintended consequences.

In a defensive weapon, the KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid) principal is golden. :scrutiny:
 
i own 12 S&W wheelys, none have a built in lock. that defeats the purpose of my guns as they are for self defense.

more expensive?! are you kidding? go to gunbroker and surf a little. the used guns are "sometimes" equal in price, but according to S&W's own web site the new guns are quite a bit more expensive.

and if you buy a used non locked S&W that needs repair, they will fix it at minimal cost to you and you will then have essentially a "new" unlocked gun....

i know, ive done it and still do it....

what gun model do you want? a snubby .357? or a plinker .22lr, hows about a 4" duty sized magnum...? i will find it on gunbroker usually within a week and for a reasonable price.

p.s. i dont care for Ruger's bill board stampings either, but thats just estetics(sp?) nothing that could hinder the function in dire need.
 
It's fairly easy to remove the "Bill Board' stampings...and, personally, I do not care to purchase used, worn out revolvers. Ruger is the future.
 
Dawg, i could agree with you on that IF they made a light weight concealed hammer small frame wheely. that is where S&W shines over most others....
 
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