Need help with my S&W Model 10-5

[Dfence]

After my Model 10 got exposed to water in storage and developed some rust, I cleaned it off as best I could from the outside. But I worried about what might be happening on the inside too, so I took out the 3 screws on the side and removed the side plate so I could clean out and oil the internals. Well, all seemed ok in there, but while I had the sideplate off, I tipped the gun over and a piece fell out. I think it is the transfer bar. (I'm no expert on this). I put it back the way I thought it was supposed to be, but it doesn't seem to do anything at all when I pull the trigger or cock the hammer. It just sits there motionless. I even took it out and worked the action, and everything seemed normal.

I just bought my first digital camera a week ago, and I'm sure glad I did. It sure makes describing things alot easier. A picture is worth a thousand words. The first one is with the "transfer bar" in place. Does this look like the correct placement? There's a slot in the sideplate that matches this location and won't fit unless it's here. Like I said, it doesn't seem to have a function. The second picture is without the bar. The third one shows that the crane and cylinder still came out even after I put the sideplate back on. I changed which screw I put in the first hole (I used a short one the first time) and got that taken care of.

I guess my main concern is whether I put this transfer bar back in the right place, and if I'm asking for trouble if I didn't put it in there at all. I doesn't even move when I work the action.

 

[rcmodel]

Yes, it has to be there!
It is the hammer-block safety.
Without it, the gun is not drop-safe!

It goes in the slot in the side-plate as you surmised.

Lay the gun on it's left side, then lay the hammer-block on the pin exactly as shown in your first picture.

Then carefully place the side-plate back in place while you move the safety until you hit the "sweet spot" where it goes on.
Then try to squeeze the side=plate down into it's recess in the frame all the way with finger pressure only.
Do not attempt to drive it back in with a hammer or something.
Just keep trying until the hammer block fits in the side-plate slot correctly.

Once you get the side-plate back on, the gun should be tested before you put the screws back in. It should work normally.
(Cylinder & crane have to be in place with the cylinder closed, or else the thumb-piece held fully back for it to work)

Once it works, replace the screws in the same holes they came out of.
The front one which holds the crane in the frame is slightly different length/dia. in the older guns.

rcmodel

 

[Dfence]

Thank you, rcmodel! I did it the way you said, and everything looks fine now. I kept that safety in there so it will continue to be drop-safe.

I started to panic in the beginning when first the hammer safety fell out, then the cylinder and crane fell out. I thought my gun was going to end up just being a bunch of little pieces in the end!

 

[rcmodel]

If you decide to take your watch movement apart without knowing what is in there, I can't help you!

rcmodel

 

[Riss]

Not to be nosey, but you did clean all of that snot out of the lock works right ? At the very least open it up and blow all of that greasy crud out with brake cleaner and then oil it lightly. If water has gotten into that oily greasey mess, and it looks like it did, eventually you will need to do more than clean it. Get to it soon before it rusts from the inside out.

 

[machinisttx]

+1 for what Riss said. The internals need to be cleaned and lubed as well.