Thanks hammer, but one thing is you said that these guns had 3 1/4 barrels but when I measured mine it came out to be 3 1/2. I measured it from tip of barrel to where the frame and barrel meet. Am I measuring it wrong?
Hello ZacH
Typically you would measure a revolver barrel Length from the Business end of the barrel, Back to the tip of the forcing cone of the barrel (Where the barrel end's in front of the cylinder}. It was Not Uncommon for S&W to run a Little long or short of standard Barel length's back then, we have to remember at that time they were still all hand finished and S&W was Not a company to waste Part's so if a Barrel was an 1/8"-1/4" In length or shortness it often was used rather than scraped. In Taking a Regulation Police action apart it is rather straight foward, of which I will explain the process below for those that have not done so. Regards, Hammerdown
{1} Find
a good fitting screwdriver that fit's the gun's side Plate screw's.
{2} Remove
the stock's. Loosen the attachment screw slightly and
Push The stock off the gun's frame by appling pressure to the head of the screw with the screwdriver.
{3} Loosen and remove
the Four side Plate screw's. Be sure to
set them out in the order that they were removed from the gun{4} Loosen
the Strain screw which is on the lower forestrap of the front grip frame
{5} remove the Now Lax
Main spring. It is forked at the top where it fit's into The Gun's Hammer stirup, set it aside
{6} Remove the
rebound slide assembly. This Part is
square in shape and run's just above the gun's trigger. There is
a spring inside it, so as you slightly Pry it off it's stud with a screwdriver be aware that the Internal spring
will come out and it has some good Pressure behind it. Once it is out of the gun set it aside
{7} remove the
Gun's trigger assembly. You may have to wiggle it a bit to get it off the frame stud and be sure the firing pin is
clearing the upper top of the gun's main frame area. Set it aside
{8} Remove
the Hammer assembly. You may have to wiggle it a bit to get it off the gun's monting stud. set it asside once it is out of the gun
{9}Remove the
cylinder Extracor bar assembly. You will have to Take the
screw and thumb piece off prior to removal of this Part. It can be pushed forward to remove it, but be carefull as to Not
loose the small Internal spring or pressure pin Located in the rear of this assembly.
{10} soak all of the Internal action part's in a Good Gun cleaning solvent or clean each one with a Bronze bristle brush and gun solvent. Towel dry them, and set them aside
{11}
flush in the Internal action area of the gun with a good gun cleaning solvent. Towel dry when done.
{12} Lightly Oil
all of the Internal action contact Portions of the part's. Place a drop of oil on the
end of the Three Main frame stud's where the hammer, trigger and rebound slide assembly fit into. Place a drop of oil on the area where the rebound slide assembly rides on being the back side of the Gun's action frame area as well as where it ride's on just above the trigger Guard area inside the main frame of the gun
Now you are ready to
re-assemble the action Part's just reverse the Process of disassembly. Place The cylinder extractor assembly back into Position by depressing the small Internal spring and Pressure pin, coming in on an angle at the back area of the gun's main frame. It will drop in Place once it clear's the rear Portion of the frame Place the Thumb screw and Nut onto The cylinder extractor stud and Tighten it down. Now Place the hammer back onto it's stud. making sure you keep the firing pin away from the gun's main frame area so it will clear that area and drop into Place. Push The stirup backward's
Now Place the trigger assembly back into The gun. Make sure once it is in Place
that it is all the way down on the stud and that the small Pin with The round head coming back from the gun's trigger is facing rearward.
Now Place the spring back inside the rebound assembly and start it into The action by Placing the
front of it into The Trigger Pin that was Left facing rearward. The spring will Not clear the rearward stud. You will have to carefully use the flat tip of the screwdriver to
Cantilever the spring down onto The stud. Once it start's down onto the stud
Push it on the rest of the way with Your finger.
Now Place the gun's action main spring back into The gun. Be sure that you get the
forked Portion of the main spring into The Hammer striup. Once it is in The stirup,
come in from the side of the gun frame with The lower flat Portion of the spring Placing it back in the Lower grip
frame Groove for it. make sure it is even on both side. Now Take up the strain screw
as tight as it will go. This will pre-load the spring
Now Place your side plate back into Position. Use the
Palm of your hand to set it down into Place. It is a slightly tight fit so Make sure when doing so that
it goes down even onto the gun's Main frame.
Now insert the side plate screw's in the order that they were removed.
Take them down evenly as to Not wedge the side plate. Tighten all of the screw's down good
Now Place the stock's back on the Gun's frame and Take down the attachment screw. You gun can now be Cycled, tested and fired. I hope this helps, Hammerdown
