S&W rebound spring housing

[roysha]

I was doing some internal work on my daughter's new 642s, she bought 2 of them, and discovered that the rebound housing is PLASTIC! Now I suppose, no more than these guns will be shot, it isn't an issue but just the thought drives me up the wall.

Steel rebound housings are cheap so would it make sense to replace the plastic with steel?

[ShooterAZ]

For peace of mind, I probably would.

[Dan Cash]

The plastic works well, until it doesn't.

[imashooter2]

I’m sure the Engineers calculated loads and wear very carefully. The news still makes me sad.

[376Steyr]

I’m sure the Engineers calculated loads and wear very carefully. The news still makes me sad.

Yeah, but I wonder if they counted on the wild and wacky types of solvents that people can douse their guns with? On top of everything else, now I have to start worrying about the guts of my snub-noses turning to goo.

[Geezer in NH]

Uh Lightweight gun. Plastic is lighter. This gun is for SD not the range. Want practice, buy a steel version to shoot. What we did in the olden days (70's-80's) Have a 36 to shoot and practice carry a M37 every day. Qualify with the 37 also.

Never taken the 642 I have apart. I shoot the M36 with the hammer spur cutoff for practice the double actions are close to the same.

[imashooter2]

Yeah, but I wonder if they counted on the wild and wacky types of solvents that people can douse their guns with? On top of everything else, now I have to start worrying about the guts of my snub-noses turning to goo.

I’m sure it is as resistant to solvents as the frames of all those polymer pistols out there. I don’t have to worry any as my stuff is all many years old, but it is the passing of an era.

[gwpercle]

Plastic Guns / Plastic Gun Parts and Laminated Wood Stocks ...
Some of the things I just can't live with .

Replace the platic part with real metal part ...

How many people die because of cheap plastic parts in places they shouldn't be in ...
Death by Bean Counter ...will probably be on my head stone .
Gary

[rintinglen]

How does the trigger return plunger mate on the rebound slide? It is still steel, or so I presume, and it puts pressure on the rebound slide every time the trigger is pulled. I'm not understanding how this won't cause premature wear.

[Outpost75]

Have you actually checked the part with a magnet and determined that it is nonferrous? My guess is that these are a MIM part and may look different, but also may be coated with a Teflon or Cerracote finish to reduce friction.

[murf205]

Have you actually checked the part with a magnet and determined that it is nonferrous? My guess is that these are a MIM part and may look different, but also may be coated with a Teflon or Cerracote finish to reduce friction.

Now that would be a neat idea and reduce the need to polish the slide, IF...the bean counters would go for it.

[wilecoyote]

I was doing some internal work on my daughter's new 642s, she bought 2 of them, and discovered that the rebound housing is PLASTIC! Now I suppose, no more than these guns will be shot, it isn't an issue but just the thought drives me up the wall.
Steel rebound housings are cheap so would it make sense to replace the plastic with steel?

...I would have already done it, but I don't tend to consider that a steel replacement could wear the parts in contact differently. if the bean counters have provided equally new-age materials for them, it would be worth considering carefully before.

[Cosmic_Charlie]

I have a newer model 60 and it has a steel housing. There might be a sound engineering reason they did this on those light weight guns. Perhaps the plastic cushions the spring? Wonder if they also did that on the 629 pd models?

[reddog81]

People want lightweight guns and then complain about lightweight parts...

Do the guns have a lifetime warranty?

[Murphy]

I won't say it's bad, but it doesn't sound all that appealing either. A Smith & Wesson revolver with plastic parts inside? Well, if that doesn't bring the old saying "They ain't makin' em' like they used to", nothing does.

Murphy

[Greg S]

Self lubricating on an aluminum frame?

[Outpost75]

Self lubricating on an aluminum frame?

Yes. Necessary to prevent galling from sliding contact of dissimilar metals.

[practical_man]

Roysha

That’s interesting that the rebound slide is plastic on your daughter’s 642s. Must be a recent change. The rebound slide does a lot of work in those little DAO revolvers. The one in my pocket has a MIM rebound slide, hammer, and trigger. It’s sort of new. Maybe 10 years old or so.

I would be very interested in some close up pix of the plastic part to see how the geometry might be different from the MIM part.

[stubshaft]

Dang, when they switched to MIM parts I thought it couldn't get much worse...wrong.

[JRD]

I'm quite certain that S&W rebound slides are steel and always have been. S&W switched to MIM probably 25 or more years ago and they work fine. MIM gives a super smooth surface finish so they are nice and shiny but are most definitely steel. Put a magnet on them. I bet yours are steel.