Slicking up a Smith & Wesson 686

Trinimon said:
From what I've read, those colour case hardened hammers and triggers were on the older S&W models when those parts were made of stainless steel. The new ones today use MIM parts and to keep the look of the old, the MIM parts were faux case-hardened. Well, so I've read on the S&W forums. If it starts to wear, guess I'll be ordering a replacement hammer/trigger. I knew that risk going into the project.
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The older Smith's hammers and trigger were carbon steel and not stainless. Stainless came later.
 
I originally got some shims from Brownells. There was a revolver shim supply online store that had a list of shim sizes. Shipping kills for a few shims from the US isn't worth it unless you can tack it onto other items to make it worthwhile.

I ended up picking up various sizes/thickness of stainless shims at a local RC car hobby shop. So far, I haven't had any galling.

VanMan said:
I think all the polishing you have done is fine. You won't have broken through the case hardened surfaces. The only real stock removal was on the rebound bar which is machined from solid bar stock. That mod is very popular with experienced gunsmiths so we are fine there too :)
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Good to know. I didn't really mess with the sear surfaces other than a few passes to knock off any burrs. The exterior hammer/trigger are just looks anyway.
 
Yesterday, I loaded up 6 test cases with enlarged flash holes with some CCI primers. Did a DA rapid fire and had 100% detonation, no light strikes.
 
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