They had already sold a similar First Model, but this one, no one wanted. The auctioneer kept dropping the opening bid: $100where$50where$25whatamIbid$25where$20! So I raised my paddle. Heck, for $20, it looked like an interesting project. Sure enough, when I cashed out, it turned out the gun was rusted and frozen. They couldn't even open it to clear it. No wonder no one wanted it. Well, I spent four hours working on it today after soaking it in Blaster overnight.
By the way, Blaster is useless. It did nothing. I wish I had tried that automatic transmission fluid mix I read on this forum. Anyway, I'll say this, Messieurs Smith and Wesson sure love their tiny little pins. I finally got it apart enough to start cleaning and polishing it. I couldn't get the firing ping out, nor could I separate the extractor, the screw head was just to tight. But here is the exploded parts for it. Later this week I'll soak it in rust dissolver, then I thought I would try brake fluid to get rid of the plating, though that might only work on chrome, and this must certainly be nickel plating right? Serial is 107924, making it a Third Model, made 1890 - 1898. Probably 1897, since the Model 4s started at 116000 in 1898, right?
Despite the exterior crud, the bearing surfaces of the pins and all are very smooth. It was the lateral rust on the parts that had it all bound. And the bore is pretty good, though the muzzle might be too rusted. We'll see.
[update]
Done with the springs and took it to the range. Gun shoots high and left at 12 yards. If I aim at the barcode, I can hit the center target.
Nice snag!---------------6
