Howdy,
I have a 625-9 mountain gun (ss 45c) and as ya'll know, i've hunted with it for years - last 2 years, it's spent most of the time in a holster, due to work and life piling up.

here's the PSA -
Couple nights ago, I took it out to clean it, and the cyl release lever had fallen off, leaving only the tiny threaded stud sticking. The good part was, is it was in a confined space, I was able to find both the lever/button and the screw cap to put it back together.

HOWEVER - these was no thread lock on the stud, and it's a low torque straight slot screw cap - so, check it once in a while, tighten as needed, and/or put some low strength thread lock on it.

if it had happened outside of a confined space, it would have resulted in ordering parts, or a weapon malfunction

I found mine loose on a SW 329. Check your gear regularly, you never know.

I think I would put a touch of thread lock on it. It’s not like it’s something you need to remove very often for maintenance. Even then, I’d check it occasionally.

As soon as I get my hands on a big bore S&W revolver I blue Loctite the screw head (nut) for the opening latch and the screw for the front of the rear site. If you're really using the gun, both of those will loosen up and cause problems.

good to know.

Been there done that. It has been so long I have forgotten which S&W it was. Blue Loctite is your friend used sparingly. Be Well, Packy.

While we're talking about it, I've found out the hard way that on Blackhawk's I also needed to use a bit of Loctite on the Base Pin Latch Nut (on the frame just forward of the cylinder) and the Ejector Housing Screw (forward end of the ejector housing).

Watch the Extractor Rod on the S&W revolvers too, but that one is more problematic to Loctite.

I'm sure there are others handguns that shake loose here or there too, but those are the ones I have the most experience with. And my safe queens never shake loose (or even get dirty) so if you don't carry or shoot any of them much there probably won't be issues.

Hope that helps.

quote:

I'm sure there are others handguns that shake loose here or there too, but those are the ones I have the most experience with. And my safe queens never shake loose (or even get dirty) so if you don't carry or shoot any of them much there probably won't be issues.

As a police armorer for a 500 person department I inspected hundreds of handguns a year.


When handguns are carried 8 to 10 hours a day year around they get all kinds of wear and tear on them.

That is why I prefer stainless ones they just hold up better.

Blued ones soon show wear shortly.

PDog --
you just described my my first model 25 .. long time police holster wear .. seller claimed low round count.. shot like a dream ... even though it looked like it had been vapor blasted! and just one of the reasons i like stainless!