Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Check the dang screws!

Yeah I know, or rather did know. Just apparently took something like this to happen to remind me. Had the S&W M-60 3" out last week burning powder, and decided to shoot the 642 airweight that was in my pocket a little too. Probably put 20 or so rounds through the 642, and finished up the rest of the 100 rounds through the 3 incher. Reloaded the 642 with my carry loads and went back to carrying it. Well, when I got up yesterday morning, I shoved it, (still in it's holster), into my pocket and went about making coffee. While the coffee maker was chugging, I went to pull the revolver out to double check that it was loaded, heard and felt a crunchity scrape. The cylinder release retainer and latch button had loosened and come off, but were still inside of the holster, and scraped up the finish as it was drawn. Glad I still had the parts but hate that it put scratches in the finish. Needless to say, I immediately cleaned up the parts, and re-assembled with a drop of blue locktite. The side plate and grip screws were still tight.

(Yes, I also know that it's best to carry a clean piece for several good reasons.)

So anyway, no matter what you're carrying, check the screws. Just a friendly reminder.

Don't beat yourself up too badly. I don't really care about the finish on my EDC. The finish on my M&P340 looks like crap. Some of the anodizing has come off the trigger guard but oh well...

Slugflinger: Damn I hate "scratches in the finish" of any of my many guns!
Sadly the situation you describe, I have seen happen, on rare occasions before!
Most notable was the following incident!
I was a police officer at a large west coast municipal department. At roll call one evening the Captain and the Lieutenant were conducting a formal inspection of "the troops" and I was an "acting Sergeant so was at attention off to the side of the three ranks of officers.
The Captain choose to inspect one of the elder officers sidearm! It was a Smith & Wesson Model 10 and upon handing the revolver over to the Captain the pistols cylinder release latch and screw fell to the floor!
An awkward silence ensued as to "who" was gonna retrieve the Smith & Wesson parts from the floor - the beat officer in question finally retrieved said parts and a "talkin to" ensued!
I think, that over time, "recoil" can loosen the parts in question.
Lesson learned and reminded.
Thanks for sharing.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

slug at least you aint that dude that shot hes self in the leg making that you tube video

Thanks guys. I normally don't care so much about scratches and such from handling and whatnot on most of my guns, as I think of them all as tools. (Tools that I love)! But it just got me that this time it was because of my failure to properly care for what could be the one thing that might save family members or myself from harm. Oh well, crap happens huh? Luckily it happened at a non-critical time.

Varmint guy, that officer was likely listening to jokes for a long time!

Thanks Hiker! Life's too short to dwell on stuff like that, so I'm putting it past me. Maybe it'll remind me in the future to keep up on that stuff.

44, haven' seen that vid (if it ever got finished). Makes my little trick seem pretty tame.

Slugflinger: Yes he took a ribbing for quite a while.
Until (as I recall), someone a while later accidentally shot the roof of the patrol car dang near off as he was getting the riot 870 shotgun out of the mid-front seat lock fixture.
The 870's were supposed to be "locked" into the fixture with a full magazine and NO round in the chamber - well as the police car came sliding up to some felony in progress the "co-pilot" got the 870 unlocked and KABOOM - hole in the roof - luckily, not in the partner/driver.
That one took months to "wear off". They were going to "assess" that officer for repairs to the roof and destruction of the light bar/siren by the 00 Buck!
I'm not sure if he paid up or got by with just the retraining.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Ever see a funny story you can't post on the internets? It involved a 1907 triple lock .44 14 police officers of 3 jurisdictions one moronic idiot and a 68 year old widow a 4 foot porch and 3 rounds fired. The idiot survived only 2 cars crashed and the widow baked us pie.

The 'fire benefits greatly from posts like yours. Solid reminders, complete with examples of what "bads" can happen, are the things that are most useful and stay with me.

(Sorry about the scratch!)

I agree with all the advice offered above, but really haven't thought much about it before.
I don't recall having or seeing a firearm incur any 'parts' damage from a loose screw.

I have however, seen, and experienced cosmetic damage caused to a firearm from using
a cheap or improper fitting screwdriver - trying to tighten those loose screws.

As important as keeping your screws 'tight' is using a top quality, correct fitting screwdriver.
But everyone already knows that.