Taking apart a S&W M52

While drinking coffee and wondering what do do on a rainy day off, I ran across some well made guides for taking apart a S&W M59 pistol at Smith And Wesson Forums. With these I'm sure I can turn my M52 in to a pile of parts on my bench and send a few small parts to the far corners of my workshop.

http://www.smithandwessonforums.com/forum/s-w-gunsmithing/8858-59-series-complete-disassembly-thread-writeup-w-pics.html


[url=http://www.smithandwessonforums.com/forum/s-w-gunsmithing/10835-59-series-top-slide-advanced-disassembly.html]http://www.smithandwessonforums.com/forum/s-w-gunsmithing/10835-59-series-top-slide-advanced-disassembly.html[/url]


Douglas Adams — 'If you try and take a cat apart to see how it works, the first thing you have on your hands is a non-working cat.'

I got my 52 apart when I got it in order to remove the magazine safety and de-crud it. It wasn't too bad, but I regularly detail strip most of my new guns, so YMMV.

There is a good post at the S&W Forums on taking apart and reassembling a M59XX. I'd like to point attention to post #25 by a member Fastbolt in the thread.

http://smith-wessonforum.com/smith-wesson-semi-auto-pistols/312127-s-w-3rd-gen-complete-disassembly-video.html

Bumpity bump. It may help someone.

Ha I took my M52-2 apart and sonic cleaned the frame and parts this afternoon also.  Those links maybe what I need to get it back together.  First time for me to take all the frame apart.  Don

Have to admit, not as easy as my 1911. Found out too, be careful how much you tighten the barrel busing. Too much and it effects functionality. Too little and its even worse.

Does anyone know if there's a better mouse trap to take off the barrel bushing than the S&W part?

http://smith-wessonforum.com/smith-wesson-semi-auto-pistols/84347-model-52-bushing-wrench.html
 TAKE A LOOK HERE.12 POINT SOCKET THEY SAY. JP

My smith bushing wrench is like new.  I've always just used my fingers to tighten or loosen.

jglenn21 wrote:My smith bushing wrench is like new.  I've always just used my fingers to tighten or loosen.

That's how I was told to do it.

Got it, thank you all.

The bushing wrench is useless. I use a 12 point 3/4" socket, or fingers. If buying a socket, get the cheapest, smallest drive one you can find. The more expensive ones are usually dished, the cheap ones are flat faced which push the pin down better.