Ok, I'm a genius. My SW model 10 has a rust spot so I tried to use one of those cold blue kits to fix it (i did a crappy job, but thats another story). Part of this process requires flushing the gun with cold water. When i was done there seemed like there might be some water stuck inside the mechanism so i put tons of CLP on thinking I could deal with the problem tomorrow. Tomorrow rolls around and my gun is frozen solid (was in a cold trunk overnight) so i warmed it up with a lamp and took the sideplate off. The insides are kinda rusty and greasy. How should i make sure it doesn't freeze like this again? I was thinking about flushing it with acetone and then letting it dry under a lamp. Then I would re-lube it with CLP, what do you think?

*IF* you are the mechanically inclined sort and feel confident in doing so, give it a squirt or two with gun scrubber to flush the crap out as best as possible. Google up a dissasembly diagram to have as refrence, disassemble it, using a good gun cleaner, such as hoppies, and using a plastic brush, pipe cleaners, q-tips, clean the intire revolver and parts on ALL surfaces, repeat these steps until no rust remails and all surfaces have been removed of any water and flushes out with hoppies, allow to soak for an hour or two (Please don't do this with the grips) then wipe clean and again inspect ALL parts to insure that all water has been removed and no traces of rust remain. After this, soak the parts in CLP for several hours to 24 hours to insure that she clp has had the chance to soak into all of the nooks and crannies in the metal and displace further rust and other debris. After this, wipe down the surfaces of the revolver and all parts, then,  paying careful attention to the take down diagram and reassembly notes, reassemble your revolver and test the action (UNLOADED of course ) .

If you don't feel comfortable in doing this, take it to a gunsmith to do it for you and quickly before further rusting takes place. Either way, time is of the essence..

Next time, don't worry about the faded bluing on your own, if you really MUST reblue the revolver, that's what experienced gunsmiths are for unless you are willing to invest in the equipment and time to learn how to do this properly. Either way, good luck and I hope this helps.

flush it with alkkyhol, dry in over set to warm. the regrease/oil what you need to.

if you think you can get the parts out you want to try to get any rust out, once there it will keep growing

Douche it with spray brake cleaner then follow that with WD-40 to make sure the water is gone. Blow that wit compressed air and lube with your choice of oils or light grease.  Go forth and never sin again.

In the future, when you have to rinse a gun with water, make it boiling water. The metal gets hot and flashes dry with no rusting.

This gun came without a manual and I'm having no luck on google. Anyone have an internal diagram of a model 10?

Omy god... Take it and set a hair dryer on low and heat the gun till you can no longer touch it comfortably, then let it sit, then hit it with rusty duck, or gun scrubber, wd 40 in a pinch... etc... put it back together and your done. Then apoligize to it.

light it on fire

Quoted: This gun came without a manual and I'm having no luck on google. Anyone have an internal diagram of a model 10?

They're pretty much all the same. Here's a model 19:

www.gunuts.com/images/90.gif

should have just used steel wool

PICS!!!!  

Quoted: PICS!!!!

no camera, otherwise I would

I used engine degreaser and acetone so far along with much scrubbing, looks a lot better. Its under a light now warming up. (did I mention all of this must be done secretly in a dorm room?) I'm so ashamed. This gun is real mad at me.

Quoted: Quoted: PICS!!!!   no camera, otherwise I would I used engine degreaser and acetone so far along with much scrubbing, looks a lot better. Its under a light now warming up. (did I mention all of this must be done secretly in a dorm room?) I'm so ashamed. This gun is real mad at me.

If you have to hide your gun in your PLACE OF RESIDENCE I have one word for you...


MOVE!!!

Quoted: Douche it with spray brake cleaner then follow that with WD-40 to make sure the water is gone. Blow that wit compressed air and lube with your choice of oils or light grease.  Go forth and never sin again.

Right on, that works great.

Alright, it seems cool now, lubed up with clp, gonna leave it in the car again and see if it freezes. Its probably -10 at night here, a normal revolver should remain operable at this temp correct? Could too much clp cause an issue?

By now,   Is it even conceivable that you might send it back to S&W for an 'As New' (re) finish?

Quoted: By now,   Is it even conceivable that you might send it back to S&W for an 'As New' (re) finish?

naw, this is just an old cheap gun I bought used, I'm not willing to put any money into it.

Swish it around in a bucket of diesel until you get all the gunk out of it. Wipe it down with a towel let it sit overnight and wipe it down again, run rags through the bore and chambers oil it up and forget it.

Well, here's hoping it's fixed. Two buds and a shot of jaeger to celebrate.