There is a thread on the S&W Forum where a member had the bluing wipe right off his new S&W revolver. I don't know what time frame it involves but he stated that he called S&W and they told him that using the wrong type of cleaning product can damage the blued finish. They said something about having to change the bluing process due to newer EPA regulations. The member used Hoppes #9. If you look in the newer owners manuals it says not to use ammoniated cleaners. Hoppes#9 has ammonia in it. As I said I don't know when the change in the bluing process took effect but I would urge you to look at your owners manual and see if it warns about ammoniated cleaners. Even if it doesn't I'd switch to something without ammonia just to be safe. If I can find out any more about when this change took effect I will update this thread.
Oh, the revolver is a current production Model 57.
Here is an owners manual. Look at page 32. The warning about cleaners is not highlighted in red or anything to make it extra noticeable.
http://www.smith-wesson.com/wcsstore...08-15-2013.pdf
Some members over there are stating the problem is the alloy S&W is using for the barrel and frame and not the bluing process or any new EPA guidelines. I didn't know S&W used an alloy for their standard steel revolvers? Obviously the scandium frame or aluminum alloy models are different but I thought a steel frame was steel not an alloy? Another poster said his Model 57-5 from 2009 has developed this same issue.
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