Smith & Wesson M76 Operational Lessons

[Rekraps]

Okay, so all these guns are (at least with the  Uxxxx SN) commercial units, with many bought by police departments or perhaps some other government department. Many were also sold to private collectors/shooters, but all are now C&R and thus if you own one or more importantly buy one, consider these items when preparing and firing your gun:

1. If the gun is stumbling through FA, then check the ejector firs, as they do wear and can be repaired in-situ by a competent gunsmith.
2. Remove the grip and pull the FCG off the gun. Remove the sear retaining clip and pin, then pull the sear/spring out. Examine the trigger bar and see if the end is worn (rounded) if so, get it fixed. Andrewski does these all the time. Note that the sear is hardened and is very unlikely to wear at all. 
3. Once you reassemble the FCG, as you mate it with the receiver, make sure that the sear spring is perpendicular to the receiver bottom. You may have to use a small screwdriver to push it toward the magazine well area to align it correctly. There is no detent to fit it into, and because you have to slide the FCG forward on the gun, the spring tends to set at an angle. If this happens, the gun will runaway on FA as there is not sufficient spring pressure to force the sear into the bolt notch. 

These are the three most common stoppage items for the M76. The extractors are robust and rarely fail, as is the bolt.

If you are lucky enough (like me) to own a Scott Andrey bolt, then it will function perfectly in the gun, and the design is more robust than the OEM bolt. It does use a slightly longer extractor....

Good shooting out there!

[Opee]

Rekraps:

Good information on troubleshooting this Subgun platform. I hear that Andrewski does really good work!

Is there anyone out there currently making spare bolts or extractors at this time for the 76/760 platform?

Might be a good survey to see just how many spare bolts, extractors, etc the Class III collector community might need for this historical weapon??

[BillinBama]

All the gunsmith who made replacement parts for the 76 have gone away, either dies or retired, or just disappeared. I would think there exists a good market for bolts and barrels plus other small parts. Look at Scott Andrey's old site to see what he offered, it's still up. BWE sold fewer parts but he also enjoyed a good business AFAICT.

[Rekraps]

12 hours ago, BillinBama said:

All the gunsmith who made replacement parts for the 76 have gone away, either dies or retired, or just disappeared. I would think there exists a good market for bolts and barrels plus other small parts. Look at Scott Andrey's old site to see what he offered, it's still up. BWE sold fewer parts but he also enjoyed a good business AFAICT.

Excellent posts all. I wonder if BWE would sell their remaining stock. I spoke with Andrey last week (yes he answered his phone!) and he has two prototype sears almost ready (as they have been for two years now) but I'm not sure he'll get them done. I'll contact him about his extractors for his design bolts. 

[Rekraps]

To be clear, the extractors for the Andrey M76 bolts are not the same dimensions as that of OEM extractors. Very slightly different!

[BillinBama]

Wow, you got him to answer the phone?  No one has heard from him in a couple of years it seems.  Yeah, both he and BWE should have parts sitting around that could be sold.  I keep hoping Richard's son at BWE will at least offer the inventory, but due to the lack of communication we just don't know what is going on there.   Sooner or later I think someone will step up and fill the void for parts for MG's that are "orphans" now, there is obviously a market.  Opee? I know it is a big leap of faith with large financial risks and due diligence is definitely required, but as these guns age there will be more demand, or else we will have a bunch of wall-hangers.  

[Rekraps]

7 hours ago, BillinBama said:

Wow, you got him to answer the phone?  No one has heard from him in a couple of years it seems.  Yeah, both he and BWE should have parts sitting around that could be sold.  I keep hoping Richard's son at BWE will at least offer the inventory, but due to the lack of communication we just don't know what is going on there.   Sooner or later I think someone will step up and fill the void for parts for MG's that are "orphans" now, there is obviously a market.  Opee? I know it is a big leap of faith with large financial risks and due diligence is definitely required, but as these guns age there will be more demand, or else we will have a bunch of wall-hangers.  

Yes he did! When I say, "Scott Andrey?" he always replies, "What's left of him!". Too funny. He was very nice and answered my questions about his bolt design and how the extractor dimensions differed from the OEM bolt. He also added that he has no idea where he got his pattern bolt (from which he reversed engineered his). Interesting. 

[BillinBama]

So, did he say why he quit?  Worn out?  Health reasons?  Fell off the wagon?  Any idea if he has unsold inventory he is willing to part with?

[Rekraps]

1 hour ago, BillinBama said:

So, did he say why he quit?  Worn out?  Health reasons?  Fell off the wagon?  Any idea if he has unsold inventory he is willing to part with?

I'm working on it!