Use WD-40 cans for targets!
I use STP on the cylinder ratchet, pin and front bushing.
The action needs very little oil but dry is wear. Metal to metal will shorten life. Use oil sparingly but you need some lube.
correct to a point, eventually it will wear down to a polished and correct fit which is the long way of doing what I do on a polishing wheel. When my sear engagements are taken to a high polish you don't need anything and they would take millions of rounds to wear out. Brownells does sell a semi permanent dry lube for actions, I can't recall the name but I bought some but have yet to try it out. It leaves a dry hard slick film that will only come off with alot of wear or harsh chemicals. I haven't really seen a need for it on my SA's since I polish the sears to a mirror finish anyways. I'm of the school of thought that wear on a factory sear is a good thing since it means the parts will wear together creating a better fit but I've not seen any gain in function from oiling an action. It's like having a crankshaft with a bad journal, you can put new bearings in and even though it's lubricated constanly it's just going to wear out the bearing anyways until that journal is polished, unfortunately unlike a sear though it will eat it's mating surface instead of wearing itself smooth.
The stp will work fine on the ratchet and gas ring though.
It is Action Lube Plus. I use a tad on the sear.
It is the pins, pivot points that should have a little lube and the rebound slide on the S&W. I polish them but a tad of good oil makes function smoother even though they will never wear out.
The hammer pin might take the most force so a drop is good.
Some lube is for smooth, some for wear.
There was a lot of trouble with parts galling long ago because the same steels were used for parts. Special lubes were made but it was found changing steels from part to part stopped galling.
A drop of lube can never be called a bad thing.
You are correct for one point. The higher the polish, the less lube will be held to the metal.
I love STP, it clings, creeps, cushions and helps prevent cylinder pin carbon stiffness. It works like a champ on a cap and ball revolver too. I swear RCBS case lube is STP!
