629 Skipping Strikes in Double Action

[SullyVols]

I bought a 629 'Classic' with a 6.5" barrel full lug today and put 50 rounds of some pretty powerful stuff, the stuff I use in my desert eagle, down range without any issues.

When I shake the gun it rattles, but so does my 686 and I've put probably 1500 rounds through it without any issues.

When I got home I began to clean it and loosened the spring tension screw (the one at the bottom of the grip. I have loosened this screw on my 686 and Model 19 to take a couple pounds of the double action trigger before without any issues, but when I loosened it a full turn on my new 629, it began randomly skipping strikes in Double Action. The cylinder spins but the hammer doesn't engage. I sat there for 15 minutes testing it and there is no pattern to when it skips. I popped off the side plate to look at the action and there doesn't seem to be anything obviously wrong or different than my 686 (both are current generations).

I have it fully tightened now and it doesn't skip, but the trigger is like 15+ pounds in Double Action.

Any thoughts? I'm going to take it to a gun smith some time this week to get checked.

 

[Sam1911]

Well, first off: The strain screw is NOT a trigger pull wight adjustment screw. It sets the bow of the spring, which alters the arc the hammer yoke travels through, and needs to be screwed in fully. If you want a lighter pull, get a lighter spring. Wolff makes some great ones for very cheap.

Yes, lots of folks used to do that (or grind the tip off the screw! ). It's a bad practice.

So, with it properly tightened, does the problem go away?

 

[rcmodel]

The rattle is the hammer block safety.
It's supposed to rattle.

The strain screw you are talking about on all your guns is not a trigger pull adjustment.

Tighten them and leave them tightened.

If you want a lighter DA pull, you will need to put a set of Wolff reduced power springs in it.

If you want 110% reliability?
Leave the S&W springs in it and keep the strain screw tight.

rc

 

[SullyVols]

I did get one skip (with it 99%) tightened. Got a little more down with none since.

I'll go back and re-tighten the screws on my 19 and 686. Thanks - got some bad advice prior it would seem.

I'll still take it to a gunsmith. You can't spend $800 on a gun and have doubts in the back of your mind.

 

[jakk280rem]

What does "the hammer fails to engage" mean? Are you talking about a failure to fire or are you saying that the hammer fails to move? if you're pulling the trigger and the cylinder is spinning but the hammer doesn't, something is mondo wrong. if its not firing its almost certainly the strain screw.

On another note, the rattle is normal and is probably a little rod of steel in the rebound spring channel. s&w snuck those into the n frame for some reason.

 

[rcmodel]

When I shake the gun it rattles, but so does my 686

No over-travel rod inside the rebound spring on a 686.

It's the hammer block safety's.

All S&W's rattle, because there is nothing to keep the hammer block safety from rattling.

rc

 

[788Ham]

You can also get an action job done on your revolver, besides replacing springs. I have an SP 101 that had a horrible DA trigger, $65.00 later, smooth as ever, only way I shoot it now. LEAVE strain screw alone, in fact, Blue Loctite it in !

 

[SullyVols]

What does "the hammer fails to engage" mean? Are you talking about a failure to fire or are you saying that the hammer fails to move? if you're pulling the trigger and the cylinder is spinning but the hammer doesn't, something is mondo wrong. if its not firing its almost certainly the strain screw.

On another note, the rattle is normal and is probably a little rod of steel in the rebound spring channel. s&w snuck those into the n frame for some reason.

With the strain screw backed off the hammer fails entirely to move rear-wards. It squeezes up to the firing pin but never travels back.

 

[rcmodel]

It is caused by hammer stirrup bind.

With insufficient bow in the mainspring from the loose strain screw?
The flat mainspring gets longer, the hammer stirrup can't swing it out from under the hammmer as you cock it, and the hammer hits the end of the mainspring.

rc

 

[SullyVols]

Found the problem:

New Smiths have an un-captured 'sear spring' that engages the double action. Took it all apart and found that my sear spring was very disfigured.

Ordered 10 more from Smith&Wesson - lead time is 6 weeks

In the mean time single action still works - saves me money on .44 ammo in the long run.

 

[Iron bottom]

The three revolvers I have will do that. Two S&W and one Ruger. In fact, all you have to do is to not let the trigger reset all the way. I can spin the cylinder at will and the hammer never moves. If you get in a hurry, it is easy to do and then you have a lost round.