686 making rattling noise

[Robert B]

When I shake my 686 it makes a rattling noise. I am holding the thumb piece and cylinder tight with the gun unloaded. Is this ok? I thought only guns with transfer bars like Rugers made noise. It does it with the hammer down and cocked SA.

 

[moxie]

It's because it's not actually a 686.

It's really a vintage 1911, known throughout the land as big rattlers.

Eh?

 

[MrBorland]

It's the transfer bar. Perfectly normal.

 

[rcmodel]

A S&W 686 doesn't have a transfer bar.

It is the hammer block safety.

Perfectly normal.

rc

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

Yep mine does same thing, a click-click as you tilt it back and forth longitudinally. Seems normal- LOVE this gun by the way!!! Of all my handguns, this is the one people always stop me at the range and comment on.....

 

[righteoushoot]

It's there to give the bad guy a heads up.

But seriously, some are definitely louder than others.

 

[Robert B]

Hammer Block Safety. Makes sense. Thx for all your responses.

 

[MrBorland]

A S&W 686 doesn't have a transfer bar.

Dang. I meant hammer block, but had just read the OP and typed "transfer bar" instead. Carry on.

 

[GooseGestapo]

Yeah, it's the hammer block. In the bad-old-days we used to take them out of our PPC guns.

We used to joke about the rattle being the warning to bad guys they were about to get "bit" by the rattle "snake". ie: you'd be shaking with the gun leveled on a bg.
BTW, the Pythons were called "silent" killers!, and "Constrictors", it took both hands to pull the triggers...
Few of the "old school" guns were perfect. Now is actually the "GOOD OLD DAYS". Even with all our difficulties, things are better now, actually.

 

[Radagast]

Of course these are the good old days. The younger set want tacticool autos. Leaves the nice old revolvers for us discerning adults.*


* Old Pharts is interchangeable.

 

[WestKentucky]

Easy radagast...I'm 30 and I have a very strong affinity for the wheelgun...but I also have a bad knee, jacked up shoulder, pop, creak, and otherwise make noises that I shouldnt, and am constantly in some form of discomfort. Maybe I'm an old fart in disguise.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

Of course these are the good old days. The younger set want tacticool autos. Leaves the nice old revolvers for us discerning adults.*


* Old Pharts is interchangeable.

That does seem to be the case. It's unfortunate when I see a young person in a gun shop and in his mind, Glocks and AR15's are the only guns that exist.

My mother once told me I was born 40 years old..... Apparently I was unsettlingly reasonable and rational as a child

I took an online test about a year ago that was supposed to tell you your mental age based on your answers and way of thinking. I came in at 53....

That must be why I like revolvers so much. I'm 34.

I hate the rattle transfer bars and hammer blocks make. It drives me crazy. I guess I need some older guns.

 

[RA40]

What production date? I couldn't recall if mine did that so I shook them, they are quiet.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

What production date? I couldn't recall if mine did that so I shook them, they are quiet.

RC, Mr. Borland, or Radagast will chime in with specific dates of model changes.

Deleted due to totally incorrect information being provided on my part.

Unless I'm totally off in left field. If so, please let me know gurus so I can smack myself in the mouth.

 

[rcmodel]

All S&W revolvers made since late WWII have a hammer block safety, if they have an external hammer.
Makes no difference of hammer design, or firing pin type..

Hammerless J-Frame guns do not have them as the hammer is inside the frame and shielded from impact..

As to why some rattle more then others I cannot say, they just do.
(If you can still hear it, you haven't shot enough to lose your hearing yet.)


If you cock the hammer and look down inside the gun, the little flat of metal is the hammer block.

It operates off the rebound slide, and it is at rest between the hammer and frame at all times the trigger is forward.

The only time it gets out of the way of the hammer is when the trigger is pulled and held back.

Third picture down here:
http://www.thehighroad.org/showpost.php?p=4969150&postcount=1

rc

 

[Zaydok Allen]

Great..... left field it is. Commence the mouth smacking. I'm just going to delete my last post so I don't confuse the issue.

I am curious though, what advantage does the frame mounted firing pin offer over the hammer mounted pins? Why the change?

 

[rcmodel]

MIM parts manufacturing of hammers & triggers.

Putting the FP in the frame made no additional machining necessary on the hammer for the slot or hole for the firing pin.

Here is a definitive read on it.
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=769929

rc

 

[tightgroup tiger]

The hammer mounted firing pins, called the hammer nose, will break while dry firing. The frame mounted type can be dry fired all day long.

 

[RA40]

Thanks for the link to Driftwood Johnson's thread, rcmodel. The wheel guns don't get out much these days yet I have a special place for the 586/686's.

 

[PJSprog]

I've heard others complain about this with their guns, but my 686-1 from '87 has almost no discernible rattle at all. Of course, it probably wouldn't matter to me if it did.