My first revolver. A couple of questions

[GLOOB]

After shooting a revolver for the first time last month, I knew I'd eventually have to get one. So, I finally bought my first revolver. It's a 686-1.

Where's the pic, right? Well, close your eyes for second and imagine a used 6" 686 with wooden grips... ok?

So I a ton of questions about revolvers. But there are 2 that I can't seem to find much info on the web.

1. Why is there a rattling sound when I shake it? It sounds like a very small piece rattling around inside? I read that this rattling sound is attributed to the transfer bar. Does that make sense for a FP-on-hammer model?

2. If I manually decock it, sometimes the hammer will move forward a fraction of an inch then get stuck. I have 2 options. I can pull the trigger again, and then the hammer lowers. Or I can pull the hammer BACK a bit, and there's a loud click. Then it goes back down. This wouldn't bother me except it is very inconsistent. It might happen once out of 30 times, or it might happen 4 times in a row. Anyone know what this is?

 

[9mmepiphany]

1. There is actually more than one thing that this could be, but if it is "small" it does sound like the hammer block that just sits on a pin on the side on the trigger...what you are hearing is it flopping around in it's grove in the sideplate. It doesn't transfer anything, unlike the Ruger action (which does), but prevents the FP from moving forward enough to contact the primer...it's blocks the forward movement of the hammer when the trigger isn't held all the way to the rear.

2. Amusing that this is related to the trigger being held back also. If the hammer is "catching" it is because you have released the trigger too soon...before the sear has cleared the end of the trigger. The "loud click" it the hammer releasing the trigger.

When you hold the hammer back and press the trigger, you need to hold the trigger back until the hammer has started forward on it's way down. You won't have this problem if you'd just shoot the gun in DA

 

[GLOOB]

Thanks for the clarification on the transfer bar. Or maybe in this revolver it is more properly called a hammer block? Revolver terminology eludes me, yet.

Re: hammer: Ahh, I finally figured it out why it seemed so variable. It only sticks if I release the trigger when the hammer is almost exactly halfway down. If the trigger is released either sooner or later, then it doesn't stick. Now that I see it's consistent, all is well with the world, again!

Thanks!

 

[gwnorth]

S&W uses a hammer block, not a transfer bar. Difference is when the device comes into play. A hammer block is in place when the hammer is down and at rest. It impedes the hammer from pushing forward enough for the firing pin to contact the primer. When the hammer is all the way back, the hammer block drops down out of the way so the hammer falls forward to it's full extent. It pushes back up to move the hammer back when the trigger is released and come forward.

A transfer bar, as in a Ruger, is normally down and not engaged when the hammer is at rest. The hammer has a relief cut into it so that when it is down resting against the frame, it cannot contact the firing pin. When the hammer is all the way back, the transfer bar is raised up into position, and the hammer falls on it, not the firing pin or the frame. By contacting the transfer bar, the blow is transferred to the firing pin. When the trigger returns forward, the transfer bar drops down out of the relief cut in the hammer, which in turn now rests solidly against the frame.

 

[MrBorland]

all is well with the world, again!

STOP! No it's not!

Others should chime in, but I think the trigger is getting jammed between the DA sear and the SA sear when you do this. Check out the revolver animation to see how this might happen. That "loud click" when the hammer's slightly pulled back is more like a "thunk' and doesn't sound good.

http://www.genitron.com/Basics/Revolver/P2Revolver.html

I suspect the trigger sear is getting wedged between the 2 sears in such a way that the trigger's sear surface is getting forcefully dragged across the back of the DA sear when the hammer's pulled back a bit, and that the thunk is a sign that something much too forceful is happening. The surface quality of any of the sears is important and delicate.

As far as decocking, you shouldn't have to very often, but when you do, don't keep the trigger fully back. The hammer block is designed to block ignition only if your finger's off the trigger. With the trigger pulled back, you risk a ND if your thumb slips off the trigger. Just hold the hammer back, immediately release the trigger fully, then lower the hammer fully.

If you find you need to decock with any frequency, I think it's time to reexamine whether the gun needed to be cocked in the first place.

 

[earlthegoat2]

Either way it is pretty common for a hammer to get "jammed" when decocking it and it is a simple matter of keeping your finger off the trigger and pulling the hammer back a little bit and then letting it down with the trigger already forward and the hammer block safely in place.

Assuming you are lowering the hammer on a live round that is. Which theoretically should never happen right. If you cock you just pull the trigger to decock it of course while aimed at a target. But things happen.

 

[GLOOB]

If you find you need to decock with any frequency, I think it's time to reexamine whether the gun needed to be cocked in the first place.

Well, probably barely more often than it's necessary to dry fire it. But all my new acquisitions get plenty of each, with the gun unloaded, of course.

After I get enough practice of safely decocking, I won't have to do this, again: Range last month, shooting a rented 686. I had already cocked the gun, but wanted to set it down. Hmmm... I'd never decocked it before. So I wisely decided to just fire off the shot.

I understand about the trigger safety. All my autos also have trigger safeties of some sort. I always lower the hammer with finger off the trigger! In fact, I always have my thumb physically between hammer and slide at any point I'm touching the trigger. I never rely on holding a hammer between thumb/forefinger (shudder), or just the cocking spur. The part that really bothered me at first with the revolver is I couldn't stick the tip of my thumb over the hammer, between hammer and "slide" while pulling the trigger, like I do with my autos. (Sharp FP!). But the hammer is surprisingly easy to manipulate with the spur, and there's just enough room to get my off thumb underneath there without getting poked.

I suspect the trigger sear is getting wedged between the 2 sears in such a way that the trigger's sear surface is getting forcefully dragged across the back of the DA sear when the hammer's pulled back a bit, and that the thunk is a sign that something much too forceful is happening.

Well, now that I've figured out how not to snag the hammer, hopefully this won't be an issue. But I don't fully understand that video. Do you think this is still a safety issue, as it is now? Is this NOT NORMAL for a 686, anyone else that has one?!

 

[MrBorland]

But I don't fully understand that video. Do you think this is still a safety issue, as it is now? Is this NOT NORMAL for a 686, anyone else that has one?!

There are 2 issues, IMO: One is the safety aspect of de-cocking. The other is potentially damaging the gun by doing in appropriately.