I called S&W about their Master Revolver Action Package for my Smith 986. They said it could be about 4-5 months to get the work done because they are so backed up. Can anyone recommend a good gunsmith in New England? I did try a reduced main spring and it definitely lightened the trigger however I had many light primer strikes in DA. Too many to keep it installed so I changed it back to the factory spring. No more light primer strikes but the trigger pull is awful. Any thoughts? Thanks.
Revolver Action Job
- Thread starter 357mag357
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shootstraight57
Member
Have you tried Power Customs?
Jim Watson
Member
I haven't dealt with a gunsmith on a revolver in some time and I don't know the current crop.
BUT: Why New England? Do you plan on hand carrying your gun to the shop?
If not, send it to somebody with good reviews and bite the bullet on Fedup.
BUT: Why New England? Do you plan on hand carrying your gun to the shop?
If not, send it to somebody with good reviews and bite the bullet on Fedup.
Sistema1927
Member
Try about 500 dry fires first.
Ohen Cepel
Member
Last one I shipped was $100 so I like to stay local when I can.
There is a fair amount you can do to a S&W if you don't mind taking the time to do it. Several good vids to walk you through the work. Some time and about $10 in parts (if you have the other needed items on hand which aren't too special). I do most of my own trigger work now due to the shipping cost and that I can do it (and I'm not real skilled).
There is a fair amount you can do to a S&W if you don't mind taking the time to do it. Several good vids to walk you through the work. Some time and about $10 in parts (if you have the other needed items on hand which aren't too special). I do most of my own trigger work now due to the shipping cost and that I can do it (and I'm not real skilled).
sparkyv
Member
My SW revolvers all have excellent triggers OOB. What kind of trigger pull are you guys going for? Is it improved DA or SA or both?
I agree with Sistema1927 regarding dry firing.
I agree with Sistema1927 regarding dry firing.
The last couple of S&W revolvers I picked up had DA pulls in the 12lb range. I would expect a tuned DA to be closer to 7lbs; I don't really care if it has a SA capability or not
A used 686 I picked up a while back had had well over 500 DA trigger pulls before it reached me. It was a bit smoother, but still heavy. When pulling the trigger slowly I could still feel the grit as the cylinder turned. When it was out at the shop being tuned, I got a call from the pistolsmith who told me that they found burrs and machining marks between the crane and the cylinder when they were tuning the rotating parts
Driftwood Johnson
Member
Howdy
No matter what you do, you will tend to have more light primer strikes in double action than single action. This is because the hammer gets pulled back a tiny bit further in single action than in double action, compressing the hammer spring a tiny bit more. The double action sear releases the hammer a tad before the hammer goes back as far as it does in single action. So if you tune the hammer spring so it just barely fires all primers in single action mode, you will have failures to fire in double action. That is the nature of the beast and there is nothing anybody, even the best smith, can do about it.
Many years ago S&W revolvers went to full cock with the hammer much further back than when it was released in double action. They realized that since there was enough compression of the hammer spring in double action to fire a primer, there was no reason to compress the spring so much more in single action. That was the birth of the 'short throw', which is the way all S&W revolvers are made today.
Notice in this photo how much further back the hammer is at full cock in the 38 M&P Target Model from about 1917 than the hammer on the Model 14-3 from 1974.
No matter what you do, you will tend to have more light primer strikes in double action than single action. This is because the hammer gets pulled back a tiny bit further in single action than in double action, compressing the hammer spring a tiny bit more. The double action sear releases the hammer a tad before the hammer goes back as far as it does in single action. So if you tune the hammer spring so it just barely fires all primers in single action mode, you will have failures to fire in double action. That is the nature of the beast and there is nothing anybody, even the best smith, can do about it.
Many years ago S&W revolvers went to full cock with the hammer much further back than when it was released in double action. They realized that since there was enough compression of the hammer spring in double action to fire a primer, there was no reason to compress the spring so much more in single action. That was the birth of the 'short throw', which is the way all S&W revolvers are made today.
Notice in this photo how much further back the hammer is at full cock in the 38 M&P Target Model from about 1917 than the hammer on the Model 14-3 from 1974.
Anchorite
Member
Check out Karl Sokol, Chestnut Mountain Sports. Google him. He’s in your neck of the woods. Outstanding reputation and all around good Dude.
wagonburner
member
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Do it yourself.
Hop on Youtube and look at some of the videos. You will need a stoning fixture to tune single action weight, but you can stone the trigger and other lock work components by hand which will improve the double action feel and feedback. You can also go down a little on the trigger return spring weight. I normally go down to 13 - 14 lb.
Hop on Youtube and look at some of the videos. You will need a stoning fixture to tune single action weight, but you can stone the trigger and other lock work components by hand which will improve the double action feel and feedback. You can also go down a little on the trigger return spring weight. I normally go down to 13 - 14 lb.
I have 4500 factor rounds fired from my 986. Most of it was in DA. SA trigger pull isn't that bad. In DA its pretty smooth just way to heavy, if I had to guess I would say around 15#. If i could get it down to around 10# I would be happy as long as it will fire consistently.
Polish the rebound slide & the frame where it rides. Install a 15# rebound slide spring. In my experience that will knock about a pound and a half off the trigger pull weight in D/A. Through reduced friction the 15# spring can do the work of the 18# factory spring it replaced, and the action will be much smoother. Check this to identify run marks on side plate
slickracer
Member
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- Jan 4, 2013
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- 254
Instead of a reduced power spring, you could try a Wolff standard power mainspring.
With round butt guns, the stock S&W strain screw will not usually be long enough with either Wolff spring. The top of the screw goes into the groove side of the rib, right in the groove, which means it needs to be a bit longer. There is no problem like this with square butt guns. Some replace the strain screw in their round butt model with one for a square butt as they are longer. I used an alien head set screw with a nylon locking patch in place of strain screw. You can turn screw in if getting light strikes or out to reduce trigger pull until you get light strikes
I put a Wolff Full power in my 617. Polished the rebound slide & frame and put in a 15# rebound spring. Went from 11.3# down to 9.8 and man does it feel great. Really smooth and consistent trigger pull. Have only tried 2 kinds of 22 ammo in it but ran 140 rounds with no light strikes.
Bought a model 15-3 a couple years ago. Its always shot well. Decided to look inside last week. Found significant rub marks on the sideplate and also the someone had cut off a coil of rebound spring. Here you can see sideplate rub from hand
and here is the rub mark on the hand
I stoned the rebound slide & frame where it rides, stoned sideplate where rubs are and cleaned things up here and there. Replaced the cut rebound spring with a 16# and found trigger pull went from 10.5 down to 9.75#. Left stock mainspring in
and here is the rub mark on the hand
I stoned the rebound slide & frame where it rides, stoned sideplate where rubs are and cleaned things up here and there. Replaced the cut rebound spring with a 16# and found trigger pull went from 10.5 down to 9.75#. Left stock mainspring in
Jonesy814
Did you consider putting a trigger shim or 2 in there? On my 10-7 it was actually on the way back that the hammer was leaning a little and contacting the side of the frame/side plate. A couple little shims and it no longer rubs. Working double action slowly and really watching the hammer it really just had a spot where it moved a lot toward the direction of the side plate and would rub.
Did you consider putting a trigger shim or 2 in there? On my 10-7 it was actually on the way back that the hammer was leaning a little and contacting the side of the frame/side plate. A couple little shims and it no longer rubs. Working double action slowly and really watching the hammer it really just had a spot where it moved a lot toward the direction of the side plate and would rub.
Had not thought of that but will check the gun out.
I actually have a nickel, 10-7 snubby that I haven't gotten to yet that has a gritty trigger pull. You can feel that the trigger or rebound slide are definitely dragging on something.
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