SAA Wolff Springs - lockup vs. trigger?

[ArmedBear]

I just dropped a set of Wolff springs in my Colt Clone, and it shoots a lot better. Trigger pull is lighter, release is cleaner, and I can shoot it without any of the slight pull to the left that I couldn't seem to get past with the factory springs.

I have a wire trigger spring.

The only problem is that the cylinder lockup just isn't as tight as it was with the factory spring, which of course made the trigger feel more like a pump lever.

I've read that you can tune the cylinder bolt so it sits deeper into the cylinder. How tough is this with just a file? Do I need to drive to dad's machine shop? Will it help, or is this just the downside of having lightened springs?

 

[Old Fuff]

Yes, you can adjust the cylinder bolt with a file, and no it isn't particularly difficult.

But you need to know what you're doing because making the adjustment may change how the bolt is timed.

The bolt acts like a lever, which pivots on a screw in the middle. In front of the ball (the part that sticks up through the frame and locks the cylinder) is a small ledge. If you file down the ledge the ball will lift higher, until it bottoms out in the cylinder's notch.

But at the same time the "lever" is pivoting down at the back as the front part goes up. If it goes too far it will no longer snap over the stud on the hammer that operated the bolt. Therefore you have to remove a little metal with a half-round file at the back so that the bolt will snap over the stud again. All of this may change the point where the bolt is dropped low enough to allow the cylinder to turn at half-cock for loading and unloading. It may also affect the point where the bolt pops up again to engage the next cylinder notch.

As you can see, this can get involved...

You might try the following first.

1. Taper the original spring's trigger limb so that it decreases pressure on the trigger, but don't try to bend it.

or

2. Bend the bolt side of the wire spring so that it increases tension on the bolt.