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12-25-2011, 07:34 PM
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US Veteran
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Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: CO
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Apex Tactical J-frame Drop in kit??
Have any of you members with J-frames tried the Apex Tactical Specialties J-frame drop in trigger pull kit? It is susposto take the double action pull from 12 to 9 pounds. I have a very nice, accurate 442-2 that sure could use some help in the trigger pull department, smooth, but very heavy. This kit also includes a new fireing pin and i'm not sure exactly why as mine sets off all ammo used in it very well. Normally carried with Speer GD 135 +P Short Barrel .38 Special ammo. Any comments on this kit, pros or cons, would be appreciated! Thanks much for your time. Jim.
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12-25-2011, 07:39 PM
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Model 38 Bodyguard
I installed it in my model 38 flatlatch. Outstanding improvement in trigger pull, both smoothness & weight of pull.
Ned
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12-25-2011, 08:33 PM
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Apex is ok. Wilson combat is better.
I have a well broken in 442 with an action enhancement done by S&W. Took a chance and subsequently for $25 dropped in the Apex kit. No real noticeable improvement. Trigger pull is 9.65 as measured by my Lyman trigger pull gauge. ( I think apex is stretching it a bit when they say you'll get down to 9 lbs..). Picked up a 340pd tuned by Tom Kilhoffer at TK custom. Decided this time to try the Wilson combat kit from Midway. I used the 8 lb hammer and 13 lb rebound spring and even went so far as to put in a new extended firing pin from Apex. Gun has 115 live rounds fired. Only about 10 were 357. Also have dry fired over 1000x. The trigger pull on the 340pd is 9.13 lbs.. I'd recommend the Wilson combat over the Apex.
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12-25-2011, 08:51 PM
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I put the Apex kit into my 640-1. The new mainspring produced a nicely reduced trigger pull. The new firing pin and spring seem OK, but I'm not quite sure what they add to the mix.
I didn't like the new rebound spring as it gave a mushy feel to the trigger return and reset, so I put the factory spring back in. All in all, I'm happy with the kit.
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12-25-2011, 08:58 PM
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I prefer the Wilson kit as well.
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12-25-2011, 10:13 PM
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I prefer snap caps.
They give my trigger finger an action job.
Changing the internals also voids Smith's lifetime warranty.
You also give the attorney for the person you shoot a reason to paint you
in a bad light. "He wasn't satisfied with just a gun...
he made it...(fill in the blanks). And the attorney will.
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12-25-2011, 10:21 PM
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I keep hearing about working on guns and reloads, but have yet to see it brought up in court!!!
---
I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=37.346656,-77.514705
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12-26-2011, 01:20 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by coach22
I prefer snap caps.
They give my trigger finger an action job.
Changing the internals also voids Smith's lifetime warranty.
You also give the attorney for the person you shoot a reason to paint you
in a bad light. "He wasn't satisfied with just a gun...
he made it...(fill in the blanks). And the attorney will.
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I can't speak to the attorney stuff, but my experience with the S&W warranty is to the contrary. I had some trouble with a revolver that I bought used. When I returned it to Springfield for warranty work, they told me that someone had changed out the springs, which, I imagine was true. They then fixed the gun and changed the springs back to factory springs. No one ever suggested that the warranty had been voided by the presence of the non-factory springs.
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12-26-2011, 01:36 AM
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Thanks for the informative replys guys! All good ideas to consider. Still not sure what the extended fireing pin is for as I mentioned i'm getting good fireing pin strikes on the factory Speer ammo I keep in it. Thanks, Jim.
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12-26-2011, 01:42 AM
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The Apex kit does make a noticeable difference. I have a 442 with the main spring and rebound spring and no failures to fire after many hundreds of rounds. I didn't change the firing pin or firing pin spring.
If you gun has been worked on by a good gunsmith, you shouldn't need to change the springs.
Regarding prosecuting attorneys and plaintiff's attorneys, it is their job to make you look like a foaming at the mouth, stone cold killer no matter what gun you use. If you're not expecting and prepared for that, then leave your gun at home!
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12-26-2011, 06:27 AM
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Quote:
Regarding prosecuting attorneys and plaintiff's attorneys, it is their job to make you look like a foaming at the mouth, stone cold killer no matter what gun you use. If you're not expecting and prepared for that, then leave your gun at home!
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That may be the case in a civil action. As far as prosecutors go, that certainly isn't the case. Prosecutors work for the government on behalf of the people. You only see prosecutors percecuting folks on quibbling gun issues if they have an antigun agenda or they're looking for budgetary publicity. Why should I be paying taxes for the salary of some dipstick prosecutor only to have him persecute me over the mods I made to my gun becasue of arthritis. In a civil action there doesn't need be any common sense. In a criminal action there better dam well be.
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12-26-2011, 10:50 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tyrod
That may be the case in a civil action. As far as prosecutors go, that certainly isn't the case. Prosecutors work for the government on behalf of the people. You only see prosecutors percecuting folks on quibbling gun issues if they have an antigun agenda or they're looking for budgetary publicity. Why should I be paying taxes for the salary of some dipstick prosecutor only to have him persecute me over the mods I made to my gun becasue of arthritis. In a civil action there doesn't need be any common sense. In a criminal action there better dam well be.
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District Attorneys are politicians in Texas. They ALL have an agenda. Get re-elected by winning cases! If you find yourself in a shooting trial in Texas, you can bet your bottom dollar the DA is not there to be your friend. He WILL do everything he can do to convict you.
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12-26-2011, 01:08 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jeffrey
I put the Apex kit into my 640-1. The new mainspring produced a nicely reduced trigger pull. The new firing pin and spring seem OK, but I'm not quite sure what they add to the mix.
I didn't like the new rebound spring as it gave a mushy feel to the trigger return and reset, so I put the factory spring back in. All in all, I'm happy with the kit.
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+1 - this is how I set it up as well.
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12-26-2011, 05:09 PM
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installed the full kit in a 642 last week...awesome. Trigger kit, CT grips and WCs = one very accurate self-defense snubby.
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12-26-2011, 05:19 PM
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Also installed an Apex kit about 6 months ago and I see no downside to it.
Keep your factory parts in case it ever returns to the factory.
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12-26-2011, 05:23 PM
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I don't see the point of putting either kit in a J-Frame that has already had an action job. I put the Apex kit in an unmodified 442 and it made a big, positive difference. I don't have any way to measure the trigger pull but it's obviously lighter (but not too light) afterward. I used all the Apex parts and polished the rebound slide as described in Apex's video on YouTube.
The Apex firing pin is to ensure reliable ignition. It may or may not be slightly longer than the factory firing pin. If your factory firing pin is the same length as the Apex firing pin it's unlikely the Apex firing pin will make any difference.
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12-26-2011, 07:21 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cyberiad
I don't see the point of putting either kit in a J-Frame that has already had an action job. I put the Apex kit in an unmodified 442 and it made a big, positive difference. I don't have any way to measure the trigger pull but it's obviously lighter (but not too light) afterward. I used all the Apex parts and polished the rebound slide as described in Apex's video on YouTube.
The Apex firing pin is to ensure reliable ignition. It may or may not be slightly longer than the factory firing pin. If your factory firing pin is the same length as the Apex firing pin it's unlikely the Apex firing pin will make any difference.
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Depending on what was done in the action job, the addition of these kits may or may not help alot, I suppose. I do know that on my 442, S&W didn't replace any springs and just cleaned up and polished the action and now, with the Apex parts, it's 9.65 lbs.. I also know that on my 340pd the action job only involved polishing plus replacing the rebound spring which resulted in a 10.14 lb pull. After I installed the 8 lb hammer and 13 lb Wilson springs, it came down to 9.13 lbs..
I believe Apex says unaltered, the J frames are about 12 lbs..
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12-28-2011, 01:52 PM
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Thanks for all your replys guys. All are very informative and well worth considering.My 442-2 is stock. Jim.
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08-06-2016, 12:19 PM
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re APEX J frame kit on a 642 pro
Having just ordered/waiting for delivery of the 642, I am reading lots re installing this Apex kit. My question is, how involved is it to do as a newby? This will be my first wheelie, so dont know too much re it yet
BTW, I did research the Wilson combat at brownell's which wants to charge just about the same price for shipping, as the item itself
Last edited by vireya; 08-06-2016 at 03:27 PM.
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08-07-2016, 02:50 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by vireya
Having just ordered/waiting for delivery of the 642, I am reading lots re installing this Apex kit. My question is, how involved is it to do as a newby? This will be my first wheelie, so dont know too much re it yet
BTW, I did research the Wilson combat at brownell's which wants to charge just about the same price for shipping, as the item itself
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Welcome to the Neighborhood!
It's not very hard if you follow the Apex videos, and will make a world of difference in my opinion.
I just put the same spring kit in my Model 60-15 Pro Series last week and wish I had done it sooner!
My advice would be to get a clear plastic bag and do all the spring work inside the bag. The toughest part for me was reinstalling the rebound slide. But, once I figured out how it wasn't bad. Hope this helps!
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08-07-2016, 03:11 PM
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Put the apex kit in both of my 642 well worth it . Just follow the YouTube vedio link they give you easy todo and made a big difference. Also I polished the sides of the rebound slide and areas of the frame that it rode in used very fine stone and 1500 grit paper . You are only polishing the sides and not the engagement surfaces so you should not have any problems .After the install and polish job used snap caps and 1000 pulls of trigger really improved the triger
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08-07-2016, 04:42 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by .45mtngun
Thanks for the informative replys guys! All good ideas to consider. Still not sure what the extended fireing pin is for as I mentioned i'm getting good fireing pin strikes on the factory Speer ammo I keep in it. Thanks, Jim.
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Your getting good strikes with the gun in factory condition. That it's immaterial with regard to the Apex kit, as the Apex kit changes more than just the firing pin.
I presume the extended kit is to ensure primer ignition with a reduced energy strike.
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08-08-2016, 09:43 AM
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thanks for the replies
I think maybe I shud use a smith to do it as Im no good with things like using sandpaper or stones to smooth things out
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