Here's the problem:

686+ (dash 3) with very little use, essentially new.

Lockup, timing, and SA trigger pull are absolutely perfect. Cylinder turns freely.

The DA trigger pull is smooth up until about the time the cylinder locks. But then (as the hammer continues back, up until it releases) the trigger pull becomes substantially heavier. If I'm careful with the trigger, I can definitely feel the point where it gets heavy, and it almost feels like something is binding up. The pull remains heavy until hammer drop.

In additon, some cylinders seem to do it worse than others, which leads me to think it's something to do with the hand or ratchets.

Tore it down completely. Found a little roughness inside the frame window, where I thought the hand might be rubbing. I carefully smoothed that roughness out with a file, but no change.

I also very lightly touched up some rough edges on some of the ratchets, but again no change.

No other burrs or roughness, everything inside is clean and oiled.

Is this maybe a characteristic of the 686+? My 29 and 696 certainly don't do this. Or could something need adjustment?

Have you tried dryfiring your gun with the cylinder swung open, and holding the cylinder release to the rear?

If the trigger is OK this way, then the problem is with your ratchets. They need a little filing.

Here is a recent tread. Good luck.

Hand binding on ratchet (Mod 617)

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Floating hands used in some 686s have a hump on them that cams up at the last bit of travel..
Have a look at this pic..
Could be what your feeling in the trigger..
Gary/Hk


500 Magnum Nut, We need to have this old pic I got from you put in the FAQs

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MightShowYouHisSmith&Wesson

HeadKnocker Merry xmas to you and yours! Don't worry about my pic, I borrowed that from somebody else...
ps merry xmas to hoppes-no9 also!

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I Love the smell of Hoppes #9
If they made a purfume for Men that smelled like it, It would sell..
I Gaurentee it!!
Merry Christmas Everyone
Don't Forget It's "REAL" Meaning
Santa Clause & Elfs Aren't Talked about in the Bible
Remember the "Masters" Birthday

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MightShowYouHisSmith&Wesson

My ignorant guess is that 500 Magnut has nailed it. However, before doing anything drastic, I would first recommend lubing everything in the lockwork that moves, VERY SPARINGLY, with RIG +P Stainless Steel Lube. A distant second choice might be Brownell's Action Magic. Don't use these on the cylinder or yoke, of course. Anyway, you're surely not having trouble there. [If so, clean and lightly oil.] Be sure to get the hand.

I had a significant glitch (elsewhere in the DA cycle) in a 25-2 that existed after a trip to a pretty good gunsmith who had left the gun lubed with Ed's Red. I cleaned the gun of all that lube, which is generally a good one, and lubed high-pressure points (hand, sears, rebound slide, hammer pin and such) with RIG +P. Other spots I used some decent gun oil, perhaps even Ed's Red. The glitch disappeared.

That's my story. Good luck!

I've seen what you describe when you run into a hand that's slightly long. My solution has usually been to make sure the gun is clean and properly lubed and shoot it as it usually works itself out. Occasionally the hand will be long enough that you cannot fire the gun and then it needs to be fitted. Although this usually happens when the hand has been replaced it does happen once in a while on a factory new revolver.

My solution [after you have done all you stated] is to dry fire the gun a couple of thousand times--using a set of high quality snap caps.

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