I've got several used S&W 3rd generation pistols I've recently purchased that have broken trigger play springs that I'd like to replace.

I haven't disassembled the frame yet on any of them to get the drawbar out but it has occurred to me that it might be easier, as the trigger play spring seems to break easily, to make a slight modification in the way the spring is attached to the drawbar.

Rather than use the normal small rivet, which requires disassembly of the frame to replace, I was considering tapping the hole in the drawbar where the rivet normally goes and replacing the rivet with a small hex head screw. I think a #1-72 screw might work okay based on simply eyeballing the hole in the drawbar (I've got a S&W 4006 CHP that doesn't have the trigger play spring at all so I can see the hole in the drawbar where the rivet would normally be).

Using a screw to hold the trigger play spring would certainly make it easier to replace the spring in the future if it breaks again as I think you would be able to easily remove the screw and spring and replace the spring without having to disassemble the pistol.

I'm not sure why S&W choose to use a rivet to start with but assume it was probably cheaper to use an aluminum rivet than to tap the drawbar for a screw and use a screw rather than a rivet.

Again, just casually eyeballing things, it appears there is sufficient clearance for the head of the screw and the screw can certainly be sized in length so as to not protrude from the bottom of the drawbar.

Has anyone ever tried a modification like this or know of any reason why it wouldn't work?

Thanks in advance.

bls

I would be concerned that the screw would back out and get widged in a place that would lock up the action or magazine. Yes, I know loctite or some other adhesive could be used, it just raises what ifs.

if this was a duty or CCW, that would be a no-no in my book.

I understand why you would want to do this, but broken springs (trigger play) are caused by someone tampering with it or it being snagged by a rag when cleaning the mag well from the top down.

yes, its not the best design, but your gun will work without it, just have to deal with the annoying click when you place the gun in SA mode.

if you never take your finger off the trigger when you shoot, you will never know its missing.

I am sure FB will have a much better answer than me.

my 2cents

Doesn't S&W consider a broken trigger play spring a warranty issue? I thought I'd read somewhere that someone with the same issue called Smith and they sent a shipping label, picking up shipping costs both ways.

I suppose if you want to do it yourself that's one thing but if you just want them fixed, let Smith take care of it.

Many blessings to you,
Scott

I believe S&W's warranty is only valid for the original purchaser which I'm not as these are LE tradein pistols. I could be wrong though.

However, even if S&W would cover the repair, I wouldn't feel right as I bought the pistols "as is" full well knowing there might be problems that need attention.

Not to mention, being somewhat mechanically inclined, it's become a bit of challenge. After all, if one can completely disassemble/reassemble a S&W revolver, how hard can a S&W pistol be?

bls

I understand what you're saying, I'm not mechanically inclined though so I prefer to have intricate surgeries like this done by those who know.

FWIW though, they designed these pistols with that part there. The breaking of that spring seems to be a recurring issue in many, many pistols therefore them picking up the tab is their penance for what would seem to be a design flaw.

How many pistols are you talking about just out of curiousity?

Catch you later,
Scott

The 4006 CHP has both the spring and the rivet completely missing and it's my understanding from Fastbolt that the CHP armorers removed them from the pistols. I plan to leave this one along as I'd like to retain it as it was used by the CHP.

The 4513TSW has both ears completely broken off the spring but the bottom part of the spring and the rivet are present. This may have a shortcut effort by an armorer (i.e., why disassemble the pistol and remove the spring when you can simply break the spring ears off?) or may have been broken by cleaning.

The 1076 has the left ear of the spring broken off and missing. This pistol has been shot a lot (there's a groove worn in the bottom of the barrel bushing from the barrel) so it's conceivable that it simply failed in use. I plan to send the slide from this pistol back to S&W to have the bushing replaced and replace the barrel as the original barrel is actually loose in the bushing when the slide is closed.

It's possible I'm overlooking another one but those are the ones that come to mind at the moment.

The 4513TSW is pretty easy to disassemble. The one that concerns me somewhat is the 1076 with the decocker lever as I've never had one of those apart. Unfortunately, the side plate pin that goes through the hammer, extractor, etc., unlike a non-decocker lever pistol, has a small circlip on the right side of the frame. It's one of those small ones that tend to go flying when removed, never to be seen again.

Thanks to Fastbolt's post (see "4506 Trigger Play Spring"), it appears that replacing the spring (even with the rivet) is a pretty easy fix.

I suspect (as others have suggested) that if I simply replace the spring using a rivet and am careful in cleaning (and I am...) that I'll never have to replace the spring again.

bls

If you are going to send the slide in for a bushing on the 1076 why not just send the gun in and let S&W replace the play spring. Then they can check out the whole gun out for you.

Hundreds of trigger play springs broke in FBI 1076s. It has nothing whatsoever to do with tampering or cleaning. S&W redesigned the spring by placing a bar that reached from ear to ear. All Performance Center 1076s delivered to the FBI in 1993 have the "beefed up" spring. If the spring is replaced by S&W now it would no doubt use the redesigned version. Very interesting post on CHP simply removing the spring entirely that on its pistols. I would like to learn more about that.