I'm planning to do a mild action job lite on my 625-3 in the next few days/weeks when I find the time. I purchased Jerry Miculek's video a few years ago and used it to do a couple guns before with pleasing results, so I have a decent grasp on the basics of smoothing the typical action.

The question revolves around the "double stage" catch at the end of this particular 625's stroke. The action is fairly smooth and this "double stage" stacking is fun to use at times at the range during slow deliberate fire. But like most, I'd prefer a seamless, smooth trigger throughout the entire stroke since the stacking does interfere with smooth rapid fire.

Can anyone describe what part of the action needs the most attention to eliminate this stacking? I know that I can figure it out one I have the gun opened up and play with it a bit, but it's been a while since I've done my last action job, so I thought I'd ask here so I'd have a better picture of what to address before I get started.

Thanks in advance.

I'm a beginner at the slickering up yerself too.

While I agree with the idea yer saying, and on such as Colts the stacking is distracting, I got a different take on the S&W DA 'stack'.

The properly set up revolvers I've got (a couple from the factory "Master Tune" deal) that DA stacking serves a way better purpose.

With a bit of practice, it becomes an immense help on the firing line during rapid fire, as well as slow fire DA stages.

My understanding is not good enough to discuss the mechanical details of what causes the '2nd stage' to occur. I've come to regard it as highly desirable.

If you get an answer please post it here as I'd like to know the answer as well.

Meantime, I've come to the point of gettin my DA stages in ICORE & Steel Challenge way faster and nearly as accurate, as the SA mode.

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Dum vivimus Vivamas

The stacking is the result of a "too thick" hand. After the cylinder locks, the stop drops into place, the hand has to slide by the ratchet. The thicker the hand, the earlier the cylinder locks up and the more drag (stacking) you feel. Conversly, with a thinner hand the cylinder will lock up later and stacking will lessen. When the hand/ratchets are just right the cylinder will lock up just as or before the hammer falls and you will have no stacking.

"Std" hands actually vary several thousandths in thickness. You need a verniered micrometer, access to a bunch of hands or a nice flat stone. Measure and install a thinner hand. Or thin your hand on a stone. Too thin a hand and the cylinder won't lock up when fired slow DA.

If you have access to several hands try a thinner one or thin yours .0005" at a time until the chamber with the LEAST stacking has little or none. Quit there and shoot the gun. Slightly too thick is better than slightly too thin and will wear in.

You can equalize the other chambers by filing the ratchets but that requires knowing which ratchet and which surface and has lots of opportunities to screw up.

Have fun.

Thanks tomcat! That answers my question. I don't have any hands on hand, so I might dress mine down just a bit and see what happens. I don't feel comfortable messin' with the ratchet but the rest of it sounds doable. Pretty much as I suspected really. I just need to open her up, do the other usual smoothing stuff and play with it until getting it acceptable. But your explanation is exactly what I needed as it helps me know where to be looking and what to be paying attention to as I go.

Ok, so I just checked it with the cylinder open and the cylinder latch held back with my off hand. And sure enough, the stacking disappeared! Good info! :-)

Hands: You don't have to thin the whole hand. Hold the hand "upside down" and it looks like a boot. The part that needs thinned is the "toe" of the boot. The part you see protruding thru the recoil shield when you have the cylinder open and hold the trigger back. Thin the side closest to the center pin. The "inside" not the "outside". You can feel a difference just removing .0005" when you get close to "just right". Good chance you'll need to remove less than .OO2". Go slowly, check frequently.

Thanks for the description. Last night, after reading your earlier post, I sat down and looked at the hand and ratchet in more detail. I've never really paid to much attention to them before since I was sorta afraid to touch this area for fear of screwing up the timing. Upon further investigation I can see that this gun is definitely carrying up and locking a little early, creating the two stage feel that I described. Can't really see these parts interacting due to the recoil shield, but upon further examination of the two individual parts, I thought I could visualize how they worked together. I was planning to post some labeled pictures tonight, and ask for further clarification, but your description is exactly what I had in my head after looking more closely and thinking about it. Between that and JM's video I think I can manage this now. I was thinking about ordering a new hand to modify so as to not mess with the original but Brownells is out of stock on the N frame hands at the moment. Hmmm... what to do?

Thanks again for the info!

Numrich has oversize hands--maybe get two & get some extra pins & springs. Your hand may work in another gun. Good luck

Ah ha! I didn't think about Numrich. Thanks for reminding me! Good idea, I'll put a short list together and order a few things.

DON'T get an oversize hand. That will just compound your problem. Get a std hand (or two or three). You may get lucky and get a thinner one that will drop in and work just fine. I've found approx a .003" variance in the thickness of std hands. Oversize hands are thicker still and can require opening up the hand window in the recoil shield. You really don't want to go there.

You're right, of course. A standard hand is what I need. I just did a new search on Brownells to show more results, and they do in fact have the standard N frame hands in stock for $15.99.

I hate ordering from Brownells though. Every time I do I end up spending a bunch of money. I hate paying the shipping on one little screw or something that I need, so I do a thorough inventory of things I may need for current or future upcoming projects, order a bunch of stuff, and then years later while digging around I'll run across all sorts of things that I forgot I even had, and say, "Oh yeah, I forgot I got this back when I was working on such and such".

But, yeah, I suppose I'll go ahead and order a couple of hands and a few other items. I'm planning to do the action job on my 625 when I get a chance over the next few weeks. I haven't had it long, but other than the action, it's quickly becoming my favorite firearm. So, I'm really looking forward to getting this gun shooting the way I want.