Hello. I have a Model 18-4 that works great in single action, but has a failure to fire 2 out of 6 times in double action. Can someone recommend a good S&W gunsmith in the King County area?

Is the strain screw tightened all the way in?

So funny story. I actually had to back it out a little bit since my grip screw was hitting the mainspring...I got ya. Let me tweak with it some more. Thanks for the advice!

Just curious here, which grips do you have on your 18? If magnas, are they numbered to the gun?

My bet its the screw, but if not seek out Fred- good guy to work with. He's shown me his revolver work & its super.

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Good luck

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Guns + Dogs= Bliss

I have had good luck with Jim at West Coast Armory in Bellevue/Factoria area, if that is closer to you then Fred who is mentioned above

Thanks all. It was the screw. I was able to get the grip screw to clear the mainspring but they are rubbing a little. No more misfires through. The magnas are not numbered to the gun (eBay). Is this normal or should I be looking for another pair of grips?

I wonder if someone has tweaked the mainspring, maybe trying for a better DA pull? S&W cuts it close sometimes but the stock unaltered spring shouldn't interfere with the grip screw.

It's highly unlikely that the mainspring has been tweaked with as the gun belonged to my mom and dad. Here are some pictures of what I'm experiencing. As you can see the screw clears the mainspring, but it's so close that it's rubbed off some of the finish.

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k3...d/IMG_0977.jpg
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k3...d/IMG_0976.jpg

Hi Harold,

Here is a picture of my 18. It looks like your mainspring is bowed quite a bit more than mine. Almost as if the mainspring screw was too long. I'm not sure what to make of it.

Also, as you can see in the photo, I was advised to put a piece of .22 casing over the screw as a remedy. I can't even remember who told me to do that. Maybe it was here at the forum. Anyway, it helped considerably with mine, but that would just make your problem worse. I'd be interested to see the gun with the sideplate off.

Attached Images

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Thanks for the picture Race.

I think you're right. I think the screw is a little on the long side. I'll take it to the range and see if I can back out the screw until it can't reliably ignite in DA. Then shorten the screw so I can bottom it out.

If I mess it up, I'll just have to get a new screw right?

Yep. However, if it is igniting reliably as is, and you are happy with the pull of the double action trigger, I'd just look for a different set of grips before I shortened the screw. Of course, I've never been a fan of magnas, so YMMV.

Hello Harold;

I’ve been shooting my various K frame .22s a few times a week all DA for many years. The design doesn’t have any extra oomph in the ignition system. I strongly advise not shortening the strain screw. Even if you want to fool with backing it out and keeping track of misfire frequency, there’s no reason to shorten it. The spring pressure on the strain screw acts as a lock washer. With any main spring that’s usable for DA the screw won’t move on its own.

For what ever reason your combination of main spring and stocks [please, not “grips”] isn’t workable. My guess is your main spring was bent to produce a lighter trigger pull. I once let a gunsmith bend the top portion of a K 22 mainspring to improve the trigger pull. It worked, but only for SA. That main spring is in my parts box awaiting trial in a center fire where it will likely give reliable DA. I installed a stock main spring making my .22 reliable again. I’ll bet a nickel spending $10 for a fresh factory main spring and turning the strain screw all the way in will solve all your problems.

Well almost all of them. To shoot as accurately DA as you do SA you’ll still have to practice, practice, practice….

Thank you very much for all your input and assistance. If the main spring is only $10, I'll order one up right now!

Thanks for the correction regarding the terminology of stocks. I'm sure it's as painful as when I hear people refer to magazines as clips. Have a great weekend!

My gun ignited rounds with about 90% reliability with the screw backed-out a bit, and after sending it to Smith for the Master Action Job, it now lights 90% with the screw turned all the way in.

If you live near Kent WA give me a PM, I can recommend someone.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

Jim at West Coast Armory (Bellevue) is no longer there. John, his apprentice, is there but I know their services are now limited.

Definitely do not shorten the screw. You will be buying a new one if you do!

Well I got a new mainspring and the channel in between the forks that hook onto the hammer is too shallow (I hope that makes sense). Did I get the wrong mainspring? I think this might need to go to a professional. Any good gunsmith recommendations in the King County area?

I'll drop by West Coast Armory since that's where I go shoot, but the smith is only there during the weekdays.

H Richard. I'm sending you a PM.

I’ve never heard of this. I think you got the wrong part. What supplier did you buy from and what label was on the packaging?

Got it from a gun show.

That figures. Depending on how critical a shopper you are, you have to only buy stuff at gun shows that’s inexpensive enough that you can throw out approximately a ¼ of it and still not be unhappy. You can expect one or more of the forums gun show business men to dispute that. In time you’ll learn who they are.

It could be you bought an after market wonder spring that could be filed to fit.

I’ll stick with my original suggestion: buy a new factory spring. Since it won’t increase the shipping I’d spend another couple of bucks and get a new strain screw. If it isn’t needed it can be the start of your kit of basic S&W parts.

Brownell’s can be counted on to deliver factory parts in unopened S&W packages. I’m usually able to get in on a group buy at the local range to defray shipping costs.

Brownell's has a new practice if you sign up for it: no shipping costs for a small part(s).

Since you now have the spring from the gunshow, I'd make the slot between the hooks deep enough with a dremel tool using a cut off disk. So easy to do, it's worth a try before spending more money.

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Jim
S&WCA #819