My 1917 and to a lesser degree my 3rd Model Hand Ejector have hammer springs that hit the top rear corner of the rebound slide. This is the 1917-



I've searched the forum for solutions, but about all I've seen is suggestions to bend the spring. I have the trigger pulls on both revolvers right where I want them, so I hate to mess with the springs.

Would it be completely taboo to either radius or slightly bevel the top rear corner of the slide? My untrained eye doesn't see any problems this would cause. I was looking at slides on Numrichs site and those represented in their photos all show a little radius.

Thanks in advance.

308S

I am no expert on the pre war action, but am I nuts or does it look like someone put a modern slide in that gun? It sure looks like it to me, but like I said I'm not really that familiar with the oldies

It probably looks modern because when I had the revolver disassembled I ran the slide a few strokes over some very fine wet/dry.

308S

Sorry! Yeah, I'm sure the shine is the main thing I noticed, hence my thinking that.

I have quite a few Rebound Slides, all used, old and older. Tomorrow I will check to see if I have any have noticeable radius. If I do, yours free for the asking.
Best I can do.
R

Sure, you can knock that corner off of the rebound slide without issue. Also looks like the hammer is binding on the mainspring when it's at full cock, where it hooks into the stirrup?? Are you using an aftermarket mainspring??

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Ret. LE, FA Instr, S&W Armorer

Is the mainspring strain screw all the way in or is unscrewed. If it is loose, not tight into the frame, it lengthens the spring and it will bind. It appears that this might be the case, the way the spring is almost straight.

To check this thought, I opened up my RM from 1935 and made a couple of discoveries. First is that the back of the rebound slide on the RM is a bit shorter and rounded. Second is that the mainspring at cock was about 1/8 from the hammer, where yours appears to be touching, or nearly so.
From that, it appears that your mainspring is too long, or that the mainspring strain screw is not screwed in tight.
If it is only binding on the rebound slide, rounding the upper part should take care of it.

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Richard Gillespie
FBINA 102

Very generous of you. I'm going to see what I can do with this one.

308S

Yep, I didn't notice that. That's the spring that came in the revolver. Looks like the hooks could use a little relieving. Thanks for pointing that out.

308S

I'm sure I tightened the strain screw, don't remember if I really cranked on it or not though.

308S

After examining a couple of my 1917s, I can see right off your spring is not the right one. The hooks are longer therefore go to far around the stirrup pin, and the spring is thicker where it contacts the rebound slide.

My rebound slides are 1.057" along the bottom edge, you might measure yours as well to compare. The corner is slightly rounded and looks like yours.

Showing proper hooks size and spring thickness:


Photo by M_conrad_0311


Photo by LLOYD17


However, since you like the tension and trigger pull just like it is, I'd grind down the hooks so they don't wrap around the stirrup pin more than 1/2 way and take the corner off of the rebound slide.

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Jim
S&WCA #819

J frame rebound slides have quite a bit of metal removed on the upper rear side.

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Charlie

Well...I spent a little time with the 1917 and got things straightened out.



Drawing the hammer back is much, much easier now and the DA trigger pull weight has been reduced dramatically.

Thanks for all the good advice fellas!


308S

Nice work! That action looks like it could use a drop of oil on the pivot and contact points.

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Jim
S&WCA #819