First I want to say hello. I've been a lurker on this board for awhile. Lot's of great information here.

Well now, on to my problem. I have a 686-6 that I recently purchased. Last knight I dis-assembled the entire gun. I've firgured out how to put everything back, except for the torsion hand spring. I just cannot figure out how it goes back in.

If anyone has some pictures or can describe it, I would be mighty thankfull.

First I want to say hello. I've been a lurker on this board for awhile. Lot's of great information here.

Well now, on to my problem. I have a 686-6 that I recently purchased. Last knight I dis-assembled the entire gun. I've firgured out how to put everything back, except for the torsion hand spring. I just cannot figure out how it goes back in.

If anyone has some pictures or can describe it, I would be mighty thankfull.

The short end of the spring goes into a small hole in the hollow rear of the trigger, hard to see it without a light. I usually clamp the trigger at an angle in a padded vise so I can look into the rear then use a bright light to find my way and insert the short end of the spring by holding the long end with a pair of needle nose pliers. Neat set up once you do it for the first time. To inset the hand once the spring is in place you can push the long(free arm) end of the spring toward the top of the trigger, slip the hand into place then gently release the spring arm. You're good to go!

Thanks Wayne! I also just ordered Jerry's book "The S&W Revolver: A Shop Manual". I like to know how my guns work, so any gun I buy, I always dis-assemble to bare bones. I think it's a great learning experience. I usually don't have any problems getting them back together...usually!

I'll give it a try, thanks again!

By the way MtnRock, if you are going to take apart the guns with the tortion spring like yours very often it pays to have spares on hand. No matter how careful you are, sooner or later.....! They're cheap, buy several. Midway is about as good a place as any to get them as long as you get above the minimum order.

THANK YOU WAYNE!! I used a flashlight and looked at it, and suddenly it all made sense. I got it back together pretty quick after that. Thanks again.

Next time I order from Midway, I will be sure to order some extra springs. I plan on ordering a bunch of spare parts anyway.

Well I've run into another problem. So I wanted to start a separate reply.

I got all the internals back together. Only thing not on is the side plate and the Hogue grip. Function is 100%. It cycles perfectly in both single and double-action.

Here's my newest problem, when I installed the side plate and screw in the middle plate screw, everything binds up. If I just put on the side plate, but no screws, everything works fine. I can screw in the left and right side plate screws and everything workes fine. As soon as I screw in the middle side plate screw, everything binds up. When it binds, it's very difficult to pull the hammer back. And when I pull the trigger, the hammer stops halfway, I have to push it the rest of the way down.

I'm scratching my head on this one. Any help would be greatly appreciated. It's most likely something simple, It was pretty late last night when I was working on it.

MtnRock,

Is the hammer block in correct place? This is the loose part that you would install last, before the sideplate goes on.

Hope this helps
chris

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Retired LEO, FI, S&W Armorer

Gotta think about this one for awhile but revolverman may have something. Remove your sideplate and take the hammer block competely out then put the sideplate back on. Tighten the screws until they're snug, not tight, then try the action. If everything works your hammer block was indeed out of place in your original reassemble. Remove sideplate, replace hammer block. While you're at it make sure the internal parts are seated flush against the interior of the frame, try again. Let us know!

Well, thanks for everyone's help. I finally got it fixed last night.

Even with the hammer block removed, it would still bind up when I screwed down the side plate. So I just started fresh. I removed all the internals again and re-installed making sure everything was seated flush. Got everything installed and screwed down the side plate. Everything worked perfectly.

Checked both single and double action, and the timing.

So it was a good learning experience. Thanks again for everyone's help.

I have a hunch something was under the rebound slide, That is directly behind the middle screw, and could cause it to lock up when the side plate was tightened up.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

I don't own anything this new but if you put the front side plate screw, the one hand fitted for the yoke retention it may in fct be too long in the middle position.

The two screws that look identical, rounded heads, are not identical and can't be swapped if it's like any S&W revolver I own.

Just a thought.

If you own a lot of S&W revolvers or take a bunch apart you will want a few things.

I'm sure there is a special tool for depressing the hammer torsion spring. On the other hand I used a 2" piece of hardwood dowell and rounded off the edgeds. I then ran a drill bit that just fits inside the hammer into the dowell and left tabout 1" exposed. It catches the spring every time and is just tight enough it can't slip past as you push it forward to install the hand.

I also drilled a small piece of hardwood that has 5 little holes drilled in it for the side plate and trigger gaurd screws of a 5 screw S&W. Work for them all of course and you can reinstall the screws in the correct holes.

Like she said, length matters.

RWT

Wickahoney: the yoke retention screws on the -3 and newer 686's are a larger diameter and spring loaded plunger style. You can't mix them up. Great set up!

Wayne: Thanks. Finally a reason/excuse to buy something!!! ;-)

RWT

I told you, I'm old and so are my S&Ws.

Hey thanks for the posters in this thread. I mistakenly had the hand spring pop out as well. I almost lost it too. Got it in after reading this thread!

Got myself into the same pickel a moment ago...the dvd from Jerry really can cause a few headaches...and my tiny spring came out...for twenty minutes I could not get it together and finally did a search on google and found this post...took 10 seconds once I realized yes their was a tiny grove that the base of the small end of the spring rests in....

I had the same problem, didn't know how to put it back in, Once I figured out the correct orientation:
- I used a small forcep to put the spring in place, small end of spring goes to
trigger, long end goes away from trigger, "hump" of spring facing up.

- I then inserted the Hand just enough so that it was held in place but not
as to impeded putting tension on the spring.

- I then used my trusty Glock Tool to slide/ put tension on the spring. i.e.
I moved the spring (long end) up.

- Once the spring was up or under tension enough, I push the Hand all the way back in...easy peezy
Do it once and you realize..man that was a cinch...

*This was done in a vice with pieces of paint stirrer on each side of trigger so as to not burr it up. Don't really need to crank down on the vice torque, just enough to hold it in place.

Hope it helps others in the future.

Thank you! I had the same problem and after reading your post I was able to get mine back together.

This helped me.

Attached Images

hand spring.jpg (3.4 KB, 127 views)

I had read it recommended to use the largest size Allen wrench that will fit to push the spring into place.