Problem with 686

[wolverine]

Morning jwolford;

I just worked on a newer S&W 686 a couple of weeks go for about the same problem.

The owner did his own trigger job (lighter trigger return spring & backing the main spring screw off).

What I found was with the mainspring screw backed off that had allowed the spring to have less curve.

With less curve it was longer so bound up at double action full trigger pull.

If your gun is working OK now then suspect the main spring screw back-off could have been the issue. (personally I like to re-curve the mainspring to lower tension rather than back the tension screw out). The most I will (personally) back out a tension screw is .012".

If it only acts up with rounds in the chambers then make sure your ammo is not causing the bind-up as possibly the rims (or a high primer) are contacting the recoil shield. (try different ammo)

 

[old&slow]

Many years ago, I took my 100 % reliable Colt Woodsman Match Target to a recommended local gunsmith. Several weeks later I got back my 75% reliable Woodsman with a somewhat lighter trigger.
There are good gunsmiths out there. And then there are shade tree mechanics. I never went back to that local shade tree mechanic again..
Sorry to hear about your problems with your 686. The good part is , parts are fairly easy to replace, by some one that knows what they are doing, to correct the problem..

 

[jwolford]

Please tell us what the 'dash' number is after the model number.

It's a dash 6.

 

[jwolford]

Is it possible the gunsmith took the side plate off, put the wrong plate screw back where the yoke retention screw should go? It's a common mistake.

Regarding my M686 that had the locking bolt cease up. It was working fine until I lubricated it. Shot a little CLP into the weep hole, then problems. Probably some little bur that broke loose, left over from when it was new.

It's possible. I didn't watch him work except when he was returning it to stock. He definitely had the side plate off. Oiled it up pretty heavily since he believed it felt "dry" when he was working it.

 

[Ahab]

My 686 came with an excellent trigger. I didn't know S&W let bad ones out the door.

 

[spdguns]

You rite. I did jump the gun. He did my 4" 686 and it's working great. Since the problem still exists, I feel comfortable sending it to S&W. Just concerned that he didn't follow standard protocol re the mainspring screw.

And you should be...

 

[kaaskop49]

There are smiths, and there are smiths. Once bought a Python from another officer that had been worked on. Nice, too-light DA, but no SA. When trying to fire SA, the hammer would catch on the trigger and return to the rest position...

Took it to my smith who had learned from Don Tedford at Colt. He said he could bring it back to factory standard. He did so, and the gun was perfect. That was a gunsmith.

Perhaps I should not have handled so many 100s of box-stock service revolvers, but I believe much custom work "fixes" what isn't broken.

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103

 

[Nightowl]

Another thing, a Smith does not need an oil bath. Just a few drops in the right places will be adequate for a long time.

 

[rwsmith]

I don't want a trigger job....

My 686 came with an excellent trigger. I didn't know S&W let bad ones out the door.

I'm afraid that if i got a trigger job on my 686 no dash it would mess it up.

 

[chief38]

Just for future reference, before working a trigger or anything else on a gun, it might be an good idea to shoot a few hundred rounds through it (at the minimum) to see how it performs and if there are any inherent problems with it before doing any work to it.

You stated the Revolver was brand new and so brand new guns tend to smooth out and work in after shooting them a bit. If after a few hundred rounds it functioned well and was A-OK, then having a GS do a trigger job if desired would be the way to go IMHO. Who knows, you might have been happy with the results just by breaking it in. Just saying............