642-1 issues

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Jhamblen86

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Hello all, an early Christmas gift to myself has me questioning my purchase. I was dry firing my new 642 yesterday. While doing some rapid fire all of a sudden the trigger weight was gone. The cylinder would spin, firing pin functioned, etc. but no trigger weight. I took the side plate off and everything looked fine. Reassembled it and it worked again. I tried to get it to fail again, it did. I bounced the side of the grips off my knee, it was fixed! Please tell me what's going on here.
 
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Sadly, very common in recent mfg J-frames. Poster Armorer951 will likely be along soon for a full answer. I've found my new Js to be extremely dry on the inside. A drop or 2 of oil helps to remove this sticking in the action. Some folks recommend polishing the rebound slide, but I'm not that daring.

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103
 
I decided to dry fire it again tonight and got the same results after about 100 pulls of the trigger. It even locked up the arm that rotates the cylinder. So I headed down stairs and applied a few drops of oil to all joints, sliding mechanisms, pivots, etc. Nothing excessive of course. I can actually hear the grit moving around now if I listen hard. This is very disappointing.

I understand that not everything can be perfect but this is sad. I'm a machinist by trade and my butt would be in deep **** if I let something like this out the door. Im tempted to break it down completely and clean it 100%.
 
I have a recent manufacture 642-1, April of this year. It has about 100 rounds through it and at least 1000 dry fires (using snap caps). First thing I did when I brought it home was pull the side plate off, disassemble, clean/lube, and reassemble. I cleaned it again after all of those dry fires, it was a few nights in front of the tv. I haven't had a problem with mine. The trigger has smoothed out and lightened a bit with all those action cycles.

YMMV, but I definitely recommend a thorough cleaning of the internals of any new revolver.
 
Jhamblen86 said:
I decided to dry fire it again tonight and got the same results after about 100 pulls of the trigger. It even locked up the arm that rotates the cylinder. So I headed down stairs and applied a few drops of oil to all joints, sliding mechanisms, pivots, etc. Nothing excessive of course. I can actually hear the grit moving around now if I listen hard. This is very disappointing.

I understand that not everything can be perfect but this is sad. I'm a machinist by trade and my butt would be in deep **** if I let something like this out the door. Im tempted to break it down completely and clean it 100%.
Click to expand...

Probably shoulda done a little light lubricating while you had the sideplate off. I used to have a 442. Same gun, different color, never had a lick of trouble with it. Yours is an exception, it happens........:cool:
 
I guess I'll repeat what others have said. When I get a new Revolver I flush the internals with break cleaner. The nasty stuff not wimpy stuff. Caution it eats plastic and wood finish so be carful. I then flush with Ballistol after the break cleaner dries. Drifire 1000 times while keeping it lubed. It has worked for me so far. I have had a lot of Revolvers.
 
It sounds like you have something binding inside. I would guess that it is the rebound slide. Hit it and it's bearing surface on the frame with a hard stone, lube it up and do some dry firing. That's the home fix if you don't want to ship it back.
 
Well guys I think I fixed it. I pulled as much of the internals as I felt comfortable doing. Removed all factory lube and grit. Polished the rebound slide just a tad and removed any burrs I found. Reoiled all joints, pivots, and slides. After reassembly all I heard was a clean action, no "grinding" to speak of. Trigger pull feels much smoother. I guess a lot of dry fire is in my future. I'm not going to carry this gun until I'm sure I fixed the problem.

Thanks to everyone who passed on some sage advice. This is my second revolver, first is a 3" 629. First one I had zero issues with but I guess you live and learn. Thanks again and Merry Christmas
 
Jhamblen86 said:
Well guys I think I fixed it. I pulled as much of the internals as I felt comfortable doing. Removed all factory lube and grit. Polished the rebound slide just a tad and removed any burrs I found. Reoiled all joints, pivots, and slides. After reassembly all I heard was a clean action, no "grinding" to speak of. Trigger pull feels much smoother. I guess a lot of dry fire is in my future. I'm not going to carry this gun until I'm sure I fixed the problem.

Thanks to everyone who passed on some sage advice. This is my second revolver, first is a 3" 629. First one I had zero issues with but I guess you live and learn. Thanks again and Merry Christmas
Click to expand...

And to you a Merry Christmas! For your gift, I'm packing up all my recent J-frame purchases so you can service them as well as you have your 642. As payment, you can keep any one that you wish. Do we have a deal? :)

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103
 
The dreaded case of long ratchets. Pretty common these days I'm afraid.

The hand is confined in the frame window, and if the ratchet(s) are not fit properly, after the cylinder locks in place at the end of the trigger pull, the continued, necessary, upward movement of the hand when the trigger is pulled during SA after lockup, (or sometimes in double action) can cause the hand to be restricted in the inadequate space provided. This can cause the trigger to "hang up" at the end of it's travel, or actually stick to the rear, depending how forcefully the trigger is pulled back, and how bad the ratchet fitting issue is.

You can confirm a long ratchet issue by opening the cylinder, and with the cylinder out, hold the thumpiece to the rear and cycle the action. If the action functions normally during this function test, then the malfunction you describe can likely be attributed to improper fitting of the ratchets....or "long ratchets" as the factory calls the issue.
Dry firing, and some added lubrication can mitigate the problem over time.

My new 442-1 "Pro Series" was so bad that the trigger remained trapped at the rear when it was cycled. Easily solved by proper fitting.
 
Last edited:
armorer951 said:
The dreaded case of long ratchets. Pretty common these days I'm afraid.

The hand is confined in the frame window, and if the ratchet(s) are not fit properly, after the cylinder locks in place at the end of the trigger pull, the continued, necessary, upward movement of the hand when the trigger is pulled during SA after lockup, (or sometimes in double action) can cause the hand to be restricted in the inadequate space provided.

You can confirm a long ratchet issue by opening the cylinder, and with the cylinder out, hold the thumpiece to the rear and cycle the action. If the action functions normally during this function test, then the malfunction you describe can likely be attributed to improper fitting of the ratchets....or "long ratchets" as the factory calls the issue.
Dry firing, and some added lubrication can mitigate the problem over time.

My new 442-1 "Pro Series" was so bad that the trigger remained trapped at the rear when it was cycled. Easily solved by proper fitting.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the tip, thankful that's not the case. Did the test you recommended and the trigger stayed locked.
 
I have a 442 that was purchased in 2015 i believe. while it functioned flawlessly for the most part I had three light primer strikes with the first few range sessions. with a revolver its not to bad because you pull the trigger and bang next round, but then my 5 shot turned into a 4 shot which didn't instill confidence in me.

I believe it wasn't and ammunition issue because it happened with two different munitions

I absolutely love the j frame smiths but seldom carry them. I read your thread and I'm not sure if the reliability is a huge selling point with revolvers in todays gun market. It was nice carrying a little light gun but overtime I carry it I think of those light primer strikes
 
kpla51 said:
I have a 442 that was purchased in 2015 i believe. while it functioned flawlessly for the most part I had three light primer strikes with the first few range sessions. with a revolver its not to bad because you pull the trigger and bang next round, but then my 5 shot turned into a 4 shot which didn't instill confidence in me.

I believe it wasn't and ammunition issue because it happened with two different munitions

I absolutely love the j frame smiths but seldom carry them. I read your thread and I'm not sure if the reliability is a huge selling point with revolvers in todays gun market. It was nice carrying a little light gun but overtime I carry it I think of those light primer strikes
Click to expand...

May I ask what brands you had these failures with? From my experience, as little as it may be, failed to fire rounds in a wheel gun are due to trigger jobs or bad ammo. It only takes .007-.009 of penetration to ignite a primer. In an effort to cut cost cheaper primers are used. That's why in the reloading world Federal primers are used for low trigger weight revolvers. They are very sensitive and require a lighter hit to ignite.
 
Arnorer951 is right. The last two "j" frames I purchased this year (one was a 640 Pro Series) had to have the ratchets worked on. For the money I had to pay for them that's a shame. It didn't cost me anything to get them fixed but just the principle that makes me disappointed.
 
Jhamblen86 said:
May I ask what brands you had these failures with? From my experience, as little as it may be, failed to fire rounds in a wheel gun are due to trigger jobs or bad ammo. It only takes .007-.009 of penetration to ignite a primer. In an effort to cut cost cheaper primers are used. That's why in the reloading world Federal primers are used for low trigger weight revolvers. They are very sensitive and require a lighter hit to ignite.
Click to expand...

Buffalo bore one one and the others on federal. Could of been luck of the draw.
 
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