OK, I'll stand corrected on the pin shape.
So you are thinking the firing pin is too short or the wrong shape? If that's not due to damage, what else would it be? Factory defect?
Found a nice 35-1 Date help? Light strikes solved!
- Thread starter wagwan
- Start date
So you are thinking the firing pin is too short or the wrong shape? If that's not due to damage, what else would it be? Factory defect?
Yes, I believe it is a factory fit problem and is the reason the gun has barely been used.
Further research has revealed that this gun has the old style frame mounted firing pin with the bushing in the front. To remove it, the retaining pin must be removed and then the firing pin and bushing are driven out from back to front.
I believe that I can fix the issue by polishing approx 5 thou off the back of the bushing thus allowing that much more forward travel of the firing pin.
Further research has revealed that this gun has the old style frame mounted firing pin with the bushing in the front. To remove it, the retaining pin must be removed and then the firing pin and bushing are driven out from back to front.
I believe that I can fix the issue by polishing approx 5 thou off the back of the bushing thus allowing that much more forward travel of the firing pin.
Well my cup tipped punch arrived from Brownells today. Took a shot at driving out the firing pin bushing retaining pin. Nope - wouldn’t budge!
All I did mushroom the head of the punch!?
Think I’ll start a new thread in the gunsmithing section and if I can find some expert advice.
All I did mushroom the head of the punch!?
Think I’ll start a new thread in the gunsmithing section and if I can find some expert advice.
Before you start taking it apart you should do more troubleshooting.
Have you measured the firing pin travel length? Cock the hammer with the cylinder open by pushing the thumb latch to the rear.
Now push the firing pin forward from the hammer channel with a screw driver. Measure how far the pin protrudes.
Have you looked at the ends of the coil mainspring? Is there evidence of the spring being shortened on either end?
Insert a washer under the bottom end of the spring and shoot a few rounds. Do they fire now?
Have you measured the firing pin travel length? Cock the hammer with the cylinder open by pushing the thumb latch to the rear.
Now push the firing pin forward from the hammer channel with a screw driver. Measure how far the pin protrudes.
Have you looked at the ends of the coil mainspring? Is there evidence of the spring being shortened on either end?
Insert a washer under the bottom end of the spring and shoot a few rounds. Do they fire now?
Pretty difficult to get any calipers or micrometer to measure the firing pin protrusion. Fudging it with feeler gauges, it seems to protrude 5-8 thou less than the one on my model 17.
I thought of the washer trick but thought that the compressed spring looked so tight already that only a very thin washer might fit. I will try it anyway.
(Sorry for the delayed response. I thought the thread had gone dormant. I will monitor it more closely).
Appreciate the help!
I thought of the washer trick but thought that the compressed spring looked so tight already that only a very thin washer might fit. I will try it anyway.
(Sorry for the delayed response. I thought the thread had gone dormant. I will monitor it more closely).
Appreciate the help!
If the DA trigger pulls FEELS light, the hammer spring may have been shortened like Hondo44 suggested. Old dried oil in the firing pin channel can gunk up the spring causing a problem. If you are trying to shim the hammer spring you might as well just replace it while you have it off. Not as easy as cleaning crud from the firing pin/spring.
Good luck with it. It looks like a nice little gun and they are fun, when they work well. BTW, I have stock hammer springs.
A new stock S&W spring is on the way.
Good luck with it. It looks like a nice little gun and they are fun, when they work well. BTW, I have stock hammer springs.
A new stock S&W spring is on the way.
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Had a chance to work on this a little more this week. Unfortunately. USPS has decided to keep the spring that Retired W4 kindly sent me so I wasn't able to try that.
I did manage to get an accurate measurement of the firing pin protrusion which came in at .034 inch - well within spec.
So back to the hammer spring. I managed to fit about a 1/8 inch shim in there and took it to the range today. The first four cylinders fired flawlessly in SA. Then as it got dirty it started missing. Pretty good progress I think! The hammer spring gurus were right!
My research indicates that the OEM spring is rated at 8.5lbs. My shim maybe boosted that to 9? Certain rimfire models like the 317 and 650 used a heavier red 12lb spring. I think my next step is to hunt down a 12lb spring and try that.
Here's a pic of my shim:
I did manage to get an accurate measurement of the firing pin protrusion which came in at .034 inch - well within spec.
So back to the hammer spring. I managed to fit about a 1/8 inch shim in there and took it to the range today. The first four cylinders fired flawlessly in SA. Then as it got dirty it started missing. Pretty good progress I think! The hammer spring gurus were right!
My research indicates that the OEM spring is rated at 8.5lbs. My shim maybe boosted that to 9? Certain rimfire models like the 317 and 650 used a heavier red 12lb spring. I think my next step is to hunt down a 12lb spring and try that.
Here's a pic of my shim:
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Received and installed a red 12lb spring this weekend. Took it to the range today and was pleased to experience perfect functioning. 
This spring is considerably chunkier than the original, intended I believe for 22mag. It fit with no issues and the firing pin indents are substantially deeper than the original. The pic shows the new strikes on the top and the lighter original strikes on the bottom. The difference is easy to see!
Single action trigger pull remained unchanged at 2.5lbs but double action increased 2lbs to 10.5. I mostly shoot SA so will happily live with that. Glad to have this one sorted out!
This spring is considerably chunkier than the original, intended I believe for 22mag. It fit with no issues and the firing pin indents are substantially deeper than the original. The pic shows the new strikes on the top and the lighter original strikes on the bottom. The difference is easy to see!
Single action trigger pull remained unchanged at 2.5lbs but double action increased 2lbs to 10.5. I mostly shoot SA so will happily live with that. Glad to have this one sorted out!
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Hey, stop hogging all the model 35’s.Yep, I've seen a few up close.
Up close and personal.
enjoy,
bdGreen
I'm glad your little 22 functions now. Maybe someday some postal worker will find an envelope with a spring in it in a dusty corner somewhere around Atlanta. 
I'm glad your little 22 functions now. Maybe someday some postal worker will find an envelope with a spring in it in a dusty corner somewhere around Atlanta.
Thanks for trying - it’s very much appreciated! I’ll let you know if it ever does show up.
Thanks to all who offered advice. The hammer spring gurus set me on the right track.
I owned a M34 for many years. SA was fine, but FTF in DA was 50/50. I cleaned, changed the mainspring, etc. Nothing helped.
I finally sold it.
I finally sold it.
Not being one to leave well enough alone 
I had to keep digging.
So I whipped up a little spring testing gauge to see what I'm really working with.
First I tested the known-rated 12lb new spring and it tested - 12lbs!
Next, the unknown original spring and it tested - 6lbs!!
Spec says it should be 8.5lbs. It does not appear to be shortened as both ends are finished. I suppose someone may have swapped in a light spring but why leave it there if it results in light strikes?
Wolff has 8.5 and 9lbs available so I think I'll try those next to see if I can get the DA pull back into a more reasonable range.
I had to keep digging.So I whipped up a little spring testing gauge to see what I'm really working with.
First I tested the known-rated 12lb new spring and it tested - 12lbs!
Next, the unknown original spring and it tested - 6lbs!!
Spec says it should be 8.5lbs. It does not appear to be shortened as both ends are finished. I suppose someone may have swapped in a light spring but why leave it there if it results in light strikes?
Wolff has 8.5 and 9lbs available so I think I'll try those next to see if I can get the DA pull back into a more reasonable range.
The tension of the rebound spring can be felt upon cocking and DA trigger pull but is static when the hammer falls. The one thing I do to smooth the DA pull is polish the rebound slide on the bottom and left side. Then I polish the frame where it contacts the slide, lower and left side. I would go with the lightest rebound spring that give an acceptable trigger return for fast follow up shots. The slide to frame metal to metal contact represents the most MtoM contact (friction) on the entire action. Any roughness on those surfaces produces heavier DA pull and slower trigger return but does not effect the force of hammer fall.
Beyond that, the movement of the floating firing pin must be unimpeded for consistent ignition. Now for another cup of expresso.
Beyond that, the movement of the floating firing pin must be unimpeded for consistent ignition. Now for another cup of expresso.
Woohoo! The hammer spring that Retired W4 sent me arrived in the mail yesterday. It only took USPS 6.5 weeks to move it from Georgia to Florida.
It measures 8lbs on my gauge. I’ll try it next. I suspect I will find a sweet spot somewhere between 8 and 12.
It measures 8lbs on my gauge. I’ll try it next. I suspect I will find a sweet spot somewhere between 8 and 12.
I have installed the above mentioned spring and the strikes on empty cases look promising. Can't get to the range today as it's raining cats and dogs.
Here's a couple of pics of my fast and dirty spring testing gauge. There is a mark on the shaft to indicate the pull distance. I use a Lyman trigger gauge when the weights are low enough. It seems to be the most accurate - reads about a half pound higher than the spring scale.
Here's a couple of pics of my fast and dirty spring testing gauge. There is a mark on the shaft to indicate the pull distance. I use a Lyman trigger gauge when the weights are low enough. It seems to be the most accurate - reads about a half pound higher than the spring scale.
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What about a 10lb, 10.5, etc.?
Model19man
Member
I had to get out my 35-1 and check out the double action and single action pull. Those numbers you measure seem very high. I don't have a trigger gage but it seems more like 6 pounds at the most. Never had a failure to fire either in DA or SA. I think you need a real gun smith to check it out.
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