I would like to improve the trigger on my M 66. I have used the Wolff spring kits in my J frames. What I do not understand with the K/L frame kits is why use the the type 1 kit which has the factory weight mainspring. so all you would be doing is changing the rebound spring??

Has anyone have problems with light strikes with the reduced power mainspring?

Does anyone know what the factory standard weight is and what the reduced power is?

It's also confusing in that Midway USA lists both as Type 2. They list the standard power as type 2 not type 1??

Thanks

Wolff Shooter's Spring Pack with TYPE-2 Standard Power Mainspring S&W K, L, N-Frame - MidwayUSA

From Wolff:
Springs for SMITH & WESSON Revolvers

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Still Running Against the Wind

For range toy, changing the main is fine to do. If you are looking for a serious protection piece, I wouldn't mess with reduced power main springs.
Just reducing the rebound spring by a few LBS will reduce your trigger pull.

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NRA Benefactor Member

If you take a look at Wolff's website, www.Gunsprings.com, they'll tell you what the factory standard is, and how their springs deviate.

I use their patented ribbed reduced power spring in all my revolvers that take the leaf spring, and have never had any problem. Actually, I've had more problems with the reduced power trigger rebound springs, in a couple of guns, the lighter springs wouldn't return the trigger fast enough, but those come in like five different strengths, so it's a matter of experimentation until it works right. I hate having to replace the trigger rebound spring, though. It's a pain to get it back together. There's probably a special tool for it that I don't have.

I see the J frame factory info but not for the K, L N ?? Where do you see that?

I just use a small flat blade screwdriver for the rebound spring, they state they are all the same for different springs.

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Still Running Against the Wind

The standard power wolf main spring is less than the factory standard main spring. The standard rebound spring is normally 18lb., I like to use a 16 pound rebound spring to lighten a little but still reset the trigger quickly.

The so called "standard" Wolff also is meant to be used as a direct drop in replacement for an older gun with a tired spring. Or one that had a spring altered in the field. As was mentioned above, due to their different design the spring can be slightly lighter, while delivering the same hammer velocity. Your 66 is more likely to have digestive issues if it's a frame mounted pin dash# when using a light weight. But even those with the hammer mounted pins may give issues? That's where the experimentation comes in. I've got an old 4 screw K-38 that has a lock time you need a sun dial to measure, but it lights everything put in it. Some others to get that light, may only work with Federal primers? Grab some WinClean, S&B or MagTech among others if you want to try for real world adequate hit strength. So, what I do anymore is simply smooth the action aspects while keeping the standard mainspring in place, as others have already mentioned. I always try to avoid changes other than smoothing on a carry gun. Just for reliability.

I ordered the "standard" weight Wolff spring kit. For $15 it's worth trying. I should have ordered two as I picked up a 3" 696 today. Been looking for one of those

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Still Running Against the Wind

Does anyone know why they list this kit for the model 10 but not the 64??? Aren't they the same gun just one is blued and the other is stainless?

The springs go by frame size. So if it's a K frame it will work.
The rebounds are all the same. Maybe they just forgot to list it? Call them to be sure, they are real helpful .

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Still Running Against the Wind

i just got the kit and put it in my model 10 and my 1905 4th change and in my 1905 the hammer wont cock double action still does but not cocking. and in my model 10 it hits to light to fire, so i took them out. did anyone else have the problem with the power rib? springs work fine the power rib is the problem.

Keep in mind that the rebound is a major safety feature of the S&W revolver and if the spring is too light you can end up with the revolver firing when you don't want it to. S&W spent a lot of time figuring out a safe and reliable rebound spring and there is no reason to mess with it. Spend your time and effort dry firing the revolver to smooth it up instead.

Back in the sixties and seventies a very prominent revolver smithing company's "deluxe action job" consisted of putting the revolver in a dry firing machine and dry firing the revolver 1,000 times. The result is worn in smoothed action parts and "set" springs resulting in a surprisingly good trigger in both single and double action. Dry firing is by far the safest and least expensive way to smooth your revolver.

Be careful when replacing the trigger rebound spring. Don't go too light, or you will be having problems with rapid DA firing.

There's more to tuning a revolver, than just swapping out a couple of springs. If it's a defense gun, let the experts do it. What's your life worth?

The good thing about changing springs is that they are easy to change back if they don't work. I've only had trouble with primer ignition with wolff mainsprings when firing rimfire rounds, and only DA, not SA. I do not ground down my mainspring screw.

However, any gun that I am planning on using defensively is always tested rigorously with my defensive carry ammo of choice before I finalized the spring weight. It should have a good number of trouble free rounds through it before it should be counted on. Most of my guns are not for defensive carry, but for range fun.

Now, rebound springs are a bit of another matter. To go lower than 16lbs, some parts have to be polished to get decent reset time. And you can't put back metal that you've polished off, so extreme care is the watchword.

I suppose there are a plethora of ways to achieve a lighter trigger and smoother action. Some "more correct" or more acceptable than others. Some frown about certain procedures while others have had great success with them. Here is what works perfectly for me........

What I have found that works spectacular for me is to disassemble the entire revolver, clean, de-burr, polish (ONLY if needed) & lightly lube. I then change the Rebound Spring- usually to 12 pounds (I do not just cut the original) and I shorten the length of the Strain Screw. After tuning a few Revolvers, one should develop "a feel" for what the correct screw length is. Of course actual testing with all kinds of loads is the real proof! Always make sure the shortened screw is tightened - NEVER leave a Factory length screw backed out or loose to put less strain on a Spring. This procedure has worked incredibly well for me over 35 years and I have NEVER had to change the Factory Main Spring except for one that snapped unexpectedly many years ago.

I am certainly NOT saying that changing the Main Spring is necessarily a bad thing - just something I have never needed to do. Some after market Main Springs give the Revolver a twangy/tinny sound which I dislike immensely and I have never experienced that with Factory Springs. Factory springs always fit perfectly and I have seen after market ones that were a bit off or sloppy. So that is what works for me on K,L and N Frames. For J's I simply clean, de-burr, polish (if needed) lightly lube and replace the Rebound Spring with a lighter one but one that still allows a quick and positive trigger return. I have never felt the need to lighten up or replace the Coil Main Spring and especially because I deem my J's as CCW guns and want a good strong primer hit - no exceptions. Even though my J's might be a little heavier (but still quite smooth) than some of the finely tunes J's some might have, I have never found it a problem hitting my target accurately in either single or double action mode. YMMV

That's the kit I installed in my 66-8 . I used the middle weight rebound spring and like the results. The strongest rebound spring went into my 617 with stock main spring and I also like the results. I also cleaned up rebound block with a ceramic stone and cleaned all moving parts with contact cleaner and coated everything with dry moly lube. I had a few light primer strikes until I shimed the strain screw to mainspring contact point and that eliminated the light strikes. I think the problem with the Wolff main spring is the rib area because the strain screw contacts inside the rib area which in turn makes the strain screw a little to short. I shimed the screw but a longer screw would do the same thing. Next time I will try the Wilson main spring because it has no rib.

Stone cold kane, I have been learning about revolver springs on this forum for a number of years.

There have been many helpful threads comparing different types of springs and also discussing how the rib in wolff springs interacts with the strain screw.

I just did a quick review and the following threads are pretty good ones. If you are interested in balancing the springs in K, L and N frame revolvers, these threads will have lots of information. I'm sure there are others as well.

Mainspring type vs. strain screw length, does it matter?

Main Spring & Rebound Spring reduced tention

Why do reduced mainsprings work in some revolvers and not others?

Good luck with your revolvers. As you may have discovered, revolver springs are one of those "simple" things that are not really simple at all.

I bought the Wolf spring for the K frame in a Type 1 which is suppose to be same as factory , only it got that rib in the center of it. I put it in and it seems to be too light of a strike, I can pull the hammer back and tell by the feel and strength of it, I like the original one that S&W uses , I need it to fire if I need it and to fire every time. Now for rebound springs, had a 13, 14, and 15, I looked it up and original must be 18 in this K frame. I put the 15 in the K frame revolver, feels better and just right, the 13 was too light and 14 ok, but I put the 15 in it for rebound and the kept the original factory main spring in it, works good, smooth it out inside if you know what to stone with out messing it up and it will smooth out a lot, do not tough any of the contact points in there for the single action trigger drop or you don't messed everything up, it is already good using it in single action. And I hear all these people messing with the screw for that main spring, You tighten it all the way down tight, what the hell you loosing it for, that is what gives it the striking power, why you people getting misfires on that too, it goes down tight and leave it along. You can get your hand grips back on okay, can't you. Now if you got a J frame, the wolf springs work good, you only got one wolf spring for the main spring, use the 13 rebound spring and stone it in there for the rebound only if you know where to stone it, don't tough anything else in there where you cock the hammer back for single action, you don't tough those two contact point in the gun or you just screwed it all.

I have the full power Wolff springs in my 66, trigger is not that heavy. For a defense gun I would not start lightening springs unless I develop a hand strength issue.