Hi, as I am fairly new to N-frames, I noticed that unlike my K and L frame revolvers, in double action mode it is much easier on the N frame to pull back the trigger just enough to rotate the cylinder and if at that point one lets the trigger go forward again, the cylinder will have locked in the new position, but the hammer will come down gently and not really strike the primer, or may be very lightly. Out of about 150 rounds that I put through it, seems that this happened twice inadvertently, or at least it happened that there was virtually no strike and when returning to the same round it fired fine the second time. It's possible that I let the trigger go forward prematurely, but could it be that occasionally this can happen even when pulling the trigger all the way back? What would that mean?

Check the stain screw at the front of the grip and make sure it is tight. If it is it sounds like someone might of changed or modified the spring.

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Tom
NRA Pistol Inst

The strain screw is tight. Any way to tell if the spring has been changed or messed with?

I suspect that you may be "short stroking" the trigger, or not allowing it to return fully. When you do this the DA sear won't reset on the hammer and as a result you can stroke the cylinder without picking up the hammer. In most cases the solution is to practice lifting slightly off the trigger to insure it returns completely. However, the DA sear requires that a small chamfer to be "fitted" during assembly and if this chamfer is just a hair too light can result in the DA sear to failing to reset occasionally.

As for what to do, I would suggest that you load the cylinder up with snap caps and start stroking the trigger while paying very close attention to what the hammer does on each stroke and how you are manipulating the trigger. If you have just one single failure to reset the DA sear and are certain that you did lift off the face of the trigger it means the DA sear needs a touch more "fitting". If it functions 100% perfectly with proper trigger technique the solution is to train that technique until it's a burnt in habit.

BTW, the reason that you may be having a problem that is specific to the N frames is a simple matter of Trigger Reach. S&W has NOT brought the grip frame for the N frame into full compliance with the grip frame on the K, L, and X frames and as a result the trigger reach on an N frame is 1/8 inch longer than the other medium and large frames. As a result you are likely returning your finger to a position that will fully reset the DA Sear on the other frame sizes but causes a "short stroke" on an N frame.

Try a replacement rebound spring for the trigger. Often, coils are clipped on these to reduce the overall trigger pull in double action. Your description of the trigger pull being lighter than your K frame leads me to think this could be a modified/shortened rebound spring. With a lightened spring, the trigger is not driven forward sufficiently for a complete reset of the double action sear.

Are you NOT pulling the trigger completely through the DA stroke before trying to let the trigger return forward? Are you releasing the trigger to recover after the cylinder stop has engaged the cylinder, but before that hammer has fallen in DA?

If so ... why?

Unless I'm not understanding what you've written, it rather sounds like you're inducing the "problem" yourself by improper trigger manipulation.

Also, as was mentioned, the trigger needs to fully recover before being pulled through the DA trigger stroke. If you prevent it from fully recovering, you can experience a problem.

If the trigger won't fully recover forward on its own, let someone check it for any needed adjustment who's trained to do so (factory, gunsmith or an armorer).

And yes, the N-frame trigger is going to feel different than your K/L frame guns.

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Ret LE Firearms inst & armorer

I think it is self induced, as I am unable to reproduce it in dry fire. I only asked the question in case any one knows of a reason the stroke can be incomplete for mechanical reasons rather than my trigger manipulation.

I suspect you might be right about the shooter-induced causation.

In answer to your question, yes, there can certainly be mechanical causes for an incomplete trigger recovery.

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Ret LE Firearms inst & armorer