All my new centennial Smiths (current prodution) have great "Staging" or carryup in Double Action... But my older ones(80s..90s) dont have good carryup. They tend to drop the hammer as soon as the cylinder stop drops into its slot.
I like to slow fire and need the sooner carryup, where the cylinder stop drops noticeably before the hammer drops.
What do I need to fix it? New hand?.. or is it just the way they were built back then?

All my new centennial Smiths (current prodution) have great "Staging" or carryup in Double Action... But my older ones(80s..90s) dont have good carryup. They tend to drop the hammer as soon as the cylinder stop drops into its slot.
I like to slow fire and need the sooner carryup, where the cylinder stop drops noticeably before the hammer drops.
What do I need to fix it? New hand?.. or is it just the way they were built back then?

a wider hand will advance the timing, but it doesn't sound like you need one yet.

Where can I get a wider hand? Does S&W sell them?.. In there parts list they show the oversized hand as obsolete.

Yes a thicker hand will give you what you're looking for. The "staged" feel is the hand being slightly too thick and binding between the side of it's slot and the ratchet. Just shoot faster.

A phone call to S&W sounds like a good idea. S&W hand thicknesses vary quite a bit. It's one of those parts where you end up with several so you can find the thickness you need.

For accurarcy shooting, I like knowing when the hammer is going to drop. I.E. the feel of the cyl. stop dropping into its slot, before the hammer drops.

I suggest you send your pistol to S&W with a note that reads "DCU," and they will fix you right up.

If you want to do this yourself, I have some J-frame hands.

__________________
S&WCA 1729

E-mail sent.

Also I was wondering if S&W will fix this, or will they say its normal? Also can you actually speak to someone in the Performance center?

If the cylinder latch locks into the slot before the hammer falls, it's not only NORMAL, it is CORRECT.

Do this test:

put fired brass in the cylinder and lay a finger lightly on the cylinder face for a tiny bit of drag as you slowly do a DA pull. If the cylinder locks before the hammer falls, DO NOT GO TO A WIDER HAND. That will just accelerate the wear on the right hand edge of the frame window (slot) the hand comes through and also the wear on the ratchet star edges. As somebody said: If you "stage" using the drag feel in a DA pull just before hammer fall, it's because the hand is forcing it's way past the ratchet and it's a little too tight. They are set up that way to wear in and still have good carry up. It doesn't sound like your gun needs work ... yet.