I recently acquired a LNIB 5" 63-4 from a friend's estate. I was with him when he bought it last fall - and when he shot the only rounds he would shoot through it. I bought it to have something my old friend cherished. It is a neat shooter - but a J-frame .22LR - pretty stout in the DA pull.

Firstly, I needed a larger grip - my local pusher had a squared Hogue monogrip for the RB J-frame - a bit larger. It helps - but has a rounded gap at the top of the topstrap, with a flat and flush fitting below. It fit similarly on my 642-2. It's an acceptable improvement in size over the OEM UM's smaller/rounded 'combats', but I may trek back to the pusher's to see if he has another one - and if it has that 'gap'. Other larger grip, wood or rubber, suggestions?

Now to the trigger pull on DA. The return force feels fine - enough to reset properly, but not spongey - as an under sprung return spring does in a K,L, or N frame. It will stay - it's a torquoise-blue in color, if that means anything, and shorter & smaller OD than stock S&W medium frame return springs. I've never encountered a colored spring before - but my only other J-frame is my CCW 642-2, which I just 'broke-in' manually.

The hammer spring's strut reminds me of the problems I cleaned up in a Ruger .32 SP101 several years ago - severe dragging on the strut's burrs was apparent, as well as a myriad of other low QC problems. I cleaned it up, polished that ball end that rolls in the hammer's slot, and resprung it - what a difference! I am hesitant to just replace the hammer coil spring with a Wolff RP spring here, all I seem to find, for fear of light rimfire strikes and resultant ftf's. Has anyone tried the Wolff RP spring - or polishing the strut? The return slide, hammer, and trigger are flat and smooth, as are the frame walls. I don't stone engagement surfaces, allowing normal breakin wear to effect that for me. I've seen some local 'smith-done such work which rendered SA use dangerous - no thank you!

I did blast the innards clean with aerosol RemOil, wiped them dry - and polished the hammer leaf strut's ball end - lightly oiling it and the axles - and reassembled. Shooting it yesterday was a great experience - but a little lower DA pull would be nice. Thanks for all of the suggestions and help. I am keeping the empties - to see when it should be 'broken in' - I'm over 250 rd thus far. Fun revolver, but certainly not my 617's trigger.

Stainz

Stainz first off Congrats for picking up the 63-4 of your Late Buddies..
The later made factory 18 pound rebound springs are painted Blue.. Wolff Offers replacements for these from 12-16 pounds..
Also note that most rimfire J Frames come with a 12 pound hammer spring were a centerfire comes with a 8.5 pound spring factory..
Wolff offers 8, 8.5, & 9 pound hammer springs for J Frames, I had a M317 that had a very heavy trigger pull DA & used the 9 pound spring in it along with a 15 pound rebound spring & it realy lightened up the trigger pull but always had 100% ignition with all ammo tested..
Also deburring & polishing the hammer springs strut & polishing the inside of the mainspring will make the stroke smoother as well as polishing the rebound spring on the outside slowly as not to heat the spring.. Also polishing the mainspring seat internally if it's metal to also help reduce friction, newer J Frames this part is Plastic BTW..
Also polish the inside of the rebound slide spring hole..
Polishing the inside of the mainspring & rebound slide was done by breaking a tip off a Q-Tip & chucking it in my Dremel with some Flitz & used the slowest speed available, of course cleaning afterwards & lubricateing with Rem-Oil or CLP..
You can get a J frame to have a fairly nice DA triger pull but it will never be a smooth as a K/L/N frame because of the geometry that the mainspring has & a coiled spring stacks some as it's compressed..
I need to pick myself up a M63 or M617 to give my wallet a break on high ammo prices recently, That 5" 63-4 would fill a void in my meager collection..
BTW there was a factory wood Round to Square Butt Target grip made for the J Frames & also some made for the J Square with closed backstrap that would also work on a round butt.. With the 5" barrel I would think the Uncle Mikes Combats would feel the best but everyones hands are different & I've found that most of Craig Spegels grips or thier copies work great for me..
Here's the Link to Wolffs Website & they give a pretty good indication of what is factory weight & what is available for most any firearm..
Wolff Gunsprings Manufactures springs for modern and vintage firearms, guns, hammer, pistols, handguns, revolvers, rifles, shotguns, semiautomatic, accessories, weapons, law enforcement, hunting, shooting, recoil, colt, mainsprings, magazines, IPSC
Good Luck!!
Gary/Hk

Thanks, Gary!

Crow for lunch... that little rounded notch in the Hoque squared monogrip is for the tip of the hammer spur when fully cocked! What an idiot I am...

Thanks for the suggestions... the blue-like rebound spring is an 18 lb spring?? Wow - that has to go! The hammer spring that Brownell's stocks is 'reduced' - I guess it is the 8 lb. No switching to Federal cf primers to accomodate lite strikes here!

The Q-tip is a better way than mine - a plastic .22 sized patch holder with Semichrome-loaded cotton swipe pieces - worked on the larger K,L,&N rebound slide. Thanks for the info re the Wolff springs, too.

Well, the Wolff site states that the J rebound springs are the same as the K,L,&N frame rebound spring. I don't understand that, as the J-frame OEM rebound was a lot shorter and slightly smaller in OD. Weird!

Stainz

Stainz,

I bought a pair of J-frame target stocks from a forum member a few years ago for my 63, and they solved the grip problem nicely for me. You might post a want ad for these and see if anyone has a pair they would be willing to part with.

Andy

Thanks for the help!

I guess, gasp, I really like that Hogue rubber monogrip - it's kind of like a small '.500 Magnum Hogue' type grip since it 'pads' the backstrap. I usually toss the rubber grips in a drawer - and spend moola for wood. I did the same 'rubber for rubber' change when I had a .32 SP101.

I ordered the trio of J-frame hammer springs from Wolff directly - and they assured me that the J-frames do use the same trigger return spring as the K, L, & N frames. I'll replace that, too, and clean it up a bit, when those hammer springs get here. Thanks again!

Stainz

Well, my J-frame hammer spring set came from Wolff yesterday. I polished the innards as per Gary's suggestions - and installed the 9 lb hammer spring and 13 lb rebound. A quick trip to the MCGC range - with six different ammo's - and a bunch of 'Bangs', >100, with no ftfs - super! The trigger is smoother - and, requires considerably less trigger effort in DA - less than my well-broken-in 642 - not as nice as my 617 with it's 'adjustable' Allen-headed strain screw, however - but it gives ~1 ftf every 50+ rounds, too.

It is a fun shooter now... I look forward to going to the FOP range - and checking it out further. While it's innards were cleaned and oiled, it's recoil shield, cylider, fc, and barrel are nasty - almost embarrassingly so. We'll see how it fares! I really like it - and will keep my eyes open for some decent wood grips - thanks, all!

Stainz

I'm glad the Extra Power #9 spring worked out for you Stainz.. If you would have went with the 8 or 8.5 you would have probobly had missfires..
It's amazing how just smoothing a few parts & a couple of lighter springs can do for a revolvers action, As long as it has 100% Ignition..
Congrats..
Now you'll want to put the 14/15 rebound in your 642
Of course give it the "Treatment" while your in there..
Gary/Hk