S&W 5906 SAO conversion

metalsocket · Jun 25, 2022

Hello,

Bought a S&W 5906, excellent build quality and very accurate. However. the DA pull is long and heavy. Any idea how to do a SAO conversion. Any parts available online?

Thank you.

WR Moore · Jun 25, 2022

I'm assuming you want this for range use only? It's unlikely you'll find parts online. At one time there were Performance Center versions of the 5906 intended for PPC competition that MAY have been single action like the 952 and 745. There are a couple of retired S&W armorers here who might be able to chip in.

A lighter trigger return spring plus some additional practice will help with that initial DA trigger press. FWIW, the minimum SA pull specification is 4.5 lbs.

mikerjf · Jun 25, 2022

If you remove the decock plunger, wouldn’t that about do it? You could carry hammer down or cond 1 as you choose.

JohnHL · Jun 25, 2022

metalsocket said:
Hello,

Bought a S&W 5906, excellent build quality and very accurate. However. the DA pull is long and heavy. Any idea how to do a SAO conversion. Any parts available online?

Thank you.

Easy.

Grind the double action notches off of the DA/SA hammer.

Voila: SAO!

If you would like to be able to place it in a "cocked and locked" condition, grind the foot off of the sear release lever.

If you want to be able to return to original (DA/SA) condition, buy a used hammer and sear release lever, modify those, and keep your originals unmolested.

Or, modify nothing and manually cock the hammer for your first shot.

Oh, and welcome to the Forum.

John

BAM-BAM · Jun 25, 2022

I'd just go with "D"

metalsocket · Jun 25, 2022

JohnHL said:
Easy.

Grind the double action notches off of the DA/SA hammer.

Voila: SAO!

If you would like to be able to place it in a "cocked and locked" condition, grind the foot off of the sear release lever.

If you want to be able to return to original (DA/SA) condition, buy a used hammer and sear release lever, modify those, and keep your originals unmolested.

Or, modify nothing and manually cock the hammer for your first shot.

Oh, and welcome to the Forum.

John

Thanks John, cocked & locked sounds good. Let me give it a try. Found some photos online, can you to let me know where to do the cut?

catcus-jack · Jun 26, 2022

Learn how to shoot the double action or sell it and buy a single action pistol.

JohnHL · Jun 26, 2022

metalsocket said:
Thanks John, cocked & locked sounds good. Let me give it a try. Found some photos online, can you to let me know where to do the cut?

Leave the notch closest to the front of the hammer.

That is the SA notch.

Remove the next two going back towards the rear of the hammer.

Grind away the lowest part of the sear release lever protruding in front of the pivot hole.

Keeping your original parts and modifying spares assures you that your old parts will fit and function without the need to adjust decock timing.

Performance Center SA hammers can sometimes be found, but I haven't seen any around in a while.

Midway has the "Firing Pin Retainer Spacer" (the "footless" substitute for the sear release lever, as used on the DAO models) that will also work for your conversion.

John

JohnHL · Jun 26, 2022

Firing Pin Retainer Spacer: Smith & Wesson Firing Pin Retainer Spacer S&W 3953TSW 4043TSW 4046TSW

John

metalsocket · Jun 26, 2022

Thanks for that

malph · Jun 26, 2022

At one time, the Performance Center offered single-action conversion of 3rd Gens as a service.

I kind of doubt they still do but I am not sure of that.

Jim Watson · Jun 26, 2022

As I understand the 3rd generation action, none of the modifications suggested will give you a Cocked and LOCKED capability.

You can delete the decocking function, you can delete the DA engagements altogether, which will let you carry it cocked with the slide lever turned down. But if the trigger is pulled, the hammer will fall. It will land on the safety barrel and not fire the gun, but now you are in a hammer down condition with no quick way to get started shooting.

My Model 52 operates that way, it is promoted as a dry fire method. But it is not something I would want on a defensive weapon or action competition pistol.
Say, what will YOU be doing with it?

WR Moore · Jun 26, 2022

Jim Watson said:
As I understand the 3rd generation action, none of the modifications suggested will give you a Cocked and LOCKED capability.

You can delete the decocking function, you can delete the DA engagements altogether, which will let you carry it cocked with the slide lever turned down. But if the trigger is pulled, the hammer will fall. It will land on the safety barrel and not fire the gun, but now you are in a hammer down condition with no quick way to get started shooting.

My Model 52 operates that way, it is promoted as a dry fire method.

I have no idea how the model 52 works, but if a TDA S&W hasn't had the magazine safety modified*, putting the safety lever down disconnects the trigger from the hammer by depressing the disconnector. You can stroke it back and forth all day, but the hammer won't fall.

*Come to think of it, you could modify the barrel of the safety/decocker to eliminate disconnecting the trigger bar from the hammer. But, that's a lot of work and might excessively weaken the safety.

S&W 5906 SAO conversion

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