1998 686-5 Trigger Pull & Old Age Problem

[Phlontho]

Greetings.
Bought my 686-5 brand new in 1998 and always thought the trigger pull would 'break-in' and soften up some. No such luck. Back in '98, I had no arthritis in my fingers - 2017, I do.

Please point me to the kits or parts needed to lighten her up.
This is my only wheel gun. I guess my Glock and Sig semeez trigger pulls have me spoiled or wimped out

I will do the work myself as tools and ability are me - or - is this not recommended?

 

[Breakaway500]

I'm very fond of the Wilson spring kit for the S&W. It come with a new main spring that isn't really much "lighter" but bent differently, to ramp up the spring energy much more slowly than the stock spring. Combined with one of the 12 or 13lb. trigger return springs also in the kit, it makes for a very nice trigger pull.Easy do it yourself install if you are confident/skilled enough to remove the side plate.Link to Wilson->Custom-Tune« Spring Kit | S&W K/L/N Frame Revolvers-http://shopwilsoncombat.com/

 

[sigsite]

Greetings.
Bought my 686-5 brand new in 1998 and always thought the trigger pull would 'break-in' and soften up some. No such luck. Back in '98, I had no arthritis in my fingers - 2017, I do.

Please point me to the kits or parts needed to lighten her up.
This is my only wheel gun. I guess my Glock and Sig semeez trigger pulls have me spoiled or wimped out

I will do the work myself as tools and ability are me - or - is this not recommended?

ordered the gunsmither rebound tool as well as a set of Wolf springs for my 686 from Midway USA. That should lighten the trigger up. You might check those out

 

[gnystrom]

^^^What sigsite said^^^

 

[Phlontho]

Thanks Folks!

Midway kits say "7lb"
Wilson springs are 12lb, 13lb 14lb

I'm off to the range to plink away and dry fire some new pistols just to find a trigger pull that I'd like for my 686-5.

 

[domyalex]

The Jerry Miculek <sp?> springs also get good reviews. I just installed them in my 66-8.

Sent from my XT1058 using Tapatalk

 

[Kernel Crittenden]

I've bought many springs and shims from this small company in Michigan....

Michigan Center Outdoors and TriggerShims​

 

[crankyoldlady]

If you are handy, the Jerry Miculek video is excellent for guiding you through the process of changing springs and doing some light polishing.

Best of all, it is available free through the "interlibrary loan" service at your public library.

 

[DaStray]

I don`t know if you`ve "pulled the trigger" so to say on reducing the trigger pull but I too have recently attempted to lighten the pull on my 686. (see threads)
Bottom line...you can lighten the pull somewhat but you`ll not get the pull that you`d like to have in double action and retain reliability with all brands of ammunition. I went with the Midway Reduced Trigger Pull kit and upon trial and error found that the 13lb rebound spring and the STOCK mainspring was what I needed to assure that all factory ammo would fire reliably. Initially I went with the 13lb rebound spring and the reduced power mainspring. The reduced power mainspring would not ignite Hornady Leverevolution ammo which is a requirement of mine since I also have a Marlin 1894c rifle chambered in 357/38 special and I like the common caliber that they shoot. If you handload then you may be able to find a primer that it will reliability shoot with the reduced power mainspring but since I don`t reload (not yet anyway) that wasn`t an option for me. Concerning the rebound spring tool that you can buy I`m sure it would be a help but isn`t necessary to change the spring. The Miculek video on YouTube is a great help and makes it fairly simple to replace. Good luck in your endeavor and if nothing else you`ll learn a great deal about your fine weapon.

 

[rwsmith]

I don't know how bad.....

I don't know how bad your arthritis is, but the 686 has a POTENTIALLY very fine trigger and I know that you can reach your goal in steps or in one swell foop.

I'm lucky in that my 686 has one nice trigger and others say so too. It's like silk in DA and very crisp in SA.

 

[Mehutch]

The Wilson spring kit for the S&W on most of my 686 guns. #13 works real well. Very happy with it.

 

[crankyoldlady]

The Jerry Miculek <sp?> springs also get good reviews. I just installed them in my 66-8.

And you can get Jerry's DVD giving complete revolver trigger job instructions. It is available for free through your public library inter-library loan service.