Adjusting trigger pull in S&W pocket revolvers

[357 shooter]

There's no harm in replacing the rebound slide spring. I have a Wolff kit, with springs from 11 to 15lb pounds. It's wise to pick a weight that balances trigger pull and feel.
It's also a good idea to slick up everything that moves inside. Use a stone; the objective is to polish the parts.
Most of us aren't Jerry Miculek, but it is possible to out run a revolver trigger. Make sure that the rebound spring you choose will always, promptly, carry the trigger forward.
Moon

That's what I did with my 642 and for me made the trigger a lot more manageable.

 

[413Maxwedge]

My edc pocket gun is an M&P340 and as soon as I got it, I installed the M*carbo J-frame spring kit. I don't know what weight the springs are but between the kit and an India stone across the rebound block's sharp edges, it's a very accurate little gun and super easy to carry. I shoot fist-sized groups at 25' just as well as from my K or L frames (except it hurts). I'm coming up on 1500 rounds through it and don't remember ever having a failure to fire.

I tried 13 and 14# Wolff rebound springs in my 63-1 J frame and the trigger wouldn't return strongly. I highly recommend the M*carbo kit.

 

[BLUEDOT37]

I've installed the APEX Tactical Spring Kit (#103-106) in my .357 J-frames, 340PD & 360J, & they've been fully reliable with my handloads.

The DA trigger pull weight averaged ~9.5# after install.

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[Dutch87]

My advice is to dry fire the snot out of it. There's a lot of benefits to dry firing if you do it right, one of them being that the trigger smooths and lightens up. Keep in mind that it'll never get to the point of it being a 1911 trigger, but it will get better.

Your hand and finger muscle memory will also benefit greatly, as long as you dry fire correctly. Like I tell me students, "when you dry fire make sure you grip the gun, not hold it". You have to grip it as tight as you would when live firing it. You'll be surprised at how much better the trigger will feel after some regular dry fire practice. Spending just 5 to 10 minutes a day correctly dry firing it the key.

Good luck with your little pocket mule.

When I first read this I was skeptical but gave it a try.
1 Year and countless pulls later, I have a 638 that feels shockingly smooth. Had I known a stock J-frame trigger could feel like this I would have absolutely floored.
I've not weighed it, but there's something to be said for a smooth trigger feeling lighter.

On a small gripped J-frame it's almost as if the pistol is a grip-strength exerciser, and that heavy trigger helps to center the gun into the hand. After getting used to it, I can understand why guys swear they can make hits at distance with them with a little work and practice

 

[Old cop]

I’ve carried/shot a J Frame for over 50 years but the only change I make is to the grips to accommodate my XLG hands. Swapping out internal springs is risky for many reasons stated here so I’d stay away from that.

 

[pistolpete10]

I have 2 642 revolvers. The oldest with the Hillary hole, a few years later, when they started selling them without the lock I bought one. The one without the lock had an extremely strong mainspring. maybe 100lbs. I replaced it with a standard power Wolff spring, now it's as manageable as gun #1. Was this poor quality or because it doesn't have the lock. Anyone know?? No, not really 100#.......
Both guns are smooth, I didn't do any action work, just shoot them.

 

[Matt_X]

It seems that the trigger pull on many S&W pocket revolvers is very heavy. Can this trigger pull be lightened with just the replacement of springs?

I agree with the answers above. Yes, but...

So the question really is what specificly are you interested in when you write "pocket revolver", and what are you comparing to that seems "heavy"?

For example, comparing a 1980s CA Undercover to my S&W M36-1, the force seems similar but the stacking of the CA is continuous. The Smith's trigger force levels off about 3/4 into the pull. This makes it easier to finish the squeeze smoothly. And while they are both J's, I find my slightly older 42 has a better DA trigger than that 36.



Anyway that's just some of my personal experience. What do you have (or are looking at) and what are you trying to accomplish or resolve?

 

[JeffKnox]

If we're talking J-frame, the absolute best thing you can do to improve the trigger pull is replace the grips. These days many come with better grips than the old checkered slabs of the past, but having good grips that fit your hand is a night-and-day difference. Mom had Bill Jordan stocks on her little pocket rocket, but she also had thousands of rounds through it. I don't think Dad ever did any spring swapping, but I can easily imagine him loading it up with valve-grinding compound and dry-firing the snot out of it, then cleaning the snot out of it and lubing the snot out of it. Whatever was done, it was the slickest little J-frame I ever shot, and Mom was incredible with it. But she had a gift.

 

[steelslaver]

Being an excellent trigger puller beats having an excellent trigger.

 

[jcelect]

J frame grips

As pointed out above, in a couple post, grips that fit you hand and point the gun well are more important the trigger pull weight! J frame guns are small and many times difficult for someone with big fingers or hands to shoot well.

These are grips I hand made to fit my hands which makes the heavier trigger pull easier.
jcelect

 

[SGT ROCK 11B]

It seems that the trigger pull on many S&W pocket revolvers is very heavy.

If you have to draw that pistol in a life or death scenario you will have super human strength and you will not notice a very heavy trigger pull.

You are over thinking it.

 

[Matt_X]

It would seem "SethHaan" doesn't know a J frame from an I frame or a K frame. In fact it seems he/they/it actually has no real interest in the question.

 

[Doug M.]

The reality is that J frame platforms are not going to have what the rest of the world would call a good trigger pull. The internal geometry is not like that of a K/L/N and I guess X frame. The gun is relatively light so a heavy trigger pull is harder to handle and keep the sights aligned. J frames will be as mechanically capable of good accuracy, but the ergonomics aren't as good. Make the best of it and your skillset, but if you want a good shootable platform, get something else. I often pocket carry a G33, and it is far more shootable plus has twice the capacity.

 

[Bald1]

My wife came home one day with a S&W EDC kit that our general store had on sale for 580 dollars. The kit had a 360J 357mag with real nice wood grips . Well the trigger pull was over 13lbs and my 68 year old wife had to work to pull thru the DA trigger pull . I bought a Apex Tactical J frame kit that changes hammer, rebound and firing pin spring along with the firing pin . Great reliable trigger pull now with a upper 7lb da pull weight and a 2lb 4oz SA pull weight and its been reliable tested with wolf small rifle primes in a some midle 357mag home rolled loads but mostly 357mag brass with 38+P power levels . The nice stock grips have been replaced with hogue mono grips and now my wife likes it . But it is still not a daily carry . That goes to ether a p365xl or ruger max 380 . Yes the 360J has proven reliable too over the last 1.5 years and 400+ rounds .

Is that the gun package that comes in the orange case ?

 

[stansdds]

It would seem "SethHaan" doesn't know a J frame from an I frame or a K frame. In fact it seems he/they/it actually has no real interest in the question.

Yep. There are some questions swirling about.

 

[Tinkertech]

Leave it stock and reliable.

In the 'heat' of the moment, you won't notice the difference.

 

[BluedRevolver]

This thread is a fake from a guy trying to astroturf from the NRA establishment clique. He's been asking these types of trite questions and then never posting in threads again all over various gun forums.

 

[WR Moore]

"to astroturf" ???????

 

[hardluk1]

Yep. There are some questions swirling about.

No . It came in a nylon zipper bag large enough for a 200 round rounds of extra ammo .

 

[gunbarrel]

Massad Ayoob on Modified Triggers;

https://youtu.be/EeLgzT-9N54?si=_8WK6ePGo0V7wfVX