Best Double Action Pull

[oldmanmontgomery]

My experience is that when a trigger job is done right, nothing beats the feel of the double action pull on a S&W K frame. YMMV

I must agree. I'm an older sort. I decided long ago the S&W brand and the K frame M&P version were the best as a group. I have had fine tuned revolvers - the PPC sort - but I find the absolute best triggers and general function in the 'using' versions. The above comment is clearly the statement of a person (man, it would seem) who has done some serious work.
I will not consider any other make. Understand, this information is limited to S&W revolvers made before 1980 or so.

 

[tabora]

My K frames are all similar.

My 1947 K22 (top) double action pull is noticeably lighter/smoother than my 1948... I think Uncle Carl had some work done on it, while my grandfather left his completely stock except for the Ropers.

 

[Doc TH]

What's the best you've got?

Mine is easy it's an old S&W model 15-3 a 2" in 38 special. Was with my Dad at a gun show and he asked to look at it. The lady's husband was away from the table, and I remember she was kind of hesitant to sell it. Think she was stalling till he got back and started talking about it, said it had been a police officers personal gun.

Dad asked if he could try the trigger as he was about the pickiest guy ever on trigger quality, she said sure.

He checked it was clear, cocked it and tried single action, "oh nice" he muttered. Then stroked it thru a few double action pulls. All quiet, no reaction

Then he checked the timing making the cylinder slightly drag with his offhand fingers as he slowly cocked and uncocked the piece, watching the bolt drop into the slots one after the other, all right on time.

It was marked at $250, he said I won't quibble that's a fair price and pulled out his wallet.

As we walked away he said Son don't ever sell this one, a master gunsmith has tuned it to perfection.

That unassuming target stub nose still the cleanest pull I've ever stroked. Pythons & all the rest combined

41View attachment 868193

My best example is a 686+ no lock hole. Stock, unmodified. A smooth and light DA and a target grade SA pull, So good I had no desire to monkey around with it. My next best is a standard issue Model 13 three inch barrel. Heavier DA than the 686 but smooth as silk. SA pull also target grade. When I have had the opportunity to evaluate newer revolvers they do not match these older soldiers.

 

[alexbtango15]

Model 67 from about 1977 or 1978, near as I can figure. I got it a few months ago from the LGS. It’s smoooooth.

 

[austintexas]

I have 4 revolvers in my stash that have outstanding triggers. #1 I have a registered Mag made 1936 and is great double and single action. #2 is a pre victory that someone gunsmith into a target revolver ( new post war bbl, king cockeyed hammer modified from long action to short, king sights, trigger job. # 3 is a '73 single action M-14 that is so light that it is scary (the original hair trigger). #4 but not last is a M-1902 that has that old craftsman trigger that every one wants.
SWCAS 982

 

[41special]

Second place is a Model 18-4, just as it came from the factory.

Really?

My 18-3 has a nice single action release, but the double is a fairly heavy, smooth but heavy. Was considering slicking it up, but...

Had a gunsmith advise not to mess with it as S&W set them like so to ensure reliable rimfire ignition?

I left it as is.

 

[erikpolcrack]

Last time I ran through them, my old Ruger Speed Six 357 was the winner, narrowly besting my Combat Masterpiece. I bought both guns used, so I have no idea if they have been worked on in any way to improve their DA trigger pull.

 

[Sgt. Buzzard]

My father was a master machinist and worked his way through high school with a gunsmith. Two best triggers I've ever felt are his Remington 37 rifle and custom Colt Woodsman series one from 1934. He did both. Unfortunately he was not a revolver guy.

Best revolver trigger for me was my issued new 10-6. I shot that through police academy, pistol team, FBI instructor school and taught with it until we went to bottom feeders. City would not let me buy it.

Looking for an older #19 with potential. I have enough original unused K frame parts to hopefully build what I want. Just bought a 10-7 that's a work in progress. It's in very solid condition. We'll see.

 

[41special]

Beautiful old Colt, that heavy barrel added on?

 

[Tommezgun]

Bought a little while back off the internet. they were asking and I paid $550. It is a PPC gun set up for DAO that has a very light and clean trigger pull. I wish my new bought 627 Eight shot was that smooth. Without digging it out. I it is a Maryland Gunworks by Lou Ciamillo. (spelling might be off).

 

[Model29-26.5]

I have a 25-5 4” that is smooth as butter, and a 27–26 inch might be a little smoother.
Super light. Both of them have no doubt had action jobs.

 

[lestuff]

Seems like every couple of weeks i find myself at the gun cabinet pulling triggers just for fun. Hmmm, where to start …

My #2 DA is a 1963 10-6 with the heavy barrel. Factory workhorse, great piece of workmanship and value. It just inches out the K-38 and K-22s. As good as those are i have had to admit the 10-6 is better. My 50s-60s K-frames are uniformly better than their pre-war counterparts

My pre-war N-frames are also all a bit heavy, the .44 Second Model a bit lighter than the .45s. My 600s are all quite good, I’m partial to the 625-8. The 29-2 is darn good but hands down the best DA trigger i have is this 28-2. I guess someone has been inside. It’s light and silky smooth in DA; SA is light and crisp, more of a thought exercise. Every time i pull it I think ‘wow, i have to keep this gun’.

Honorable mention and maybe my #3 favorite DA trigger is an early Sig 229 with the DAK (Double Action Kellerman). Fantastic, smooth factory trigger designed by someone that knew something about revolver triggers. The Sig DAO triggers are good but can’t hold a candle to the DAK. My Sig 229 was a factory rebuild with an Equinox slide so maybe got some custom work, don’t know. Was my first gun, 25-30 years ago. Maybe why revolver triggers always felt fine for me.

If i ever get back to teaching shooting to young people the two training aids i will use are a bolt action .22 rifle to teach shot placement and a DA revolver (Model 17 or that Model 10) to teach sight alignment and trigger pull.

EDIT
Don't know if this post is still going but i finally got a chance to spend a Sunday at the range. One of the things i did was to take a handful of K-frames to test. These included the above mentioned 10-6 and K-38. I set up five targets and shot 2-3 cylinders through each gun, one after the other. I will admit that I had not been shooting for six months and i shot .32s and .44s before i got to the .38s so my finger was a bit fatigued. However, i was looking for relative results between guns. Bottom line is that my K-38 Masterpiece was the clear winner of the K-frames, having both the nicest pull and the best target results, easily beating all of my other K-frames. My second best .38 was actually a Colt Officers Model Match, close to the K-38. It turns out the tired finger finds the best triggers

 

[TAROMAN]

DAO NY-1. Purchased it years ago from a surplus dealer. Would not fire reliably. Action seemed to be "short stroking" if that's even a thing. Sent it to the then S&W Performance Center for their "combat revolver" job and vapor hone finish. Was worked by Vito. Butter smooth. I used it for steel challenge, with good results.

 

[THE PILGRIM]

That would be my Tuned 27.
When I shot it a bunch,
I could tell when it was coming to the House!

 

[RebCop]

I have a Ruger Match Champion that is currently the best but the action is longer than a Smith. I had an old Dan Wesson that was great and it had half the hammer travel of a Smith.

 

[Sevens]

I had an old Dan Wesson that was great and it had half the hammer travel of a Smith.

I find this very interesting! I’ve owned two Dan Wesson revolvers, both were Monson made and there were good things about both of them but the DA trigger stroke was a real dog on both of them.

I could see me with another Dan Wesson revolver one day if things fall in to place but if that happens, I’m sure it will be in spite of the double action feel.

 

[smithman 10]

This 640-1 worked on by master gunsmith Jerry Keefer has by far the best double action trigger of any revolver I have ever owned.

Lets even an old geezer like myself look half way good at the range.

 

[Sucre]

I admire Ruger DA revolvers for their strength, not their triggers. The ancient Python, Diamondback, and other Snake firearms by Colt are wonderful. Personally, I believe the S&W K-Frame is the superior option. All seven of my K-frames are more than 30 years old. I have no experience with the new Colt DA or Kimber. The few new S&Ws I've fired were precise, but the DA stroke was rough.

 

[Mike0251]

DA only revolver, 6.5lbs and silky smooth. One trigger return spring, 3/4 turn out on main, extended firing pin. Steel challenge gun.

 

[Roberto Renauld]

My thought is ,from all S&W revolvers l had own ( Model 17-6 6", Model 19-2 4", Model 10-5 2", Model 10-9 4", Model 27-7 6") my best DA is my K frame " pencil barrel" Model 10-9 this simple .38 Special is an AWESOME shooter!!!

 

[41special]

Pretty pair of K-22, love the bluing & those grips

 

[Ameshawki]

The best I have is a 66-8. But I think it has a spring kit in it (I bought it used). In non-Smiths probably my Colt Officer's Model Match in 38.

 

[KenTheHunter]

I must agree. I'm an older sort. I decided long ago the S&W brand and the K frame M&P version were the best as a group. I have had fine tuned revolvers - the PPC sort - but I find the absolute best triggers and general function in the 'using' versions. The above comment is clearly the statement of a person (man, it would seem) who has done some serious work.
I will not consider any other make. Understand, this information is limited to S&W revolvers made before 1980 or so.

I have found that Colt triggers have the best single action pull and Smiths have the best double action pull. Pythons (pre 80’s), old Colt 357’s and Troopers (pre Mk 111’s) have super pulls. Nothing beats a Smith for DA’s (pre 80’s)

 

[Rick Leslie]

For years I thought the Python was the pinnacle of DA triggers. Then I got my first Dan Wesson. It seemed even better. I thought it was a fluke until I got my second and third. Every DW I've owned had great DA and SA factory triggers. Even my recently recovered Super Mag, after missing for 26 years, rusty and crusty and dry, still has a great DA trigger.

 

[kelljor]

Toss up between my 66-8 2.75 inch, LCRx and my LCR. All measure at around 9-9.5#, super smooth. Never had to tinker with any of them out of the box. The 60 3" and the 442 I had to change rebound springs to get the pulls to slightly less than 10

 

[RebCop]

I find this very interesting! I’ve owned two Dan Wesson revolvers, both were Monson made and there were good things about both of them but the DA trigger stroke was a real dog on both of them.

I could see me with another Dan Wesson revolver one day if things fall in to place but if that happens, I’m sure it will be in spite of the double action feel.

They usually need a trigger job. I wondered why Jim Cirillo went to Dan Wesson for his PPC gun , then noticed how short the pull was.

 

[thefresh2o]

It's interesting how subjective a nice feeling trigger is. My tastes have definitely evolved over the decades. I went through a stage where I really liked how a 0.500" grooved target trigger made an action feel, nowdays they reside on my slow-fire, target 6" guns. The 0.365" smooth combat trigger became a firm favourite on my comp guns.
As far as best action - I have a m66 no-dash that is real smooth, I replaced the SS hammer and trigger with case hardened and played with how very light stonework impacts both pull, take-up and release (living in NZ, there's not much in the way of gunsmiths who do this sorta work on handguns - especially revolvers - so if you want it, you need to do it yourself). It runs Wolff springs and the bearing surfaces have been polished. But, my favourite action has to be my 1931 Outdoorsman. Even though it'll win no beauty contest, there is something *just so* about the long-actions that I find appealing. I replaced the hammer with a NOS humpback from Numrich, as the original had been brutalised and replaced the DA sear. It's definitely my favourite action. As far as stock S&W actions, I have a '50s .38 Target Masterpiece that is amazing.

 

[greg15-2]

I think most K frames have great triggers but this 1930s vintage M&P is just ridiculous.

Honorable mention goes to my 15-2 and 586 no dash.