Brand New 642 - "Tuning" help

[flyingcowofdoom]

Hello everyone,

My wife is the proud owner of a brand new 642. We had two quick questions about it.

First, is it possible to reduce the trigger pull weight a little bit? She has weak hands due to a medical condition, and although she can pull the trigger it takes a lot more effort than we'd like. I looked under the grip and it appears that the coil spring there can be switched out, would that reduce the trigger weight? I can easily bring it to a gunsmith if they do work like this. What is the factory trigger weight? A pound or two reduction would probably be enough.

Second, is it possible to polish the cylinder, barrel, and frame to a more shiny finish? We don't want to damage it, but we think a shiny finish would look nicer. I was thinking about just giving it a try with my Dremel polishing wheel but I figured I'd ask before I did anything stupid

TIA!

--FCOD

 

[alde]

I have a 642 and love it. It's my main carry gun. I have found that after several range sessions the trigger is much smoother but maybe not lighter. I am happy with it the way it is. But you can get a spring kit that comes with a mainspring and a trigger return spring. That will lighten the pull and make it easier for your wife. The kits are only a few buck and easy to install. You can probably find instructions by doing a search on this site.

BTW, welcome to the forum.

 

[Burley]

Hi cow, nice gun. I also have one Smith, a 642. Lots of 'smiths do trigger jobs. Do not hit your gun with a Dermel, you'll remove the clearcoat finish. Don't want to do that. You can hand wax it a bit and that's about it. Others I'm sure will comment on what you can expect from having your gun tuned by a pro. Good luck.

 

[Spotteddog]

You may find what you need @ the top of the page of this section.

http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-revolvers-1980-present/75502-faqs.html

 

[Munsterf18]

You may have read that the gun will benefit from lots of firing (dry firing).

Lots means literally a 1000 or 2.

Mine benefitted greatly from this. I dry fired it about 100 times, (or until my hand got tired ) every evening for several weeks.

I don't know that it made it any easier, just smoother.

Munster

 

[flyingcowofdoom]

Thanks for the advice. I think that the issue for my wife is the weight, not the smoothness (although a smoother trigger would be nicer too).

--FCOD

 

[Mean Bone]

To reduce weight check with Brownells Technical Support at 800-741-0015 and tell them what you're trying to do. I have found them to extremely helpful especially in areas I'm not experienced in. Replacing the rebound and mainspring coupled with extensive dry firing has made a dramatic difference with my 640. You need to make sure that the weight is not so light that it will not fire off the primers in your chosen carry round. I've never had a misfire with mine.

My 642 has also benefited from extensive dry firing.

But I always dry fire with the cylinder open so that I do not cause wear on the hand and cylinder stop. To do this I first open the cylinder then pull back on the cylinder latch as I dry fire. If you don't pull back on the cylinder latch you will not be able to pull the trigger.

Good luck. The 640 series are great revolvers!

 

[Spotteddog]

And while I'll likely touch off another explosion by saying so?
If you do the dry fire method to smooth it up, some spent cartridges or snap caps in the cylinder are a good idea, IMHO?

 

[flyingcowofdoom]

I use snap caps in all of my centerfire handguns, because why not? Especially with a revolver, it doesn't make things any harder.

--FCOD

 

[Dale53]

flyingcowofdoom;
My daily carry is the S&W 642. I have strong fingers and a background with serious double action shooting in PPC & IPSC. Therefore, I left my 642 "as is" for absolute reliable igniton.

However, there is NO doubt that "as issued" they have a heavier action than needed for reliability.

If you have not worked on a Smith revolver, I would suggest a GOOD, EXPERIENCED revolver man. I would NOT let a general gunsmith touch my revolvers. I do a lot of my own work but often use a GOOD local 'smith that specializes in revolvers:

Revolver Services from Clark Custom Guns, Inc. - Satisfaction GUARANTEED!

Clark's have an EXCELLENT reputation (Jerry Miculek is part of the organization). I believe you would want their "Service Action Job". Give them a call and emphasize that this is a carry gun and needs to be reliable and explain your wife's needs. They can handle what you want.

Then, regardless of who does the work, run about 300 rounds through the revolver to make certain it is reliable with the loads YOUR WIFE USES before carrying it (the 300 round rule applies to EVERY carry gun in my carefully considered opinion).

Dale53

 

[HEADKNOCKER]

First off "DO NOT POLISH THE FRAME"
The sprayed on finish the 642-1 & 642-2s use will be stripped off resulting in a bare aluminum frame that will oxidize & look horrible..
As far as the Spring Kit Goes, If you have common knowledge of how the S&W revolver works & how it comes apart you can install the springs yourself..
Just replaceing the mainspring will lighten the amount of force required to work the action but the rebound spring also needs to be changed as well to match the lightened mainspring.. This required removal of the sideplate..
"NOTE" Most of the Airweight & Airlite Smiths sideplates fit "Very Tightly" & don't come off as easily as a steel one, That being said rapping on the RH grip frame after the screws are removed with a rubber mallet or shot hammer won't hurt the frame, even a wooden handle of a screwdriver will gouge the aluminum frame, BE Carefull..
After the sideplate is removed & the mainspring is captured with a paper clip, You then need to remove the hammer & then deal with the rebound slide & it's spring, NOTE: The rebound slides "PIN" is aluminum & can break off..
Most people use a flat screwdriver to pry UP on the rebound slide while the revolver is on it's side with your thumb above the slide to capture the spring when it's released, I have a special "Tool" made just for this BTW..
While you have it apart that far you might as well pass a stone over the rebound slide & polish it along with the mainsprings strut.. Reassembly is fairly easy, I use a #2 philips screwdriver to push the rebound spring into the slide & then push down on the slide after it clears the "PIN" remember that pin is Aluminum on the Airweights..
I have also polished the outside of the rebound spring with the dremel & some Flitz & polish the inside of the mainspring by chucking a Q-Tip into the dremel..
Oil all moving parts very lightly with CLP or Remoil..
Install hammer, then mainspring, sideplate + three screws, You should be able to press the sideplate almost home with your thumbs being carefull not to bend or warp the sideplate.. Snug the screws, Do Not Overtighten, Also use a paralell ground screwdriver bit that fit exactly & make sure your centered on the screws or you'll gouge into the aluminum sideplate..
You'll want to test your carry ammo with at least 100-150 rounds to assure that you have 100% Total ignition..
You'll notice the difference Right Away as it being Smoother & Lighter will be apparent..
You can buy a Spring Kit from Wolff for $9.00 here's the Link..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
Don't try this if your not mechanicly inclined, as I've heard many horror stories of people ruining perfectly good revolvers.. Also Dry Firing with snap caps not only smooths the action but also strenthens your trigger finger & gives you "Memory" of a smooth complete trigger pull..
Congrats on your new carry piece..
Have your Wife Dry fire it with snap caps or some spent brass first & you may not need the spring kit..
If you lived close bye I'd install a kit for you, I have an extra in my stash..
Good Luck..
Gary/Hk

 

[magnum12pm]

I will chime in here, but you have received much good advice. If you use a 15 lb. rebound spring you will get down to about 10 lb. pull. It sounds heavy but if you use some of the other suggestions above it will be smooth and feel like less than that. You could most likely go even to 14 pounder, but I don't like to change the main spring in a carry gun although others do it. I think this gun has an 18 pound rebound spring from the factory so dropping to a 15 will make noticeable difference, remember smooth makes a great trigger...good luck on your decision

 

[flyingcowofdoom]

Unfortunately, it's not a carry gun, since we live in NJ and there is no carrying allowed. It will be a home defense gun, but she will also have access to my condition zero Glock 22 in a SHTF situation. We will obviously run several hundred rounds through the 642 at the range after changing the springs. Does anyone know what the weights on the factory springs are?

Regarding the lock, what's the issue with leaving it in there? I have the keys in a drawer away from the gun, so there's no easy way for it to get locked.

--FCOD

 

[magnum12pm]

Unfortunately, it's not a carry gun, since we live in NJ and there is no carrying allowed. It will be a home defense gun, but she will also have access to my condition zero Glock 22 in a SHTF situation. We will obviously run several hundred rounds through the 642 at the range after changing the springs. Does anyone know what the weights on the factory springs are?

Regarding the lock, what's the issue with leaving it in there? I have the keys in a drawer away from the gun, so there's no easy way for it to get locked.

--FCOD

I believe the rebound spring is 18 pounds and main spring is 8 1/2 pounds. That is the weights on my J frame anyway, I would imagine that is correct on the standard J frames.

 

[Dale53]

flyingcowofdoom;
After re-reading this thread (lots of good info here) there IS something that I would like to add.

I am NOT a physician and know nothing of your wife's medical problem with her hands. However, being a certified "old fart" I have some experience with arthritis and have pleasantly learned that even oldsters (me) can seriously improve strength by the same principles that youngsters use.

If your wife (with proper safety precautions, of course) uses snap caps and every other day dry fires the revolver to her capacity, she will nearly double her strength in the shooting hand in a matter of weeks. I am NOT suggesting that she should defer lightening the action of her revolver, but AM suggesting that she can become LOTS more comfortable with the double action pull of her revolver if she "goes to the gym" with her revolver on a regular basis.

She should set a goal (just like weight training at a gym) of so many snaps. Start out low, say, 25 snaps in a row. After doing that for a week, then do two sets of 25. Work up to 100 snaps a set. She will NOT believe the progress she will make. Just don't over do it. If it hurts the next day, then she over did it. Just go slow, don't over do and watch the strength build over time. She will DOUBLE her strength in no time (and in the process, smooth the revolver).

It will greatly help her performance with the revolver, in general, if, at the same time she is building strength, that she holds on a target while dry firing. Try to maintain perfect sight alignment as the hammer falls. A few weeks of this kind of practice and she will be beating you on a regular basis (the downside of showing the lady how to shoot is that they often beat their mate <().

Just a thought, of two...

Dale53

 

[HEADKNOCKER]

There are a Few hand exercisers made that could help with the hands if there not damaged realy badly, I have arthritis too & a few of my knuckles are very puffy from this disease
I have quite a bit of pain in my hands but live with it without any meds, Ibuprofin which used to be called Motrin my Mother took to help with this condition..
Also I can't believe that there's still states that don't allow concealed carry, So you can expect that anyone that's a thief or robber etc to be armed but "Law Abideing" Folks will not be?? Just doesn't make any sence to me??
Good Luck with the convertion to the lighter springs if you decide to tackle it, I would also think that a competent gunsmith wouldn't charge you too much to do the spring swap..
Gary/Hk