Factory single action kit

[JSR III]

I have in my collection a Model 14-3 that is single action only. I have never fired the gun so can not speak to its effectiveness.

As far as the kit in the blister pack, from a collectors point of view, "I WOULD NOT OPEN IT". I own several packs of stocks so enshrined and to me the value is in the unopened condition.

A shooter would probably say, "he's nuts" open it and build your gun.

As always the choice is yours.

The one thought that always comes to my mind when I read about folks doing modifications to guns or in this case opening a blister pack from 50 years ago is, wow that's one less on the planet and mine just became more valuable.

 

[kscharlie]

I have a 14-1 that left the factory as a single action. At some point later, someone changed it to double action, and the SA hammer/trigger went on down the road. At the last Symposium, I acquired a Single Action Trigger Kit in a factory blister pack, with the intention of restoring the gun to it's factory configuration. I can't seem to bring myself to open the package and swap the parts. So I will continue looking for a used single action hammer/trigger, and keep the blister pack unopened.

At any rate, here is what the factory kit looks like, along with a close up of the hammer. As I understand it, modifying an existing double action sear to make your gun a single action only will gain you nothing in lock time, which is the purpose of a single action hammer/trigger. You will have the same trigger you have now, except it will no longer shoot double action.

 

[diecidecimi]

Or, watch this video:

CONTENTdm

Thanks for this video. I'm italian, here I can see Rome when I was born, and my mythical High Standard Olympic ISU 22 short I herited from grandpa! It shoots great!

 

[jareds06]

is there any difference with the trigger in the SAO kit or just the hammer?

 

[Happy Trails]

"I just picked up a factory sw k frame single action-only kit. Wide target hammer and trigger with spring"

My question is where did you "pick up" the "kit" from and how much was it?
Inquiring minds need to know - so they can buy one!!!

 

[Toyman]

I went through armorers school in 1979 before aftermarket springs for revolvers were available. We were advised that the trigger return spring, part 5387, was reduced power and would reduce trigger pull and still have
consistent trigger return. Sometimes to many coils would be cut off the trigger return spring causing erratic trigger return.

 

[DWalt]

Maybe 4-5 years ago I had a friend who found a SAO K-22, no box. Of course he wanted to know if it came from the factory. I could not tell him, but I did find that there are two ways to find out. First, if the box is original and labeled as SAO. Second is to get it lettered (assuming the date is known to be in the range). I also found out that S&W sold quite a few of those SAO kits. I also once had a co-worker who owned one which was definitely factory, as he had the original box with a SAO label.

 

[rct269]

"I just picked up a factory sw k frame single action-only kit. Wide target hammer and trigger with spring"

My question is where did you "pick up" the "kit" from and how much was it?
Inquiring minds need to know - so they can buy one!!!

I cannot answer your questions with any degree of specificity, but I can give you some background which may very well allow you to answer them yourself--------IF my assumptions are correct.

The kit came into being in the early 1960's. To the best of my knowledge, they have not been produced since that time. They are then, most certainly collectibles---and are not to be had----on order. The price to be paid today will be "whatever the traffic will bear". I reckon you'll agree it'll be a damn sight more than I paid 60 some odd years ago------$2 and change (as near as I recall)---which isn't very near at all!

The availability of the kits today is anybody's guess, and likely will be found after long prowls through several gun shows. If it was me, I'd stick a Wanted To Buy ad in the forum's Classified section---and say several prayers to whomever/whatever you might pray to----but don't hold your breath waiting.

Ralph Tremaine

Edited to add a random thought----which may very well turn out to be a "pie in the sky" dream: My last SAO K-38 was a Model 14-3 shipped November 6, 1972. It's possible the hammers/triggers/springs contained in the kit are sitting in some dark, dusty corner in S&W's Parts Department.

It never hurts to ask.

 

[DWalt]

Or, watch this video:

CONTENTdm

Thanks for this video. I'm italian, here I can see Rome when I was born, and my mythical High Standard Olympic ISU 22 short I herited from grandpa! It shoots great!

I also have a H-S Olympic rapid fire, except mine has factory grips. It was the victim of an unusual circumstance that damaged the finish on the right side and rear sight severely. But mechanically it still shoots fine. I had it stored in a pistol case with a foam lining, and for some reason the foam on the top half decomposed which corroded the gun. Foam on the bottom half did not decompose. It broke my heart, as the finish had been near 100%. I polished the damaged area as well as I could and hit it with cold blue, but the damage is obvious, just not as bad.
Olympic rapid fire no longer uses .22 Short, .22 LR only.

I don't remember having any jams or FTFs with that H-S.

 

[Retired W4]

I had a factory lettered SAO K-38. Great shooter. Someone else has it now.

I have never heard of a factory SAO K-22. Do they exist?

 

[mmande]

"is there any difference with the trigger in the SAO kit or just the hammer?"
Yes, there is. If you look closely at the picture of the "kit" you will see that the trigger has no "shelf" below the single action sear to pick up the second stage of a double action hammer so if you install a SAO trigger with a double action hammer you will still not have a double action revolver.
It also seems to me that the SAO sear on the trigger is in a slightly different angle that may never mate up properly with a double action hammer. I have had several of these kits and installed a few but have never tried to mix the parts.
Mike

Edit to add: I have never seen a .22 SAO kit or gun but would love to have one if they exist! The same goes for an N frame SAO.

 

[jareds06]

What about a SAO hammer paired up with the standard trigger?

 

[Taj]

AMEN!!

There are folks out there as we speak---who can shoot groups at 25 and 50 yards---standing on their hind legs-----holding their gun with one hand, that a whole lot of folks can duplicate---seated---with a two hand hold----with a rest---at maybe 5 yards. It is for these folks in the first mention that the SHORT ACTION SINGLE ACTION K-38 was made. The mere mortals from the second bunch sit and stare.

rct269,

You are right Brother but there are a lot of folks that can do it DA as well. I know a lot of old PPC shooter that shot DAO, even at 50 yards . I also shot DAO and in my hay-day shot in the 1490s pretty consistently. When I started shooting 2700 matches I found that I shot better during slow fire when I shot DA even at 50 yards than I did SA. I think the thousands of rounds down range shooting PPC all those years programmed my brain and trigger finger to the point that SA shooting was a little weird to me.

 

[diecidecimi]

I also have a H-S Olympic rapid fire, except mine has factory grips.

Of course,as a grip maniac, I have the original ones too!