Help! 686-6 light strikes

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DaStray

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I have a 686-6 that, from the factory, took quite a pull to get the hammer to drop. In checking the trigger pull w/ a trigger pull gauge the double action pull was, I`d estimate, at around 12-13 pounds since my pull gauge only went to 10. Single action was at 4.5. Wishing to lighten it I installed a Reduced Power Spring Kit from Midway USA.
Kit went in easily and I chose the #13 spring instead of the #12 or #14. Figured the middle spring weight would give me the best chance of getting it right the first time. Reduced power mainspring was a breeze to install. Upon reassembly I was very pleased with the trigger pull. Double action is now at 9 pounds or so and single action at 3 pounds. Had my little chest puffed out with pride.
I finally went to the range to test it out and quickly found that it wouldn`t reliably fire the Hornady Leverevolution ammo. Out of 15 of the Hornady fired, 6 had light strikes and took another pull or two to fire. Georgia Arms 38 Special all fired first try. Magtech 158 gr. had 1 out of 25 with a light strike.
Before installing the kit, it fired everything without problem.
What would all you guys/gals do?
1) Put all the old springs back in and live with it?
2) Put the #14 spring in and not mess with the reduced power mainspring?
3) Put the stock mainspring back in leaving the #13 spring in place?
This whole thing is about to give me a headache...Help!
 
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1. re-install the original factory parts
2. consider lightning the trigger return spring.(order several from the factory and begin cutting off one spring link at a time)

*** back in the day cutting off 2 to 2 1/2 links was the standard procedure.
** polishing the trigger return housing will help also
 
I`m no gunsmith so correct me if I`m wrong. In figuring the mechanics here when pressing the trigger in double action mode, you`re working against the power of both the return spring and the mainspring...right? If this is correct then the mainspring supplies all the "power" to drop the hammer with enough force while the return spring is just and only that, returning the trigger to it`s original position? Bear with me as I`m trying to understand exactly what happens between all these little bits.
So by cutting off a coil or two of the return spring only, the force would be lessened to drop the hammer while the mainspring supplied the needed power? I think I got it now.

When I ordered the kit from Midway, I looked at the customer reviews and nobody said anything about any light strikes. Just my luck I would be the first.

Thanks for the reply, jimmyj.
 
"When I ordered the kit from Midway, I looked at the customer reviews and nobody said anything about any light strikes. Just my luck I would be the first."


More like the millionth and first. Just throwing light springs in a revolver with no smoothing and polishing seldom gives good results.
Put in the standard strutted mainspring (same as in the SSR) and a 14# reurn spring so your trigger returns crisply, and it should work with Federal primers. Maybe with others if the action is cleaned up, maybe not. Trying to go below 10# double action pull without smoothing the action does not always work.
Mr Miculek sells an excellent video on this subject.
 
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The rebound slide spring is typically the biggest problem for heavy trigger pulls. Polishing the rebound slide on all its bearing surfaces will help reduce the trigger pull and installing a slightly lighter spring will help without hampering trigger reset. Go back to the factory mainspring and see if that gives you a trigger pull you can live with. Polishing the rest of the lockwork without removing metal or changing angles of engagement will smooth the trigger pull more which is probably more important that just weight. A smooth, lighter trigger pull is useless if the gun doesn't go "Bang!" when needed.
 
Thank you all for your replies. I`ll heed the advice and reinstall the stock mainspring and slick up the rebound slide and mating surfaces. As elm-creek-smith stated, "A smooth, lighter trigger pull is useless if the gun doesn't go "Bang!" when needed."
I couldn`t agree more. Thanks again!
 
Another thing to consider is primer cup thickness. Not all primers are equal. Some softer than others and require less force to ignite. Another thing is did you insure the strain screw in the but of the revolver was screwed in tight? While the trigger return spring only affects trigger return, in DA mode you need to compress it much further than in SA mode. So a lighter return spring can help. Here's a relatively short, but informative video on S&W revolver trigger jobs you can do in a few minutes. Stoning and polishing the internals is a bit more involved and unless you've done it before might be best left to someone who has done a few. Stoning of sears is best done with the proper stones and a jig to maintain angles.
[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9gn7zE5b3g[/ame]
 
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You have not stated what your intended use is for this revolver. If this revolver will be used for any critical purposes, then I would consider it to be a duty gun. I always recommend that any modifications to a duty gun should be done by an expert. If you will be depending on the gun, then it is worth getting the work done right.

Changing springs in a revolver is not difficult. But there are many subtle aspects about the fit of the internal parts in a revolver. An expert can do a detailed checkup on a revolver in only a bit more time than it takes to change the springs. But that extra attention helps insure long term reliability.

On the other hand, if this gun is for recreation only, then working with the springs and doing some gentle polishing is a good way to learn about revolvers. If you are interested in this topic, and you have some tolerance for failure, then doing this project may be rewarding.
 
The problem with the reduced power mainspring is the groove down the spring caused the strain screw to be too short to reach. I do not like reduced power mainsprings, and always use the original factory spring and (if need be) slightly shorten the strain screw. Polishing a few key parts and a good lube also helps.
 
I took the advice of all you learned guys and gals and went back to the stock mainspring and left the #13 trigger return spring installed. I also polished all sides of the rebound slide where they contact the frame. "Very" lightly stoned the contact surfaces of the rebound slide, trigger "hump" and polished the frame surfaces where they contact the trigger, rebound slide and the posts.

Lubed it all up w/ CLP and off to the range with fingers crossed! Loaded the Hornady Leverevolution first since that was the one shell that gave me the most problems and Voila...it worked perfectly! Ran a box of the Leverevolution, Magtech and Sellier and Bellot without problems. The trigger pull was smooth and much easier than stock and, at least at first outing, 100% reliable.

I am very pleased with the way it all turned out. I was considering getting out the Dremel tool but wisely (at least for me) kept it in the box. I`d have probably had to send it back to S&W if I`d broke out the Dremel.

lefty_jake asked an excellent question about my intended use which would be recreation only as I`d not mess with a gun that would qualify as a "duty gun". Recreational use only on this one. If I was going to use it for my primary CCW or for home defense then I would`ve had an expert do the work or simply got used to it. I did learn volumes about S&W revolvers but by no means consider myself even an amateur gunsmith. Thus all my gnashing of teeth was ultimately more than worth it to me.

I just wish I could shoot the 686 halfway to what it`s capable of. They make it look so easy on the gun shows on TV.
 
Feel ya buddy, good job though on taking the plunge, I took the plunge several months ago, some things turned out good, other times it was a learning experience. I think the worst part is losing a piece or accidentally messing up a coil on a small spring, or putting back together that dang trigger/hand/hand spring. I now have 3 action jobs performed and can disassemble/assemble comfortably.
 
This thread seems mostly answered and is close to my problem, so excuse me if I hijack it. Or, what if he doesn't wants to keep the gun as he has it???

I have a 1 yr old 686P that has the Super Trigger Job performed by S&W Performance Center. I got it for a great deal from a pawn shop. Neither one of us knew what I was getting ... paid just under $600. Looking back and with what I know now, I'm not sure that I would have bought it. Well, of course I would have.:rolleyes:

The issue is light strikes and trying to find ammo that reliably goes bang. I started with Tulammo == ****. Fired shells got stuck in the cylinder, but they all did go bang. Some shells even cracked (38 spcl & 357 mag), I'll post a pic once I figure out how. Next was Armscor 38 spcl and none got stuck that fired ... now there were many light strikes. I just tried Winchester 38 spcl and had 7 light strikes in a box of 50. Not really acceptable either, but better than Armscor.

I am not a reloader, yet. We just do not get to shoot often enough and with having our own businesses, no time. But the next ammo will probably be Federal.

Alternatively, I have thought about getting longer firing pins but was suggested that "you wouldn't want to take a chance of puncturing the primer." Is that possible? Versus a heavier spring. Or just keep trying different ammo brands to find the right recipe?

Also on the table is to send it back to S&W to fix, but wondering what I should say. I have to admit that the gun is smo-o-o-th and with a DA 7.5 lb pull. 2.5 lb pull SA and you can't help but hit what you aiming at.

Or, is this just what I should expect for being a bottom feeder for cheap ammo and find something that equals the quality of this gun?
-Jeff
 
On a tuned revolver, firmly seated Federal primers are the way to go. Try to stay with Winchester and Federal ammo until you start reloading. Winchester is the second softest primer.

A longer firing pin will probably help. I have shot tens of thousands of rounds with longer f/p and never had a pierced primer, even in magnum loads. No one I know of has either.

At 7.5 pounds you should have a lot higher fire rate. Most of my guns are running 6 pounds and one 5 pound with 100% on Federal primers.
 
Toolguy said:
On a tuned revolver, firmly seated Federal primers are the way to go ...
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.
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At 7.5 pounds you should have a lot higher fire rate. Most of my guns are running 6 pounds and one 5 pound with 100% on Federal primers.
Click to expand...
Just to be clear, I'm talking about trigger pull (what else?). How is trigger pull related to the force of hammer strike?
 
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