Home grown trigger job questions.

[Az Dave]

I have 5 S&W revolvers and 1 Ruger security six. that need trigger jobs. I live near Gary Reeder of Reeder custom guns and have checked out his work. His trigger jobs are awesome but run $175 a pop. I am considering buying a Power Custom Series 1 fixture to do my own. I've checked out the Larry Potterfield of Midway fame videos on youtube and it looks pretty straight forward. Your thoughts please...Thanks...DDDave

 

[OKFC05]

Be prepared to ruin a couple before you get any good at it, especially if you are not already skilled in metalwork, in my experience.


I have trouble seeing why 5 S&W revolvers "need" grinding on the hammer and trigger mating surfaces. YMMV

 

[series guy]

The hammer and trigger interface rarely needs any attention. There are many areas that just need a light touch with a stone to assure a smooth surface. The most important is the rebound slide and the area on the frame where it slides. On some of the newer guns after all other work is done and lighter springs installed some trigger creep becomes noticeable. This can be corrected with very few passes with a fine stone. There's a good explanation or the process in the Kuhnhausen manual. No jigs or fixtures are needed.

 

[Az Dave]

OKF, I'm not talking about grinding on anything. Just polishing the surface of the trigger as detailed in Larry Potterfields video. The power fixture takes the guess work out by keeping the contact angles right. I've been playing with guns for 40 years just not S&W's. The reason is the triggers SUCK on all but my model 27.

 

[BLUEDOT37]

Just polishing the surface of the trigger...
The reason is the triggers SUCK on all but my model 27.

On my S&W triggers that need smoothing out I use a new sheet of 1200 grit wet & dry laid flat/smooth on a piece of glass. Then lightly polish the trigger's contact surface keeping careful angle alignment. Go slow, do a little at a time, then retest. You can also use this method to polish a rebound slide's sliding surfaces too.

I've come to favor using Wolff's 14# rebound slide springs. Uncut it's often a little too heavy so I usually cut one coil off (with a Demel cut-off disk) & occasionally another half coil to reach the 2-1/2# SA trigger pull I prefer with them.

.

 

[Gunhacker]

Do yourself a favor.. get a copy of Jerry Miculek's "Trigger Job" DVD. I trust his instructions better than "Smiling Larry's" youtube videos which tend to be simplified to keep them down to a few minutes... and sell a tool or jig that Midway carries.

I like the "minimalist" approach Jerry shows... a little smoothing here and a little smoothing there, all combine to make for a better pull.

You'll learn a lot more about the innards of your S&W from the master (Miculek), and you won't need an expensive jig.

I also favor the 14lb Wolff rebound spring.

 

[chief38]

IF you have the mechanical ability, the correct tools (or are willing to buy them) and the thirst for knowledge, I think you should take the plunge. Yea, you might fudge something up - but that is just part of the learning process. Start with ONE and make sure you have spare/factory parts in stock that you can start with. If you screw up the "spare parts", just re-install the originals and take it from there. If you never try you will never learn.

Jerry Kuhnhausen's book is a great source and there are many videos on this subject on Youtube. Just go slow, do a little at a time and reassemble often to check for fit and results.

The great part of Smithing S&W revolvers is that they are all quite similar so once you understand the first one and get comfortable, the rest will be easier, better and more rewarding. If you find you have two left thumbs (or just lack the ability) then you should use a Pro.

 

[silentflyer]

I have found just a few licks, say 5 or 6 with a diamond hone does wonders for a revolvers "smoothness", no heavy pressure just a light "dressing".

 

[tomcatt51]

I have 5 S&W revolvers and 1 Ruger security six. that need trigger jobs. I live near Gary Reeder of Reeder custom guns and have checked out his work. His trigger jobs are awesome but run $175 a pop.

What are you wanting? A better SA pull or DA pull or both?

Be very leary of the Larry Potterfield videos. He's an idiot that clearly SHOULD NOT be making videos about S&W revolvers.

 

[AzShooter]

Trigger Job by Jerry Miculek is going to be your best investment. I've done a number of triggers after watching the video and have been very please with the results. You don't need a jig, just take your time. If you want to spend your money buy a good stone.

 

[series guy]

When you shorten a coil spring you also make it stiffer. Midway has 11, 12, and 13 pound springs that work very well for tuning an action to your particular tastes.

 

[tomcatt51]

You don't need a jig, just take your time. If you want to spend your money buy a good stone.

+1

S&W revolver SA "sear" surfaces usually need no work or, at most, a light touch with fine ceramic stone.

I set up a friends 14-6 for Camp Perry and just played "mix and match" with hammers and triggers to get a "just right" SA pull. The original pairing had just a bit of creep. Second hammer was "just right'. Didn't touch them with a stone.

 

[H Richard]

I'm with the rest of the commenters, sear/trigger surfacws seldom need any toudh up,and the Miculek video cautions you to not touch them. The rebound slide & spring do more to reduce DA trigger than anything else. I recently discovered on a new gun I obtained, a 431PD with the matte black finish, the rebound slide is the same matte black, and so is the interior of the action cavity. Polishing the slide made a great difference.

 

[Az Dave]

Thanks guys! I'm no hurry to get this done and with winter coming it will be a good time to tackle these revolvers.

 

[tomcatt51]

If you're after a better DA pull definitely get a copy of Jerry Miculek's "Trigger Job" DVD. It doesn't go into SA but it's a good overview of what to do (and not do) to get a better DA pull.

This is a pretty good read too:
http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-sm...er-weight-adjusting.html?highlight=625+hammer

 

[patrickd]

I have 5 S&W revolvers and 1 Ruger security six. that need trigger jobs. I live near Gary Reeder of Reeder custom guns and have checked out his work. His trigger jobs are awesome but run $175 a pop. I am considering buying a Power Custom Series 1 fixture to do my own. I've checked out the Larry Potterfield of Midway fame videos on youtube and it looks pretty straight forward. Your thoughts please...Thanks...DDDave

Larry uses a jig to hold parts at the correct angles. Not sure how much a jig would run, but if you have 5 guns to do it may well be worth the expense vs $175 X's 5 .I did my GP100 at home using a straight edge and 800 wet dry paper to hone the parts, then carefully polished them. That and a power custom spring kit REALLY improved the Ruger and all for $15.00. Watch a few you tube videos, figure out who knows and who's full of sht and go for it. Worst case you may end up buying a new sear or something. After the 5th revolver is done you'll be good enough to start doing it for others.

 

[patrickd]

If your after a better DA pull definitely get a copy of Jerry Miculek's "Trigger Job" DVD. It doesn't go into SA but it's a good overview of what to do (and not do) to get a better DA pull.

This is a pretty good read too:
http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-sm...er-weight-adjusting.html?highlight=625+hammer

for the springs this is good too.
[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9gn7zE5b3g[/ame]

 

[Az Dave]

I just ordered Jerry's dvd. Above all, I want reliable ignition and zero light primer strikes. Thanks for all the good advice!

 

[BLACKHAWKNJ]

Only "trigger job" I have done was on my 6" Ruger Security Six Stainless.
Replacing the original too heavy hammer spring with a Trapper or Bullseye (forget which) lightened the pull noticeably whill retaining 100% reliability.
How about the Kuhnhausen manuals. And I recommend get a good suply of replacement parts, keep the originals original.

 

[69maverick]

Do this..

Do yourself a favor.. get a copy of Jerry Miculek's "Trigger Job" DVD. I trust his instructions better than "Smiling Larry's" youtube videos which tend to be simplified to keep them down to a few minutes... and sell a tool or jig that Midway carries.

I like the "minimalist" approach Jerry shows... a little smoothing here and a little smoothing there, all combine to make for a better pull.

You'll learn a lot more about the innards of your S&W from the master (Miculek), and you won't need an expensive jig.

I also favor the 14lb Wolff rebound spring.

video

This video by Jerry M. is all you will need to know I don't like the Wolff springs as much as the Bang Inc. Jerry's springs. I like to mod the stock springs to be honest. Pay more attention to slicking up the action than just tossing in a few springs.You will need the tool that Midway sells to put the return spring back in but it can be done with a small screw driver if you have the touch. No one has really done a Video showing how to trim the cylinder spring and the release needs to be modified to take some of the pressure off the cylinder. These are all things that make the gun feel smooth but for the most part the action set never really needs to be touched. As for the rebound spring I take the stock spring and put it on a small screw driver and sand/grind down the spring not on the length but the diameter on a belt sander just a little at a time till it feels better but not to light. If your going to use off the shelf ammo you can't make the trigger pull to light or you will get mis-fires.

I find that 2.75 to 3.25 lbs in SA is nice and 8-9 lbs in double is pretty reliable. If you go to 7.5 lbs like the video says you can you will need to use reloads with Federal primers. Apex makes an extended firing pin and light firing pin spring that helps as well. S&W firing pins on the newer 686 are not all the same size. Some are smaller than others causing Mis-fires.