K-frame reassembly - Is there a trick?

[2DaMtns]

Hey all. I have a model 65-3 and I took it apart today. When I put it back together, it seemed like everything went back OK. But now when I work the hammer, the pawl does not engage the ratchet on the cylinder unless the barrel is pointed toward the floor. Any ideas?

 

[2DaMtns]

Hey all. I have a model 65-3 and I took it apart today. When I put it back together, it seemed like everything went back OK. But now when I work the hammer, the pawl does not engage the ratchet on the cylinder unless the barrel is pointed toward the floor. Any ideas?

 

[Bruce51]

You may have lost or not properly installed the handspring. You can use the find function to find threads that deal with reassembly. Here is one of them. Bruce

http://smith-wessonforum.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/5801039...761000833#5761000833

 

[Bullseye Smith]

You are short one hand spring. Look on the floor where you took the gun apart, with luck you will find it. Welcome to the forum.

 

[2DaMtns]

Thanks for the replies. I will check and see if I can find the spring. Luckily I had cleaned the garage before I started messing around it. Hopefully I can find it, but if not I will just order one. The sideplate screws are all buggered up and I am thinking of replacing them anyway.

 

[VM]

Next time you take a gun apart - do it on the kitchen table.
You won't loose any parts and you won't get in trouble ( I promise)!

 

[2152hq]

The hand spring is probably still pinned inside the trigger. The long arm of it that goes to the rear just needs to be lifted up so when the hand itself is reinserted into the trigger, that arm comes back down on the short peg of the hand and gives it tension.

 

[2DaMtns]

Good tip. Good thing I didn't order one. LOL. I almost thought it had to be in there somehow, cause I didn't hear anything fall when I took out the trigger or the hand or pawl or whatever it's called. As far as taking thing apart on the kitchen table, I don't have one. I was taking it apart on a large piece of wood set up like a table though. I learned that after having the springs in another gun fly across a very cluttered garage and having to order parts for my brand new gun.

 

[socal s&w]

Sometimes it's wise to take stuff that flies apart inside of a large clear plastic bag. One that is large enought for both of your hands to easily fit into along with the piece that you are working on.
Any springs or parts that disengage are kept within that bag and easily found.

 

[bountyhunter]

Originally posted by socal s&w:
Sometimes it's wise to take stuff that flies apart inside of a large clear plastic bag.

Unfortunately, we usually don't realize that until we hear the "sproing" and something goes flying...

 

[robotoid]

There's an extra rebound spring somewhere around my basement. Never could find it, had to wait weeks to get another so I could put the gun back together.

 

[50 target]

Had a friend call me years ago and said he had taken his K22 apart and that he couldn't get the "take off" spring back in it. I told him "John, a Smith doesn't have a take off spring". To which he replied, the he#@ it doesn't " about the time I get it almost in, it "takes off" across the room". Good friend, gone now, but I will always remember that.

 

[Jerry in SC]

Originally posted by 50 target:
Had a friend call me years ago and said he had taken his K22 apart and that he couldn't get the "take off" spring back in it. I told him "John, a Smith doesn't have a take off spring". To which he replied, the he#@ it doesn't " about the time I get it almost in, it "takes off" across the room". Good friend, gone now, but I will always remember that.

That's funny....he must have been a good 'un

 

[shawn mccarver]

Originally posted by 2DaMtns:
Hey all. I have a model 65-3 and I took it apart today. When I put it back together, it seemed like everything went back OK. But now when I work the hammer, the pawl does not engage the ratchet on the cylinder unless the barrel is pointed toward the floor. Any ideas?

Sounds like the little wire spring that keeps forward pressure on the hand (S&W calls it the hand, not the "pawl" as Ruger does) was allowed to come out from behind its post. Just put it back and you should be OK.

 

[pbslinger]

Just make sure you confront intruders from the top step.

 

[MKT]

Next time, don't pull the hand from the trigger. Gently move it back, out of the window then lift the trigger from the frame with the hand still installed. Trying to get that long arm wound back up and under the hand post is a PIA, usually requiring three hands at a minimum.

Reassembly is the opposite. Twist the hand to the rear, set trigger on trigger pivot post and ease the hand back into the window.