Light primer strikes 686-6

[Pisgah]

When this question is posed, my first suggestion is -- check the seating depth of your primers, especially if your misfires actually fire after the second or third try. If factory loads fire with no problem, it's your loads; if factory loads won't fire, it's the gun.

 

[Rock185]

As stansdds mentions, it is a Wolff mainspring. Wolff calls it a "Power Rib" mainspring. They are available in standard and reduced power. I suspect most people who went to the trouble to install one, picked the reduced power type..

 

[Beju]

From my sample size of 1, even the 'standard power' Wolff Power Rib mainspring needed an extended strain screw and firing pin to reliably set off hard primers.

My 686 is very nice to shoot, but I'd be wary of the Power Rib mainspring in anything but a range toy.

 

[robertrwalsh]

I have two 686-6 plus revolvers. I have put slightly long firing pins in both of them as I was getting some ignition issues with both of them. Fortunately it is not hard to do, neither is it expensive.

 

[farmer20]

First, I would advise you to measure the primers' seating depth.

 

[Jim Watson]

The Wolff Power Rib spring is problematical because the strain screw drops into the groove, reducing the preload even when turned all the way in.
I have one gun that required the primer cup shim, another that gets by.

 

[H Richard]

The groove in that mainspring is right where the strain screw contacts it. The groove caused the strain screw to be unable to put the correct pressure on it. A longer strain screw, or replace the mainspring with factory.

 

[TellEm]

Primer seating depth is good.

Installed an extended firing pin and tested over the weekend. An improvement for sure, but still getting light strikes, just not as often. Ordered a Wolff full power mainspring and an extended strain screw to try next.

 

[stansdds]

I'm betting that a factory main spring would have solved the misfire problem.

 

[gwpercle]

I'm betting that a factory main spring would have solved the misfire problem.

Great minds think alike ...
That's Exactly what popped into my head ... Go Back Factory !
Gary

 

[jimmyj]

1. clean primer pockets
2. try regular primers.
3. install new factory main spring and mainspring screw
4. check length of firing pin
5. check chambers and scrub clean if neccessary.

 

[Shotguncoach]

How much hammer tension does it have? The site search feature will guide you to several threads on how to check.

 

[TAROMAN]

Another possibility is excessive endshake.