Mod 60 failure issue

[Shark1007]

New friends

Bought the latest iteration of the model 60 .357 2 1/8" Test fire date July 2012.

Took to range this morning first time. My revolver skills have faded over the years, but will work on that later.

The single action pull is 2 pounds or less and, when firing single action with different ammo, numerous times I would touch trigger and it would almost seem like a decock, I'd hear some crunching noise and it would lower the hammer without ignition. Double action, flawless,except i was pulling left.

I'm wondering if it's the issue I've vaguely heard about with involving the trigger lock.

I'm an older guy, ex LEO/US Army and have fired probably 10K rounds from J frames, just not in a while. My semiauto skills are above average, probably 2 inch at 10 yards.

I'm going to email Smith and am a bit dissapointed, but would like some guidance from the group before hand.

Thanks in advance.

 

[shawn mccarver]

New friends

Bought the latest iteration of the model 60 .357 2 1/8" Test fire date July 2012.

Took to range this morning first time. My revolver skills have faded over the years, but will work on that later.

The single action pull is 2 pounds or less and, when firing single action with different ammo, numerous times I would touch trigger and it would almost seem like a decock, I'd hear some crunching noise and it would lower the hammer without ignition. Double action, flawless,except i was pulling left.

I'm wondering if it's the issue I've vaguely heard about with involving the trigger lock.

I'm an older guy, ex LEO/US Army and have fired probably 10K rounds from J frames, just not in a while. My semiauto skills are above average, probably 2 inch at 10 yards.

I'm going to email Smith and am a bit dissapointed, but would like some guidance from the group before hand.

Thanks in advance.

I think the chance of an internal lock problem are very remote. It is your description of the problem that leads me to this answer, but the way you say you "touched" the trigger, it almost sounds to me like you are not following through with your trigger press, instead coming off the trigger too quickly. This will result in the trigger going forward as the hammer falls, thus reactivating the hammer block, which will not allow the revolver to fire. Make sure you are following through with your trigger press, so that the trigger is going all the way back.

 

[Shark1007]

Good advice, that's what is happening sort of. The single action rearward pull is 1/8" or so with a hair trigger. I just went to the garage and dry fired.

What is happening, on the same type rearward trigger pull on single only is that occasionally the hammer will fall as trigger breaks, the trigger then pushes my finger forward. I always pull rearward steadily with first digit pad of finger and, as Jeff Cooper preached, let the firing be a surprise. It seems such a light touch causes the strange response, but the trigger is really light anyway.

I have probably a dozen smiths and have never seen anything like this. The 686-4 performance center .357 was fired the same way today, no issues.

What ya think? Any idea what the spec is on single action trigger pull?

 

[M3Stuart]

Just my 2 cents; 2 lbs on single action seems a bit light to me. Did you, or can you, measure that? If I had a new S&W with a 2 lb single action pull, I would probably call S&W and ask what the spec is - and - possibly send it in.

 

[wproct]

I have a friend who owns a pawn shop that had a Smith & Wesson revolver that behaved similarly to what you have described, ie when you pulled the trigger in single action fashion the trigger would fly forward and decock the hammer without firing. He had a gunsmith correct the problem, but I can't remember what the gunsmith did. I'm in my 60's and have been a shooter most of my life, but up to this point I had never seen a problem like this before. I will try to remember Monday to ask him what action was required to solve the problem. Sorry but my memory is not what it used to be.

 

[scooter123]

It's a brand new gun and with the X-Mas holiday approaching your "window" for a rapid turn around repair is closing. I would advise that you don't waste time trying to find a solution yourself and contact S&W about getting it fixed ASAP.

BTW, every new S&W revolver I've purchased has had a single action trigger break at 4.5 lbs out of the box and 4.0 lbs. after about 6 months of use. Two lbs. isn't just light, it's so light that it's another symptom that your model 60 needs to have some warranty servicing done on it.

 

[Shark1007]

Thanks all, for the sage advice. I sent a prepaid label request just now. Cool little gun, I just need to develop a little confidence and get this fixed. It's got the lightest SA pull I've ever felt.

 

[Shark1007]

Got the gun back from Smith and they called the defect "push off" and replaced trigger and hammer. SA feels different now, maybe 4 lbs and DA is smoother. I asked them if they would consider smoothing out the DA since it was new gun I had to send back. I think they did it for me.

Will advise after I get to the range. Lubed her up with FrogLube and will install CT 405's in morning. Having serious issues with herniated disc in neck and this little mule kick hurts, I'm told to use lighter loads, a laser and shoot frm half hip to avoid neck pain.

 

[Edmo]

I've got a mid '80s square-butt model 60 and recently had to send it back to have a new hammer pivot stud installed since the original snapped off. S&W did a nice repair on it and by the feel of the trigger, they also slicked up the action.

It sounds like they fixed the problem with your gun also. Now go out and enjoy it!

Edmo

 

[snubbyfan]

I'm glad they took care of it for ya. Looking forward to the range report.

 

[Stainz]

My 3" 60 Pro, like my other .357 Magnum and .38 Special revolvers, has a speedloader or two of Remington R38S12 +P .38 Special 158gr LHPSWC rounds loaded at the ready. My 2 5/8" PC627 UDRs have them moonclipped. My house guns, a 2" 10 & 4" 64, as well as my CCW, a 642, are kept loaded with them, too. They have a proven track record. In my sixties as well, if they prove too much, there are always .38 Special 148gr full wadcutter 'target' rounds! Practice and proper shot placement are key, of course. If it hurts too much to shoot - you simply won't be effective - with or without adrenaline.

My problem is mainly in my wrists, but the neck is problematic as well. I do miss my .454 SRH and .458 Lott #1H... some days... but not the pain. .38's and .22's can be fun!

Stainz

PS Shark1007 - glad they got it fixed and back to you before Christmas - best of luck with it!

 

[scooter123]

Getting old sometimes isn't any fun at all is it? I have wrist issues due to an old injury that plague me from time to time that force me to do more weak hand practice than really necessary. Good news is that I've become pretty good shooting with either hand but there are times when I wish I were aging a bit more "gracefully" whatever the heck that is.

Also glad to hear your model 60 has been sorted out. As for the shooting left issue, the answer to that is more time on the trigger. Any time I'm forced to shoot left handed due to my right wrist acting up I start out every range session shooting right. It's simply a matter of tuning up the trigger skills and nothing more.

 

[wproct]

Glad to hear you got your Model 60 issues taken care of. I got to shoot my new to me 60-12 for the first time this afternoon. Shooting light 38 spcl reloads at 10 yards it was dead on. Need to try my defense loads next. Got some arthritis going on in my neck. It grinds like crazy but so far no pain when shooting. Getting old kind of sucks.