Model 52-2 Operation

[A-37]

52-2, SN 2377xx, LN condition and rarely shot.

Magazine empty and inserted. Safety in "FIRE" position. Pull the slide back and let it lock in the aft position. Push down on the slide stop and the slide slams forward. The hammer drops to the "SAFE" position.

This happens occasionally when shooting, even with different magazines. Hard to believe any parts are worn considering the pristine condition of the pistol.

I did get one double-tap so I removed the magazine and stopped shooting. S&W definitely needs to look at it.

Any ideas?

 

[donk52]

Could be a number of things. If your lucky, it's just an adjustment to the upper trigger stop screw. I would adjust the lower also. Otherwise it could be the sear/hammer or loose sear spring.

 

[Sevens]

First idea: don't send it to S&W. Now I speak only for myself... but this pistol has been out of production since 1993. S&W makes mostly plastic these days and isn't bursting will skilled craftsmen. I believe they aren't a good choice for help, but I'm absolutely looking forward to hearing a great result if you elect to do that anyway.

What it sounds like to me: sear spring is worn and sear is not getting a solid engagement... or an issue directly related to the sear/hammer engagement

What I would do first: I would look up recent awesome thread here in these pages posted by user KIDCOM on the full disassembly of the Model 52

What I would do NEXT: remove magazine and remove left grip panel and get an allen wrench on the trigger over travel screw, screw it "down", back toward the rear of the pistol, freeing the travel of the trigger to eliminate it as being involved. THEN... with slide removed, looking downward in to the frame, use allen wrench to adjust trigger pre-travel and also eliminate a mal-adjusted screw as part of the problem. Sorry that I don't immediately recall which direction to turn this screw, but you only have two directions to choose from, it is possible that you get somewhere with these two simple adjustments.

When doing these two adjustments, keep two things in mind:

1) the trigger over travel screw... as you "change and test" remember that you must insert a mag each time to see if the trigger will trip the sear. Easy to forget!

2) you can test the trigger as you move this pre-travel screw also, but be ABSOLUTELY sure to have a secure grab on the hammer, you do not want the hammer to slam in to the pistol's frame when the slide is off the gun

 

[donk52]

Sevens,You can do this with the slide off. There are certain steps to adjust the upper and lower trigger stops. You won't need the mag. With slide and stocks off you can begin the procedure, if the hammer is cocked, don't pull the trigger to fire it, drop it manually. Check to see if there is spring pressure on the sear. If not that could be part of the problem. Every part is fit by hand to work together so there could be a number of things going on. Both trigger screws are allen, I forget the size. We had one for the lower screw bent about 15 degrees to better turn the screw without hitting the frame. This should be backed out maybe one turn. If there is sufficient spring pressure on the sear, you can turn the upper screw in, clockwise until you get a little play, go too much and the trigger will slip past it you want the trigger on the stop with some travel. Now cock the hammer It should hold, if not we'll get to that later. Now back out upper screw slowly until the hammer fires, It should not stop at half cock. If good so far, turn in the screw a quarter turn. That's the setting. So far so good? To adjust the bottom screw, turn clockwise a few turns. cock the hammer. It should not fire. We used a 15 thousandths shim between the trigger and bottom stop. While pulling the trigger back out the stop until the gun fires, thats the bottom setting, and your done, this should work if there are no parts damaged.

 

[A-37]

Thanks for the tips.

donk52, when you say back out the lower screw about one turn, is that one turn from the factory setting or one turn out from the bottomed position?

I haven't touch the screws yet.

Ed

 

[donk52]

That's to allow for more trigger travel so you can adjust the top screw. Top gets adjusted first, then the bottom.

 

[A-37]

Tools

Top and bottom screws adjusted per instructions. Trigger/hammer action is fine. However, if the slide is allowed to slam forward, the hammer still drops to SAFE position.

If the slide stop is held down and you keep your hand on the slide to keep it from slamming forward, the hammer stays cocked like it should.

The pics show two tools I made to adjust the lower trigger screw. The shorter tool is made from a piece of model power boat flex cable drive with a stub of the Allen wrench silver soldered in place. Either tool works.

 

[Sevens]

I believe sear spring and/or hammer notch is next in question.

 

[A-37]

Diagnosis

Report from S&W:

"Service required: Install new hammer and sear. Complete check of gun function and range test. Hammer and sear are badly worn."

Total cost: $184

My evaluation: Since the gun is LN, the previous owners must have done a lot of shooting with it but took exceptionally good care of it. Either that or the gun was never properly fitted.

 

[Sevens]

Did S&W repair this pistol and/or make a quote for a pending repair that they will do?

Wow!

 

[A-37]

S&W Repair Bill

S&W will repair the pistol when they receive my $184 check.

Here's the breakdown of charges:

PC*: Range test and repair estimate: $45

Parts (hammer and sear): $54

PC Labor: $72

Return shipping: $13 (S&W paid for shipping to them but not from them)

*PC probably is "Performance Center".

If I had elected to skip the repair, S&W still would've charged me the $45 for the range test and $13 return shipping. Not like the good old days.

 

[Sevens]

I'm basically in shock that S&W agreed to repair it and even has the parts to do it. I seriously wonder how many folks they have on the payroll right now that know ANYTHING about the Model 52.

 

[gmborkovic]

Im following this one closely.

 

[A-37]

I believe sear spring and/or hammer notch is next in question.

Looks like your "hammer notch" diagnosis was right. Good call.

I told S&W to return the old parts. I'll post pics when I get them back.

 

[donk52]

I'm basically in shock that S&W agreed to repair it and even has the parts to do it. I seriously wonder how many folks they have on the payroll right now that know ANYTHING about the Model 52.

There are a few guys I worked with that are still there. Not sure about any that worked on 52's. The machine we honed the bushings on was ancient when I was there, I wonder if it's still used. I'll have to ask some questions when I can.

 

[Sevens]

Don, we would all just love to hear anything that you hear from inside.

 

[A-37]

Returned

My Model 52 was delivered today. I fired five rounds and the pistol works fine.

Shipped it to S&W on 13 Oct. That's six weeks from shipment to return. Not bad. Hammer and sear replaced.

Fortunately, the guy who worked on it took great care not to scratch up the pistol. Looks the same as when I shipped it.

High stress incident: When I took the M52 out of the box, the hammer was cocked and there was no magazine. I put the safety on and racked the slide to check the chamber. Put the safety on "Fire" and pulled the trigger. Nothing. I said, "#^$* S&W! They didn't fix it! And they forgot to send back the magazine!" Then I remembered two things: S&W's shipping instructions said not to include the magazine. I also remembered the magazine disconnect feature. I slipped in a magazine and all was right with the world. End of story.

 

[Sevens]

The magazine disconnect safety is often debated. Many (most?) dislike it for varied reasons and their arguments seem to be filled with vitriol. The folks who like it often get just as rabid in the discussion.

Me? I don't care for it but it doesn't bother me much on any pistol with a manual decocker. But on a single action target pistol with no manual decocker, I honestly -HATE- it with a seething passion. Both my 52's and my 952's, it is an obnoxious "feature" and I wish it were stricken from the record.

 

[M19-5]

Magazine safety

Just remove or slide the rear sight from left to right to expose the cut out.
Remove spring and disconnector block.
Reinstall/slide rear site back into position.
Done.

Clarence

 

[Sevens]

...and I definitely would, for sure, if I needed to move that rear sight for any other reason. But I have elected to not mess with that which works, and works so well.