Model 65 Firing Pin

[Nightowl]

Sometimes a half turn on the mainspring strain screw is all it takes to regain reliability. Glad you found the reason, as that is the usual problem in FTFs. Failure to fully seat primers will also cause the FTF and the second strike will fire the primer, after the first strike.

 

[shawn mccarver]

My first post... be gentle with me.

I have a Model 65-1. It has been tuned by a good gunsmith:
- Timing corrected
- Trigger tuned
- Trigger smoothed
- Cylinders chamfered

The gun has a lot of misfires, which appear to be light strikes. In almost all cases, the "misfired" cartridge will fire on the second strike.

I also have an older Model 10. In comparing the two pieces, something jumped out at me. The firing pin on the Model 10 protrudes through the frame significantly farther than on the Model 65. I say "significantly" because I haven't measured it, but, it is clear even to the naked eye.

My question is this: could the chamfering of the cylinder and the "short stroke" of the firing pin account for my misfires? The answer seems an obvious "yes" to me, but, wanted to check on this forum before taking the gun back to the 'smith.

Thanks.

First, let's clear the air. . . . By your description, if the weapon performed this way upon receipt back from your gunsmith, he is not a "good gunsmith."

I suppose it is possible something is broken, but I cannot imagine it as I have been shooting S&W revolvers since the 60s and have never had a broken hammer nose. Ever. I heard of it happening back in about 1908, but that was only a rumor. Seriously, there have been cases of a broken hammer nose, but they are very few and very far between.

To answer your question, properly done cylinder chamfers should not affect reliability. There should be no "short stroke" of the firing pin. Unless your gunsmith is just plain incompetent, and if he sent your revolver back in that condition, it sounds like he is not only incompetent, but dangerous.

Send that revolver back to S&W and have them bring it back to factory specs. In the meantime, tighten down the mainspring strain screw fully with a full length screw.