New 617 Bad Hitch in the Trigger Pull

[oldrookey617]

M-617 Problem. Bought a New 617 4" in Feb. like it very well, smooth trigger, bought a new 6" a couple months ago, catch at the end of the trigger pull double-action, called S&W, got shipping label, sent in, 27 day turn-around, still catch in the trigger, used 600 wet-dry sand paper where the trigger meets the hammer sear, now the catch is worse at the middle of the trigger pull, Even with the Cylinder Open, just noticed when you spin the cylinder it wobbles a little, S&W is closed until Jan 2nd to call them again, Can not hit the target with a Hitch in the trigger pull, weighted 50 years or so to get good with a handgun, I mean trying to get good, 66 years old. I like shooting at the steel targets, I was pretty good with rifles and shot guns back in the day..

 

[madmikeb]

Sometimes on new Smiths the bolt drops into the notch on the cylinder while the hand is still pushing against the ratchet hence the hitch at the end of the DA pull. Usually a few hundred rounds will break the gun in and the hitch will go away. With center fires I just dry fire the snot out of them, can't do that with a rimfire though. I've seen this in a lot of the new guns. Probably has to do with the lack of hand fitting these days.

 

[Protocall_Design]

Madmikeb is correct. The hand is hard tool steel, the ratchets are soft steel. They eventually wear in, with enough use. This happens on all calibers of the newer guns. You can put a 5/16 od rubber O ring over the firing pin and dry fire all you want. That works on all calibers, too.

The more immediate fix is to file down the left side nose of the hand with a diamond file. A little goes a long way. It is easy to overdo it.

 

[oldrookey617]

thanks for the info. will that be the case with the cylinder open ?

 

[madmikeb]

When the cylinder is open the hand doesn't push against the ratchet so it would not be the issue. There is something else going on. Did it catch with the cylinder open before you sanded the hammer and sear?

 

[oldrookey617]

sorry about the delay. Yes, it was at the end of the trigger pull, now it is bad about 1/3 rd. into the trigger pull. with the side plate off, looked at it over & over, cleaned & lubed with Lucas oil, seems like it's in the double-action sear, I can put a little piece of the 600 sand paper between the trigger hook and the hammer sear, and there is no catch ?

 

[scruffy]

You should put this in the "S&W-Smithing" sub forum here. Lot's of good knowledge there.

 

[Protocall_Design]

Either the sear is too short, or the top of the trigger is too low. Most likely a new sear would fix the problem. Probably just an out of spec part.

 

[oldrookey617]

Yes, I think you are right, how did it get out of the factory with a terrible trigger, sent it in, they did not fix it, I will be calling them again when they open Jan 2nd, and send it back in, I don't have a longer hammer sear, had 6 S&W revolvers, have 4 now, wished I had a hundred, with nice trigger pulls.. it was my dads 1966 model 10 that has the best trigger, thanks for your help, Clifford..

 

[Protocall_Design]

Maybe you could just order the part and put it in yourself? Might want to get a new sear spring at the same time, as those are rather delicate.

 

[pasound]

My 6" 617 had the same DA drag when I first started shooting it. After 500 rounds, it smoothed out. Not a solution for you, but mine works well today. I have to admit my 1947 6" Pre-17 Target Masterpiece has a better DA/SA trigger, and it was not fired much in it's life before I purchased it. A big difference 70+ years make.

 

[oldrookey617]

Yes, New it had a terrible 12 1/2 # trigger, around 500 rounds it smoothed out a little, same bad catch, it came down to a 11 1/2 # trigger. On my New 617 4", I replaced the 18# rebound spring with a 16# I had in stock, It has a nice smooth 9 1/2 # trigger pull, 3# single-action, no misfires, I better leave it a loan..

 

[dmar]

When the cylinder is open the hand doesn't push against the ratchet so it would not be the issue. There is something else going on. Did it catch with the cylinder open before you sanded the hammer and sear?

That was my experience. I bought a new 6” 617 in November and it had a little hitch in the DA pull. Didn’t notice it on every pull, but once or twice per 10 shots. I figured it just needed to wear in a bit, and fortunately it worked itself out just fine. I haven’t measured the weight, but the double action pull is a little heavy. Not terrible, but I may try a reduced main spring. The single action is awesome, it’s a very light crisp break, like the old Smith SA pull.

I’m into .22 revolvers, and have a bunch of old Colts and Smiths (17s, 617s, 34s, etc.), from different eras ranging from the 1930s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, up until now. This new 617 shoots great, and while I’m still getting used to it, the gun is one of the most accurate.22s I own. Ragged hole at 15 yards with inexpensive CCI Blazer, CCI SV, and Aguilla. It really is a shooter! My Colt Officer Model .22s are my favorite. Great shooting .22s.

 

[pistolpete10]

I have a .44 with a bad hitch at the first of the D/A pull. Shooting it single action. I don't have much success in sending guns back to S&W for warranty work.

 

[oldrookey617]

pistolpete. with the side plate removed, slip a small piece of thick paper between the hammer sear & the trigger, then pull the trigger, see if that hitch is gone, mine is, not sure on the fix, think mine needs a little longer sear..

 

[oldrookey617]

dmar. you have a nice collection, had 6, only 4 now, S&W 1966 M-10, with the best smooth trigger, 637, 617 4", 617 6", which is going back to S&W again.. I can not shoot like that, I have been shooting at 15 yards at the range, I'm just a beginner at 66 years old..

 

[MakeMyNight]

Use small dabs of Gunslick Lubricant on any metal to metal contact.
Changing the action springs at the same time will help slick that 617 action.
Even without spring changes, Gunslick will make a notable difference in the feel of the action.

 

[oldrookey617]

Okay, done that, same bad hitch 1/3 rd into the trigger pull..

 

[oldrookey617]

Sent it back to S&W this morning, hope they fix it on the 2nd trip back, it was almost 4 weeks last time..

 

[zeke]

According to Kuhn hausen, the hand should not be extending past the frame when it is at rest. This way, it does not wear into the ratchet. On the older models owned, they were all hand fitted. On the newer models bought, most were not. Having the hand push into the ratchet increased the da trigger pull up over 1 lb on one of the newer revolvers owned.

Also the geometry changed slightly over the years, and the newer revolvers have more of a hump built in about 2/3's the way through the da trigger pull.

The op's situation sounds like the da sear interaction when the transition is made from the sear to the trigger.