New 642 trigger pull

[PALADIN85020]

You are not going to get a light trigger pull with a J-frame. The shorter hammer stroke and the reduced weight of the hammer necessitate a stronger hammer spring for reliable primer ignition, and that equals a heavier trigger pull. A good Smith gunsmith (Nelson Ford) worked on my 442, and he explained this to me. It makes sense. Some lightening via work on the trigger rebound spring is possible, and smoothing the action via polishing of the internal components is also possible, but you'll never get the light DA pull that can be achieved with the K- and N-frames. It's a belly gun, not a target gun - you'll just have to get used to it.

John

 

[Buford57]

I have never understood the reasoning that smooth and consistent function of a defensive weapon becomes a liability in an otherwise justifiable shooting. I never worried much about a light pull in a DA, but smooth, consistent and reliable are essential to survival.

Yes, a plaintiff's lawyer trying to steal with a pen what his clients' dead relative couldn't steal with a knife will grasp at "hair-trigger gunslinger vigilante with deadly dum-dum exploding atomic death-ray bullet" appeals to uninformed juries, but he will also characterize that 5 shot revolver as an "assault weapon" if not a weapon of mass destruction if he thinks he can mislead the jury without challenge. Until they criminalize barratry, this will always be the case. I'd sooner be alive to deal with that.

Unless of course there is statute or case law establishing a minimum permissible trigger pull for self-defense. In which case hang up your Glocks and 1911s.

 

[KLYDE]

I think I'd like a snub CCW to have quite a heavy trigger pull.

I had an LCR which had a great trigger but my finger was about dead after 50 rounds.

If it really bugs you I'd go see a good gunsmith to lighten it a little.

I'll agree with that statement. I have a model 36, model 60 and model 342Ti I use for carry. Not one of them played with. If an Oh !*#$ moment ever occurred, trigger pull would be the last thing on my mind.

 

[KLYDE]

To the members who have not spent hours upon hours in a court room observing you would be appalled at what an attorney will pull out of their hat in order to get a favorable decision. I'll take the altered gun arguement out of the equation. Regards

 

[Buford57]

To the members who have not spent hours upon hours in a court room observing you would be appalled at what an attorney will pull out of their hat in order to get a favorable decision. I'll take the altered gun arguement out of the equation. Regards

Even some of us who have spent that time still change grips and sights and choose ammunition that has been tested to FBI standards and practice and do a dozen other things plaintiff's lawyers will seize on as evidence of malicious intent. I wouldn't be surprised to find that posting on a site like this about self-defense topics could be used to portray one as a blood-thirsty Dirty Harry-wannabe. What say we take all of that off the table?

I wonder, how will the attorney know your revolver was altered internally unless you tell him? And if, in a deposition, you admit that, what is to say he won't also ask about all those other matters, too?

 

[Cooter Brown]

I dry fired my 642 several hundred times--that smoothed things up nicely and now it has a quite passable trigger pull.

Use of snap caps would be best, but not totally necessary.

 

[TheTinMan]

The Kuhnhausen book was super for me. I was much more interested in smoothing out the trigger pull on my 642 than making it lighter. It's still just over 11 pounds - couldn't measure before but well over 12. However it is very smooth after judicious stoning, grease and CLP in the right places and a 15 pound recoil spring. Smooth = accurate, and I don't know how that could be a liability.

 

[oldnfat]

Gee, what a lot of different beliefs on this trigger issue. Ordered an Apex spring kit installed it and the problem is gone. Fired about 200 rds. this week and never had a problem. Much nicer trigger, and the recoil was milder than I expected also. Accuracy was far from what I would like, but practice will help that. I hope. Thank you jessegpresley for the advice, and thank everyone else for their honest opinions.

 

[indiandave]

I dry fired my 642 several hundred times--that smoothed things up nicely and now it has a quite passable trigger pull.

Use of snap caps would be best, but not totally necessary.

I did the same thing. I don't know if my trigger got smoother or my finger got stronger. Maybe a combination of both.

 

[Florida Guy]

I sold my 642 soon after buying it for the same reason.
My finger was sore after firing only a few rounds.

 

[smitty_bs]

FWIW I took my new 642 to my gunsmith to see if he would smooth up the trigger and perhaps lighten it. He told me he wouldn't touch it until I had at least 500 rounds through it. He said let the metals get hot during firing and mate up the parts, and the trigger will smooth out. So far I have 150 rounds through it and the trigger is definitely smoother than when I first bought it. And I'm used to it now, so I'm thinking I'll just leave it as is......it should get better on it's own.

 

[shawn mccarver]

Hey, I am now an official member of the S&W club. Just picked up a new Airweight. My first wheel gun in 30 yrs. The trigger pull on this thing is terrible. Have only dry fired yet, but my finger is already aching. Suggestions? I realize it is a DA, but golly. My last Smith was a .41 Magnum, and it was smooth as silk even in DA.

Do NOT replace springs in a self-defense gun. Instead, get one of those gripper exercisers that is shaped like a V and turn it upside down, grasp one leg with all fingers except the trigger finger, and then use your trigger finger to pull the other leg a few hundred times each night. In no time, you will be able to manage the DA pull on your revolver.

 

[Philosophaster]

I have a 442 and have fired about 2,000 rounds through it with perhaps another 500 or so dry fires. The trigger will get smoother and lots of dry fire/live fire practice will make you better with the 642/442 platform. If shooting +p ammo it takes some practice to get good anyways.

 

[ltxi]

FWIW I took my new 642 to my gunsmith to see if he would smooth up the trigger and perhaps lighten it. He told me he wouldn't touch it until I had at least 500 rounds through it. He said let the metals get hot during firing and mate up the parts, and the trigger will smooth out. So far I have 150 rounds through it and the trigger is definitely smoother than when I first bought it. And I'm used to it now, so I'm thinking I'll just leave it as is......it should get better on it's own.

Your gunsmith is both correct and an idiot. Temperature has nothing to do it.

 

[ltxi]

I have a 442 and have fired about 2,000 rounds through it with perhaps another 500 or so dry fires. The trigger will get smoother and lots of dry fire/live fire practice will make you better with the 642/442 platform. If shooting +p ammo it takes some practice to get good anyways.

Back in the day...the onus wasn't on the user to adequately smooth trigger group parts by repeated cycling of mating surfaces. A least wrt guns. Cars engines, esp piston ring wear-in was just the opposite.

 

[Martya]

Are we confusing "gritty" with "hard to pull" and "smooth" with "east to pull?" As I stated above my wife couldn't pull the trigger on my 642 without at least 2 fingers, one from each hand, and she had to struggle and shake to do that. So I lowered the pull from an estimated 18# to about 12# by changing springs and now my wife can shoot it with steady hands without struggling. The trigger was always smooth, not gritty at all. Just tough to pull.

I have a M13 I carried a while back, with about a 6# DA pull and a 3# SA pull. If it was 10# and 5# and I changed it to 6# and 3# some folks would be taking exception to that.

I guess I am missing why the objection to lowering the trigger pull somewhat on a 642, notorious for being tough to pull. It's not like it is 12# or so and we are taking it to 2#. And leaving it as is makes it useless to some folks, including my wife.

 

[TheTinMan]

Are we confusing "gritty" with "hard to pull" and "smooth" with "east to pull?" As I stated above my wife couldn't pull the trigger on my 642 without at least 2 fingers, one from each hand, and she had to struggle and shake to do that. So I lowered the pull from an estimated 18# to about 12# by changing springs and now my wife can shoot it with steady hands without struggling. The trigger was always smooth, not gritty at all. Just tough to pull.

I have a M13 I carried a while back, with about a 6# DA pull and a 3# SA pull. If it was 10# and 5# and I changed it to 6# and 3# some folks would be taking exception to that.

I guess I am missing why the objection to lowering the trigger pull somewhat on a 642, notorious for being tough to pull. It's not like it is 12# or so and we are taking it to 2#. And leaving it as is makes it useless to some folks, including my wife.

I agree. Personally, I can't see how lowering the trigger pull to 10 pounds or more should be a problem for anyone. My 642 is just over 11 pounds but smooth as silk.

 

[Invictus357]

Why would that be?

For a CCW revolver, my preference is a heavy pull for a little more safety when carried.

I am currently CC'ing a cocked SR9C with the safety on.

I'm very aware of safe handling of a firearm and would never dream of carrying a weapon not in a suitable holster.

Accidents do happen. I had read that someone had accidentally shot himself to death by carrying an unholstered Glock tucked in his belt.

A heavier trigger pull might have saved him from his error. The Glock in a proper holster would have too.

I've also read people voice concern over the PPQ and is it safe enough to use for CCW, even in a proper holster.

I know people have very different opinions on what is safe and what is not.

 

[ltxi]

Anyone stupid enough to go mexican carry with a Glock deserves to die. This is what's called natural selection.