Pin in rebound spring for my 629 but not in my 686, is this normal?

[PresidentNixon]

I recently purchased a 629 and it had a rod in the rebound spring when I was cleaning it. On my 686 that I have I don't recall seeing a rod in the rebound spring of it.. Is this normal? Is this just an N frame thing only for the rod? Is the rod needed or can I take it out? These are the current model years/bought new.

 

[Alk8944]

Perfectly normal. That pin is the trigger stop and that style is used only in N-Frame models. The 686 is an L-Frame. You can leave it out if you want to as it does little if anything either in or out, but does no harm either! But why? The round end goes to the front, the flat end to the rear of the gun.

 

[PresidentNixon]

Interesting, I read that certain gunsmiths take out the rod because it could put additional force on the stub of the frame that the spring sits on.