Repairing broken trigger stud on Highway Patrolman

[larbike]

This repair works very well, I've done many this way. In fact I now have a set of side plates (J,K,N) that are drilled as templates to do a perfect alignment into the frame boss and then install a pin of proper length and diameter. A good permanent repair. gets an attaboy!!

I can see where using drilled sideplates as templates would greatly simplify the drilling process. Thanks for the tip!

 

[chief38]

Going forward the following statement is more important than ever.......

Back in the day sending a firearm into a Gunsmith or back to the Factory was not such a huge deal. It has now become a major pain in the butt with all the shipping regulations, expenses of shipping, lengthy wait times and last but not least, incompetent people working on firearms.

Just a few weeks ago I posted the following thread:

YOU NEED TO LEARN GUNSMITHING - LIKE IT OR NOT!

Learning to repair one's own firearm is more important now than ever before! I very much expect legislation in the near future that either prohibits or severely hinders the shipping of firearms or makes it so damned expensive many firearms will not be able to be practically repaired.
I hope I am wrong but anyone with eyes should see the writing on the wall.
Therefore the time to learn to do things on your own is now. I fully understand there are people who should not attempt any mechanical work on forearms, but there are also many who might have the ability who have just never exercised it. Something to think about now.

 

[MygunisaS&Wrevolver]

I have never had much luck replacing sideplates. I could see how this would work if you found one that actually fits the gun your working on without using the one that was fitted to it. My understanding is the factory fits to the studs and presses sideplates on and then peens over the gaps and polishes them. I know that the frame size is important as well as the same dash number but so is getting the bosses and holes parallel to the stud in the frame. Am I missing something here?

 

[steelslaver]

a #39 drill is supposed to be .0995 and a 38 .1015. It would not take much polishing to remove .0015. I have made pins by chucking something slightly over side up in drill press then placing a course diamond sharping plate on edge in my cross feed vise and running it against the piece. The barrel pins, sight pins etc on S&W are .050. 1/16" (.0625) drills are easy to come by. In fact that is how I get .050 punches too.

 

[ameridaddy]

..... I also decided to attempt this type of repair because I don’t ever plan on selling this gun due to it’s sentimental value and so far the repair is holding up splendidly!

You're a better man than I, Gunga Din.
Congratulations on a nice piece of work!

 

[ArchAngelCD]

That looks like a very good repair.

In the future if you need parts for your M28-3 take a look on Numrich Gun Parts Corp.
Smith & Wesson 28-3 Revolver Parts, Schematics | Numrich Gun Parts

They have parts for most guns ever made, not only S&W revolvers.
Gun Parts & Firearm Accessories | Numrich Gun Parts

Again, well done...

 

[Old_Cop]

Excellent repair.

 

[chief38]

There are several different variations on how to do this repair and since the pin (boss) is actually captured by the Sideplate it ensures a stable and perpendicular orientation.

Sometimes one needs to think outside the "official S&W repair manual" and as long as the repair is safe, strong and effective - that is what counts!

 

[steelslaver]

An 1/8" shackle(pin is 1/8") is rated for 285# working load and the minimum factor of breaking strength/working load is 3. I would say replacing the pin with a drill shank turned .10 is way more than adequate. after all that is the size the factory used. I would think anything over that size in the frame would be pretty irrelevant. Replacing the pin with a factory pin is a good practice yes, but I don't believe it is necessary.

 

[steelslaver]

I have never had much luck replacing sideplates. I could see how this would work if you found one that actually fits the gun your working on without using the one that was fitted to it. My understanding is the factory fits to the studs and presses sideplates on and then peens over the gaps and polishes them. I know that the frame size is important as well as the same dash number but so is getting the bosses and holes parallel to the stud in the frame. Am I missing something here?

I too have heard that. But, I have also hear of people successfully replacing them. The variation are probably pretty small usually and I would think that if you dressed a side plate in spots so it went on and the screws and remaining studs line up the one you used for a drill guide would be pretty spot on. I know they dropped the top screw and added a tap, but other than that I don't know of any other side plate modifications other than the slot for the hammer block.

I kind of like the idea. I think I even have a spare N frame plate. I think I will check it on any N frame I have apart in the future.

 

[Engineer1911]

S&W charged $475 for pin repair and replacing trigger group, cylinder, and refinishing for a M29 last year. I'm guessing cylinder was ~ $80.

Excellent repair job.

 

[chief38]

I also work on my own motorcycle (H-D Ultra Glide) and have done a few repairs with methods I have figured out myself that are less invasive, stronger and better than the so called Factory manual instructs.

Even though the Factory manual "says so" I feel some of their instructions on repair work is poor and creates more issues and potential problems than doing it "my way".

In defense of S&W I suppose they want to keep their revolvers in "factory condition and spec" and repairing it with an alternate method is not their idea of what factory spec. is. That said, there are alternate, excellent and perfectly practical methods too. At the end of the day, they are in this to make large profits and not to be our friends.

 

[MygunisaS&Wrevolver]

Please let us know how this works? Thanks

 

[Kp321]

a #39 drill is supposed to be .0995 and a 38 .1015. It would not take much polishing to remove .0015. I have made pins by chucking something slightly over side up in drill press then placing a course diamond sharping plate on edge in my cross feed vise and running it against the piece. The barrel pins, sight pins etc on S&W are .050. 1/16" (.0625) drills are easy to come by. In fact that is how I get .050 punches too.

Drill bit shanks are my go-to source for pin stock. The shanks are not as hard as the fluted portion but are still very strong. Annealed drill rod in various lengths is available in numbered drill sizes from industrial suppliers also.