spring kit recomendations

33jayman

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So you have a nice L frame revolver that has a nice smooth action but you, like me, can't leave well enough alone. Which spring kit would you go with to lighten up the smooth action.

I put a Wolfe kit in my 686 about ten years ago but I know there are other kits out there now and I am wondering what my options are?

Any help would be appreciated.

Jay
 
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If you really like to tinker, you can experiment with the rebound spring by cutting it yourself. You could spend all afternoon snipping a little, put it together, test it, then snip a tiny bity more. However, do not snip beyond 15 turns. That's the absolute shortest that the rebound spring can be before you have problems. Wolffs or Wilsons are a safe way to go if you don't feel like living dangerously.
 
Thanks Mike,

I will take a look at that. I do a lot of tuning on Cowboy Action guns so tweeking a spring is something that I am not afraid to try.

Have a great Thanksgiving tomorrow.

Jay
 
So you have a nice L frame revolver that has a nice smooth action but you, like me, can't leave well enough alone. Which spring kit would you go with to lighten up the smooth action.

I put a Wolfe kit in my 686 about ten years ago but I know there are other kits out there now and I am wondering what my options are?

Any help would be appreciated.

Jay

The factory makes a really nice spring kit. They come pre-installed so you do not have to.

:)
 
With the plethora of spring rates available, I wouldn't mess with cutting or otherwise tweaking the stock springs. Buy an assortment of springs from Wolff and trial-and-error them for the lightest pull with proper function. I believe they offer rebound springs all the way from 11#-18#. My 4 vintage j-frames all seem to work well with 13 pounders. I don't see much advantage in a half-pound decrease on the hammer spring so they all still have the stock 8.5#. Two have bobbed hammers, two stock, and they all function just fine.
 
Can someone with first hand experience describe the difference(s) between the Wolff revolver spring kit and the Wilson?

Dave
 
I've used Wolff and never had or heard of an issue with them. I've heard complaints from a couple people who had light strikes with the Wilson, if anecdotal stories mean much to you.

I will say, no matter which one you go with, if you use anything under the 14# rebound spring you are taking a chance.

Wolff works, they are cheaper..

JMO
 
Can someone with first hand experience describe the difference(s) between the Wolff revolver spring kit and the Wilson?

Dave

"olff and "ilson". ;-)

I don't have a clue. I have the full power wolf pak in my 617, both mainspring and rebound. Am perfectly pleased with Wolff.

I don't think I was aware of Wilson when i bought the Wolff or I might have had to make a decision based on, hmmm. Given nothing else to go on I'd buy the cheapest set.

Is the Wilson ribbed? I'd prefer a ribbed, I think??? Do the Wilson come with multiple rebound springs?
 
Wilson started out customizing 1911's & as far as I know 1911's are still the mainstay of their business. There's probably very little differenc ebetween the spring kits but I decided to buy Wolff springs because that's all they do-- springs.
 
You might try bending the mainspring and leaving the rebound spring alone. That's the way they teach it at the NRA gunsmithing school in Trinidad, CO. I use a small wooden doorstop (Brownells sells a plastic one) to bend it towards the back of the frame while it is still in the gun. Then see if you can still pop the primer and if not, back off a bit. The Wolf and Wilson springs work, but this method is free.

After trying both Wolf and Wilson reduced power rebound springs, I find that the return gets mushy feeling with them and I now stick to the factory springs.
 
I worked for a Pennsylvania spring maker for a few years.Wolff has been in the gunspring business a long time , and the specialty spring biz even longer. They are widely regarded as one of THE best in the spring biz when it comes to quality control.

I doubt Wilson or Brownells makes their own springs.

I'd bet they buy from Wolff.
 
Thanks for the information guys. It has been helpful.

I have a friend who tunes guns for CAS. He told me that all the part that you need to tune a gun are right inside the gun when you get it. That is probably the best advice.

Jay
 
I used Wolfe in 4 L Frames and I am real happy with them. A buddy recently put a set of Wilson in a N Frame and he is happy with those results. I don't think you can go wrong with either.
 
That sounds so very cool.... but what does it mean, exactly?

It means you tune the parts that are on the gun as it comes from the factory. Meaning you cut or contour springs, polish and debur internal parts and correct any fitting issues.

I think Smih and Wesson come from the factory pretty well finished. Expecially when you compare them to other cheaper priced brands. My friend has made a fortune by tuning Ruger Vaqueros for CAS. He welds up hammers and takes out the transfer bars and cleans up the internals. When he is done the Vaqueros feel smoother than any Colt SAA.

Jay
 
I put Wolff springs in a Ruger Blackhawk with excellant results. I'd bet Wilson gets theirs from Wolff too
 
What's the intended use of the L-frame? Range fun? Defense? Both? Makes a huge difference on what and how to play with springs.

I disagree with those suggesting snipping rebound springs or bending mainsprings, though you can certainly alter your action to your liking that way -- just personal preference, I don't like damaging and possibly undermining the function of springs when a swap to a different, properly selected one can accomplish the same thing without risking performance.

I wouldn't shorten or loosen the strain screw, either, but some happily do.

How's the action of your piece as-is right now? If flawlessly smooth, great -- might be time for springs. If not, in my opinion you're better off leaving well enough alone or getting to where the action is flawlessly smooth because lightened springs will accentuate any flaws, particularly on rebound where the strength of the stock 18lb rebound spring drives through action hiccups; a lighter rebound spring will have more trouble and you'll notice it when shooting.

Each gun, even within the same model, has its own personality, and will respond differently to the same springs, so you have to experiment.

If this gun might see any defensive use, I'd stay with the stock mainspring poundage and use a Wolff. Wolff springs really are the best, and as noted earlier, are probably rebranded by Brownells and Wilson (I think this is confirmed for Brownells).

If this is just for range fun, consider a reduced poundage mainspring but you may experience light strikes; you'll have to experiment with ammo or with primers if you load your own. Federal are considered lightest.

S&W overcompensates a little -- and rightly so -- in mainspring and rebound spring poundages to counter for any factory hiccups in the action (burrs, tool or machine marks, etc.), or owner failure to clean and oil the internals and thus a gun that will have to function correctly when dirty or dry (or both) -- you name it. I don't mind easing off a little, poundage-wise, on that expectation because my revolvers are kept well-maintained.

All my guns stand the chance of being used defensively, so I stick with factory weight Wolff mainsprings, which nonetheless feel very slightly lighter than factory mainsprings -- either because they are, or (you see the theme here) they're smoother. Wolff advises staying with factory poundage for defensive use, too, for what it's worth, and I think they know their own product well enough to take the recommendation sincerely.

After that, experiment with rebound springs from 11lb to 16lb. You'll have to find the one that feels right to your hand, and balances with the mainspring weight, in the individual gun in which you're experimenting. Make sure you're getting proper trigger return or you risk short stroking when firing under speed and you don't want that.

As a rule, the smoother, better tuned your action, the lighter a rebound spring you can get away with, if that's to your liking.

Personally, I think there's nothing better than a well-tuned action in which all moving parts or the revolver are smooth and well-mated, combined with a Wolff standard power mainspring and 16lb rebound spring...maybe 15lb in some cases.

Used to be I'd go for the lightest rebound spring a particular gun could handle and still give relatively positive trigger reset -- all about getting that lighter trigger pull. Smooth, too, to be sure, but I really wanted lighter. I've worked actions smooth to where they had excellent trigger reset with as low as 13lb rebound springs, and thought it ideal.

No so much, anymore. I let the action work handle the "lightness" factor, which is really a "smoothness" factor; the Wolff parts are very gentle icing on the cake while retaining a crispness to pull and deliberateness of reset I didn't fully appreciate before.
 
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IMHO installing a coil spring designed to be the weight range you want is a better idea than clipping, stretching, or otherwise tweaking the stock springs. That goes for j-frame main springs as well as rebound slide springs. Personally, I wouldn't bend or otherwise modify a leaf-style main spring, but I'm not opposed to the idea of loosening/shortening the strain screw, if that does the trick. Just don't over-do it to the point of misfires-- the same goes for replacement springs.
 
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my guns are stock ,for now. but a friend of mine has installed wolff spring kits in both his 686s the double action is so smooth and light that one could, conceivably fire a second round on recoil ...but occasionally there is a light strike issue
 
Another thought-- while clipping a coil (or several) off the rebound spring may get you the "weight" you want, it also shortens the spring. How is that dealt with? Do you then stretch the spring back to it's original length? Too much shorter & it wouldn't return the trigger all the way forward, even if the weight was OK.
 
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