Hi folks,
My 617 was deeply in need of a spring upgrade, with the stock Double Action pull maxing out my poor scale (guessing 14-15#) and Single Action at almost 6 pounds. Not good for precision shooting !
Here are a bunch of pics to hopefully convince someone to try a spring swap of their own.
Here’s the patient, a 6-inch 617-3 wearing some factory grips that also don’t work well for me target shooting.
I start by removing the grips, and then backing the Strain Screw out far enough to unload the Mainspring, but still enough tension to just keep it captured and not fall out during sideplate removal.
Then, I remove the #1 screw. This is a multi piece updated yoke retention version, yours may not look like this. Turn revolver over, pop cylinder open, then slide crane out while holding cylinder. This will remove the assembly.
Turning revolver back over, next is removal of the #2 and #3 screws.
Then I turn revolver upside down and hold as in pic. Rap the frame lightly with a soft mallet in the circled area and the sideplate will pop right off. Take the hammer block and set aside.
This is when removal of the mainspring and Strain Screw is completed. Depending on the model, the stirrup to which the Mainspring attaches may also come out, as is the case here.
Now we turn the revolver over and see the part we need to replace: the Rebound Spring. Experience had led me to the Tactical Plastic Bag technique, which generally keeps parts in the same zip code.
Place whole gun in plastic bag, compress Rebound Spring with appropriate tool, lift slightly.
Here are the parts to be installed. A reduced power Mainspring, and a 14# Rebound Spring should give reliable ignition. I place the new spring in the Rebound Slide, the whole gun back in Tactical Plastic Bag, and compress spring with tool until it goes over the post in frame. A light downward push on Rebound Slide while compressed will seat the parts.
This is when the new reduced power Mainspring (and existing stirrup, if applicable) get installed. Torque the Strain Screw down far enough to capture the Mainspring, but not tension completely until sideplate replaced.
Don’t forget the Hammer Block! I then turn gun back upside down as when removing sideplate. Start at the corner closest to trigger and GENTLY place sideplate back on. Pressure can be applied at areas of screw holes to seat fully.
Once the sideplate is seated, I tighten the Strain Screw until bottomed out.
I am swapping grips to the X Frame Decelerator grips, not because of massive 22lr recoil, but because they offer the best purchase upon the gun. This requires addition of a Hogue saddle over the frame pin.
Here’s the finished product. It now has a Double Action pull of 9.5-10lb, and a Single Action of 3.5-4lb. It should smooth up a bit with more dry firing.
Thanks for looking, I hope this gets someone to upgrade their own shooter!
My 617 was deeply in need of a spring upgrade, with the stock Double Action pull maxing out my poor scale (guessing 14-15#) and Single Action at almost 6 pounds. Not good for precision shooting !
Here are a bunch of pics to hopefully convince someone to try a spring swap of their own.
Here’s the patient, a 6-inch 617-3 wearing some factory grips that also don’t work well for me target shooting.
I start by removing the grips, and then backing the Strain Screw out far enough to unload the Mainspring, but still enough tension to just keep it captured and not fall out during sideplate removal.
Then, I remove the #1 screw. This is a multi piece updated yoke retention version, yours may not look like this. Turn revolver over, pop cylinder open, then slide crane out while holding cylinder. This will remove the assembly.
Turning revolver back over, next is removal of the #2 and #3 screws.
Then I turn revolver upside down and hold as in pic. Rap the frame lightly with a soft mallet in the circled area and the sideplate will pop right off. Take the hammer block and set aside.
This is when removal of the mainspring and Strain Screw is completed. Depending on the model, the stirrup to which the Mainspring attaches may also come out, as is the case here.
Now we turn the revolver over and see the part we need to replace: the Rebound Spring. Experience had led me to the Tactical Plastic Bag technique, which generally keeps parts in the same zip code.
Place whole gun in plastic bag, compress Rebound Spring with appropriate tool, lift slightly.
Here are the parts to be installed. A reduced power Mainspring, and a 14# Rebound Spring should give reliable ignition. I place the new spring in the Rebound Slide, the whole gun back in Tactical Plastic Bag, and compress spring with tool until it goes over the post in frame. A light downward push on Rebound Slide while compressed will seat the parts.
This is when the new reduced power Mainspring (and existing stirrup, if applicable) get installed. Torque the Strain Screw down far enough to capture the Mainspring, but not tension completely until sideplate replaced.
Don’t forget the Hammer Block! I then turn gun back upside down as when removing sideplate. Start at the corner closest to trigger and GENTLY place sideplate back on. Pressure can be applied at areas of screw holes to seat fully.
Once the sideplate is seated, I tighten the Strain Screw until bottomed out.
I am swapping grips to the X Frame Decelerator grips, not because of massive 22lr recoil, but because they offer the best purchase upon the gun. This requires addition of a Hogue saddle over the frame pin.
Here’s the finished product. It now has a Double Action pull of 9.5-10lb, and a Single Action of 3.5-4lb. It should smooth up a bit with more dry firing.
Thanks for looking, I hope this gets someone to upgrade their own shooter!
