Star locator pins for cylinder

[minconrevo]

S&W dropped the two star locater pins. Big mistake in a gun that's going to be fired a lot. The new style star wobbles around quite a bit, compared to an old style. This has to effect the action. The lack of locator pins will affect reloads because the star can be clocked off enough to quasi-trap fired rounds.

I think I want to retro a 686-4 with the star pins. My 686 no-dash does have them. Any reason why I can't add the locator pins to my dash 4?

Two of the six star cylinder splines on a dash 4 are like the six identical ones on the no-dash. The two splines like the no-dash's splines look to be the place for the pins.

Looks to me like a careful setup in the mill, with the correct size drill will do it. The backside of the star must be beveled to accept the rounded pin head; no biggie.

Brownell's does not catalog the star locator pins.

 

[tomcatt51]

Pointless. Once you push the ejector and the star (extractor) moves back it's no longer indexed on the pins. With rounds chambered the rounds index the star. The new style, no pins, star works just fine.

If you're doing a one-off mod you can use whatever size pins fit the available space best.

 

[adweisbe]

They didn't just change the star. They also changed how the hand interacts with the ratchets.

 

[GLV]

And in my experience, it works very well.

 

[minconrevo]

They didn't just change the star. They also changed how the hand interacts with the ratchets.

Yes, that is apparent if you look at a no-dash and and the "new style" side by side. What I'm trying to avoid is the side to side slop that will come to a "new style" with lots of fast double action use, as in IDPA and ICORE.

 

[tomcatt51]

Yes, that is apparent if you look at a no-dash and and the "new style" side by side. What I'm trying to avoid is the side to side slop that will come to a "new style" with lots of fast double action use, as in IDPA and ICORE.

I shoot revolver for USPSA, bowling pins and Steel Challenge. They get a bunch of rounds thru them. I have yet to see "the side to side slop that will come to a "new style" with lots of fast double action use". The rounds index the "star" and hold things in position quite well.