Strain Screw

[andyo5]

No, not a good practice to turn the strain screw out as an adjustment. I suppose you might make it work if you used Loctite to keep it from continuing to loosen.
My gunsmith back in Indiana used to adjust the mainspring by bending the claw backwards a little to reduce preload. I myself don't mess with the mainspring. I lighten mainspring preload by backing out the strain screw 1/4 turn at a time until I can get DA trigger pull below 8 pounds (I look for 7 1/2 pounds). Having counted how many turns it took to do this, and knowing that the screw is an 8-32 thread, I can calculate how many thousandths of an inch to grind from the tip of the strain screw.
Before doing this, you might want to replace the rebound spring with a 14 pound per inch version from Wolff Springs.

 

[Eddietruett]

No, not a good practice to turn the strain screw out as an adjustment. I suppose you might make it work if you used Loctite to keep it from continuing to loosen.
My gunsmith back in Indiana used to adjust the mainspring by bending the claw backwards a little to reduce preload. I myself don't mess with the mainspring. I lighten mainspring preload by backing out the strain screw 1/4 turn at a time until I can get DA trigger pull below 8 pounds (I look for 7 1/2 pounds). Having counted how many turns it took to do this, and knowing that the screw is an 8-32 thread, I can calculate how many thousandths of an inch to grind from the tip of the strain screw.
Before doing this, you might want to replace the rebound spring with a 14 pound per inch version from Wolff Springs.

I recently purchased a model 66 snub that came with a bobbed hammer that looks very professional and a super smooth action. It is not DAO. I asked the LGS owner if he knew who did the work and all I got was it was like that when I traded it in. Got it home and took a peak inside and it had the bent mainspring like you mentioned. I had heard of this but never seen one in person. Works great. Decided to change the hammer back to a standard hammer so I could shoot SA if I wanted and the mainspring will pull off the pivot pins with the non bobbed hammer. I guess because it weighs more? So bobbed hammer went back in and I've had zero issues. I would never carry the gun for SD after the mainspring pulled out, but it is a hoot to shoot. Very smooth DA pull, but it will not give 100% ignition with CCI primers which doesn't bother me since I use Federal only. Strain screw is tightened all the way and doesn't show any signs of being altered. I guess there is some sort of guideline on how to bend the mainspring, but I would never try and copy it. I plan on taking it to a master gunsmith and get his opinion just to see what he says. At one time he was building a lot of PPC guns and had several national champions using his guns. I'm sure he has seen this and definitely will have an opinion.

 

[MontanaNerd]

This was very helpful, thanks.

 

[StrawHat]

Never saw the need for the lightest da trigger pull. I insist on a smooth trigger pull. And I want the cartridge to fire. I had a Bill Davis PPC revolver that would not reliably ignite ??? primers. Swapped in a factory mainspring and never looked back. And the strain screw was snugged down tight.

Many “gunsmiths” think they know better than the factory!

Kevin

 

[Narragansett]

Ya know I read these threads and comments all the time, and I am just not sure that much of this is trivia. I can see the take up, creep and let off being what it needs to be, and the mating surfaces polished and lightly lubed, but all this spring stuff and tension screw adjustments to the eighth of a turn etc does not mean much to me. Maybe it should.

This is like patterning a shotgun. There are tons of people that take their shotguns to ranges and count pellet holes in 30" circles all day. It means nothing. Go put up your target, back off 50 feet or so, get your figure 8 with your beads and a 6 o'clock hold and touch her off. The big hole is your point of impact. All you need to know. Now put the gun in the right place when you shoot.

If you had one new model 19 and no screwdriver, I bet you would become a crack shot with the strain screw all the way in.

Just my probably unwanted .02