The Floating Hand…

[jeffrefrig]

…and NOT a Svengoolie B-movie. Poking around in the 686 and 57 revolvers in the book I saw that in 1986-1988, depending on which model, engineering changes involved a floating hand. I didn’t look for the section of the book that explains this. (Lazy me) I don’t think I have ever heard of this feature. I’m guessing it’s on many S&Ws of this time frame?
I’m just a dummy willing to learn!
Thanks.
Jeff T.

 

[jeffrefrig]

This post should've been in the 1980 to Present forum. Anyhow, I think it was from the engineering change that corrected the primer flowing into the firing pin hole. The M in the yoke by the Model # in the first produced shows the factory corrected it. I didn't see anything about the floating hand, though. It would be above my pay grade anyhow!

 

[snw19_357]

Yes, it was on many of S&W's revolvers at the time, but only lasted until 1994 when they did away with the floating hand. Believe the floating hand was meant to make it easier on and eliminate some of the hand fitting of the extractor ratchet. Guess it didn't work as well as they had hoped because they went back to the old hand and changed the extractor.

For the 686, the -1 was the change to the floating hand and the -2 included the parts changed for the "M" recall. That recall needed to be performed on the 686 and 686-1 but involved changing the hammer nose bushing (and hammer nose?) to correct the primer flowing into the bushing.

 

[bigggbbruce]

The floating hand had a pin pressed into the trigger that the hand pivots on, a regular hand the pin is mounted on the hand.

 

[Toolguy]

Thankfully, you can tap the floating hand out of the trigger with a pin punch, and install a regular hand and drive on. The floating hand was a good try, but it just didn't work out. Overall, the changes that the S&W engineers have come up with over the decades have been from good to brilliant. They were bound to have a marginal one at some point. In my opinion, nearly all of the many changes made have been a genuine improvement. The few that weren't seem to be more memorable than the many that were.

 

[snw19_357]

Floating hand is on the left in these pictures.

 

[Krogen]

Can somebody explain how the floating hand functions in comparison to a non-floating hand? I don't see in the photos how it might reduce fitting at the factory. Appearance-wise, it must be pretty subtle. I'm not very good at subtle!