Tuning the 6906

[theothermikeg]

I'm looking for some advice on what direction to take with my 6906. It's a gun that I really like but feel like it could be a much better shooter for me. My biggest challenge is a trigger with a LOT of take up and a hard pull in single action. I've adjusted to it as best as I can, but feel like it's time to tighten it up.

I don't know anyone locally who I trust so I'm thinking of sending it in to S & W for a Performance Center 3rd Gen Action Job. Have any of you had this done and do you recommend it? Is it going to basically be the same pull, just smoother?
Perhaps there's someone else who specializes in Smith semi-autos? Any advice or experience you can give is appreciated!

 

[Geno44]

What do the single and double action trigger pull numbers measure now?

 

[SMSgt]

Do you mean the double-action first shot is long and hard? If the SA is, you have a problem. Short of investing a lot of money in a carry gun, I'd spend more time learning to make that first SA shot count. A DA/SA action will always have a longer, harder trigger pull than the follow-up SA action. I really like mine stock as is.

 

[theothermikeg]

Do you mean the double-action first shot is long and hard? If the SA is, you have a problem.

The SA pull is not long and hard, it's a long take-up (like a 2-stage trigger) then a heavy press to get it to break.

I can shoot the pistol relatively well, certainly well enough for a defensive gun, but I'd like it to have less take up and a break that's more smooth. My question is whether or not the 3rd Gen Action Job will accomplish that.

 

[Redcoat3340]

How about a lighter hammer spring? Get the right one (I'm afraid I don't remember the weight of the one I installed...sorry. But you can google, someone here will chime in, or just go to Wolff website, get the three-pack and use the middle weight one.

The downside is if you put a too-light one in and you'll get light strikes...too heavy and no improvement...and you could drop a pound or two in DA and a pound in SA.

As far as smoothing it out....not sure what that problem is.

 

[WR Moore]

OK, there's not much that can be done to shorten the DA trigger stroke. Now, you can change the trigger return and hammer springs (Brownells & Wolff have spring kits), but that might not be the entire answer you're looking for. There may be some machine marks on the sear or hammer that need adjusting and/or the sear spring might need a wee tweak. BTW, you really don't want too much difference between DA and SA pulls.

About the "long SA takeup...." are you keeping the trigger pinned back while the slide cycles? If you are, the reset distance is actually very short. If you aren't, you need to work on that.

I'd check with the Performance Center. If they aren't still working on the 3rd generation, I'd check with Wayne Novak, Alex Hamilton (Ten Ring Precision) or maybe Cylinder & Slide.

 

[theothermikeg]

About the "long SA takeup...." are you keeping the trigger pinned back while the slide cycles? If you are, the reset distance is actually very short. If you aren't, you need to work on that.

I'm not, but it sounds like something to work on this weekend. Thanks for the recommends on Performance Center alternatives.

 

[veeklog1]

OK, there's not much that can be done to shorten the DA trigger stroke. Now, you can change the trigger return and hammer springs (Brownells & Wolff have spring kits), but that might not be the entire answer you're looking for. There may be some machine marks on the sear or hammer that need adjusting and/or the sear spring might need a wee tweak. BTW, you really don't want too much difference between DA and SA pulls.

About the "long SA takeup...." are you keeping the trigger pinned back while the slide cycles? If you are, the reset distance is actually very short. If you aren't, you need to work on that.

I'd check with the Performance Center. If they aren't still working on the 3rd generation, I'd check with Wayne Novak, Alex Hamilton (Ten Ring Precision) or maybe Cylinder & Slide.

I had my 6906 completely redone by the S&W Performance Center in January, and it has the nicest triggers of all my 3rd Generation pistols.

 

[elm_creek_smith]

What did the factory "do over" do to your wallet?

Sent from my XT1710-02 using Tapatalk

 

[BLUEDOT37]

I had my 6906 completely redone by the S&W Performance Center in January, and it has the nicest triggers of all my 3rd Generation pistols.

That's good news for those interested. Can you tell us how much they charged, how long they had it & what trigger weight it has now?

.

 

[theothermikeg]

I had my 6906 completely redone by the S&W Performance Center in January, and it has the nicest triggers of all my 3rd Generation pistols.

View attachment 391612

View attachment 391613

That's a fine looking pistol. Other than the trigger, what other work did you have them do?

 

[veeklog1]

That's a fine looking pistol. Other than the trigger, what other work did you have them do?

Work completed by S&W:

(1) 3rd Generation Trigger job
(2) refinish slide (glass bead stainless)
(3) re-anodize lower

Total with shipping -$353 USD, eight week turnaround. Originally quoted 12-14, but got it in 8 weeks. Did not measure trigger weight, but the double and single action are smooth with no creep. The work was so nice and prices reasonable I will probably send in my 4506 and 5903 for the same treatments. I also had my Model 66-1 redone also.

 

[URIT]

Here is another option. Watch the YouTube Blubelly2 videos titled, "gunsmithing the S&W 3rd generation pistol" and see if you can do it yourself or maybe do like I did and have a local gunsmith do the job.

I asked the gunsmith at my LGS (FFL) to watch the videos to determine if he felt comfortable enough to do the job to his perfectionist standards. He got back to me and said he could do the work as he had most of the polishing stones. He quoted me $160, the same price S&W wanted for an action job. I think he peeked at the S&W prices or maybe I let it slip.

He did comment that he didn't have the thinnest stone but used a straight-edge and fine sandpaper as recommended on the video. He did great work for a Glock gunsmith. I believe I got more for my buck using my local guy.

I got into the 3rd gen pistols after shooting DA revolvers for more than thirty years on the job so I had to learn the DA/SA trigger transition. There is a good video at the Lucky Gunner Lounge on Learning the Double Action Single Action Trigger that may help address the issue mentioned in a previous comment.