The list of enhancements for the Performance Center Pro Series 686 Plus inconsistently includes a tuned action. Two questions: What is a tuned action and does this PC Pro Series 686 Plus carry this enhancement?
Thanks all.
Thanks all.
What’s a “tuned action”?
- Thread starter Handgunner00
- Start date
Register to hide this ad
Typically a tuned revolver will have polished internals and lighter springs for a better trigger pull.
Years ago (decades maybe?), a PC certainly would've had the trigger massaged before shipping. Now, I sorta doubt it gets touched at all. My reasoning for that is nothing more than reducing cost.
Protocall_Design
Vendor
The only action tuning I've seen for the past few years from the factory is the use of a Wolff Power Rib mainspring, and possibly a lighter rebound spring. That is not a tuned action. That is a cheap spring kit.
A real tuned action has internal parts (lockworks) polished and fitted by a skilled revo smith. The higher end versions of this have all the specs set to be the optimal dimension for each part of the gun, like blueprinting a car engine.
A real tuned action has internal parts (lockworks) polished and fitted by a skilled revo smith. The higher end versions of this have all the specs set to be the optimal dimension for each part of the gun, like blueprinting a car engine.
I have a PC J Frame with a "tuned action". I have no idea what, precisely, was done but the trigger pull is smoother and lighter than "normal" J Frames I have handled. It's pretty magnificent.
Is a modern "tuned action" as good as they used to be? Eh. Nothing ever is.
Is a modern "tuned action" as good as they used to be? Eh. Nothing ever is.
Protocall_design is correct. Here's an excerpt about action tuning:
Transforming a revolver's trigger into a smooth action with a crisp break is a lot more involved than just swapping out springs. There's no huge gain achieved by just doing a couple of modifications. Sure, you can replace a couple of springs – the main/hammer spring and the rebound spring, which resets the trigger – but that will only give you a slight gain, and do nothing to smooth out the action.
A true "trigger job" involves reworking pretty much every internal component, and there are plenty of them. Anywhere you have metal on metal friction gets honed or polished. Some springs are replaced – the main/hammer spring and rebound spring mentioned above – a couple are shortened and some are left as is, as long as they are functioning. Eventually all of these small reductions add up to a significant improvement.
The end result is a nice, smooth trigger action with a crisp break. It's the difference you'd feel between running your hand across a coarse piece of sandpaper vs. a piece of glass that's covered in soapy water. "Slick" is a good adjective to describe the experience.
I'll almost guarantee that S&W's current PC does not have the expertise or desire to spend the time to perform a true action tuning on all of their revolvers. Check out some of Jerry Miculek's videos on YouTube.
I'm going to estimate that to do a "tuned action" by a competent gunsmith is at least 2-3 hours. At probably $80 p/hr = $240, (at least). If the price of the gun doesn't include that much over the basic price you can seriously doubt how much of a "tuning" the gun gets.
OP
The most fundamental approach to successful detective work is to follow the money. Thanks H Richard for reminding me of this fact. Note the following: The published MSRP for the standard S&W model 642 is $539. The MSRP for the Performance Center Pro Series model 642 is $579. How much action tuning will $40 buy us today? In fact the only enhancement listed for the PC Pro Series model are cuts for moon clips. I've done considerable research into the implied linkage between Performance Center and Pro Series and have concluded the linkage is likely more a marketing strategy than a statement of functional superiority. (The model 642 is now the only Performance Center Pro Series revolver listed in the S&W online catalog. A few days after I emailed Customer Service questioning the Performance Center-Pro Series linkage with the model 686 Plus, both the Performance Center and Performance Center Pro Series 686 Plus were labeled "discontinued" and deleted from the catalog.)
Sorry, I missed the plot in my response above. My J Frame (a 637) is a "Performance Center" (not "Pro Series") with a "tuned action" and, like I said, it is wonderful.
Coincidentally, just today, my "Pro Series" (not "Performance Center") 686 SSR came back from Nelson Ford after one of his action jobs and now it's wonderful, too. Previous to sending the 686 away to Nelson, the trigger pull on the SSR was noticeably rougher and a bit inconsistent from chamber to chamber. Now, it's great.
I believe that you're right. The "Pro Series" has some different/trick parts installed on the gun but no real attention to the functioning.
FWIW: I also have a bog standard 686+ which has an action that feels nicer and more consistent than the "Pro Series" 686 SSR did before Nelson Ford worked on it. Now, I don't want to say that the SSR had a terrible feel - I put several thousand rounds through it and shot it at Gunsite - but it just never felt quite right, especially for a revolver named after an IDPA competition division. Now, it does feel right.
Last edited:
- Joined
- Apr 4, 2006
- Messages
- 19,872
- Reaction score
- 31,884
IMHO, because of the current QC disaster and deplorable CS S&W is famous for now, I'd NEVER suggest ordering a Performance Center gun as they are often more screwed up than their regular line products are. The only reason that could be is that the more people at the factory who handle and play with a revolver, the worse it gets for a lack of knowledge, skills and ethics - just more of a chance to do something poorly or wrong. If one still insists on buying a new S&W revolver, I'd highly suggest just getting a standard model and replacing the springs yourself. Many times it does enough and after 1,000 rounds or so, you have done a smoothing out of the action by just shooting it. For the vast majority here that is good enough. Unless one is a serious competitor I doubt they would need to go further.
I have competed in shooting sports, matches and competitions for 50 years and have never felt the need to have a revolver go through a "professional tuning job". I have personally replaced springs, tuned tension screws and removed burrs - even swapped out a few parts but never has one gone through a "professional action tuning job". NOTE: I always keep the original parts, screws and springs for return to factory spec's if and when sold. My revolvers are smooth, light enough for competition, safe for any purpose I'd care to use them for and 100% reliable with any brand ammo or primer. You would be amazed at just how much shooting a revolver 1,000-1,500 rounds does to smooth it out! I have also found that some of my friends who had their revolvers "custom tuned" by so called "professionals" have had premature wear and reliability issues shortly thereafter.
I have competed in shooting sports, matches and competitions for 50 years and have never felt the need to have a revolver go through a "professional tuning job". I have personally replaced springs, tuned tension screws and removed burrs - even swapped out a few parts but never has one gone through a "professional action tuning job". NOTE: I always keep the original parts, screws and springs for return to factory spec's if and when sold. My revolvers are smooth, light enough for competition, safe for any purpose I'd care to use them for and 100% reliable with any brand ammo or primer. You would be amazed at just how much shooting a revolver 1,000-1,500 rounds does to smooth it out! I have also found that some of my friends who had their revolvers "custom tuned" by so called "professionals" have had premature wear and reliability issues shortly thereafter.
- Joined
- Apr 21, 2021
- Messages
- 5,282
- Reaction score
- 9,222
Yep, real tuning involves a whole lot more than changing some springs.
Yeah, you can buy a kit to change the hammer and rebound spring. But you risk faulty ignition and a short stroke trigger. OK shooting paper on the range. Very bad if on the street with adrenaline leaking out your ears. Range guns vs. carry guns. There is a huge difference. Don't mix up the two.
And no Smith doesn't do action jobs (tuning) anymore.
And no Smith doesn't do action jobs (tuning) anymore.
There is glare at the bottom of the diagram obscuring the notation, can you tell me what it says? It looks like it's referring to the cocking notch.
Thanks for posting this.
- Joined
- Dec 22, 2024
- Messages
- 32
- Reaction score
- 43
All-in, it was $389 which included the work as described on his site, a different firing pin and return shipping & handling to my local shop. You can send him an email, but he'll want to talk to you on the phone.
I'd categorize the work as my ideal for normal use. Just a really sweet DA revolver action. It certainly doesn't feel like a light-strike race gun or some other one-trick-pony built for competition. So far, so good.
Last edited:
OP
Sgt. Buzzard: Are you saying the S&W Performance Center no longer offers the $165 Master Revolver Action Package?
A gave a gunsmith friend a bottle of good Scotch for a "trigger job" on the 65-2. He did replace some springs but he spent some time working Flitz in to polish some parts with a que-tip. He did not call what he did a "tuned action" but I can now tell the brake as it is defined. The grittiness is also gone.
This was a LEO revolver I picked up 25 years ago when a lot of organizations jumped on the 45 GAP bandwagon. It had a lot of external wear but the forcing cone looked new as did the inside of the barrel. I polished all of the scratches out and hit it with a walnut media blaster that gives it a brushed stainless look. A new Crimson Trace grip and it is a good looking pistol. It is my best looking revolver.
This was a LEO revolver I picked up 25 years ago when a lot of organizations jumped on the 45 GAP bandwagon. It had a lot of external wear but the forcing cone looked new as did the inside of the barrel. I polished all of the scratches out and hit it with a walnut media blaster that gives it a brushed stainless look. A new Crimson Trace grip and it is a good looking pistol. It is my best looking revolver.
A light main spring = misfires. A properly tuned action is smooth and reliable.
Similar threads
