Luv2rideWV Posted July 23, 2012 Share Posted July 23, 2012 While back I ordered an extra strain screw from S&W for my brand new 625 PC, and screw I received was a lot shorter; the head was thinner; and the area under the head wasn't tapered like the stock screw. Long story short...I really like this shorter screw better because the resulting trigger pull is just plain sexy, except I got two light strikes out of 100 of my Federal primed reloads. I want/need to strike a little heavier. Also, this setup felt a lot better than the Wolff reduced power spring pack. I REALLY liked the pull I got with the shorter screw and feel it just needs a little more oomph. Does anyone know the appropriate part number for me to order a few screws like the original that come in the gun? Was the smaller screw I received for an older version, or did the PC gun come with a different screw? Or can I just go to Lowes and get an appropriate screw to shorten? I just want some extras so I can play with the spring rate and tune the gun. It has been fun so far. Many thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carmoney Posted July 23, 2012 Share Posted July 23, 2012 You can fine-tune it by simply bending your mainspring a little. In your case, bend the mainspring to take out just a little bit of its arch, i.e. make it just a little straighter. Bend just a tiny bit, then test-fire. Repeat until you have 100% reliability with your match ammo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luv2rideWV Posted July 23, 2012 Author Share Posted July 23, 2012 You can fine-tune it by simply bending your mainspring a little. In your case, bend the mainspring to take out just a little bit of its arch, i.e. make it just a little straighter. Bend just a tiny bit, then test-fire. Repeat until you have 100% reliability with your match ammo. Thanks so much... That was the first time I've ever tried bending the main spring. The gun just felt so good that I cannot stand the thought of going back to the way it was before. I'll be able to test fire the gun at Tuesday Night at the Range when we shoot bowling pins. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
earplug Posted July 24, 2012 Share Posted July 24, 2012 Many of us have found the correct screw at hardware stores. Can't recall the thread size, but I got a pack of machine head hex screws from Lowe's. The heads needed to be ground down. But having a pack of screws make tuning easy. The screws I bought are holding up better then the S&W strain screw. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luv2rideWV Posted July 24, 2012 Author Share Posted July 24, 2012 Many of us have found the correct screw at hardware stores. Can't recall the thread size, but I got a pack of machine head hex screws from Lowe's. The heads needed to be ground down. But having a pack of screws make tuning easy. The screws I bought are holding up better then the S&W strain screw. Yes, if I find the appropriate grade screw that will work, I'll buy a bunch of them. Like I said, the extra screw I ordered was a S&W part, but it also had different dimensions than the screw that came with the gun. That made measuring and comparing the two more difficult. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toolguy Posted July 24, 2012 Share Posted July 24, 2012 I use a #8-32 x 1/2 headless set screw (hex for allen wrench) and blue Loctite. I have been doing it this way for years with no problems. Then you can simply adjust to suit at any time. YMMV. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luv2rideWV Posted July 24, 2012 Author Share Posted July 24, 2012 ...#8-32 x 1/2 headless set screw (hex for allen wrench) and blue Loctite... 10-4 on the #8-32x1/2...got on a post-it note in the shirt pocket. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick1981 Posted July 24, 2012 Share Posted July 24, 2012 the mainspring on your 625 is the standard type or the reduced power with the depression in center ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luv2rideWV Posted July 24, 2012 Author Share Posted July 24, 2012 the mainspring on your 625 is the standard type or the reduced power with the depression in center ? The particular spring I've been tinkering with is either the stock spring from S&W or a Wolff type-1 full power spring. Both look identical; both have the rib in the center; I'm not sure which is which. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carmoney Posted July 24, 2012 Share Posted July 24, 2012 I use a #8-32 x 1/2 headless set screw (hex for allen wrench) and blue Loctite. I have been doing it this way for years with no problems. Then you can simply adjust to suit at any time. YMMV. Lots of guys do this, but I just got back from a match where I was squadded with a high-level wheelgunner who thinks the strain screw is supposed to be used for "adjusting to suit at any time." Here's the sound it made on the next couple stages: BANG-click-BANG-BANG-click-BANG-click-BANG-click-click-BANG. I believe in screwing strain screws down hard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luv2rideWV Posted July 24, 2012 Author Share Posted July 24, 2012 I use a #8-32 x 1/2 headless set screw (hex for allen wrench) and blue Loctite. I have been doing it this way for years with no problems. Then you can simply adjust to suit at any time. YMMV. Lots of guys do this, but I just got back from a match where I was squadded with a high-level wheelgunner who thinks the strain screw is supposed to be used for "adjusting to suit at any time." Here's the sound it made on the next couple stages: BANG-click-BANG-BANG-click-BANG-click-BANG-click-click-BANG. I believe in screwing strain screws down hard. If I can source some adequate screws at Lowes or NAPA, that would be great. Also, I did plan on screwing it all the way down. Mike, would that #8-32x1/2 headless screw work for these purposes? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lugnut Posted July 24, 2012 Share Posted July 24, 2012 I have some screws that are long and will give me 100% ignition. I file the ends down little bit at a time and test. If I go too far and I don't get 100% ignition I take a measurement of the short screw and make a new one to the last length that it worked 100%. I have also used the bending of the spring for some fine tuning as well but I like to use the screw exclusively when I can. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benos Posted July 24, 2012 Share Posted July 24, 2012 I have some screws that are long and will give me 100% ignition. I file the ends down little bit at a time and test. If I go too far and I don't get 100% ignition I take a measurement of the short screw and make a new one to the last length that it worked 100%. I have also used the bending of the spring for some fine tuning as well but I like to use the screw exclusively when I can. I also preferred that method, over locktite. Over the long rum, couldn't trust the locktite to keep the screw in place. be Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carmoney Posted July 25, 2012 Share Posted July 25, 2012 I did plan on screwing it all the way down. Mike, would that #8-32x1/2 headless screw work for these purposes? How would you screw a headless screw all the way down?!? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Watson Posted July 25, 2012 Share Posted July 25, 2012 Somebody - Ron Power? - once offered a set with strain screw and set screw to hold it where you left it. Of course that was an intersecting hole to drill and tap. Somebody else - Teddy Jacobson? - once offered a strain screw with the tip notched to key into the flute of a Wolff Power Rib spring. It gave click adjustments of 1/4 or 1/6 turn and tended to stay in place. I don't see either of them in a quick look at those sites. Maybe it was somebody else, maybe they quit carrying the screws. But it would not be hard to copy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lugnut Posted July 25, 2012 Share Posted July 25, 2012 I did plan on screwing it all the way down. Mike, would that #8-32x1/2 headless screw work for these purposes? How would you screw a headless screw all the way down?!? Till it comes out the other end of course! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luv2rideWV Posted July 25, 2012 Author Share Posted July 25, 2012 I did plan on screwing it all the way down. Mike, would that #8-32x1/2 headless screw work for these purposes? How would you screw a headless screw all the way down?!? I did plan on screwing it all the way down. Mike, would that #8-32x1/2 headless screw work for these purposes? How would you screw a headless screw all the way down?!? Till it comes out the other end of course! I'm glad to have brought cheer into your lives; its a talent I have. Also, I know I'm a little nerdy, it was really cool that Mr. B.E. made a comment on a topic I started. I'm a fan. As for the 625, I did take a slight amount of arch out of the main spring, and the light strikes got a lot worse. Have I damaged the spring? Regardless, I do have a spare full-power spring and a reduced power spring kit - if those are needed. This has been a fun project; I've learned a little bit, and I'm not done with it. It is actually the nicest trigger I've ever shot on a revolver. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lugnut Posted July 25, 2012 Share Posted July 25, 2012 To the OP... not sure why you would get more light hits. I will say though that when you get this "close" to reliable ignition... seating the primers well is paramount. When I was shooting redo I was originally of the mind set that I didn't want to crush primers... too much extra work. However for matches that's exactly what I did. I think it's a good compromise for a great trigger. At practice if I had one high primer every 2-300 rounds I could live with that. FWIW I used the Wolf reduced power main spring as is. I cut down the light Wolf rebound spring a tad... and as I said previously worked on getting the strain screw length correct. I enjoyed working on the guns to get it right... it was a fun process.... once I knew what I was doing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick1981 Posted July 25, 2012 Share Posted July 25, 2012 the mainspring on your 625 is the standard type or the reduced power with the depression in center ? The particular spring I've been tinkering with is either the stock spring from S&W or a Wolff type-1 full power spring. Both look identical; both have the rib in the center; I'm not sure which is which. I also ordered that screw from Midway Italia and they sent me the short type, same as your description, but since I use a spring without rib I have no problem. If the spring has a central rib of course begins to put the screw in tension after. If you do not find it, try to put a small thickness that can not easily run away like a washer. Or back to the original mainspring without rib, try the Wilson, i use it succesfully in my 686 SSR. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick1981 Posted July 25, 2012 Share Posted July 25, 2012 For my experience, I think this 3 different strainscrew that i can buy on Midway Italia is in order: The shortest (but also good on my 686 with Wilson mainspring set to light Federal primers) The regular The longest (like the one I have on my 686-2 square butt) I hope.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luv2rideWV Posted July 25, 2012 Author Share Posted July 25, 2012 I also ordered that screw from Midway Italia and they sent me the short type, same as your description, but since I use a spring without rib I have no problem. If the spring has a central rib of course begins to put the screw in tension after. If you do not find it, try to put a small thickness that can not easily run away like a washer. Or back to the original mainspring without rib, try the Wilson, i use it succesfully in my 686 SSR. I didn't understand before; the small screw I received was for the old style flat main spring; my gun came with the new spring that copies the Wolff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luv2rideWV Posted July 25, 2012 Author Share Posted July 25, 2012 For my experience, I think this 3 different strainscrew that i can buy on Midway Italia is in order: The shortest (but also good on my 686 with Wilson mainspring set to light Federal primers) The regular The longest (like the one I have on my 686-2 square butt) I hope.... Thanks for the pics. Yep, the short one is what I received. The ordering of parts from S&W or Midway can be confusing. However, I think Midway does a better job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luv2rideWV Posted July 25, 2012 Author Share Posted July 25, 2012 To the OP... not sure why you would get more light hits. I will say though that when you get this "close" to reliable ignition... seating the primers well is paramount. When I was shooting redo I was originally of the mind set that I didn't want to crush primers... too much extra work. However for matches that's exactly what I did. I think it's a good compromise for a great trigger. At practice if I had one high primer every 2-300 rounds I could live with that. FWIW I used the Wolf reduced power main spring as is. I cut down the light Wolf rebound spring a tad... and as I said previously worked on getting the strain screw length correct. I enjoyed working on the guns to get it right... it was a fun process.... once I knew what I was doing! Between gunsmithing books, a Miculek DVD, and this forum, I'm getting some good infomation. Everybody who tried out the 625 loves it. Someone last night at the range said I knew my stuff, and I replied that I am just now learning my stuff amd that I'm just a beginner, but this is a lot of fun! FWIW, I might just order a few more springs and try to find some more strain screws to try out. I may have been shooting my whole life, but I have really just started learning the last year or so. Might try out that RP Wolff spring in conjunction with a longer screw, next. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaxshooter Posted July 25, 2012 Share Posted July 25, 2012 All of my revolvers were done by Mike. In addition to what he did I have drilled and tapped all of my frames and installed a set screw to hold the strain screw in place ( all the way in). I just do not trust Loctite. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick1981 Posted July 25, 2012 Share Posted July 25, 2012 I see this job on the illustration card that I receive at home when I order a set of endshake shims from Midway.. from Power Custom I think.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now