Lil' "smithin'" Help, If You Please...

[mikey357]

...okay, I've MISPLACED--or LOANED OUT--my Kuhnhausen S&W manual, so here goes...I've got a newish Model 620--seven-shot, stainless L-frame, NON-underlugged barrel--that I'm starting to get kinda' fond of...the problem is the ACTION, or rather, what the ACTION DOES after cylinder lock-up and prior to hammer fall in DA mode...

The DA pull weight goes UP about two or three pounds AFTER cylinder lock-up...It does this WITH the cylinder in the gun, but NOT without the cylinder installed...I know this is 'cause the hand is a lil' WIDE in relation to the ratchet teeth on the extractor, but...What can I DO about it???...one suggestion was to LIGHTLY stone the uppermost "Corner" of the hand...another was to CAREFULLY file the ratchet "Teeth" to relieve the "Stacking" effect...finally, "Joe-Bob", one of my local shooting "Buddies"--his name is changed to protect the terminally DENSE--suggested that I "Load Up" the ratchets with "Flitz" and Dry-fire the HECK out of it-!!!

What is the "Correct" or "Book" approach to this problem??? Thanks in advance....mikey357

[Carmoney]

I had this exact problem with 627, it was absolutely ridiculous. Must've had a 20-pound trigger pull. S&W should have been ashamed of it.

Anyway, my solution was to take out the hand, very lightly file the window and then stone the whole hand narrower (not just the corner) until it worked right.

Now it's still got plenty of what I call "pre-time" but the trigger is nice and smooth. (I did a few other things to the action while I was in there....) Just go slow--it doesn't take much....

Good luck,

Mike

[mikey357]

Mike, didja' stone the LEFT or the RIGHT side of the hand...looking at the gun from the REAR, with it held muzzle-forward???...Thanks....mikey357

[AlamoShooter]

OH are you shurr that is a good thing to do? maybe the cylinder was louse = counter clockwise turn on the ejector rod? did you check that first.? and do you have any lead build up at the forcing cone?

may be a basic question but that is the first place to look.

The hand is a place to get in trouble if you dont already know what to do, even whey you do know how, its easy to get the timing off. puttinga stone on the hand is the last thing I would do.

But I probley don't know a thing.

[Carmoney]

mikey, I cleaned up both sides, and cleaned up the ratchet also, and when that helped but wasn't quite enough I took a little width off the right side of the hand (easier to stone with no legs sticking up!)

Jamie's right--make sure it's nothing else causing the problem first. On mine, it was definitely the hand jamming itself.

[RPM8shot]

Maybe before you file or stone anything; clean the gun really well then get a clear side cover (if available) to inspect the action.

If you are going to alter any parts it should be the "easy to replace" parts. To file the frame or ratchet is very drastic. Unless you have a slight rough spot in the window or a little overhang from the machining process on the ratchet.

If all else is good ie: endshake, ratchet not binding on recoil plate, no debris on front of cylinder or end of barrel then the ratchet and hand is a good place to look for binding after lock up. If you must file the frame; file on the left of the window when looking at the gun from the rear.

Man, I hope you find that Kuhnhausen book.

Good luck