What Rate?

[killarbb]

what weight of rebound spring are you guys running in your 625's?

i am running the 13 pounder in 1 gun, and the 14 in another. is the 15 the way to go.........i have caught myself skipping cylinders due to short stroking while i practice.

thanks,

Brett

[Carmoney]

Brett, here again I simply alter the stock spring......it varies a bit from gun to gun, but generally 2 or 2.5 coils off the rebound spring is about right. I have plenty of extras around, including several that I've cut too far...sometimes I keep trying various rebound springs until I find the one that feels just right. This is not an exact science, and I figure if I'm going to be fine-tuning everything anyway, there's no point paying for springs (Wolff, Mic, Vic, whatever) I'm still going to have to fine-tune.

Keep in mind the two "big" springs in a S&W revolver must be properly balanced to one another. Your rebound spring that is currently too light (and causing you to short-stroke) may be perfect when mated to a lighter mainspring (assuming you can go lighter and still have 100% ignition).

I am not aware of anything on the market you can simply drop into your gun that will give proper spring tensions for a competition revolver action. You have to learn to mess with them.

Or so it seems to me, anyway!

[Byron Simpson]

I agree with Carmoney. I modify the stock springs by cutting them down a bit at a time.

And if you go Dremelin' on your hammer and take of the spur, then you may want to visit your springs again. For my 625, I have the original hammer and one I have severely lightened. I have one rebound spring (with a coil or two cut) that is perfect with the original hammer and I have another (again with a couple of coils cut) that is mated to my spurless hammer.

Edited July 16, 2006 by Byron Simpson

[AFDavis11]

I would imagine that 13 and 14 would be real heavy compared to what I use. I am a complete noob and can screw up anything. I was able to follow Mike's advice and play with the springs already in the gun, after bobbing the hammer, and get incredible results. He is right about balance though. I trimmed the return spring very little and bent the main spring, then backed out the main spring screw a tad and added a touch of locktite and blam. Guns been running for a long time and just perfect. I think the spot to watch out for is the return spring, once cut you can't put any back. Also, you may want to see the silly thread I started on Hammer Throw testing . . . that helped me make adjustments right at the bench. I think I only removed one coil on the spring though so I'm sure there is more to the process than my "amature version", but its sure helps.

Edited July 16, 2006 by AFDavis11

[pskys2]

Well killerabb if you're skipping by, you might want to move up a bit.

Randy Lee's Special Flat Coil Return Spring has to be about 8#, or less, and gives under 4#Trigger Pulls. If I go up to a 15# Reduced Spring (Wolff I think) it ups the total Trigger Pull to 5 1/2#. Neither one seems to have a detrimental effect on accuracy. If anything I kind of like the heavier pull. Randy even alluded to this a while back. Saying that it takes a while to get used to a "Real Light DA Pull".

The only trouble I've noticed with the heavier one is the timing of my splits leaves the 2nd shot high. I shot the main part of my season with the 4# pull and got used to it. Now, due to some bad habits I've gotten into (like not stroking all the way thru and thereby not triggering the shot, caused by changing my grip) I'm upping my Return Spring to 15#. I like it and hope it will force me into completing the stroke.

I notice no difference in pure speed either way. But, the lighter the action the more you may tend to short stroke the trigger. You can train yourself out of it, if you just concentrate. Or you can up the Return Spring.

There will be a sweet spot that will fit you. I actually have more trouble not releasing a Stock Return Spring more than a Reduced one.

For each Strain Screw/Mainspring Combo there will be a minimum Return Spring Rate, but you can always go higher on the Retun Spring Rate.

The 1st thing is to make sure the action is smooth, then start lightening the Mainspring until you get as light as possible with perfect ignition. Then start balancing out the Return Spring to you and your gun.

[Carmoney]

The 1st thing is to make sure the action is smooth, then start lightening the Mainspring until you get as light as possible with perfect ignition. Then start balancing out the Return Spring to you and your gun.

Very well put.

In two sentences, Dave just said everything you need to know about revolver actions.