A Quick Strain Screw Question

[MichiganShootist]

I've run a search and have read every comment on strain screw adjustments I can find.... and it seems that every round gun shooter has their own solution for this issue.

But I just have one nagging question.

In my 625 if the strain screw is backed out 1.50 - 1.75 turns I get the lightest trigger pull that gives me 100% primer pop.

Instead of grinding it off, or bending the springs more, or adding a set screw.....

Why won't blue loctite hold it it place???? Does anyone use this simple approach????

Does it hold up under high volume shooting?????

[Matt Cheely]

I use red locktite on my 686. It has a lot of PPC rounds through it, so I'm not exactly pounding it to death.

[Waltermitty]

It is possible that it could work in your gun. Keep in mind that threadlockers like Loctite Blue are anerobic products that will only cure in the absence of air. If your threads match well enough and you get the right amount in the right place, an un-tightened screw may keep enough air away from the threadlocker for it to work.

A fully tightened screw thread almost guarantees there will be no leak path for air to keep the threadlocker "open", a tightened screw also reduces the chance of vibration degrading the seal.

I've heard of people that said they used partially loosened screws held in place by loctite, but I don't have any first hand experience with that. I do have first hand experience with loctited screws coming loose.

Your experience may be different.

[MichiganShootist]

I had hoped the blue would be strong enough.. so if mis-fires popped up.. I could still crank it down in a safe are... if need be.

[Waltermitty]

I had hoped the blue would be strong enough.. so if mis-fires popped up.. I could still crank it down in a safe are... if need be.

What else have you done to the gun?

[Round_Gun_Shooter]

I had hoped the blue would be strong enough.. so if mis-fires popped up.. I could still crank it down in a safe are... if need be.

Fingernail polish works fine.

(If you are color sensitive, I am sure you can find blue )

[MichiganShootist]

Walter--- It's had everything done to it that can be done..... sights, springs, super internal polish job, cylinder work, bobber hammer, extended FP... etc. etc.

The work was done by a friend who is a master class round gunner....that does all his own work.

It's absolutely slick and crisp and fires perfect with Fed. primers.. I just like that little extra lightness that backing of that screw brings. I burned through 200 rounds at practice this week with zero mis-fires.... so it's pertty close. I haven't put it on a pull guage.. but it's BY FAR the smoothest lightest rev. I've ever owned.

[Matt Cheely]

Who did the work? Cuttia?

[MichiganShootist]

That's My Man !

[Waltermitty]

Walter--- It's had everything done to it that can be done..... sights, springs, super internal polish job, cylinder work, bobber hammer, extended FP... etc. etc.

The work was done by a friend who is a master class round gunner....that does all his own work.

It's absolutely slick and crisp and fires perfect with Fed. primers.. I just like that little extra lightness that backing of that screw brings. I burned through 200 rounds at practice this week with zero mis-fires.... so it's pertty close. I haven't put it on a pull guage.. but it's BY FAR the smoothest lightest rev. I've ever owned.

If everything is smoothed out, centered and balanced like you say, if it was mine, I'd measure the length of the screw at tight and minus 1.5 turns and grind off the difference. If it goes light and you are certain it isn't the ammo or some other problem, you can fine tune by bending some small amount of force back into the spring.

If the thought of that is too scary, order an extra screw from Brownells for <$5.00:

strain screw

And grind it to your hearts content. If you go too far put the old one back in.

[MichiganShootist]

Walter---

I was thinking the same thing.. if the Loctite didn't turn out to be a long term solution... so I already have a back up bag of new parts for the 625.. with a couple strain screws, F. pins, a hand, cylinder stop.. etc. etc.

I plan on shooting a lot of revolver this season and don't have (and can't afford) a back up gun for the 625 (unless I sell something else). ... so I'm setting myself up with parts I can fit into the gun and test... and carry with me should I have an equipment meltdown at a match.

Giving myself an easy solution to the strain screw issue is just one less thing to worry about.

BTW--- I haven't had a lot of experience with OK. but I do remember that at Ft. Sill... near Lawton.. you could stand in red mud up to your knees and have dust blowing in you eyes... Is it still like that?

Edited March 5, 2007 by MichiganShootist

[Waltermitty]

Walter---

~snip~

Giving myself an easy solution to the strain screw issue is just one less thing to worry about.

BTW--- I haven't had a lot of experience with OK. but I do remember that at Ft. Sill... near Lawton.. you could stand in red mud up to your knees and have dust blowing in you eyes... Is it still like that?

Sounds like a plan.

Yes. Those are the typical range conditions at the club nearest the post:

SCRAP

[MichiganShootist]

In Ft. Sill... I once saw an Army vehicle called a tank retriever (think of it as a 150 ton tow truck on tracks)... get stuck in the mud.

Yikes.

Thanks for your feedback.

[Carmoney]

I'm not a believer in leaving the strain screw loosened, even with loc-tite.

Mitty's giving good advice. Get the strain screw close to where you want it lengthwise, tweak the mainspring (by simply bending it slightly) until everything's nice and light but still gives 100% ignition with the strain screw all the way in, then tighten 'er down hard with a little blue loc-tite to boot.

Remember to give it just a little margin for comfort--you don't want those embarrassing match clicks, somebody's video camera might be running!

You should then have a great revolver action that will remain reliable essentially indefinitely.

[Bill Sahlberg]

I have machined in my revos a small set screw to lock the strain screw. I go to the range and shoot with the main spring screw only as tight as it has to be for whatever brand primers (Federal are the softest by far) when it starts misfiring I add 1/2 turn and set the screw.....waalaah...no more misfires and never have to worry about it backing outThis works better than Loctite and keeps me from the gunsmith each time I get a new revo :-)

[Carmoney]

OK....BUT....I find that I usually can't get the action as light as I want for competition use simply by cranking out the strain screw (with or without loctite or set screws or whatever), due to the knuckling problem that occurs as the spring loses its arch in the resting position. Eliminating this problem on a true competition gun almost always requires changing springs out to a lighter tension spring, or (my personal favorite) bending more arch into the stock spring.

People just don't seem to quite fathom that the spring itself is the adjustable part. And once a S&W mainspring is properly adjusted it will stay that way with no monkeying around for a long, long time.

Guys, you're making this whole thing harder than it has to be, OK?

[Delta Mike]

OK....BUT....I find that I usually can't get the action as light as I want for competition use simply by cranking out the strain screw (with or without loctite or set screws or whatever), due to the knuckling problem that occurs as the spring loses its arch in the resting position. Eliminating this problem on a true competition gun almost always requires changing springs out to a lighter tension spring, or (my personal favorite) bending more arch into the stock spring.

People just don't seem to quite fathom that the spring itself is the adjustable part. And once a S&W mainspring is properly adjusted it will stay that way with no monkeying around for a long, long time.

Guys, you're making this whole thing harder than it has to be, OK?

I agree. Got a new 625 this year, did the action job while watching Miculek's video, and bent the spring as Mr. Carmoney has instructed. I now have a very smooth 6 lb. trigger.

[Carmoney]

I'm finding that 5.25-5.50 pounds (with a skeletonized hammer) to 5.75-6.00 pounds (with a stock hammer) is about where you want to be. That's if you're like me and you want to be able to use mixed moonclips and mixed brass, and you don't want to be brushing and fussing after every stage.

You can go lighter, but as you go much below 5 pounds you're getting to where those pesky misfires begin to show up, even with properly prepared ammo.

Every gun's a little different, though, so those numbers aren't written in stone.

[MichiganShootist]

Thanks for the great insights guys.

Mike--I have allready put a full set of light weight "Jerry" springs on board... so the action is plently light even with the stock screw driven all the way in,,,,I was just tinkering with the strain screw as an easy way for a 1911 oriented guy to deal with his new revolving toy.

I'm going to take my supply of spare strain screws and a borrowed trigger guage to the range get this gun dialed in by sizing screws for that final touch. I plan on color coding the screws for length and trigger weight.

Thanks again.

[Bones]

I've played with a lot of strain screw techniques over the years.

I will never do that again, but always hope my competition does.

Good Luck,

Craig

[David Sinko]

I can never understand why people Loc-tite a strain screw. Every now and again you need take the gun apart and the Loc-tite just complicates things. I have a set screw in my 625 because it always shot loose. It doesn't shoot loose anymore. Determine your strain screw length, turn it all the way in and then install a set screw. Or have somebody else install one. That seems to me the best way.

Dave Sinko

[Carmoney]

Strain screws don't ever shoot loose if they are properly tightened with blue loc-tite, yet they remain readily disassembleable.

(Not sure if disassembleable is really a word, but what the hell, it's late...)

Edited March 7, 2007 by Carmoney

[LPatterson]

(Not sure if disassembleable is really a word, but what the hell, it's late...)

It is as much a word as some of those our President uses but I always thought it was a Texas thing.

[10mmdave]

(Not sure if disassembleable is really a word, but what the hell, it's late...)

How about "removeable"

(beat's "un-screwable" )

[bountyhunter]

Instead of grinding it off, or bending the springs more, or adding a set screw.....

Why won't blue loctite hold it it place????

It will.

I Does anyone use this simple approach????

I have many times.

Does it hold up under high volume shooting?????

Yes, until it gets melted by solvent or gun cleaner.

Strain screws don't ever shoot loose if they are properly tightened with blue loc-tite, yet they remain readily disassembleable.

(Not sure if disassembleable is really a word, but what the hell, it's late...)

"removeable" is a word, and you are correct regardless of which word you choose.

OK....BUT....I find that I usually can't get the action as light as I want for competition use simply by cranking out the strain screw (with or without loctite or set screws or whatever), due to the knuckling problem that occurs as the spring loses its arch in the resting position. Eliminating this problem on a true competition gun almost always requires changing springs out to a lighter tension spring, or (my personal favorite) bending more arch into the stock spring.

People just don't seem to quite fathom that the spring itself is the adjustable part. And once a S&W mainspring is properly adjusted it will stay that way with no monkeying around for a long, long time.

Guys, you're making this whole thing harder than it has to be, OK?

I also bend the mainspring, but I leave a little "extra" and back the strain screw out a touch to dial in. That way, if I get a misfire from squirrely ammo, I can turn the screw in for a little more pop.