S&W Sideplate.

Discuss work on firearms; whether that is making yours from the ground up, milling an 80%, putting together a kit, or fine tuning a trigger job.
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Harrier
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Re: S&W Sideplate.

#16

Post by Harrier »

Working from old memory cells...
If your trying to smooth out the trigger, one of the parts you should give attention to is the Rebound Slide... the square looking block with a spring inside located at the bottom of the frame when you take off the sideplate. Stay away from the sear or you may end up with an unsafe push-off condition!

First use a dremel to polish the bearing surfaces to a mirror finish (on the frame/sideplate & RS)... (note: the RS surface may be slightly dished to reduce friction- don't increase it by flattening the contact with the frame)
Then, get an extra rebound spring (keep your original safe), and clip 1/2 coil off... but too much and you may have other issues, thus the orig. spring backup.


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Boriqua
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Re: S&W Sideplate.

#17

Post by Boriqua »

I vacillated .. it was a really tough decision .. as far as little decisions go. I went out last time and had a stellar shoot so I still couldn't make up my mind but today decided .. what the hey .. if I dont like it I can put the old springs back in and you know what
It twerent not hard at all.

I am glad I opened it up too because I cleaned up any remaining gook in the works. I took a brass brush to the inside of the trigger spring housing and put proper oil on all the spots that rub together when you fire and ... damn it feels good!!

Here I was worried that the screws would be in there so tight I would be bound to scratch up the gun so I pressed down hard so the screw driver wouldn't move and ... damn things nearly fell out by themselves. They weren't very tight at all.

The little tap tap thing on the grip frame worked wonderfully and the only real problem I had at all was when I was putting it together. I got the locating lip where it needed to go but it wouldnt seat naturally and I wasnt going to force it . Turned out the cylinder was slightly out of alignment and once I clicked it in place the cover fell right on.

I used the wilson combat kit and used they 14# return spring and whatever their hammer spring is weighted at. I dont know if its the clean and oil or the spring kit but its like glass now.
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smithers599
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Re: S&W Sideplate.

#18

Post by smithers599 »

:clap: Well done, good sir!
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Boriqua
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Re: S&W Sideplate.

#19

Post by Boriqua »

Unfortunately that exercise turned out less than ideal. Went out today for a little shootin time and it certainly felt pretty awesome but..... after about 70 rounds ... light strikes. Had one in a cylinder and then two in the next and then it was at least one or two for the next three goes.

You can see it's a very light dimple on the primer compared to the brass before the spring swap. Night and day difference all on the same Winchester primers.

My thinking is ... I cleaned and oiled everything nice and tidy but after 70 rds where things start to get dirty the Wilson hammer spring wasn't enough.

Opened it back up and reinstalled the factory hammer spring but left the 14# trigger return spring I installed. Feels just fine and I think that is how I will leave it.
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smithers599
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Re: S&W Sideplate.

#20

Post by smithers599 »

Tighten the strain screw in the grip frame (it presses against the mainspring) half a turn. If you still get light strikes, tighten it another half turn. Easy.
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needsmostuff
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Re: S&W Sideplate.

#21

Post by needsmostuff »

smithers599 wrote: July 24th, 2019, 5:35 pm Tighten the strain screw in the grip frame (it presses against the mainspring) half a turn. If you still get light strikes, tighten it another half turn. Easy.
The strain screw is NOT an adjustment screw ,,,,though many improperly use it for that.
It needs to be bottomed out and snug. Leaving it loose can lead to backing out and light hammer strikes.
Shorten the screw or weaken the spring if you must but these are both shortcuts that can end in intermittency . Too short or a weak spring in the rebound slide will cause the trigger reset to be sluggish or incomplete. Internal polish is the proper way to get results.
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Boriqua
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Re: S&W Sideplate.

#22

Post by Boriqua »

Thank you giys for the input! I had read in a few places to tighten down that screw and in both tge installation of the wilson combat and tbe return of the original I tightened tgat srew down as tight as it would go.

I am fine with the reduced trigger return and the factory hammer spring. I think the clean and lubricate did more for the smoothness than anything else but I have it now where the front sight doesn't move even one handed so I'm happy
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Re: S&W Sideplate.

#23

Post by azrik »

Alex, If you're worried about loose or over tightening the screws, consider Vibra-Tite.
Degrease the threads well and apply, letting it dry hard overnight. It shrinks when dry and sucks up into the threads.
It's a coating that stays on the threads and can be reused. Tighten normally and it gives it just enough drag as to not allow to vibrate out.

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