J Frame question/issue

[DLWinner]

I recently installed a Wilson Combat spring kit in my 642 revolver. I have installed a few of these before with no issues.
After installing this one, the trigger fails to reset and stays back. I have to manually push it forward. It doesn’t do it everytime. Maybe 1/40 trigger pulls. Any suggestions on what could cause this?

[Rex G]

Most-likely cause would be that the weaker trigger return spring is unable to push the trigger to its forward position, against a rough spot, burr, piece of debris, hardened lubricant, or other obstruction.

Personally, I always considered a strong trigger return spring to be essential for reliability, so a “trigger job” starts with carefully, lightly stoning (NOT filing or dremeling) the rebound slide, and the parts against which it moves. Only then, would I consider replacing the trigger return spring, but, really, with J-Frames, if I recall correctly, have always left the factory springs back into place. I reckon I believed those that have written that one WANTS the trigger to return quickly and forcefully, as an essential part of DA revolver shooting.

[willie]

I recently installed a Wilson Combat spring kit in my 642 revolver. I have installed a few of these before with no issues.
After installing this one, the trigger fails to reset and stays back. I have to manually push it forward. It doesn’t do it everytime. Maybe 1/40 trigger pulls. Any suggestions on what could cause thissprin. ?

The rebound spring that fits into the rebound slide drives the reset. The spring may be hanging up or dragging on a burr inside the channel it rides in. Or, the rebound slide itself is not completely seated against the frame.

I suggest that you remove the parts and check for burrs. The slide itself has a sharp edge on the surface that fits against the frame. This sharp edge can drag against that part of the frame. That part of the frame where this edge touches can be rough. Breaking the edge on the slide is important. Also removing any burrs or roughness from this area of the frame complements the effort of breaking the slide's edge.

You can easily break the edge of the slide by rubbing this area with fine sandpaper. Like wise you can fold the sandpaper and gently smooth frame contact area. The frame is aluminum so be careful. I use Flitz polish and a Q tip to smooth area mentioned. If sand paper is used, it must be fine. You must wash away residue from its use,

Back to your problem. It is one or both of the causes sited in the first paragraph. The other two sections addressed ways to reduce friction of moving parts.

A mild warning is that the the hammer and trigger rotate around two studs in the frame. They sometimes break, especially the trigger stud. This breaking occurs more frequently in alloy frames. So you must not stress the two studs. Cycling the action with the side plate off will stress the trigger stud. The complaint you cited is similar to a symptom of a broken trigger stud, but I doubt that is the case.

Smith now will not honor their new gun warranty if the techs discover after market parts.

[HeavyDuty]

Smith now will not honor their new gun warranty if the techs discover after market parts.

One of the reasons I always keep all of the original parts in a baggie, and store them in the original box.

[ST911]

I recently installed a Wilson Combat spring kit in my 642 revolver. I have installed a few of these before with no issues.
After installing this one, the trigger fails to reset and stays back. I have to manually push it forward. It doesn’t do it everytime. Maybe 1/40 trigger pulls. Any suggestions on what could cause this?

Recent discussion on point, start here in the thread:
https://pistol-forum.com/showthread.php?44802-Suggestions-for-M642-Action-Job&p=1119533&viewfull=1#post1119533

[JAH 3rd]

I have, in the past, put in a lighter trigger return spring in an effort to get a lighter trigger pull. While I did get a lighter trigger pull, the return speed of the trigger would be lethargic, depending on how light a spring I put in. I tended to leave the factory spring in so I would not short stroke the trigger.

[DLWinner]

I have, in the past, put in a lighter trigger return spring in an effort to get a lighter trigger pull. While I did get a lighter trigger pull, the return speed of the trigger would be lethargic, depending on how light a spring I put in. I tended to leave the factory spring in so I would not short stroke the trigger.

I’ll hopefully play around with it some more this week. Would going back to the stock return spring still give me a lighter pull with the lighter hammer spring?

[Wheeler]

I’ll hopefully play around with it some more this week. Would going back to the stock return spring still give me a lighter pull with the lighter hammer spring?

Yes, not as light as with the lighter rebound spring but still much lighter than stock. As mentioned by others, I don't reduce the weight of the rebound spring and prefer to leave it stock.

[Malamute]

I’ll hopefully play around with it some more this week. Would going back to the stock return spring still give me a lighter pull with the lighter hammer spring?

Yes, to a degree, but there may be other things hanging up and slowing the action down which the stock springs overcame. Spring kits have become a "trigger job in a bag", but are not a really good alternative to a decent slicking up of the action. With a good clean-up of the action with the stock springs it will feel lighter and easier to cycle without compromising reliability.

[JAH 3rd]

I’ll hopefully play around with it some more this week. Would going back to the stock return spring still give me a lighter pull with the lighter hammer spring?

You would probably get a lighter trigger pull with a lighter hammer spring. Here is an example of a lighter hammer spring. I have an HK USP45. I installed the lighter hammer spring from my HK USP 45 Elite, a target grade pistol, into my standard USP45. The trigger pull was lowered a wee bit. Not much difference at all. A trigger pull gauge could be used to quantify the difference in the trigger pulls. I swapped the springs back to their original configuration.

As has been said, a lighter trigger pull involves springs, but also polishing and deburring. For polishing, I use Flitz and a Q-tip. Decades ago I sent a revolver to a gunsmith for an "action job". The result was a lighter trigger pull but the polishing of the action made for a smooth pull.

[Wes Peart]

S&W picked the stock spring weights for a reason. The stock trigger return spring gives enough additional power to overcome grit and gunk that collects inside your gun from carry. It also reduces your chance of short stroking the trigger during fast double action work.

Stop messing with your revolver springs on carry guns, people. If the trigger is still too heavy after plenty of dry fire or light stoning then grow stronger.

[HeavyDuty]

S&W picked the stock spring weights for a reason. The stock trigger return spring gives enough additional power to overcome grit and gunk that collects inside your gun from carry. It also reduces your chance of short stroking the trigger during fast double action work.

Stop messing with your revolver springs on carry guns, people. If the trigger is still too heavy after plenty of dry fire or light stoning then grow stronger.

Should we get off your lawn now?

[Screwball]

Should we get off your lawn now?

[emoji23]

I always find it funny when people take it upon themselves to tell people what to do with their firearms. It’s like they are wasting his money, right?

Someone buys a revolver and doesn’t like the trigger... it’s their decision to change the trigger or sell the revolver. Not really productive to scorn someone that wants a better trigger... just makes you look like a jerk.

Maybe it’s me, but a reliability check is always a good thing after modifying a firearm. I personally say it is close to a necessity if it is a self defense firearm... but I’m not one to tell people what to do. If someone wants to just hope it works... that’s their prerogative.

My AR pistol, which is my truck gun, just had it’s upper come back from Adams Arms, due to a bad heat treatment on the piston rod (bent in the upper). Before it went back in the truck, I put 260 rounds through it. 60 of them were confirming zero of the two rounds I use (had to remove the red dot from upper when sending it back), other 200 were just seeing if there is any other odd wear that would lead me to believe something else is wrong. Zero issues, so I feel better about it.

I have ran an Apex Duty/Carry kit in my 9mm 642-1 for years. Think I put it in when I was still running .38 Special. Never a hiccup.