S & W issues

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  • hog slayer

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    Dec 10, 2015
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    Camp Lejeune, NC
    I recently received a wonderful little pea shooter from my dear brother for Jesus' birthday. It was great for maybe 500 rounds that we put through it that first day. Next thing I know I can't get it to fire reliably. It cycles and strikes the primers but not enough to go bang. I can get all those rounds to fire in my J-frame so it isn't the rounds and I've used numerous manufactures, with and without moon clips. On the bright side, before I could get home from the range I had contacted S & W and had a shipping label in my email. I had the pistol on the truck within minutes of returning. I'm sorta kinda new to these wheel guns. The thought crossed my mind that it could have been a maintenance issue but that seems really fast to me to get dirty that quickly. I did take it apart quickly to inspect before I shipped it and everything internally seemed clean enough. Nothing was easily recognizable as out of the ordinary. So, now we'll see how their customer service works out. I haven't heard anything poor about that section at all, though, so I am optimistic.
     

    Bosshoss

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    Did you check the strain screw on the main spring? That is the usual culprit when a gun starts having light strikes.
     

    Hopper

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    Agreed with the Boss ^^^, but it sounds like it's already shipped off, so no way to know for sure. I'd say after that many rounds, the strain screw is a very likely culprit. I put just a dab (and I mean a SMALL dab) of blue Loctite on my strain screw. It's enough to hold it in place, but not so tight that you can't turn it if you need to.
     

    Hopper

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    Is this a thing that requires routine inspection and maintenence?
    Yes, but not as often in my case. The Loctite keeps it put for me. But I will still occasionally make sure it's snug if I haven't checked it in a while. Any time I take the grips off, I make certain it hasn't started to work its way out.
     
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    Bosshoss

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    Seems like a lot of the new guns don't have the strain screw tight from the factory. I always check them and snug them down good and check them every couple of hundred rounds and after a couple of times I will check it every 2000 rounds or so from then on out.
    This is in a competition gun that is shot every weekend.
     

    85Cosmo

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    Dec 18, 2016
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    I have had a S&W 686 7 shot have a light strike occasionally. I noticed that it would only do that when it was fired single action. You could fire again on the same bullet double action and it would go bang!
    Think the hammer travels slightly further back in DA, therefore a slightly harder strike. annoying.
     

    Hopper

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    I have had a S&W 686 7 shot have a light strike occasionally. I noticed that it would only do that when it was fired single action. You could fire again on the same bullet double action and it would go bang!
    Think the hammer travels slightly further back in DA, therefore a slightly harder strike. annoying.
    Interesting, as I've occasionally had the exact opposite problem, especially with WWB bulk 38 specials. The primers on Winchester seem to be a little harder than other types of ammo. For me, it normally fails in DA, and giving it another hit in SA tends to set it off reliably. I believe the hammer actually travels farther in SA (as it's cocked back just a bit farther) than in DA.
     

    Bosshoss

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    This^^^^^
    DA stroke is shorter than SA hammer fall.
    The round going off on the second hit could be anything. Primer not quite seated all the way(even on factory ammo) and first hit seats it and second hit sets it off.
    Could be the mainspring tension is a little light.
    Gun could be dirty and hammer fall is slowed because of dried grease or thick oil. Hint use the lightest oil you can find in a revolver and NEVER grease.
    This is no different than a auto setting off a round on the second hit after the first didn't.
     

    hog slayer

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    Dec 10, 2015
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    I appreciate all the quick responses. In reality, you were quick enough yesterday that I was able to get the firearm back before the truck picked it up. I watched a quick YouTube vid on the mainspring screw in the parking lot and checked it quickly before committing to the cancellation on shipping. The screw was out about as far as the grips would allow for. I tightened it all the way down, took it to a quick range and put eight of eight rounds downrange successfully. There seems to be a different maintenance mindset necessary for revolvers.
     
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