S&W Maladies

[jfwlb]

As some might remember, I picked up a S&W 65-2 not too long ago and asked for guidance on cleaning it to shoot. http://www.levergunscommunity.com/viewt ... f=1&t=7138

Well, I didn't take any of the advice and just let it be. Yeah, I know, Stupid!

I recently traveled to my parent's home(Rushville, NE.) and had the opportunity to have my Mom shoot it to see what she thought. I tried two or three kinds of ammo in it and it was very inconsistent. It would not fire at all in double action mode, and only some of the time on single-action mode. Everything seemed to work, just a lot of light primer strikes. I wanted this to be Mom's hd gun so I was a bit perplexed. I thought maybe tightening the screw at the base of the grip might solve the problem, but I remembered that it was verbotten according to the members here.

I then remembered Hobie's advice regarding putting it in the dish washer to clean it out and decided to give that a try. Nothing to lose, right?

Guess what? It Worked!!
Once I took it out of the dish washer and got it to the range, it fired everything I could throw at it with no problems!

I just wanted to post this and thank Hobie for his suggestion. My Mom loves the revolver and is now confident about shooting and the outdoors. if you ever need a place to stay in So. California, say the word and my house is yours.

Again, Thank you
John

[Hobie]

Well, thanks, but...

I'd never suggest that. Must have been somebody else. I WOULD have suggested a thorough cleaning but no dishwasher.

In any case, I'm glad you've got her going. Those 65s are good guns.

[Ysabel Kid]

I knew that didn't make sense.

After all, Hobie was in the Army. You KNOW they don't believe in soap and water...

[awp101]

I knew that didn't make sense.

After all, Hobie was in the Army. You KNOW they don't believe in soap and water...

We believed in soap and water! Mechanical assistance for said soap and water on the other hand...

[jfwlb]

Sorry about that, Hobie

I am suffering from a case of dementia from trying to watch the whole Lonesome Dove series at one time.

I am into it for over a month now with no end in sight.

I stand corrected and my heartfelt thanks goes out to Jaguarundi. I just researched the thread and you are right; it was he that gave the sage advice.

I have to say thought, that both you and Jaguarundi both still have the keys to my house, should you so wish. I am on military orders much of the rest of this year and all of next. I have a modest 2bed, 2ba. condo just minutes away from disneyland and can't use it while I am in the Europe. Just let me know.

John

[Hobie]

I knew that didn't make sense.

After all, Hobie was in the Army. You KNOW they don't believe in soap and water...

That's fer sure, that's fer dang sure!

[Hobie]

Sorry about that, Hobie

I am suffering from a case of dementia from trying to watch the whole Lonesome Dove series at one time.

I am into it for over a month now with no end in sight.

I stand corrected and my heartfelt thanks goes out to Jaguarundi. I just researched the thread and you are right; it was he that gave the sage advice.

I have to say thought, that both you and Jaguarundi both still have the keys to my house, should you so wish. I am on military orders much of the rest of this year and all of next. I have a modest 2bed, 2ba. condo just minutes away from disneyland and can't use it while I am in the Europe. Just let me know.

John

That's mighty nice of you. Unfortunately, I'm unable to make long trips at this time due to certain responsibilities.

[J Miller]

As some might remember, I picked up a S&W 65-2 not too long ago and asked for guidance on cleaning it to shoot. http://www.levergunscommunity.com/viewt ... f=1&t=7138

Well, I didn't take any of the advice and just let it be. Yeah, I know, Stupid!

I recently traveled to my parent's home(Rushville, NE.) and had the opportunity to have my Mom shoot it to see what she thought. I tried two or three kinds of ammo in it and it was very inconsistent. It would not fire at all in double action mode, and only some of the time on single-action mode. Everything seemed to work, just a lot of light primer strikes. I wanted this to be Mom's hd gun so I was a bit perplexed. I thought maybe tightening the screw at the base of the grip might solve the problem, but I remembered that it was verbotten according to the members here.

I then remembered Hobie's advice regarding putting it in the dish washer to clean it out and decided to give that a try. Nothing to lose, right?

Guess what? It Worked!!
Once I took it out of the dish washer and got it to the range, it fired everything I could throw at it with no problems!

I just wanted to post this and thank Hobie for his suggestion. My Mom loves the revolver and is now confident about shooting and the outdoors. if you ever need a place to stay in So. California, say the word and my house is yours.

Again, Thank you
John

John,

Glad you got your S&W up and running. But I wanted to add a couple things. First now that you've washed it real good, you need to make sure it's properly dried and lubed. Either take the side plate off and lube it, or use a tiny oil bottle with a long spout.

Who ever told you not to tighten the main spring tension screw is nuts. That screw must be tight. If it's not it will vibrate out and the mainspring tension will suffer. So grab a proper screw driver and cinch that thing up tight.

Joe

[jfwlb]

No problem Hobie.

Ysabel Kid: Just for the record, I have been in the Army now for 22 years and still counting. I'll have you know that my Drill Sergeant made me take a bath once a week, whether I thought I needed one or not!

J Miller: I did take off the side plate before I put it in the washer and made sure it was dry and well lubed with CLP before I put it back together. As for the main spring tension screw, it is tight. I initially asked if that was the proper way to adjust the trigger and was told to leave that to a gunsmith. But thanks for the advice. I'll take all I can get. Quick question for you though. When I was getting the light firing pin strikes, I took off the grips and side plate and it looked to me like I could adjust the amount of force the firing pin hit with by tightening the main spring tension screw. Am I right in that or just looking at it wrong?

John

[Pisgah]

>I took off the grips and side plate and it looked to me like I could adjust the amount of force the firing pin hit with by tightening the main spring tension screw. Am I right in that or just looking at it wrong?

You are correct that the mainspring screw provides tension to the mainspring. However, it should ALWAYS be tight, never loosened to lower the tension. Loosening the screw will cause light primer hits, if not immediately then eventually when vibration causes the screw to back out further.

If you simply must lower the trigger pull, the way to go is to use a lighter replacement mainspring and/or a lighter trigger return spring -- and you may find that the lighter mainspring will lead to light strikes, too. A better way to go, IMO, is to lighten the trigger return spring slightly and then polish all friction points in the action with a view towards smoothness instead of lightness.

[jfwlb]

Thanks Pisgah,
I was hoping that I was right.

I don't plan on trying to modify the action at all, as it has one of the smoothest and lightest trigger pulls I have felt on a double action pistol. I was just curious, that's all. The only revolver that comes close is an old S&W Mod. 10-5 .38 special that is another police trade-in. They sure don't make them like they used to.

Thanks for information, though.

John

[J Miller]

>I took off the grips and side plate and it looked to me like I could adjust the amount of force the firing pin hit with by tightening the main spring tension screw. Am I right in that or just looking at it wrong?

You are correct that the mainspring screw provides tension to the mainspring. However, it should ALWAYS be tight, never loosened to lower the tension. Loosening the screw will cause light primer hits, if not immediately then eventually when vibration causes the screw to back out further.

If you simply must lower the trigger pull, the way to go is to use a lighter replacement mainspring and/or a lighter trigger return spring -- and you may find that the lighter mainspring will lead to light strikes, too. A better way to go, IMO, is to lighten the trigger return spring slightly and then polish all friction points in the action with a view towards smoothness instead of lightness.

John,

Pisgah is correct. But I've had a number of S&Ws and all I ever did with them is to take them apart and clean them good and lube them, and then maybe lightly polish any thing that moves.

Joe