S&W 617 Reliability Issues

Dirt Merchant

Dirt Merchant

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I bought a S&W 617 used, but in near new condition, a few month ago and have had some issues with it light striking when shooting DA at least 1/10 shots per cylinder using a variety of ammo including CCI mini mags. Someone at the range suggested putting in an extended firing pin. It seemed like a logical idea but when I tried it out at the range today, I was getting more light strikes per cylinder, sometimes as bad a 4 or 5/10. Its shoots all 10 rounds in SA and I can put the misfires back for a second go and it will usually shoot those as well. Other than switching back to the stock firing pin, I was wondering why the extended firing pin would make it worse.
 
Do 617’s not have strain screws under the grip? Honestly, not sure with rimfire but all my CF smiths do.

It would be the first thing to check in cases of light strikes.
 
I think you need a new spring. Extended firing pin equals less travel distance which equals an even lighter primer strike. In SA, you would have the trigger cocked completely back which has a further travel than DA.
 
Replace the hammer spring with a standard Wolf hammer spring and replace the rebound spring with a 12 or 13 pound set the hammer spring screw tight try it and if you want it a bit lighter turn the hammer screw out but don't go more the one turn out. If you want a super light double action use the reduced tension hammer spring but it with require shimming I use a spent pistol primer between the spring and the screw tricky but doable . The long pins don't generally make much difference. My two cents.
 
Garaldtao said:
I think you need a new spring. Extended firing pin equals less travel distance which equals an even lighter primer strike. In SA, you would have the trigger cocked completely back which has a further travel than DA.
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I guess that makes sense. The strain screw was tight. The firearm has a Wolff Reduced Power main spring and a 12 lb rebound slide spring. My buddy had the same problem with his 617 and he is using the stock main spring and a 13 lb rebound slide spring. What exactly does the rebound slide spring do other than make it more difficult to pull the trigger?
 
Dirt Merchant said:
I guess that makes sense. The strain screw was tight. The firearm has a Wolff Reduced Power main spring and a 12 lb rebound slide spring. My buddy had the same problem with his 617 and he is using the stock main spring and a 13 lb rebound slide spring. What exactly does the rebound slide spring do other than make it more difficult to pull the trigger?
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You should not use reduce power springs with rimfire, that might be adding to the issue...
 
The rebound spring controls trigger release pressure, the mainspring controls hammer force. I never used reduced mainspring, and check that the strain screw is proper length. If someone has shortened it that will cause your misfires. Also check that there is no crud under the floating firing pin or that the fp Spring is in good condition.

dr jim
 
Thanks for all your suggestions. It is a stock strain screw that has not been ground down. My original question of why an extended firing pin would cause misfires instead of cure misfires seems to be related to the minute amount of travel distance lost when the hammer swings thru its last part of its rotation, just before it hits the firing pin. I will try out the original firing pin today and see if the 1/10 results reoccur. If this is the case, the question still remains on how to reduce the trigger pull weight on a 617 (one of two goals - increase reliability and improve functionality with measurable results) without using lighter springs if I have already done a "trigger job" by smoothing out all the rough surfaces on the inside of the firearm and stoning the hammer sear. I enjoy the challenge of the Smith Mystery but you would think that I am not the first to have encountered these issues and successfully achieved a smooth DA trigger pull in the sub 7.5 lbs area.
 
With the new firing pin... definitely dry-fire with snap caps. (Only mentioning this because you added the longer firing pin.)


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I'd think your issue is with the mainspring... (and as another mentioned the stronger firing pin spring is probably the reason why it got worse.)
 
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Looking at the picture of your cylinder, the chambers are damaged by dry firing. The strike point needs to be swagged back to original form. Do not cut away metal, that will just make the damage permanent. There is a special swagging tool for this costs about thirty five bucks from Brownells and is the best way to go. The cylinder may remain soft and will eventually need replacement. I've never seen one this bad. Bespeaks someone who did a lot of dry fire with. No dummies.

dr jim
 
T&G said:
The rebound spring controls trigger release pressure, the mainspring controls hammer force. I never used reduced mainspring, and check that the strain screw is proper length. If someone has shortened it that will cause your misfires. Also check that there is no crud under the floating firing pin or that the fp Spring is in good condition.

dr jim
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How do you know if a Firing Pin spring is in good condition? It still looks like its springy but I have no way of testing or comparing it to any other one as the extended firing pin does not come with a new spring. The area under the floating pin was clean.
 
Slightly off topic:

So I have one of these and I was disappointed to find out that CCI Velocitors or Winchester Super-X Hyper-Velocities (i.e. Winchesters version of the Velocitors) both stick in the chambers and require hammer-tapping on the ejector to extract.

However, CCI Mini-Mags (40gr) work perfect (these are now my go-to for this revolver.)

Anyone else experience this? I want to make sure it's normal and not mine only.
 
I just cleaned up a model 17 club gun that no one used because it was jamming up some times, so in real nice shape.
Typical range gun, no one ever cleaned it. carbon in chambers so the shells would hang up in cylinder, throat caked with carbon.
And a bunch of powder under the star, like I have never seen before, so front of cylinder dragging on barrel and carbon on top strap.
Biggest problem was the crap under star not letting the shell seat and rubbing on rear frame.
Not really answering your question , but things to think of. keep the cylinder clean, so the shells will seat good, and change the main spring.
I have a D.W 38 that will shoot 100% single action , but is not good in fast D.A., but will those things run fast in DA, if it goes bang, but also short throw in D.A.
 
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