Tuning a 625 - questions for the wheelgun gurus

The Baron

The Baron

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I came across a S&W 625 (5") for a fair price and snapped it up so I can play ICORE with the guys at our club. I'm new to tuning of revolvers and am wondering what springs can/should be changed to make the DA as smooth and (safely) light as possible? I guess I'm looking for about 6-7# for that or ? Not sure what the trigger is at now but it seems excessively heavy (my trigger pull gauge is only graduated to 6# at it's far over that - I'd guess easily 10# or more).

I'm also wondering about grip options - I like the thought of the smooth wood grips like Miculek uses, but I've got huge hands and not sure if they're a good choice? I'm finding the stock rubber grip too small for my mitt. Also wondering about sights - I think the stock rear is too shallow and would like a higher visibily front sight. Anyone have a good combination to suggest?

Looking forward ot hearing from any other IPSC/ICORE revolver nuts. :popCorn: Pics are always welcome.;)
 
I run the factory mainspring and a 14# or 15# rebound spring in my revolvers. I don't go for light, I go for smooth and reliable ignition with CCI primers.

As for the Miculek grips, I didn't like them but that's just me, the guy that bought them loves them. Have you seen the size of Jerrys hands? Real big.
 
Trigger pull is affected by both rebound spring and main spring.
Brownels sells lighter rebound springs (be careful not to go too light, or else trigger will return slower).
Then you can lighten up your main spring by turning a screw in the grip and then can run quite light hammer, but you will need soft primers, such as Federal to get reliable load.
 
euxx said:
Trigger pull is affected by both rebound spring and main spring.
Brownels sells lighter rebound springs (be careful not to go too light, or else trigger will return slower).
Then you can lighten up your main spring by turning a screw in the grip and then can run quite light hammer, but you will need soft primers, such as Federal to get reliable load.
Click to expand...

The strain screw is meant to be bottomed out. It's not an adjustment screw for the mainspring.
 
i have to agree with repete - light is not always good - do not take too much off the rebound spring or go too light - you need a heavier rebound to shoot fast or else the trigger return slows you down. Don't worry about pull weight but get it as smooth as possible. polish rebound slide and polish trigger and hammer pins, stone the sear, - careful here best left to an experienced hand. Also polish the crane where the cylinder rides and stone the back of the star where it rides on the recoil plate. lots of lube helps too.

get Jerry's tuning dvd - he runs heavy rebound springs and no one will argue he is slow - lol
 
I use a JM Spring Kit, SDM front sight and a Hogue Big Butt groovless grip.

As for the Strain screw, i'm different because I leave it so I can adjust it on demand depending on what primers I have access to.
For any competition I use Federal only, practice I will use whatever primers I can find and adjust the strain screw to make it go bang.
 
I always do the final tune on my S&W double actions with the strain screw.

I like to give the internals a really good deburring and polish, paying particular attention to the rebound slide. You can not polish a rebound slide too much!!!!!

In my opinion a newbie should never touch sear surfaces on a DA revolver. You can easily bugger up a gun either making it unsafe or making it an unintentional double action only piece!

I like to either clip a couple coils off the rebound spring (ONLY A COUPLE!!!) or use a reduced weight spring to help the cause.

Once I think it is as good as I can get it I turn to the strain spring. I turn it out until it won't fire Federal primers. I then turn it in until it reliably fires Federal primers. Once I am confident I have the right strain setting to reliably ignite my primers I remove the screw, degrease the screw and hole, then apply threadlocker and reinsert the screw 1/4 of a turn past the point of reliable ignition.

This method gives me the lightest and smoothest trigger pull I can get with reliable primer ignition.

John

p.s. I have tried aftermarket mainsprings and played around with reprofiling mainsprings but my best results are with the factory spring. jr
 
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beltfed said:
Hmmm...
I've used blue lock-tite to secure mine...seems to have worked for the last couple of years -any ideas of why this might still be a bad thing?
Click to expand...

Didn't work to well for me on my 625 or 686, that's why I went with the file and bottomed it out.

Thinking about setting my PC 627 up for steel challenge optics and will give the lock tight another try when it's time to tune the trigger.
 
RePete

I have 3 625's and they all have the frame drilled and tapped, as in your illustration. I never have to worry about the strain screw backing out. I only use Federal primers, so once I have the strain screw where I want, in goes the brass plunger and the lock/set screw.
 
clk said:
RePete

I have 3 625's and they all have the frame drilled and tapped, as in your illustration. I never have to worry about the strain screw backing out. I only use Federal primers, so once I have the strain screw where I want, in goes the brass plunger and the lock/set screw.
Click to expand...
Stop hoarding them and sell one of them off. Lol.
 
red magnum said:
Didn't work to well for me on my 625 or 686, that's why I went with the file and bottomed it out.

Thinking about setting my PC 627 up for steel challenge optics and will give the lock tight another try when it's time to tune the trigger.
Click to expand...

I have never had a problem with mine as long as I remebered to degrease the screw and hole.

John
 
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