686 Spring kit suggetions?

[robpete]

I fired a friend's Smith last night and was thoroughly impressed with both the double and single action pulls. He said that he did a spring kit but it was so long ago that he didn't remember the make of them. Have any of you dropped a spring kit in your K or L frame with possitive results? If so, what make did you go with?

[Kraschenbirn]

I've used Wolfe spring kits in several D/As including an S&W 586 (same as 686 in blue steel) with satisfactory results. While you've got the gun apart, a little judicious polishing of internal bearing surfaces will also help improving the D/A, too.

Bill

[robpete]

Thanks Bill, I actually have an existing order open with them for a P89 hammer spring. Maybe they'll let me add to the order and I can save some shipping. What polish do you recommend?

[Tatume]

What polish do you recommend?

I get Wolfe spring kits from Brownells, and recommend them. They are very good.

You should read Jerry Kuhnhausen's book.

http://www.amazon.com/Gunsmithing-Smith-Wesson-Revolvers-Kuhnhausen/sim/B006VWZWVS/2

[Kraschenbirn]

95% of the time, that "bit of judicious polishing" will only amount to some deburring and removal of tool marks and, for that, I use the 600 grit compound from a Wheeler's Bore Lapping Kit followed by buffing with Simichrome metal polish.

Bill

[imashooter2]

I use Wolff rebound springs, but prefer to bend the stock mainspring in the Miculek fashion using a homemade jig rather than replacing it with the Wolff "Power Rib" mainsprings...

The jig is just 2 nails in a piece of scrap wood one inch apart. The jig isn't really required, it just allows you to put reference marks on the wood and control the process better for "a little more" and "a little less" adjustments.

http://home.comcast.net/~imashooter2/pictures/jig600.jpg

A stock spring in the jig.

http://home.comcast.net/~imashooter2/pictures/stock600.jpg

A spring bent to provide ~8 pound DA pull with a Wolff 14 pound rebound. Note the difference in the position of the base end. The witness mark drawn is how far the spring was flexed to provide the bend that gives this relaxed position.

http://home.comcast.net/~imashooter2/pictures/bent600.jpg

A stock and bent spring side by side.

http://home.comcast.net/~imashooter2/pictures/springs600.jpg

[robpete]

I use Wolff rebound springs, but prefer to bend the stock mainspring in the Miculek fashion using a homemade jig rather than replacing it with the Wolff "Power Rib" mainsprings...

The jig is just 2 nails in a piece of scrap wood one inch apart. The jig isn't really required, it just allows you to put reference marks on the wood and control the process better for "a little more" and "a little less" adjustments.

http://home.comcast.net/~imashooter2/pictures/jig600.jpg

A stock spring in the jig.

http://home.comcast.net/~imashooter2/pictures/stock600.jpg

A spring bent to provide ~8 pound DA pull with a Wolff 14 pound rebound. Note the difference in the position of the base end. The witness mark drawn is how far the spring was flexed to provide the bend that gives this relaxed position.

http://home.comcast.net/~imashooter2/pictures/bent600.jpg

A stock and bent spring side by side.

http://home.comcast.net/~imashooter2/pictures/springs600.jpg

What advantage is there tobending your own over using the onesupplied in Wolff's kt?

[imashooter2]

What advantage is there to bending your own over using the one supplied in Wolff's kt?

On a lot of S&W pistols, the tip of the strain screw will fall into the rib indentation on the Wolff spring and not allow enough spring tension for reliable ignition. Bending the stock spring provides the ability to adjust to exactly the spring weight your gun needs to be reliable. And bending what you have is free.

I've used the Wolff spring and put a spent primer cup over the end of the strain screw to keep it out of the rib indentation. It was pain, but in the end it worked OK.

[robpete]

I'm guessing it will be necessary to bend little by little to get to the dersired weight......since I'd be starting from scratch and have no point of reference? Might prove to be a bit tedious.

[bobthenailer]

I have installed 20 + spring kits in S&W revolvers mostley Wilson combat brand and a few Wolff gun springs bothl work well ! for usually around $10.00 per kit.

[imashooter2]

I'm guessing it will be necessary to bend little by little to get to the dersired weight......since I'd be starting from scratch and have no point of reference? Might prove to be a bit tedious.

True enough, but you get the satisfaction of doing it yourself. I've done a bunch of them. That mark on my jig is the start point for the first bend.

[bobthenailer]

I have installed 20 + spring kits in S&W revolvers mostley Wilson combat brand and a few Wolff gun springs both work well ! for usually around $10.00 per kit.

30+years ago we used to remove metal from the mainspring & polish it as well as turn down the outside dia of the trigger return spring , I never thought about bending the factory mainspring ,good idea !

[44man]

I also fell into taking down the factory hammer springs long ago. I eventually got smart to find weaker hammer springs ruined accuracy. Just making a primer go off is not enough.
Shooting IHMSA had my revolvers lose so much accuracy in a year that some told me the gun needed replaced. Not so, the hammer springs took a set and were weaker. I replaced them every year until I went to Wolff over power. All of my SA revolvers get a 26# variable spring right out of the box before it is even shot. Buy right from Wolff, they are cheaper. I keep a supply at all times.
You want a weak double action pull so you lighten springs but beyond the trigger, leave the hammer spring alone. I had a gun to fix that some guy cut the strain screw off. The gun would not fire.
Even Jerry had a total failure of his gun at a shoot. His speed needs light but it failed on him.
The hardest thing to explain is that making any gun barely go off is wrong.

[imashooter2]

I do not dispute what 44man says at all. I'll just point out that different disciplines have different needs. USPSA, ICORE and Steel Challenge do not require IHMSA mechanical accuracy. They do require a shooter to shoot very quickly without dragging the sights off the target. Light DA pulls, much lighter than you can get with a rebound spring and polishing, are a huge advantage in those sports.

[Hardcast416taylor]

When I was running the handgun section of a club that I was prez of I saw some springs ground down on both sides of the bend area. This is something that would best be done by a "smith" that knows what he is doing. I would venture a estimate of over 40 sets of Wolff spring kits were installed at this club to make the owners a lighter trigger pull from what the factory "lawyer proof" trigger pulls were.Robert

[44man]

I understand the close range stuff some of you love but do you know a faster spring is as good as a heavy spring? Wolff is where to go.
To cut or bend a factory spring just slows it down.

[Tatume]

Personally, I find a weak trigger spring is detrimental to speed. The trigger needs to follow the trigger finger on release. If it's too weak it lags behind. I like to reduce the hammer spring somewhat, but prefer stiffer trigger return springs.

[imashooter2]

Balance in all things...

[44man]

Balance in all things...
YES, YES, YES. Springs are not all equal and a lighter spring can be faster. It is the steel and quality.