Smith strain relief screw--mdl 629

[Shuz]

Yesterday I finally "got around" to cleaning my .44 mag stainless steel revolvers. (That's one reason I like stainless, you don't have to clean them so often, and fingerprints aren't a problem.) Well, I discovered that the strain relief on one of my 629-3's had backed way off, and gave a very unsafe light trigger pull as measured by my gauge. It had backed out 2 to 2-1/2 turns. I was surprised that the gun even fired at that setting. Upon tightening the screw, the trigger pull was restored to my normal(for me) 28 to 32 ounces. I have never, in many years owning 29's, 629's and a 329PD, had a strain relief screw back out. The moral of this story is that if you notice your trigger pull weight lightening up, check your strain relief screw for tightness.

[bpatterson84]

I'm wondering if this is my issue on my Smith. Only 1/2-3/4 turn out, then it will light strike 1 out of the cylinder. I'll get it back in and it works for a little bit, is there anything else I should look for?

[Outpost75]

I'm wondering if this is my issue on my Smith. Only 1/2-3/4 turn out, then it will light strike 1 out of the cylinder. I'll get it back in and it works for a little bit, is there anything else I should look for?

IF you bought the gun used, ALWAYS remove the screw and inspect the end, and it doesn't hurt to measure it.

Sometimes people shorten the screw to reduce trigger pull. If the revolver misfires, this is the first thing to check!

[bpatterson84]

No, it's new, and a couple thousand high recoil rounds through it. Heard strain screw can be the culprit, tightened it, it simply loosened up after a couple hundred more rounds. Guess blue locktite will be used this time around, but wondering if I need to check anything else....

[sixshot]

Always set my strain screw down to minimum but reliable on my competition guns using ONLY Federal primers. Then I used finger nail polish on the threads to hold the screw in place. Never had a problem in several years of competition & don't know of any other revolver shooter that shot competition that used anything but Federal primers unless he might have been a new shooter that didn't know better.

Dick

[Blackwater]

Screwing the strain screw out is NOT a good way to reduce the trigger pull on a S&W. Screw out the strain screw, and it's all but guaranteed to back out further and further, until by degrees, it won't pop a primer. Best way is to get a cheap set of replacement and lighter mainspring and trigger return and bolt spring kits, and install them. Then, if you STILL want lighter, get a spare strain screw and begin shortening it just a tad at a time, until you get unreliable ignition. Then, take your spare, and shorten it just a bit longer in length than the one that no longer works.

Smoothing and deburring the raceways and moving parts in the trigger mechanism also helps lighten and smooth the pull, and is probably the first thing I do when "tuning" a S&W. And remember, it's be a lot worse than just "embarassing" to have to defend yourself, and have the gun snap instead of go "bang!" So some judicious thinking ought to be involved in matters such as this. It CAN make a significant difference!

[sixshot]

Well I guess I did it the wrong way then because that's what I did for several years & never had a single problem, not once. Owned several model 625's & model 610's & shot my way to #1 in the nation in "A" class revolver & never changed a single spring. Should have made Master class but one shooter complained about the classifier & finally got them to throw it out for everyone. Only classifier I ever seen thrown out in several years of competing. He had bombed it by the way!!

Dick