Posted: 1/9/2004 5:00:09 PM EDT
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Here is my dilemma. I have a model 10 with a few hundred rounds through it. I want to disassemble it and do some polishing on the trigger mech. I'm not worried about not getting it back together right..I gotz some skillz.. I am concerned about screwing up the timing. Has anyone ever done a trigger polishing job on one? It's a 10-5 model. |
| How many rounds do you have through it? The reason I ask is I personally really hate diddling with the innerds until all the parts have mated. I like to get about 500 rounds or so through it before I do anything and so far, by then, none of my Smiths have needed any work. |
| Im with Sig 230 on this.. I do all my action work in three stages. If you want to pull it apart, make sure it's clean and theres no burs, fine. Even a light polish would be fine. But save the real work till the parts have worn and matted some, be it through live rounds or dry fire drills. |
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The model 10 is the same internally as any Smith K,L frame of the same era and similar enough to the N frames...in other words, if you can do one, you can do 'em all. Short of a having a "spring kit" after polishing/deburring, I cut about 2 coils from the trigger rebound spring and back off on the strain screw for the hammer spring (blue loctited). Too much will misfire in DA. The spring alterations do nothing to smooth anything but do make everything lighter. Good luck with your skillz. |
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Thanks for the info guys. I might have 500 through it. I'm not sure what the previous owner shot through it. I'm just looking to polish it up and remove any burrs. It's gritty during take up and creeps a bit. Of course my Python spoiled me!  If I did do anything else it would be a spring kit. |
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Do as SGB says and you'll be fine. Rarely are the sides of the pawl (hand) the issue, if you see wear marks it is usually roughness in the slot in the frame...polish only and you will be fine. (In the S&W armorers tool kit is a neat little file for opening this slot if necessary...make double dog-gone sure you do NOT do that! Ha!) The way factory armorers are trained to reduce mainspring tension is to file the front surface of the "mainspring strain screw" at the lower end of the front grip strap...the screw is cheaper than the spring. (always screw it in tightly or it will back out under recoil...in fact, in a serious wheelgun it should be locktighted in with the mild stuff) You can take the two coils off of the trigger rebound spring if you wish, but be aware that this spring also controls single action tension on the cocked hammer. Do not take out the secondary safety...that is the little sliding hammer block. If the gun is older, do not get the round-headed sideplate screws mixed up...one is fitted to the crane (should be filed flat on the end) and one is not. Most aftermarket spring kits are crap...stay with the factory springs and "adjust" them correctly if possible...their quality is extremely good. |
to aid in reasemble.
e-gunparts.com/productschem.asp?chrMasterModel=1980z10 |
LOL...no problems. I'm at my neighbors house working on it now. we cut 2 coils off the rebound spring and polished the block the spring goes in. Also the sides of the paw and the side plate bearing surfaces. What a lot of machine marks. Thanks for the pic SGB...now if we could just find that little spring that bounced off the computer monitor! 
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Back off the strain screw a half turn or so at a time until it feels good but still works well...leave it a skosh heavy as it will lighten up some with use. Get a feel for what this is, then take the screw out and carefully file the tip keeping the file blade flat. Try it by screwing it in all the way. Repeat until the DA is about where you want it then be certain the screw is in and tight, then shoot it, which will do the final polish for you. (If you are good, you can remove the screw, file it and replace it without ever removing the sideplate, but it is sorta tricky. Do not cut down the spring by narrowing it as some do...it will probably break at some future time if you do. (A tactical tip...be sure any medallions, etc. on the grips are well attached on the inside...the little brad, etc. on the S&W wood grips has been known to come loose and fall down inside, blocking the mechanism) |