Smith & wesson 28-2 double action ?

[superpelly]

Ok, some of you seen from previous posts that I sold my python and bought a S&W 28-2 ( early 1970's). My Pyhton action ( double action) was awesome. But the smith ( 28-2) I bought is pretty close to the same action ( pulling hammer back with thumb , squeezing trigger in double action.) is pretty close to my python.

What do they do (gunsmiths) to make it so smooth?
What kind of work was done on it. ?


Thanks

Sp

 

[kraigwy]

If you dry fire a new revolver then examine the trigger and hammer you'll see some scratch marks. POLISH THEM until you don't get any more Marks.

DO NOT SCREW WITH THE SPRINGS OR SEARS.

If its an older model where its hard to see the scratch marks, take the hammer and trigger out and coat them with lay out ink. Put it back together and dry fire it. You'll see scratches and uneven wear. Polish them.

BUT the far best method is to dry fire the crap out of them. That will polished the internal parts where they are suppose to be polished.

Not to mention dry firing works on your trigger finger. (Dry fire with both hands so you can shoot with both hands).

While you're dry firing you can or should be working on your trigger control and sight alignment. Its a win win situation all the way around.

Again, don't screw with the springs. Nothing is scarier then light hammer falls on a service revolver or any revolver you might use in a defense situation.

I've dry fired and fired my revolvers so much in double action I can shoot better double action then single action.

Also while dry firing open and close the cylinder several times, getting where you can push the cylinder latch with your thumb and use your trigger finger to pop open the cylinder, all with one hand.

I teach SD classes, I tell my students they need to fondle their revolvers/pistols to the point its as comfortable in their hands as a cell phone is to a teenage girl.

DRY FIRE.

In my opinion the Model 28 is the best service revolver out there. My Model 27 is just a fancier model but I reserve it and use my 28 for heavy use and carry. (When I can carry a heavy revolver).

 

[MrBorland]

What do they do (gunsmiths) to make it so smooth?

As Kraigwy noted, a smooth action has mated surfaces that are really smooth - and there are many more of them than simply the trigger/sear.

But smooth mating surfaces are only part of the story: Also important is that all the moving parts (especially the hammer, trigger, and cylinder) have to be "square, plumb and centered" inside the gun. Sounds obvious, but it's not easy to get this part perfect, even for the factory, so getting this right may mean shimming, and/or re-aligning some boss studs, ejector rod, or even the yoke/crane itself.

Finally, all the parts have to work seamlessly together and in perfect time. For instance, in DA, the trigger nose initially lifts the hammer's sear, but the trigger cam finishes the pull, so this transition has to happen seamlessly, otherwise, you'll feel it. There are numerous other examples, and they all add up. It's nitty gritty work, but this can be the difference between an "ok" action job, and a really good one.

 

[salvadore]

An alternate view would be to lighten the factory springs. The first thing I do after firing a new S&W shooter is disassemble and take a coil or two off of the trigger return spring and then GGGggggrinnd on the main spring. You need to go slow and reassemble often to check the action. When finished you want the catriches to go boom and the trigger to ... well... return. Fortunately springs are readily available if you mess it up. I use to modify my Colt springs too, but the V springs are not readily available so don't anymore.

I guess stoning parts would reduce trigger pull, but I don't remember any of my Smiths parts friction being of any consequence.

 

[kraigwy]

Don't Screw with the springs,

That's an amateur's answer. You could end up with light hammer hits that could get you killed.

I want my hammer to set off any primer out there each and every time.

If the trigger is too heavy, dry fire and build up your trigger finger. It will make you a better shooter in the long run.

 

[MrBorland]

The OP asked about smooth, not light. Reliability aside, the OP's Python & 28 show that a nice trigger doesn't have to be particularly light, but it does have to be smooth.

 

[salvadore]

I am an amateur, but as stated, you want to make sure the shooter goes boom and the trigger returns. I do not try and lighten J frames anymore, I've never been able to get a 'balance?' between the two coil springs. I do replace the springs with the lightest spring kit that works, however that is still "screwing with the springs."

You could give it a try and see if a nonPC procedure works, you can always replace the springs with factory spec and start trigger finger iron pumping.

 

[salvadore]

You're right Mrborland, smoothness was what was mentioned. Do you find friction from Smith's moving parts adding an appreciable amount of....nonsmoothness?

Anyway I'll continue with my amateur spring work and forgo the finger exercise.

 

[SPEMack618]

Captain Stuart, can I quote you on the familiarity requirement necessary to be comfortable with an SD pistol/revovler?

That's genius.

 

[mete]

Smooth is more important than light .For an N frame 9 lb double action is about all you'll get for complete reliability. The smoothness is the skilled part -
A fine stone , polishing without changing angles or rounding edges. NO DREMEL ! My M29 is 2.5 lb single and 9 lb double. a pleasure to use.

 

[MrBorland]

Do you find friction from Smith's moving parts adding an appreciable amount of....nonsmoothness?

IMO, a stock revolver who's trigger can't be improved by a good action job is a rare gem. Most factory actions can be improved considerably. Whether it needs the improvement depends entirely on the owner, of course.

 

[kraigwy]

Captain Stuart, can I quote you on the familiarity requirement necessary to be comfortable with an SD pistol/revovler?.

You betcha.

 

[salvadore]

IMO, a stock revolver who's trigger can't be improved by a good action job is a rare gem.

Mrborland, I don't know any gunsmiths, but I wonder how many good action jobs are accomplished, at least somewhat, by screwing with the springs.

 

[MrBorland]

Mrborland, I don't know any gunsmiths, but I wonder how many good action jobs are accomplished, at least somewhat, by screwing with the springs.

I suspect many a revolver is "tuned" simply by lightening the springs. At the end of the day, "good" is relative, so I suppose it's a "good" action job if it's an improvement, and the owner's happy.

But if "smooth" is part of the equation, one can accomplish a good action job by only screwing with the springs if the action's smooth to begin with.

BTW, one can do a reasonably good action job themselves if they're patient, have the right tools, have read up on the topic ahead of time, and the gun's generally in good shape to begin with.

 

[SIGSHR]

Die hard S&W fans claim the S&W's design-the single flat main spring-will ALWAYS give a smoother DA pull than the Colt's v-spring design since the S&W does not have the "stacking" of the Colt.
What do gunsmiths do? They take the training they received in gunsmithing school, then the experience they gained if they served an apprenticeship and combine that with their own observations. Plus they use all sorts of professional tools and jigs to hold the parts secure when they work on them.

 

[salvadore]

That may be SIGSHR, my Colt Marshal has the best DA of any Colt I've owned and all I did was chip the crud out of the action and put it back together. My 32/20 OP's cylinder would turn counter clockwise with a little finger pressure. I took it apart and took some metal off the bolt (cylinder stop?) and voila. That being said, I wouldn't send any of my DA Colts to a smith unless he was at least as old as me and swore on the bible he knew all about Colts. The 32/20 has a very stiff spring, but that's the way it is because of the darth of Colt V springs

 

[savit260]

Regarding Colts and stacking.

I only notice this if I'm pulling the trigger very slowly. (which isn't how I fire a double action revolver in d/a mode)

If pulled straight back at a normal pace with a nice smooth motion ...I find the "stacking" to be a non issue, and not even noticed.

When I hear people speak of Colts triggers being not as good as a S&W, it makes me wonder how slow are they pulling the trigger?

One thing I can say is that IMO, the old style Colt actions are usually very smooth.

 

[SIGSHR]

Some have argued that the Colt's stacking allows for last minute adjustment of the sight picture. FWIW. Ed McGivern prefered S&Ws, Charlie Askins preferred Colts. I suppose if there had been a Charlie Askins type in the 1970s who prefered the Ruger Security Six we would have a school of that revolver.

 

[Bob Wright]

Sisgshr said:

Charlie Askins preferred Colts.

Askins once made the statement that "While most of my belly guns have been Colts, I preferred the Smiths." This statement made as to the difference in Colt And S&W double actions.


Bob Wright

 

[SIGSHR]

I distinctly recall reading Askins' saying he disliked S&Ws, I will dig out the reference. Later Bill Jordan took Askins to task for saying he preferred semiautos for defense work, Jordan pointed out that Askins said only after his gunfighting days were over.