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What is the proper adjustment for strain screws?

Jorge
What is the proper way to adjust the main spring strain screw on medium and large frame S&W revolvers?

Are you supposed to keep the screw tightened all the way, or is letting off a couple turns acceptable?

I understand that too much looseness can cause misfires.

Thanks all for your replies.
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Comments

4 comments

Date Votes
  • gknaka2
    All the way in, hand tighten until tight, no need to over torque. A loose mainspring retention screw will result in light primer strikes and misfires (speaking from experience).

    It is not to be used to adjust the trigger pull, although it will lighten it. If you are looking to lighten the pull, do it properly with a Spring kit
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  • vdms55
    as long as the firing pin detonates the primer you got it. i once substituted rifle primers for pistol primers in a 686 and apparently the rifle primers have a heavier or thicker metal that the firing pin stricks so not all rounds went bang till i took a turn on spring adjusting screw. afterwards everything was hunky-dory. finally bought the pistols primers and left the spring tension where it was. haven't punctured a pistol primer yet. all the loads i make are low velocity pratice rounds. not sure what would happen with a full mag factory or hand loaded round.
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  • Bill DeShivs
    Snugged down tight-period.
    Locktighted is even better.
    The screw is there for facilitation of assembly and maintenance of the gun, not for adjusting the trigger pull.
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  • 62fuelie
    Keep the strain screw fully tightened. Some people like to back it off to lighten trigger pull, the right way to do that is at the rebound slide spring and through a thorough stoning of the bearing surfaces inside the frame.
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