Want to lower your S&W trigger pull and make it as smooth as glass? We'll walk through 3 ways of doing a Trigger Job, from switching springs to polishing.
So you want to make your Smith & Wesson revolver’s trigger lighter and smoother?
A trigger job is key!
But you’re not sure if you can do it yourself or if you should pony up the $100 to your local gunsmith?
S&W 686 Disassembled
We cover three types of trigger jobs ranging from switching out two springs to full on polishing.
With the most intensive of the trigger jobs, I brought my S&W 686+ double-action trigger pull down from 12 lbs to 9 lbs and the single-action from 5 lb to 3 lb.
We’ll get started soon but first…some disclaimers that you might mess up your gun and make it unsafe.  If in doubt please have a gunsmith do it.
1. Â Shoot it…a lot
The tried and true method to getting a “trigger job” is to let the pieces of metal inside your S&W revolver rub against each other.
Dry-firing can up the round count but make sure to have some correct caliber snap caps.  There’s some debate on whether or not dry-firing a revolver can damage stuff…but I always like to take the more cautious route since hammers are expensive!
.357 Magnum Snap Caps
I haven’t exactly counted how long it takes until there’s some difference, but it’s likely several thousand. Â Check out my review on the Best Place to Buy Ammo Online for some cheap gun food.
Now get shooting!
2. Lighter Springs
This can lower the trigger pull weight of your revolver with a little bit of elbow grease.
If you are carrying or using the revolver for self-defense, I would advice against going too light…or just skip altering the gun altogether.
S&W 686 with Wilson Spring Kit
The reduced spring kit comes with 3 different weights for the rebound spring (what dictates how hard back the trigger is returned after firing) and a reduced weight mainspring that affects the trigger the most.
I researched and went with the heaviest rebound spring (14#).
This video from Jerry Miculek goes over everything on how to install the two springs.
One bit of advice is to use the back of the screwdriver to knock out the side plate.  There’s some other videos where they pry it off.  Might work but it can also damage some stuff.  Also keep the screws in the same order.
Knocking Out S&W Sideplate
The hardest part will be taking off and re-installing the rebound spring.
There’s a dedicated tool ($20) for that but I followed Jerry’s tip of using a pen.
Rebound Spring S&W Reinstall
I’d also advise doing it in a cardboard box or having a cloth draped over just in case the spring goes flying out. Â Oh…and eye protection!
You can also adjust the mainspring by tightening a screw…I went with it the max weight (screwed completely down) to avoid light primer strikes. Â Couple hundred rounds of my plinking rounds and self-defense rounds and it has always gone bang.
Tension on S&W Mainspring
3. Springs + Polishing
This one is much more intense than just switching out springs. Â After reading this section you might want to hit up your local gunsmith instead…and I wouldn’t blame you!
I researched a ton and had some good experience prior with 1911‘s so I felt pretty comfortable.
S&W 686 Disassembled
You’ll see that I use the white Arkansas stone (bottom of the pic) since it’s what I had and since it’s the finest stone (compared to the red India stone), so it doesn’t take as much material off.
I took a little something from multiple source videos.
This quick video gives a closeup of the surfaces you’ll be polishing. Â They use an expensive stoning fixture ($160) that you can get if you think you’ll be doing multiple guns.
Note that you will not be touching the Single Action surfaces below…they are hundredths of an inch only.
S&W Single Action Surfaces
However, you’ll be polishing the Double Action surfaces.
S&W Double Action Surfaces
Now that you have some idea of what’s going on…I used this video (sorry cannot embed) to see how to use the Arkansas stone and also where to polish in the frame.
I love Nutnfancy but the angles and narration could have used some work. Â However, I’d still watch it in its entirety to see how the gunsmith does everything.
Smoothing the Inside of a S&W Revolver
The main two videos I followed were by MannyCA who walks through all the polishing of individual parts. Â However, I only used the Arkansas stone instead of the India stones.
Here’s what my parts looked like after polishing. Â Note the smoothed out surfaces of the frame as well as the parts.
S&W 686 Polished Surfaces
Conclusion
I lowered by DA (double-action) pull from 12lb to 9lb and my SA (single-action) pull from 5 lb to 3lb. Â This was with the 14 lb rebound spring and the reduced mainspring at max.
With the polishing I managed to get rid of the gritty feeling towards the end of my DA pull. Â The SA pull was already pretty perfect from before and since we didn’t touch any of those surfaces, only the weight was reduced with the spring changes.
S&W 686 Smooth as Glass
So which method did you go with? Â How did it end up?
Subscribe to Pew Pew Tactical's sales and deals email.
10
Leave a Reply
Michael DaltonSr
Cannot find info on S&W 38BG DAO REVOLVER. IT IS NOT A J-FRAME/ NOTHING J-FRAME WORKS( including grips/,holster). Every search, I get RE-ROUTED to either J-Frame/ or S&W38 Bodyguard PISTOL. IT has a 12+lb trigger pull, and after 300 rounds + a year of snap-caps in front of t.v., it ain't giving up much. It's my wife's gun( she was raised shooting her Dad's .38's) my .357/.44 mag, so she knows what she's doing. FORGET semi-auto's/ she lost a thumb joint/now @ 73, can't rack a 9mm slide. And, I love her too much to suggest a .380 for CC carry. So she found the .38BG. BUT, despite hand-exercises, she's loosing strenght for that 12lb+ trigger-pull. Any suggestions?? TY!
November 20, 2024 5:40 pm
Neil pitman
Out of the box the 642 s&w trigger weight was 18 pounds. Before going to range removed side plate cleaned & oiled. Inserted snap caps fired 600 times. Much smoother weight lowered about 3 pounds.100 rounds at range 7 yards 8 inch group. Left blood blisters on web of hand. Took apart polished edge installed Wilson springs (13 pound). Now first 6/8 of pull is about 8 pounds last part of pull is about 3 pounds with a clear wall between. It's like having a SA DA with a hammerless revolver at 7 yards 50 rounds less than 2 inch group. And no more blood blisters.
June 7, 2023 10:18 am
Greg
What could be used while dry firing instead of snap caps?
July 2, 2021 5:50 pm
Jacki Billings, Editor
Other than specific laser training cartridges, I highly recommend just sticking with snap caps. Yes, they're a pain to keep up with but they're relatively cheap and help protect your revolver if you intend to do regular dry fire training.
July 5, 2021 5:13 am
bugs
load 6 resized rounds with your match bullet, no powder, no primer; fill primer pockets with rubber cement, trim flush with case head . rubber will cushion firing pin.
May 2, 2024 5:49 pm
ron bard
if you reload (most do) use the same resized, de-primed, de-burred cases, load with your preferred bullet (NO POWDER) , and a gob of rubber cement in the primer pockets, when dry , trim flush with case head ; you just saved $20 bucks for snap 6 caps . don't forget to use them for reload practice during dry fire routine.
June 9, 2024 5:45 pm
dt
on a hammer gun place a small piece of rubber inserted over firing pin so hammer strikes on the rubber shim (slice of a pencil eraser works well)
July 22, 2024 10:55 am
Harry maiden
Trigger tension how to change or a 686 s&w
March 24, 2018 11:05 pm
Eric
Hey man, great articles here. Just wanted to add, the SA sear engagement surface on S&W revolvers hovers right around .005" from my measurements, which is in the thousandths. About the thickness of a human hair. Pretty crazy.
Also, about the strain screw. The screw always needs to be tightened down all the way. I usually have a couple extra in the shop ($3) so I can take .010-.020" off the factory screw, if I go that route. If the screw isn't tight, it's not if but when it will back out.
January 1, 2017 5:40 pm
Eric Hung
Thanks! Yea that's crazy...definitely recommend not messing with it unless you really know what you are doing.
We noticed that you have previously logged in with your Account
which is linked to the same email address () - we can link both
of your accounts together.
In order to link your accounts, hit button below and log in to your
Account with the same email as above.
Account in Pew Pew Tactical means more.
Login or create a free account to get the following
Access and save hundreds of reviews, gun guides, and articles!
10 Leave a Reply
Cannot find info on S&W 38BG DAO REVOLVER. IT IS NOT A J-FRAME/ NOTHING J-FRAME WORKS( including grips/,holster). Every search, I get RE-ROUTED to either J-Frame/ or S&W38 Bodyguard PISTOL. IT has a 12+lb trigger pull, and after 300 rounds + a year of snap-caps in front of t.v., it ain't giving up much. It's my wife's gun( she was raised shooting her Dad's .38's) my .357/.44 mag, so she knows what she's doing. FORGET semi-auto's/ she lost a thumb joint/now @ 73, can't rack a 9mm slide. And, I love her too much to suggest a .380 for CC carry. So she found the .38BG. BUT, despite hand-exercises, she's loosing strenght for that 12lb+ trigger-pull. Any suggestions?? TY!
Out of the box the 642 s&w trigger weight was 18 pounds. Before going to range removed side plate cleaned & oiled. Inserted snap caps fired 600 times. Much smoother weight lowered about 3 pounds.100 rounds at range 7 yards 8 inch group. Left blood blisters on web of hand. Took apart polished edge installed Wilson springs (13 pound). Now first 6/8 of pull is about 8 pounds last part of pull is about 3 pounds with a clear wall between. It's like having a SA DA with a hammerless revolver at 7 yards 50 rounds less than 2 inch group. And no more blood blisters.
What could be used while dry firing instead of snap caps?
Other than specific laser training cartridges, I highly recommend just sticking with snap caps. Yes, they're a pain to keep up with but they're relatively cheap and help protect your revolver if you intend to do regular dry fire training.
load 6 resized rounds with your match bullet, no powder, no primer; fill primer pockets with rubber cement, trim flush with case head . rubber will cushion firing pin.
if you reload (most do) use the same resized, de-primed, de-burred cases, load with your preferred bullet (NO POWDER) , and a gob of rubber cement in the primer pockets, when dry , trim flush with case head ; you just saved $20 bucks for snap 6 caps . don't forget to use them for reload practice during dry fire routine.
on a hammer gun place a small piece of rubber inserted over firing pin so hammer strikes on the rubber shim (slice of a pencil eraser works well)
Trigger tension how to change or a 686 s&w
Hey man, great articles here. Just wanted to add, the SA sear engagement surface on S&W revolvers hovers right around .005" from my measurements, which is in the thousandths. About the thickness of a human hair. Pretty crazy.
Also, about the strain screw. The screw always needs to be tightened down all the way. I usually have a couple extra in the shop ($3) so I can take .010-.020" off the factory screw, if I go that route. If the screw isn't tight, it's not if but when it will back out.
Thanks! Yea that's crazy...definitely recommend not messing with it unless you really know what you are doing.