How Light Is Too Light For A Rebound Spring ?

M

MR.G

New member
I LIKE A LIGHT TRIGGER PULL ON MY S&W REVOLVERS, AND USUALLY REPLACE THE FACTORY REBOUND WITH A LIGHTER SPRING. WOLF HAS RECENTLY STARTED SELLING AN 11 POUND REBOUND SPRING FOR THE S&W REVOLVER. DOES ANYONE KNOW HOW LIGHT A SPRING IS ACCEPTABLE TO USE WITHOUT AFFECTING RELIABILITY ? I KEEP IT CLEAN UNDER THE SIDE PLATE, AND HAVE NEVER HAD A TRIGGER REBOUND PROBLEM WITH A 13 POUND SPRING. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THE FACTORY SPRING IS 18 POUND.
 
Rebound spring

I replaced my rebound springs in 686s and 657s with 14 pounders. I understand you can go as low as 13 poounds. Any lower and reliablility is in jeporty.
 
Quite frankly, you can go as light as you want until the trigger starts failing to return.

On some guns, the 14-pound spring is too light to reliably return the trigger without an action job being done.

With a good action job, I see absolutely no reason why an 11-lb. spring wouldn't be 100% reliable.
 
My concern would be whether it is

reliable AFTER it settles in, in YOUR gun. IOW, it may perform when newly installed, but I would cycle the action a few hundred times to make sure that it didn't fatigue into a state of intermittent failure.
 
Hello all. I installed a Wolff 13 lb rebound spring and a Wolff reduced power main spring into my 686. I do not know the trigger pull weight because I do not have a gauge. So far I have shot 200 rounds of ..357 magnum and 200 rounds of .38 special without a malfuction--no light primer strikes. I was thinking about going to the 11 lb rebound spring myself, but it is in a sweet spot right now, and I am not going to mess with it.
Sling Shot
 
I've always used a can, some string, and lead shot to test the trigger pull weight.

I find it to be more accurate than a scale, as you don't get the "pull through" errant readings that you can with a spring scale.
 
Rebound spring has nothing to do with primer strike.

Some folks tend to let the trigger push the finger a bit and other folks return their finger every time. The latter folks can get by with extremely light return spring while the former will have problems with failure to reset.

Other than the primer strike inference, all the preceeding are valid.

Sam
 
2 coils off the factory spring and alot of smoothy
work will get you where you need to be.

Mr Irwin is correct- when the trigger no rebounds
glue a 'tad' back on....dewey :rolleyes:
 
Hi, guys,

Don't forget that the factory springs have a safety margin built in to make sure of functioning under adverse conditions (dirt, grease, cold, etc.). Get too light and you may find "no go bang" on a cold day.

Jim
 
SPRING JOBS...

I just had my gun smith replace the spring in my Trooper Mark V .357 mag. to a lower spring. I believe he used a #8 spring and still cut some off of it to lighten it up. The way he tests the firing pin is while holding the empty gun pointing up in the air he puts a pen or pencil in the barrel in single action. When he pulls the trigger it sends the pen into the ceiling. I guess it's another gunsmithing secret. He also fired some rounds through it. You wouldn't believe what a difference a spring job it makes! :)
 
Mr. G,

I've installed the 11# trigger return springs in 3 of my "N" frames. Worked great in 2 of them, but in the third, I needed to do some polishing before the trigger would reliably reset.

The very light springs do make make the double action pull lighter, but they also slow the reset speed. Not a concern for me, but it might be for you.

Good Luck...

Joe
 
I bought a 10 pack of the new Wolff 11 lb. springs to try out. They work fine in nine out of ten guns with a smooth action. If the trigger does not returm then one much do a better action job to remove remaining friction.

I would not use these in a defensive gun. Also, in close range rapid fire competition one can skip a cylinder on occasion. For IDPA and defensive use I would clip two coils off the factory spring or use a 12 or 13 lb. Wollf spring in the rebound slide.
 
What I do is try the two different ones that come in bullseye spring kits and choose the one that gives the lightest, most reliable trigger pull. I have never had any poroblem and some have been in various guns for over 20 years.

7th
 
Last edited:
I think MOST (not all) cylinder skipping is caused by trigger finger return problem, not spring problem. Load stoutness and gun weight would also factor in. Good sharp load in a light gun will allow one to shoot faster with a lighter return spring.

Sam
 
That seems to be very true. I agree. The cylinder skipping is from not allowing the trigger to return completely before the next pull is started.

For a ham-handed stumble-bum like me it helps to use a stronger return spring in the rebound slide to help insure the trigger returns all the way during combat-stlye shooting.
 
you can go as light as you want until the trigger starts failing to return
Click to expand...
Mike said it best. On top of it, if you are pointing your handgun at something, you had better be ready to destroy what you are pointing at.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top