Light Primer Strike/"Strain Screw" Adjustment?

A

AKGunner

New member
I'm not sure if this is the place to ask this, but here goes.

I have a almost new S&W 500 that is misfiring on my reloads. I have about 80 rounds through the gun. If I hit the primer again a time or two they end up going off. I've had others check my reloads and they said the primers look fine. They are set just below flush. I've loaded several thousand 45 acp, 9mm, and 38 special without a problem.

The primer strikes seem very light to me when I compare it to other primers fired from other S&W 500 revolvers at the range. I removed the grips and was able to tighten the strain screw about 3/4 of a turn.

Is that a possible fix to the problem?
 
If it fixes the problem, I guess it was. I have no experience with the .500, but in a "normal" S&W revolver, the strain screw should be all the way in. Just FWIW, I think something else may be the problem, possibly firing pin protrusion.

Jim
 
"Strain Screw" Adjustment
Click to expand...
The strain screw is not an adjustment screw. It should be kept fully tightened at all times. They do tend to back out on some of the higher recoiling calibers.
 
I'll head to the range tomorrow and shoot about 20 rounds to see if tightening the strain screw all the way in fixes the problem. I never loosened the screw to begin with. My guess is that it did indeed loosen under recoil. The more I fired the gun the more common the misfires.

By the way Jim, what does "FWIW" stand for?

Thanks.
 
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FWIW = For what it's worth. Some other abbreviations are:
IMHO = In my humble opinion
IME = In my experience
AFAIK = As far as I know
IIRC = If I recall correctly

Jim
 
I have a S&W that wouldn't keep it's strain screw in place very well. I found that a very small amount of blue locktite has kept the thing from moving. It does not take much of the stuff. I don't know why I have one revolver out of several that has a loose fitting strain screw- but it does have a higher degree of floposis than the other ones.
 
I have a Model 28-2 that will only reliably fire DA if I use Federal primers. Remington or CCI will work fine for SA shooting, but not DA. The strain screw is all the way in, but I think someone put in a lighter mainspring for a smoother, lighter trigger pull.

It does have the sweetest trigger of any revolver I've ever shot... so I've switched to Federal primers for my .357 loads, for the time being. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em...
 
I'm heading to the range after work today to test out my 20 new reloads. I'm going to practice in DA because that is what I'm most likely to use if need be in the unlikely event I must shoot at a brown bear.

I'd first like to get my reloads to fire without fail and then I'll test out at least a box of factory ammo before carrying in the wild. I have a few months before the bears and myself with be out.
 
Bang X 20!

20 reloads and 20 bangs on the first primer strike! It looks like it was the strain screw. I'll lock tight it and I'm back in business.
:D

Does this mean that because I've tightened the right screw that I'm now a "Junior Gun Smith"?

Thanks.
 
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