S&W Model 442

[Garys]

Or any hammerless J frame I guess.

I've had one since 1993 or so and carry it fairly frequently. The one thing I've never liked about it is the trigger pull. I've fired other J frame (not hammerless) and all of them have a lighter and smoother trigger pull.

So, the question is what, if anything, can be done about that? I don't think it's a defect which requires going back to Smith. Are there other options for mainsprings? Other things that can be done?

 

[Billsail]

Wolff Springs for a starter. A smith can do wonders for a J-frame. Mine weighs in at 5.5 Lbs, compared to 14Lbs when new! I revamped mine, myself with new springs and a prudent polishing of contact points. If you don't know what you are doing, you can polish away the hardening. That can lead to problems. I am lucky, as I really didn't know what I was doing, and I don't think I'd try it again. A smith should be able to do this at a very reasonable cost.

 

[Sully]

https://apextactical.com/store/product-info.php?pid49.html

 

[yanici]

I've been tempted to play around with the APEX Kit or maybe Wolff springs too. But, it's a SD gun and I gotta be sure it's gonna go pop if I need it, so it stays factory. No chances on light primer strikes. Jus sayin'.

 

[In God We Trust]

I had one for a few months, but the trigger was way too hard for me. I wound up just selling it and buying a Ruger LCP.

 

[M1911]

That's what trigger jobs are for. Just about every factory revolver needs a trigger job these days.

 

[eisenhow]

I originally bought an LCR because the stock trigger pull is MUCH better than a stock J-frame. Unfortunately, it has a funky multiple false reset that I could never get used to.

I have a 442 that I put an APEX kit in. It's much better than stock and has gone bang every time (including my wolf primed reloads).

Others that have a lot more experience than me say that the APEX firing pin isn't required and to just order the Wolf springs.

 

[M1911]

New springs are definitely the place to start. Minor polishing of the rebound slide also helps.

 

[Garys]

I could probably do the main spring myself, but I don't really want to tinker around inside and then end up with a box full of parts that need to be re-assembled.

With that in mind, I'd like some suggestions as to a gun smith.

Thanks again.

 

[Dirtypacman]

Now that I retired my 642 from carry I think I may go ahead and do some work on the trigger. I had worked it in myself from dry fire and got a nice consistent pull on it but it is still very heavy. Is this the sort of work that can be done by an amateur - I am sure there is a video out there on how to do the modification or replacement but before I take it apart you know

 

[M1911]

Get Jerry Kuhnhausen's book. Replacing the springs isn't hard, except that getting the rebound spring back in place can be a bitch. Polishing the rebound slide is dead easy. Don't touch the hammer and sear unless you know what you are doing. And you will have to test the gun carefully afterward because installing lower power springs can result in light strikes if you went too far.

That said, I've never felt a j-frame trigger, even after a trigger job, approached a factory k-frame trigger.

I had Karl Sokol do a trigger job on my 642 and frankly I don't think it was any better than what I did on my model 60 - and I'm no gunsmith.

 

[DickL]

I hated it. Nice carry size. Couldn't hit anything at the range at 25 feet due to the trigger. OK at 10 feet. Sold it bought a Kahr PM9. Much better.

Dick

 

[Garys]

Resurrecting this thread. I've finally had the time to open up the 442. There are a couple of really good videos out there that show how to open a revolver without bunging it up. I can remove the main spring easily and the rebound spring isn't tough either, even without one of the special tools.

One trick I picked up from someone somewhere was to work with my hands inside a large ziploc bag. That way even if parts fly around, they are going to stay inside the bag.

So, I'm going to replace the rebound and main springs with Wolff parts. A couple of people have mentioned polishing the rebound slide itself. I do have an Arkansas stone that I bought to help fit a finger loop lever into my Marlin, so I'm sort of clear on the concept. I know a couple of people mentioned doing the rebound slide polish on their own. Any hints for that or should I just go with the spring changes and see if that's enough of an improvement?