Purchased a S&W Airweight 442 - spring question

[rdcrags]

I changed one of the springs in my 442 after I bought it, and it helped the pull quite a bit. I don't fire it much due to the horrible recoil. It feels like the thing is exploding itself instead of just the round. But, as others have said, it is a great carry revolver. I carry one speed loader with it.

[03Lightningrocks]

I changed one of the springs in my 442 after I bought it, and it helped the pull quite a bit. I don't fire it much due to the horrible recoil. It feels like the thing is exploding itself instead of just the round. But, as others have said, it is a great carry revolver. I carry one speed loader with it.

With Christmas stuff and the cold weather keeping us busy at work, I have not had the chance to fire it yet. I sure hope I don't dislike it. Was it the main spring(the one under the grip)? That was the only one I have replaced so far and it sure helped. I am thinking I might leave well enough alone. I don't want too light of a pull.

[donniet]

This is crazy!! Been trying everything I can think of and no luck yet!! I admit to being a little afraid to crank hard on them as I don't want to mar my new gun just yet. Are these specialty screws? I have slotted screw drivers that are the right width but nothing with the full thickness of these slots.

03,
I have both the 442 and 342. I have run several thousand rounds through the 342 including "Super Vels". The 342 is the lightest of the J frames and about 3 oz. lighter than the 442. Of course, the recoil is more noticeable than a heavier revolver. I added Hogue grips to my 342 and do not think the recoil is objectionable at all. The 342 was my EDC for about 4 years and still is from time to time depending on the situation. The J frame is a great pocket carry and is easily concealed, plus there is no hammer to snag on the 442. As you noted the trigger pull is a little heavy. In time and through use, I found that I did not notice the heavier pull. With practice the pull will become a non issue. Enjoy your 442.

Edited to add: Sorry I didn't help with the screw issue. I just wanted to add my .02 cents on what a great little pocket carry you have.

[rdcrags]

rdcrags wrote:
I changed one of the springs in my 442 after I bought it, and it helped the pull quite a bit. I don't fire it much due to the horrible recoil. It feels like the thing is exploding itself instead of just the round. But, as others have said, it is a great carry revolver. I carry one speed loader with it.

o3Lightningrocks wrote:
"With Christmas stuff and the cold weather keeping us busy at work, I have not had the chance to fire it yet. I sure hope I don't dislike it. Was it the main spring(the one under the grip)? That was the only one I have replaced so far and it sure helped. I am thinking I might leave well enough alone. I don't want too light of a pull."

The grip covers are all that I removed. The spring kit called the spring the "trigger spring", as I recall. I believe there were 3 springs with different tensions to choose from.

[03Lightningrocks]

rdcrags wrote:
I changed one of the springs in my 442 after I bought it, and it helped the pull quite a bit. I don't fire it much due to the horrible recoil. It feels like the thing is exploding itself instead of just the round. But, as others have said, it is a great carry revolver. I carry one speed loader with it.

o3Lightningrocks wrote:
"With Christmas stuff and the cold weather keeping us busy at work, I have not had the chance to fire it yet. I sure hope I don't dislike it. Was it the main spring(the one under the grip)? That was the only one I have replaced so far and it sure helped. I am thinking I might leave well enough alone. I don't want too light of a pull."

The grip covers are all that I removed. The spring kit called the spring the "trigger spring", as I recall. I believe there were 3 springs with different tensions to choose from.

The Wilson combat spring kit has a main spring, which is the one under the grip, and it has three rebound springs of different weights to choose from. The main spring is eight pounds. The three rebound springs are 13, 14, 15 pound options.

[MoJo]

If this is a carry gun, be sure the gun is 100% with your chosen carry ammo after changing the springs. A snubby is a "bad breath distance" gun so, a heavy trigger won't effect accuracy all that much. There is nothing worse than to pull the trigger expecting a bang and getting a click. If that click happens during a deadly force situation it may be your last one.

[Kenk]

When I got my 642 (new), I thought the trigger pull was too much. I decided to wait and see if it changed with use. I've now got around 500 rounds through it and either the trigger is easier, or I'm just getting used to it :-)

You might just try doing the same. Give it some time and use before you make the change. That trigger is the "safety".

Ken

[03Lightningrocks]

If this is a carry gun, be sure the gun is 100% with your chosen carry ammo after changing the springs. A snubby is a "bad breath distance" gun so, a heavy trigger won't effect accuracy all that much. There is nothing worse than to pull the trigger expecting a bang and getting a click. If that click happens during a deadly force situation it may be your last one.

Great advice... I do believe I will take it. I have done a bit of "Internet research" since making the mod. Bad primer strikes from a lower rated main spring is more common than one might realize.

A post above mentioned some recommended primers and I had asked if there was a way of knowing what primers my ammo has. There are very limited choices in the .38 special right now. I bought the hornady 158 grain defense rounds. Anyone know the primers it uses?


And thanks for all the advice... Everyone.

[MoJo]

A post above mentioned some recommended primers and I had asked if there was a way of knowing what primers my ammo has. There are very limited choices in the .38 special right now. I bought the hornady 158 grain defense rounds. Anyone know the primers it uses?


And thanks for all the advice... Everyone.

As a rule of thumb the primers used by a particular ammunition manufacturer are the same brand as the ammo. CCI is a major manufacturer of OEM primers a lot of the boutique ammo companies use CCI as do many of the remanufacturing companies. Since Hornady ,to my knowledge, does not make primers, my best guess is they use CCI primers.

eta: After an online search I learned this, Hornady contracts their ammunition manufacturing. Not all of their ammo is loaded by the same company. Some of the manufacturers that load ammo for Hornady are S&B, PPU, and Armscor. All make good ammo, but, I think I would rather stick with something I know is domestically produced like Federal, Speer, Winchester, Remington, CorBon, or Black Hills.

[03Lightningrocks]

A post above mentioned some recommended primers and I had asked if there was a way of knowing what primers my ammo has. There are very limited choices in the .38 special right now. I bought the hornady 158 grain defense rounds. Anyone know the primers it uses?


And thanks for all the advice... Everyone.

As a rule of thumb the primers used by a particular ammunition manufacturer are the same brand as the ammo. CCI is a major manufacturer of OEM primers a lot of the boutique ammo companies use CCI as do many of the remanufacturing companies. Since Hornady ,to my knowledge, does not make primers, my best guess is they use CCI primers.

eta: After an online search I learned this, Hornady contracts their ammunition manufacturing. Not all of their ammo is loaded by the same company. Some of the manufacturers that load ammo for Hornady are S&B, PPU, and Armscor. All make good ammo, but, I think I would rather stick with something I know is domestically produced like Federal, Speer, Winchester, Remington, CorBon, or Black Hills.

Thank You. I will keep an eye out for a better option. That was the only "self defense" ammo I could find at the time.

[Iunnrais]

eta: After an online search I learned this, Hornady contracts their ammunition manufacturing. Not all of their ammo is loaded by the same company. Some of the manufacturers that load ammo for Hornady are S&B, PPU, and Armscor. All make good ammo, but, I think I would rather stick with something I know is domestically produced like Federal, Speer, Winchester, Remington, CorBon, or Black Hills.

Interesting. I never realized that fact about Hornady ammo.

[03Lightningrocks]

New addition to help with the less than perfect sights on the 442.

[JSThane]

We need a range report!

[03Lightningrocks]

We need a range report!

I hope it won't be long. Work is busy...which is a good thing. The early cold weather is conducive to furnace failures.

I plan to get some shooting in as soon as we slow down.

[03Lightningrocks]

Update... I took the gun to a local place. They got the screw out for me. Two of the three screws got "boogered up" due to my usage of the wrong tool. I have removed more of those than I can count and never had a problem. Until now! Anyway... put the lighter rebound spring in and I like it. I may do some "polishing" on some of the mating surfaces. The pull definitely is better. I need to test fire her to make sure I don't have a problem with light primer strikes but so far, so good. Now I beg Smith and Wesson for a couple new screws.