Fathers gun brother gave it to me. Double action is fine. Single action hair trigger if when squeezing the trigger hammer drops but doesn't fire stops short of the primer. Pull the trigger it will fire. Should i take to a gun smith or take it apart and maybe change springs?
S&W model 15 Combat Masterpiece 38 special
- Thread starter Fitter30
- Start date
I would take it to a gunsmith. He can check everything in that revolver, including the timing of the pawls that rotate the cylinder.
Unless you are knowledgeable about that particular gun, take it to a gunsmith.
One simple and easy thing to check is if the mainspring tension screw has backed out. You can see the mainspring by simply taking off the grips.
If this doesn't fix it then take it to a gun smith.
https://sdi.edu/2024/06/11/gunsmithing-quick-tips-fix-light-strikes-on-your-smith-wesson-revolver/
If this doesn't fix it then take it to a gun smith.
https://sdi.edu/2024/06/11/gunsmithing-quick-tips-fix-light-strikes-on-your-smith-wesson-revolver/
Do not do anything to try and make it look good like rubbing it down with steel wool. Also make sure your gunsmith knows S&W revolvers. Check the S&W site I believe you can obtain a letter from S&W showing the pertinent data on your gun. That revolver may have some collector value.
Have the box and the paperwork take came with it all in excellent shape.
- Joined
- Dec 7, 2022
- Messages
- 127
I have an old 38 and they are pretty simple. Take the grips off and the side plate and see what the issue is. Could be full of dust and bone dry from lack of maintenance over the years.
f355spider
$50 Site Donor 2025
Agree with this completely. If the shop doesn't have references, just send it back to the factory.
Thank everyone.
Your description puzzles me. If you lower the hammer without holding the trigger back it’s designed not to fire. When the trigger goes forward the hammer block moves up and prevents the hammer from fully dropping. It’s an internal safety mechanism to prevent a cocked revolver from firing if bumped or dropped.
I don’t understand your distinction between “squeezing” the trigger and “pulling” the trigger. Functionally they are both the same thing.
I think he means if he squeezes the trigger slowly, a small amount of pressure allows the hammer to fall, but the movement isn't enough to clear the hammer block (transfer bar) so the hammer strikes it rather than the primer and the gun doesn't fire. If you jerk the trigger, or use double action, the bar clears so the hammer strikes the primer and the gun fires.
I'm assuming this revolver has the relatively modern hammer block that keeps the hammer from striking the primer unless the trigger is pulled sufficiently.
I would guess that through wear, or more likely, a bad trigger job that gave it the hair trigger, it just needs to be returned to stock. Adjusting the bar so it disengages with a very light trigger pull may make the gun unsafe.
I'm assuming this revolver has the relatively modern hammer block that keeps the hammer from striking the primer unless the trigger is pulled sufficiently.
I would guess that through wear, or more likely, a bad trigger job that gave it the hair trigger, it just needs to be returned to stock. Adjusting the bar so it disengages with a very light trigger pull may make the gun unsafe.
