Now it’s working well.


With the shim I installed last evening, the Model 69 was 96% on reloaded ammo: 2 light strikes from fifty rounds. Not bad – even borderline acceptable for practice ammo, given that I don’t use handloads for anything but practice if I can help it. But…


We could do better. 🙂 I also made a 4-ply and a 5-ply shim. Installed the 4-ply, and…


100% bang. Pistol is fixed as long as the shim stays in place, which – since the strain screw dimples the hell out of it – I think it will. However, the light strike problem is pretty much diagnosed and I think the only proper cure is to find an OEM mainspring.

Also, that extra little bit of shim had a noticeable effect on trigger weight – though it remains nice and smooth. S&W!

Shortly after I got back to the Lair from doing that, I got a text from D&L. Hung up at the hospital, and would I please go do the midday feeding?

No problem; I was on call in case of that very thing…


There’s only one horse at the moment so it takes longer to drive to the chore than to do the chore, and…


TB thought it best that he come along and keep me from getting lost.

Then I tottered over the ridge to service Ian’s batteries…


…and I put my battery pitcher in the Jeep so I can top off Landlady’s batteries when I go get my laundry this afternoon.

I’ve been maximizing the back-and-forth this morning to test my new leg adjustments. There’s a definite improvement in the leg angle: I’m not getting the aches in my thigh and ass anymore. But the new shims on the soft insert didn’t help the socket geometry as much as I hoped: Looks like I’ll be wearing a lot of stump padding as a matter of course. But still – an improvement overall. Maybe I won’t keep this one for 22 years like the last one. 🙂

About Joel

You shouldn't ask these questions of a paranoid recluse, you know.
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5 Responses to Now it’s working well.

  1. The Neon Madman says:

    And now you get to reload them all again.

  2. Sooooo…just an email to Brownells or Wolff for an OEM spring?

  3. Joel says:

    Honestly I thought that was what I was buying from Wolff. So I’m still a little confused.

  4. Mike says:

    I’ve seen fired primers without the anvil stuck on the strain screw. might not be as thick as your last shim?
    And second the recommendation to use federal primers for your revolver loads.

  5. Jimmy Moran says:

    Brownelles has a stock spring listed online. I would order that spring and a new strain screw just to be sure. There are many discussions online regarding primer hardness. CCI and Federal seem to get the best reviews.

    You could have a stock weight spring but hard primers.

To the stake with the heretic!