So, after meditating this afternoon, I realized a few things:
* I need to test the 942 with different kinds of ammo, but I am avoiding purchasing more ammo because I just hate creating more purchase records. My theory: Eventually, all data will get abused. My medical records will get mined for data for junk science for people's pet research projects, so clinician's can skimp on assessment and just use the last clinician's diagnosis and assessment, for all kinds of reasons. Thus, I hate creating more records, and I hate the idea of going to the LGS and buying 10 different kinds of ammo and seeing if it cures the light strikes.
Okay, now that I know why I've been resisting this, I can go ahead and do it anyway, because rationally, it's not a good enough reason. However, I don't think this will actually work-- I've only tested four types of ammo, but I just have a bad feeling about this.
Let's assume it doesn't work, and after trying more different brands of ammo, that I'm still getting 1 or 2 light strikes per cylinder, and it's always a different chamber.
* Might it be possible to shim the mainspring to get a harder strike? I saw a video (famous last words) of a guy who shimmed the mainspring on a Rough Rider to fix a light strike. (This is all very weird and ironic, because I have a Rough Rider, and so far it's been flawless.) The spring on the 942 is a different design completely-- it's a conventional coiled spring rather than a piece of metal under tension-- but would there be a way to do the same thing?
I'll find and attach a picture if necessary, assuming some here have a good idea what it looks like.
Thanks. This may be one of those stupid ideas that one thinks of, chuckles at, and promptly forgets.
--SRW
Re: Crazy Idea - Shim the 942's mainspring to fix light strikes?
2What is a 942?
To be vintage it must be older than me!
The next gun I buy will be the next to last gun I ever buy. PROMISE!
jim
The next gun I buy will be the next to last gun I ever buy. PROMISE!
jim
Re: Crazy Idea - Shim the 942's mainspring to fix light strikes?
3Sorry! Taurus 942 DA .22 LR revolver, 2 inch barrel.
Bisbee kindly helped me take it apart and clean it thoroughly, which reduced the light strikes somewhat.
The long game here is I'm trying to avoid going to the gunsmith or returning it to Taurus (worse).
I know I'm not up to this step yet in troubleshooting. Maybe I'll find that Federal Punch or something shoots flawlessly.
Likely not, but coule be.
Re: Crazy Idea - Shim the 942's mainspring to fix light strikes?
4I'm looking at the schematic of this revolver right now.
https://www.taurususa.com/images/manual ... al_942.pdf
I'm looking for a hammer spring or something that you could replace with a heavier one. I don't really have much knowledge here, just thinking out loud.
https://www.taurususa.com/images/manual ... al_942.pdf
I'm looking for a hammer spring or something that you could replace with a heavier one. I don't really have much knowledge here, just thinking out loud.
Re: Crazy Idea - Shim the 942's mainspring to fix light strikes?
5Yeah -- part 37 could maybe be replaced with something stronger. Maybe?
Re: Crazy Idea - Shim the 942's mainspring to fix light strikes?
6Is this a new gun from Taurus or a new to you gun?
I ask because Wolff does sell reduced power springs but nothing higher than the stock 14 pounds spring. Could a prior owner have installed reduced power hammer and trigger springs?
I ask because Wolff does sell reduced power springs but nothing higher than the stock 14 pounds spring. Could a prior owner have installed reduced power hammer and trigger springs?
To be vintage it must be older than me!
The next gun I buy will be the next to last gun I ever buy. PROMISE!
jim
The next gun I buy will be the next to last gun I ever buy. PROMISE!
jim
Re: Crazy Idea - Shim the 942's mainspring to fix light strikes?
7Thanks, Cooper, and that is correct, it is part #37.
Sig, it is a new, stock 942, unmodified. I have heard of Wolff springs and yes, only heard of lighter than stock, not heavier.
Here is a photo of Bisbee holding the spring after it has been removed, and a picture of the spring in the gun. (For those who have done this, you know why the paper clip is there-- otherwise, the spring will go flying when you take it out of the gun.)
I guess what I'm wondering is, if I had a washer that was about the same size as the washer-like thing that's immediately above the paper clip, could I slip it over the rod and effectively double the thickness of the washer-like thing, so that the spring is compressed even further?
It seems like this might have the effect of increasing the heaviness of the trigger (groan) but also increasing the force of the hammer, but my understanding of the behavior of metal and springs is too poor to know whether that would work.
The other thing I can't remember or figure out is if that would even fit-- maybe there's a slot for the washer-thing that is only as wide as it needs to be.
This is really a ridiculous question if I'm having this much trouble explaining it!
IMG_20230330_162110842 copy
Sig, it is a new, stock 942, unmodified. I have heard of Wolff springs and yes, only heard of lighter than stock, not heavier.
Here is a photo of Bisbee holding the spring after it has been removed, and a picture of the spring in the gun. (For those who have done this, you know why the paper clip is there-- otherwise, the spring will go flying when you take it out of the gun.)
I guess what I'm wondering is, if I had a washer that was about the same size as the washer-like thing that's immediately above the paper clip, could I slip it over the rod and effectively double the thickness of the washer-like thing, so that the spring is compressed even further?
It seems like this might have the effect of increasing the heaviness of the trigger (groan) but also increasing the force of the hammer, but my understanding of the behavior of metal and springs is too poor to know whether that would work.
The other thing I can't remember or figure out is if that would even fit-- maybe there's a slot for the washer-thing that is only as wide as it needs to be.
This is really a ridiculous question if I'm having this much trouble explaining it!
IMG_20230330_162110842 copy
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Re: Crazy Idea - Shim the 942's mainspring to fix light strikes?
8I would consider sending it back to Taurus for them to fix it before doing anything like shiming the mainspring. I can’t for the life of me figure out what it can be. There is no flashing causing drag on the hammer that I could see. And it is a stock spring which is pretty darn stout and makes the trigger-pull harder than I like in a plinking revolver.
"It is better to be violent, if there is violence in our hearts, than to put on the cloak of non-violence to cover impotence. There is hope for a violent man to become non-violent. There is no such hope for the impotent." -Gandhi
Re: Crazy Idea - Shim the 942's mainspring to fix light strikes?
9This. Stop overthinking and send it back.Bisbee wrote: Fri Jul 07, 2023 11:09 pm I would consider sending it back to Taurus for them to fix it before doing anything like shiming the mainspring. I can’t for the life of me figure out what it can be. There is no flashing causing drag on the hammer that I could see. And it is a stock spring which is pretty darn stout and makes the trigger-pull harder than I like in a plinking revolver.
Re: Crazy Idea - Shim the 942's mainspring to fix light strikes?
10Yeah. That's probably the best idea.wooglin wrote: Sat Jul 08, 2023 7:01 amThis. Stop overthinking and send it back.Bisbee wrote: Fri Jul 07, 2023 11:09 pm I would consider sending it back to Taurus for them to fix it before doing anything like shiming the mainspring. I can’t for the life of me figure out what it can be. There is no flashing causing drag on the hammer that I could see. And it is a stock spring which is pretty darn stout and makes the trigger-pull harder than I like in a plinking revolver.
Re: Crazy Idea - Shim the 942's mainspring to fix light strikes?
11Yup. If new and unmodified then the best course is to send it back under warranty but I will make one other suggestion.
How many rounds have you fired through the revolver? If it's been less than 300 hundred rounds I'd suggest giving it a little break in time before sending it back.
How many rounds have you fired through the revolver? If it's been less than 300 hundred rounds I'd suggest giving it a little break in time before sending it back.
To be vintage it must be older than me!
The next gun I buy will be the next to last gun I ever buy. PROMISE!
jim
The next gun I buy will be the next to last gun I ever buy. PROMISE!
jim
Re: Crazy Idea - Shim the 942's mainspring to fix light strikes?
12I would tend to agree with Sig230, except…
Break in of a new gun is precisely because of parts that have yet to wear their rough edges off against each other, causing more friction than originally intended in the design, hence drag. We already took the entire gun apart and looked for friction causing parts and lubricated the innards… nothing obvious I could tell to cause so much drag as to create so many misfires.
One more thing to try I realized as I write this: loosen the three screws holding the side plate onto the frame and retighten just enough to keep them on. See if that helps the misfiring at all. If there is a change then the side plate itself is binding something inside (hammer?) with too much pressure. One last thing to try anyway before sending it back.
Break in of a new gun is precisely because of parts that have yet to wear their rough edges off against each other, causing more friction than originally intended in the design, hence drag. We already took the entire gun apart and looked for friction causing parts and lubricated the innards… nothing obvious I could tell to cause so much drag as to create so many misfires.
One more thing to try I realized as I write this: loosen the three screws holding the side plate onto the frame and retighten just enough to keep them on. See if that helps the misfiring at all. If there is a change then the side plate itself is binding something inside (hammer?) with too much pressure. One last thing to try anyway before sending it back.
"It is better to be violent, if there is violence in our hearts, than to put on the cloak of non-violence to cover impotence. There is hope for a violent man to become non-violent. There is no such hope for the impotent." -Gandhi
Re: Crazy Idea - Shim the 942's mainspring to fix light strikes?
13+3.cooper wrote:Yeah. That's probably the best idea.wooglin wrote: Sat Jul 08, 2023 7:01 amThis. Stop overthinking and send it back.Bisbee wrote: Fri Jul 07, 2023 11:09 pm I would consider sending it back to Taurus for them to fix it before doing anything like shiming the mainspring. I can’t for the life of me figure out what it can be. There is no flashing causing drag on the hammer that I could see. And it is a stock spring which is pretty darn stout and makes the trigger-pull harder than I like in a plinking revolver.
If that doesn’t resolve it, then come back here for advice.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Re: Crazy Idea - Shim the 942's mainspring to fix light strikes?
14I take it you read this thread over there at https://www.taurusarmed.net/threads/new ... 524/page-2
“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing,”
Re: Crazy Idea - Shim the 942's mainspring to fix light strikes?
15Good find T@G’er.
1. Small washers to stiffen up the mainspring. Maybe.
2. After the hammer comes down while holding the trigger in, feel if the firing pin indicates any play between the transfer bar and hammer. If so, consider filing down the hammer face (above “hammer reach” in the attached photo) so the transfer bar makes more positive contact onto the firing pin.
1. Small washers to stiffen up the mainspring. Maybe.
2. After the hammer comes down while holding the trigger in, feel if the firing pin indicates any play between the transfer bar and hammer. If so, consider filing down the hammer face (above “hammer reach” in the attached photo) so the transfer bar makes more positive contact onto the firing pin.
- 2891A3FD-7B1B-4C18-989A-EC7E1DC7F332.jpeg (29.12 KiB) Viewed 6868 times
"It is better to be violent, if there is violence in our hearts, than to put on the cloak of non-violence to cover impotence. There is hope for a violent man to become non-violent. There is no such hope for the impotent." -Gandhi
Re: Crazy Idea - Shim the 942's mainspring to fix light strikes?
16Guys, thanks so much for your patience with my bizarre ideas and overthinking. Sometimes I have to let them out of my head just to see how ridiculous they are, stops me from doing anything ill-advised. My avoiding/delaying sending it back isn't entirely motivated by crackpot thinking, I want to avoid paying the damn FFL fee, if I have to go through all that paperwork again, I'll probably wind up buying another gun at the same time. (If that's legal. Maybe the 10 day limit is for transfers of any kind, not just purchases, I have no idea.)
Sig, I figure I've put just about 300 rounds through it. But another 100-200 wouldn't hurt, trying different ammo-- like, 16 rounds of single action, 16 rounds of double action, marking the chambers where the light strikes happen to see if it's always the same ones.
If I find ammo it's reliable (enough) with DA, I may just not send it back, keep the good load as the one I begin (slowly) stockpiling, and slowly plink through the rest of it. I don't think that will work, but no harm in trying-- shooting this gun is making me more accurate with the others anyway. And I believe Taurus has a lifetime warranty, so if the problem slowly got worse, that's something I'd want to know and better to send it back 200 rounds from now.
I will probably wind up sending it back rather than doing any filing, but I am interested in Bisbee's test anyway, just to provide more information. However:
<< feel if the firing pin indicates any play between the transfer bar and hammer. >>
I will try this and see if I get a sense of it. It does seem like I'm feeling some kind of erratic behavior in the transfer bar, but it's so hard to know if I'm imagining it.
Sig, I figure I've put just about 300 rounds through it. But another 100-200 wouldn't hurt, trying different ammo-- like, 16 rounds of single action, 16 rounds of double action, marking the chambers where the light strikes happen to see if it's always the same ones.
If I find ammo it's reliable (enough) with DA, I may just not send it back, keep the good load as the one I begin (slowly) stockpiling, and slowly plink through the rest of it. I don't think that will work, but no harm in trying-- shooting this gun is making me more accurate with the others anyway. And I believe Taurus has a lifetime warranty, so if the problem slowly got worse, that's something I'd want to know and better to send it back 200 rounds from now.
I will probably wind up sending it back rather than doing any filing, but I am interested in Bisbee's test anyway, just to provide more information. However:
<< feel if the firing pin indicates any play between the transfer bar and hammer. >>
I will try this and see if I get a sense of it. It does seem like I'm feeling some kind of erratic behavior in the transfer bar, but it's so hard to know if I'm imagining it.
