Ibe great for anything else. Of course, ifyou can find a PPC shooter who wants abig-gripped snubby for competition as opnosedto carwine. you can afford to sellhim that one, because your 4" round butt19 or 66 will now be every bit as concealableas the 2'12'' was in most holsters, actuallymore so on the belt because the ex-IT... '>--ts e.? ,. .:,tra 11/2" of barrel will ride against your
These are quite satisfactory for double actionwork, and adequate for single actionshooting. Wide, serrated target triggerswill reduce your double action control,though if your Combat Magnum is usedprimarily for single-action plinking orhunting, the wider surface will give you alittle better control. and the comfortine - illusionof a lighter trigger squeeze since itbetter distributes your finger pressure.No matter what kind of shooting youdo, but especially if you're into double action,the best choice is S&W's optional"Ranger" trigger, the smooth-finished onethat's about three fourths the width of thetarget style. Being more rounded, it allowsthe finger to slide smoothly across the surfaceas it changes position during the DAtrigger stroke, yet is perfectly controllablein SA shooting. In serious handgun circles,the Ranger trigger is the mark ofpeople who really know their sidearms.Advanced, competitive wheelgunners go astep further by putting a bright polish onthe trigger and rounding the edges stillmore. a Ron Power trademark that givesyou the ideal Combat Magnum go-bu'kon.Also worthwhile is a trigger-stop. Ahandy person can drill a hole through thetrigger and tap it, then install a correspondingpiece of stock with an Allenheadscrew hole on the trigger face end.This can be adjusted for a backlash-freepull, either for single action or for doubleaction only. Use a size 640 set screw, justunder 1'/4" in length. Another alternative,less cosmetically effective but moresecure and easier for some to install, isbrazing or soldering an oversize stud tothe back of the trigger, and then filing it toa precise fit so it contacts the back of thetrigger guard and stops rearward movementas soon as the hammer has beenlaunched forward. I set mine for doubleaction shooting, though a trigger-stop adjustedfor the SA letoff will also reduceDA backlash somewhat.I never liked a wide target hammer onthe S&W Combat Magnum or any otherrevolver, at least for hunting or combatwork when you might be drawing quickand taking an uncertain hold on the gun.If the web of your hand winds up too highon the back of the grip frame, the widehammer may be blocked by your ownmitt, preventing or delaying the shot.I'm partial to grinding off that casehardenedhammer spur. S&W hammersare shaped in a manner that allows an appealinglystreamlined flow of metal whenthis de-horning operation has been performed.Colts and Dan Wessons, by contrast,are often left with ugly nubbinswhere the spur used to be.Obviously, this makes tor a pretty muchDA-only proposition. Sure, you can startthe hammer back via the DA trigger pull,then roll the hammer back with the tip ofyour thumb. This technique is surprisinglyRoutine field stripping allows access to action for smooth -easy to learn, especially if the top edge ofthe hammer has been roughened. Buthave you ever tried to un-cock a revolverwith a bobbed hammer? Accidental dischargesare extremely likely, especially inthe emotional aftermath of a lost shot atgame or a tense defensive confrontation.Most of my de-horned guns have also hadthe mechanisms reworked to render themDA only; on the Combat Magnum, this isbest done by grinding off the full-cocknotch on the hammer. Here, though,we're getting into areas that should be reservedfor expert gunsmiths only.If you do choose to bob the hammer onyour Combat Mag, you'll find that it's anespecially forgiving gun: like almost allS&W's, the lopped-off spur doesn't seemto lighten hammer impact and endangerrealiability, as can happen when you bob aColt without making certain other compensationsin the mechanism or the hammerdesign. Quite apart from the sleekappearance and the snag-free draw, thebobbed S&W hammer actually seems tofall quicker, giving you better lock timeand a snappier impact that actually increasesreliability. Still, if you're notshooting double action most of the time,the regular S&W hammer seems to be thebest choice.ActionsThe uninitiated make two serious mistakeswhen they try to slick up a 19,66, orany similar gun: they weaken mainspringtension, and they cut coils off the triggerreturn spring.Really good revolversmiths most frequentlyleave S&W's mainspring alone; .the few exceptions like Fred Sadowskiwho do mess with mainsprings will reshapeit rather than simply weaken it, aprocess that requires experience in, andsophisticated knowledge of reheat treating.It's not for the home gunsmith unlesshe has a drawer full of spare springs.Leave that screw in the front of the S&Wgrip frame alone.(Contihued on page 63)AMERICAN HANDGUNNER JULY/AUGUST <strong>1977</strong>49
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