S&W 19-3 sideplate shims to stop light hammer strikes?

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ACES&8S

ACES&8S

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S&W 19-3 on double action does light hammer strikes on double action.
I have never seen this solution before and then again it may not be that
easy, because so many things I try to fix seem to be obvious then turns
out to be a head scratcher.
I am not a gunsmith, just a monkey see monkey do, with videos on how
to fix firearms.
The right side of the hammer is dragging against the sideplate and has
removed the bluing then scratched the hammer in an odd vertical direction.
Do you guys think sideplate shims are the answer, by the photo info?
The 1st pic Yellow= only the gap between frame and sideplate
Red= Sideplate joins frame and sets in slightly, can't measure it.
Blue= Sideplate worn bluing off with hammer dragging
The 2'nd pic, shows the hammer marks are vertical, for some reason.
The other side of hammer and sideplate look perfect. sideplate-hammer-drag.jpg hammer-drag-marks-vertical.jpg
 
I most seriously doubt that misfitting SP did the striations visible on the hammer................most likely some hamhanded wannabe gunsmith somehow managed to bend that plate. Best to have some one that knows what he's doing check it out. Further, I'd betcha that the light strikes are due to the same thing.......somone's fooled with the mechanism and likely modified the mainspring, loosened the strain screw or in some manner 'slicked' it up...........Bubbbbba has been there!
 
Also listen to usaral63 and verify the sideplate is perfectly flat. Odds are bubba warped it by prying it up... no doubt with a hardware store screwdriver.
 
usaral63 said:
I most seriously doubt that misfitting SP did the striations visible on the hammer................most likely some hamhanded wannabe gunsmith somehow managed to bend that plate. Best to have some one that knows what he's doing check it out. Further, I'd betcha that the light strikes are due to the same thing.......somone's fooled with the mechanism and likely modified the mainspring, loosened the strain screw or in some manner 'slicked' it up...........Bubbbbba has been there!
Click to expand...
The screws don't look like the casket has been open but one never knows.
Oh, I forgot to mention, It had been left cocked, but empty, for who knows how long. Could have been a
short time or years. It is accurate as can be.
 
Never even heard about sideplate shims until today. I even mentioned to my Wife earlier that
a shim would be a good thing but there isn't such a thing, and if they did it would press the whole
thing out of whack.
Sounds like I better get my buddy,GS, to do this one.
I agree, the scars going vertical on the hammer have to be a sign of a blood trail inside.
Also like I just said, if it stayed cocked since at least 1990, then that could add to the
bend whacker casket case.
That makes 2 in a month.
 
Last edited:
GS says the cylinder gap is out = .008" and asked me if I wanted it set up or leave it.
I said ok move it up. Now I wonder, just like a dummy would, if the hammer strikes are already
shallow, wouldn't that move the primer farther away from the hammer, he will fix it.
Just nervous jitters about all he will find inside the revolver, he is very good and
the cost is nothing to worry about.
But everything I touch has gone to crap this week, when he told me about
the shake or cylinder gap, I checked the Dan Wesson 357 I had bought from my
same aunt several years ago and never got around to firing, the gap on it
is = .017"
 
Your revolver has been molested by a wannabe. As others have noted, ensure that the sideplate is perfectly flat. It appears that it is not from your first photo. That alone could cause the hammer to bind. Side plate shims will not fix that. Their purpose is to take up any excessive space between the sides of the hammer and the frame/side plate. Whether the space is excessive sometimes depends on the wants/needs of the shooter. What is good for some folk bothers the heck out of others. On a match tuned gun they are often included in the tuneup to help center the hammer to ensure that it gets an unimpeded smack at the primer. Worst case is that the side plate cannot be straightened and will have to be replaced.

ACES&8S said:
...GS says the cylinder gap is out = .008" and asked me if I wanted it set up or leave it. I said ok move it up. Now I wonder, just like a dummy would, if the hammer strikes are already shallow, wouldn't that move the primer farther away from the hammer,..
Click to expand...

Was your smith talking about barrel to cylinder gap? If so that involves pulling the barrel, facing the shoulder, reinstalling, facing the breech end to set clearance, and then recutting the forcing cone. It will not affect the cylinder position if done correctly. The cylinder can and should be adjusted to eliminate excess end shake and set headspace.
To help you understand what is happening with your gun you might consider buying a copy of Kuhnhausen's S&W revolver manual. Even if you never work on one yourself just reading it will give you a good working knowledge of how the gun really works and what a smith must do to put one in shootin' shape.

ACES&8S said:
...I checked the Dan Wesson 357 I had bought from my
same aunt several years ago and never got around to firing, the gap on it is = .017"
Click to expand...
Most Dan Wesson's have removable/interchangeable barrels of different lengths along with the appropriate barrel shroud. Barrel to cylinder gap is set by the owner every time he changes the barrel.
 
BBBBill said:
Kuhnhausen's S&W revolver manual
Click to expand...
Thanks for the info, I added that manual to what has become my weekly Midway order.
Also it is fixing the -Cylinder Shake- with shims or a shim, he said it is a simple adjustment, I don't know what
all will be done to correct the light hammer strikes. I just said whatever it takes, fix it.
It is a family hand me down, but it came from a wonderful Aunt, originally bought by her husband
who was a WW2 wounded warrior, shot in the knee by a K98.
The Dan Wesson, I ordered a tool kit for it, just to have it with the revolver as time goes by.
Maybe after this week -of bad luck- has passed, I can at least watch a video on how to set the gap on it.
 
As the guys said, the hammer wasn’t scratched by rubbing the side plate.

This hammer is on my Gun Broker purchased 6” Model 48-3. It was rubbing the side plate, so much so it affected the trigger pull and hammer fall, plus it took off the case hardening in the spots where it rubbed. :(

F5E69FB6-FD4A-4BCF-96AD-AC8BE9FA6CCE.jpeg CF3EA7FC-87AE-4EF9-B4CE-123CF2E0C1F8.jpeg

This gun did require a shim on the right side of the hammer to center it properly. Once the shim was installed it works like new. :)

Good luck finding the solution to your issues. :thumbup:

Stay safe.
 
FIXED= GOT IT BACK YESTERDAY.
Runs like new, used max 357 mag loads, and some old factory, it didn't miss a beat.
Only ran 48 rounds thru it but the difference is amazing. Smoother double action and single
locks up like a hammer.
I have told him not to worry with the cylinder gap. It didn't -spit- any to worry with.
I also moved the gap on my Dan Wesson 357 mag 15-2 [ i think] back to .004" and it ran just as good, even has
a smoother double action or the grips make it feel better.
He talked over my head about what he did, he is good for that.
Thanks for the advice, to everyone.
It cost me $0, buddy system, sort of like the Godfather I guess.
 
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