A little S&W J Frame Love

[Bugs]

I've had a S&W 640 PRO for a while now and have put about 400 rounds 38 special through it. It is rated for .357 but I see no need to abuse either myself or the gun. I have been using it as a carry gun with 38 +P. Revolver is very accurate and I can shoot it equally well with either hand. My only gripe was the heavy double action pull so I decided to fix that problem and installed an APEX trigger kit.
Gutted and ready for cleaning and trigger work.

[Bugs]

A little grimy inside and in need of a cleaning. Internals out and ready for prep.

[Bugs]

Insides cleaned up..

New firing pin and spring...

New hammer strut spring & rebound slide spring; reduced weight springs for lighter pull...

[Bugs]

Did a little smoothing of the rebound slide...now it rides like ball bearings on glass..

Rebound slide and reduced power spring back in with a little white lithium grease...

Smooth and prep the hammer strut...

A little lithium grease and new spring...

Reduced power mainspring installed on strut and ready for install...

[Bugs]

Hammer & mainspring reinstalled...

Side plate back on...

Shoes back on and she's ready to dance...

Took the trigger from a heavy 12.5 pound pull down to 8 pounds of smooth pull. Will be taking it out to the range tomorrow to see how it performs. The trigger is now really nice just want to ensure there are no light primer strikes and that the gun is reliable and will go bang.

[CT_Shooter]

Great photographic guide to the process. Thanks for sharing it.

[BrokenolMarine]

Very nice. I have the scandium M&P 340 357 and that featherweight beast is brutal to shoot with the magnums, but a dream to drop in a coat pocket. So light you forget it's there. I practice with plus p 38 ammo and shoot a few 357s now and then, just to prove I can. (Then my hand and wrist file an OSHA complaint... )

I might look into that apex trigger kit.

[North Country Gal]

Yes, very nice presentation. If I still shot J Frames, I would bookmark this one. Please lets know how the gun performs with the new kit.

[Bugs]

Very nice. I have the scandium M&P 340 357 and that featherweight beast is brutal to shoot with the magnums, but a dream to drop in a coat pocket. So light you forget it's there. I practice with plus p 38 ammo and shoot a few 357s now and then, just to prove I can. (Then my hand and wrist file an OSHA complaint... )

I might look into that apex trigger kit.

The 640 PRO is too heavy to just drop in a pocket; it requires a holster. But it carries so well in a good holster. I had LOBO Gun Leather make me one before he retired. Could never see the use of magnum ammo in a short barrel J-Frame, not sure if there is enough velocity produced to justify the resulting punishment . +P I believe is more than adequate in these little guns. The APEX trigger kit is easy to install as long as you feel comfortable opening up and tinkering with a revolver. J-Frames are pretty easy to work on.

[Bugs]

Yes, very nice presentation. If I still shot J Frames, I would bookmark this one. Please lets know how the gun performs with the new kit.

I plan on shooting it tomorrow afternoon. I'll let you know.

[BrokenolMarine]

Bugs, I am fine with basic work on smith revolvers. Wouldn't try to install parts that required fitting... but i'm good with takedown, cleaning, and assembly. I inspected the department's model 64s once a year until we made the switch to the Glock 40s. Then I went to the Glock schools. Lol.

[Bugs]

Took it to the range today and put 50 rounds through it. 100% positive ignition with Speer 38+P factory loads and my reloads with Winchester primers. Accuracy much improved with the nicer trigger pull. Target below shot offhand at 7 yards. Prior to the trigger work I would have been all over the target. I give the APEX Trigger Kit a big thumbs up.

[Bugs]

Bugs, I am fine with basic work on smith revolvers. Wouldn't try to install parts that required fitting... but i'm good with takedown, cleaning, and assembly. I inspected the department's model 64s once a year until we made the switch to the Glock 40s. Then I went to the Glock schools. Lol.

You can pretty much just drop in this APEX Trigger Kit but it doesn't hurt to stone and smooth the rebound slide and debur other parts.

[BrokenolMarine]

I will most likely call brownells tomorrow and order two kits. One for the 340 and one for the airweight 642. I may add a basic trigger pull gauge to the mix.

[BrokenolMarine]

Placed my order. Two kits and the trigger pull gauge. Brownells has 100% satisfaction policy. Have bought from them for thirty years, never had to use it.

[BrokenolMarine]

Went over today and spent a few hours with my shooting rabbi. He wanted to make sure the installation of the apex kit went well. Let's just say guns, reloading, shooting... and anything to do with them... well; it's his thang. He's eighty, and forgotten more than I could hope to learn.

He told me up front that he would show me a couple tricks during my spring kit install... ... good thing I didn't need to be anywhere. Oh my, introduction to basics. Folks pay big money for this. I left there with a lot more than a sweet eight and a half pound double action only trigger. (Down from thirteen and gritty.)

I learned to do this.
Never do that.
Do this, but just a touch... a kiss of the stone.
I still remembered the things he taught me years ago.
He didn't think I saw the little smiles when he noticed.

A great morning.
Semper fi, Gunny.... and Thanks... once again.

[BrokenolMarine]

Funny thing. We were going to do both guns... and I took out the "Beast" first. But we couldn't figure out how to get the grips off. The factory Hogue Grips didn't have a visible screw anywhere. Put that gun back in the bag and took out the Airweight 642... did the trigger job on It... it had factory rubber grips with standard screws.

Googled "Removing grips from Smith M&P 340."

Step one: Call the idiot who sold you the gun and yell at him for ten minutes for not including the required wedges for removing the factory grips. Step two: slip a credit card between the frame and the pins in the base of the frame, on both sides, slide the grips off.

I ordered wood grips... boot style... when they come in. I'll do the trigger job on the beast.

[BrokenolMarine]

In today's mail...

NRA's SHOOTING ILLUSTRATED Aug 2017 issue, page 34: Backup Gear for your Backup Gun.
Lower left hand corner of the page instantly caught my eye.

One of the five items highlighted in the article?
Apex Tactical Specialties J-frame Duty/Carry Spring Kit.

Sweet.

[Bugs]

Went over today and spent a few hours with my shooting rabbi. He wanted to make sure the installation of the apex kit went well. Let's just say guns, reloading, shooting... and anything to do with them... well; it's his thang. He's eighty, and forgotten more than I could hope to learn.

He told me up front that he would show me a couple tricks during my spring kit install... ... good thing I didn't need to be anywhere. Oh my, introduction to basics. Folks pay big money for this. I left there with a lot more than a sweet eight and a half pound double action only trigger. (Down from thirteen and gritty.)

I learned to do this.
Never do that.
Do this, but just a touch... a kiss of the stone.
I still remembered the things he taught me years ago.
He didn't think I saw the little smiles when he noticed.

A great morning.
Semper fi, Gunny.... and Thanks... once again.

You could share that with us.

[BrokenolMarine]

Bugs...

I wish there was some way to pass on all the subtle points, the little refinements, a kiss of the stone here, a touch of the stone there.
It's something you need to have the guy looking over your shoulder and guiding you through the shoals... ... it would be hard to explain without being there. Plus, I don't have forty years experience backing me to begin to try.