Using Speedloaders with J-frame?

[jg rider]

Are you talking about the guns or the girls? LOL

Yup, people don't talk about that much....

Have a great night and Easter holiday!

I was looking at the stars on the flag. And the same back to you

[JFootin]

You boys have been busy while I was asleep! Thanks for the advice on the loaders and grips. And thanks, Barth, for all the eye candy!

Yes, he cut a few coils off of both springs. He says he is surprised, but that the dimples on the primers look nice and deep and it goes bang every time. If I have light strikes in the future, he says he can install a slightly longer firing pin and that will cure it. I am going to inspect it carefully and do the tests that you recommended, JG. If it ain't right, he'll make it right.

My reason for wanting the super light trigger is that my hands are partially paralyzed by a slowly progressive atrophy of the motor nerves to the arms and legs that is hereditary. So, for me, 4.25 pounds is more like 8 or 10 to you.

I put the 5 lb striker spring in my CM9, but even before I did that, the trigger was easy for me to pull. But when I pulled the trigger on the 638 when he said it was about 7.5 lb, it was very difficult for me to pull. I don't understand that, but it is why I left the gun with him and asked that he do more to lighten it up. We'll see how it turns out. I want that trigger light enough that I am not jerking my aim off trying to pull it in a s.h.t.f. situation. If I can't get it acceptable, I will sell the gun and stick with my Kahr.

Yeah. Main carry weapon, BUG, knife, pepper spray, stun gun, brass knuckles. LOL! I never interpreted the laws in my state to mean just one weapon! (Kidding, of course! )

[jg rider]

You boys have been busy while I was asleep! Thanks for the advice on the loaders and grips. And thanks, Barth, for all the eye candy!

Yes, he cut a few coils off of both springs. He says he is surprised, but that the dimples on the primers look nice and deep and it goes bang every time. If I have light strikes in the future, he says he can install a slightly longer firing pin and that will cure it. I am going to inspect it carefully and do the tests that you recommended, JG. If it ain't right, he'll make it right.

My reason for wanting the super light trigger is that my hands are partially paralyzed by a slowly progressive atrophy of the motor nerves to the arms and legs that is hereditary. So, for me, 4.25 pounds is more like 8 or 10 to you.

I put the 5 lb striker spring in my CM9, but even before I did that, the trigger was easy for me to pull. But when I pulled the trigger on the 638 when he said it was about 7.5 lb, it was very difficult for me to pull. I don't understand that, but it is why I left the gun with him and asked that he do more to lighten it up. We'll see how it turns out. I want that trigger light enough that I am not jerking my aim off trying to pull it in a s.h.t.f. situation. If I can't get it acceptable, I will sell the gun and stick with my Kahr.

Yeah. Main carry weapon, BUG, knife, pepper spray, stun gun, brass knuckles. LOL! I never interpreted the laws in my state to mean just one weapon! (Kidding, of course! )

Good morning, JFootin. It was an informative night for me. I'm gonna make some phone calls this morning to two of my neighbors that are county sheriff deputies and ask how they would deal with multi concealed guns.

Ok I understand your reasoning now. I'm sorry if I sounded like I was bad mouthing your gunsmith's work. I was just pointing out things to watch out for.

I once took a trigger pull as low as I could go on a Smith, something like yours. It was so freakishly low that people said it was a sacrilege and unsafe which it wasn't, just unorthodox. So I shelved the parts and went back to a seven lb. pull. Since the trigger spring is the the bigger effort to pull, IIRC I left the mainspring alone and cut coils off of the trigger spring until the trigger wouldn't return. Then I did some creative reshaping of a part and left out another until the trigger would reset. I'm sure I wasn't the originator of that idea. If things don't work out the way the gun is now, let me know.

IIRC a company, Cylinder & Slide made trigger parts for Colt and maybe Smith revolvers that work off of rollers.

OK now I'll keep my big fingers shut.

Oh! You liked those flags also eh?
John

[JFootin]

Good morning, JFootin. It was an informative night for me. I'm gonna make some phone calls this morning to two of my neighbors that are county sheriff deputies and ask how they would deal with multi concealed guns.

Ok I understand your reasoning now. I'm sorry if I sounded like I was bad mouthing your gunsmith's work. I was just pointing out things to watch out for.

I once took a trigger pull as low as I could go on a Smith, something like yours. It was so freakishly low that people said it was a sacrilege and unsafe which it wasn't, just unorthodox. So I shelved the parts and went back to a seven lb. pull. Since the trigger spring is the the bigger effort to pull, IIRC I left the mainspring alone and cut coils off of the trigger spring until the trigger wouldn't return. Then I did some creative reshaping of a part and left out another until the trigger would reset. I'm sure I wasn't the originator of that idea. If things don't work out the way the gun is now, let me know.

IIRC a company, Cylinder & Slide made trigger parts for Colt and maybe Smith revolvers that work off of rollers.

OK now I'll keep my big fingers shut.

Oh! You liked those flags also eh?
John

I know you weren't badmouthing my gunsmith, just sharing from your own considerable experience. I thank you for it! He is, I think, less than 60, so he may still be able to learn some things. I think I'll be fine with it where it is, as long as it goes bang every time. And me dry firing it should help smooth it out even more over time.

This is my first revolver. I am going to have to learn maintenance methods for it. I understand that shot residue gets kind of all over the place, so the cylinder, frame, crane, and barrel need cleaning. What sort of lubrication should I do? Do I ever need to take the side panel off to clean and lubricate the firing mechanism? I don't plan on making this a range toy, so I won't be shooting hundreds of rounds with it. I just need to know what, beyond a quick cleaning after shooting a few rounds at the range, needs to be done to keep it ready for action.

[jg rider]

This is my first revolver. I am going to have to learn maintenance methods for it. I understand that shot residue gets kind of all over the place, so the cylinder, frame, crane, and barrel need cleaning. What sort of lubrication should I do? Do I ever need to take the side panel off to clean and lubricate the firing mechanism? I don't plan on making this a range toy, so I won't be shooting hundreds of rounds with it. I just need to know what, beyond a quick cleaning after shooting a few rounds at the range, needs to be done to keep it ready for action.

What most people do is clean the barrel, the chambers, scape or brush the residue from where the frame top strap meetes the barrel forcing cone, and brush off recoil shield of the frame. Then brush underneath and the top of the extractor star. Then oil where the cylinder rotates on the crane etc.

But I happen to have some gun smithing screwdrivers, hammer and chisels.

What I do is, with the cylinder closed, is remove the forward most screw of the side plate. This screw holds the cylinder crane on. Be careful when removing this screw because there is a spring and plunger on the other end of it. Now I slowly open the cylinder and slide the crane forward and out of the frame. I can tell you how to unscrew the cylinder from he crane but you need a padded vise and remember that the ejector rod is reverse threads. Now I can do a thorough cleaning and oiling. You'll notice the V notch that the screw plunger rides in.

To replace the crane I oil the V notch, slide it into the frame, close, apply a little blue locktite to the screw threads and tighten.

If I'm really ambitious I'll take the side plate off. First I remove the grips, and then take out the remaining two screws. I do not pry the plate off. Instead using the plastic handle of a screw driver as a hammer I lightly tap on the grip frame on the opposite side from the side plate. I lightly hold the frame in my off hand palm, under the plate as I tap. The plate will drop into my hand, and if it was left in after a trigger job, a long thin piece called a hammer block will fall out with it.

Now I can see how everything works. If I lay it on it's side and hold back the cylinder latch, I can even dry fire it.

When I'm ready to reinstall the side plate it's real easy if the hammer block isn't there. It's just a redundant hammer block

[JFootin]

What most people do is clean the barrel, the chambers, scape or brush the residue from where the frame top strap meetes the barrel forcing cone, and brush off recoil shield of the frame. Then brush underneath and the top of the extractor star. Then oil where the cylinder rotates on the crane etc.

But I happen to have some gun smithing screwdrivers, hammer and chisels.

What I do is, with the cylinder closed, is remove the forward most screw of the side plate. This screw holds the cylinder crane on. Be careful when removing this screw because there is a spring and plunger on the other end of it. Now I slowly open the cylinder and slide the crane forward and out of the frame. I can tell you how to unscrew the cylinder from he crane but you need a padded vise and remember that the ejector rod is reverse threads. Now I can do a thorough cleaning and oiling. You'll notice the V notch that the screw plunger rides in.

To replace the crane I oil the V notch, slide it into the frame, close, apply a little blue locktite to the screw threads and tighten.

If I'm really ambitious I'll take the side plate off. First I remove the grips, and then take out the remaining two screws. I do not pry the plate off. Instead using the plastic handle of a screw driver as a hammer I lightly tap on the grip frame on the opposite side from the side plate. I lightly hold the frame in my off hand palm, under the plate as I tap. The plate will drop into my hand, and if it was left in after a trigger job, a long thin piece called a hammer block will fall out with it.

Now I can see how everything works. If I lay it on it's side and hold back the cylinder latch, I can even dry fire it.

When I'm ready to reinstall the side plate it's real easy if the hammer block isn't there. It's just a redundant hammer block

Thanks, JG. That sounds like more than I'd want to try with my clumsy hands. I'll not shoot it a lot, and do the cleaning as you recommended. But I think I'll take it to my gunsmith for a periodic tuneup, as needed, for the internals.

I just picked the gun up. The trigger is awesome! Light and smooth as can be, yet both hammer strike and trigger return are very positive. I'll have to shoot it and confirm that it goes bang every time. But barring any light strikes, I am in love with this gun!

I left my shiny CM9 with him, along with a set of Traction Grips that I asked him to cut up and use to enhance my grip on the slide serrations like in this thread:
http://kahrtalk.com/showthread.php?t=5551

I'm sure he can do it successfully. With my clumsy hands, I didn't want to try it myself. It'll be worth a few bucks to get it done right.

[JFootin]

Finally got to shoot my 638!

I finally got out to the country to shoot my 638. I have been dry firing it and enjoying the trigger for a couple of weeks, but this was the first time I got to shoot it.

I put a Hogue Bantam rubber grip on it. I really like it! Very small, yet it has palm swells and pronounced finger grooves, and is extremely comfortable. And it clears my Safariland speed loaders! Glory be!

It is one piece and a force fit with no screw. I got it a few weeks ago and took it out of the package to examine it. I didn't notice the plastic spreader tool that fell to the floor and I didn't read the installation instructions because the gun was still at the gunsmith's. When I found the tool on the floor a day or so later, I didn't know what it was and threw it away. When I got the gun back, I used the rubber covered handle of some pliers to spread it and get it on. I don't know how I would ever get it off without marring the Duracoat finish. But I like it, so I am not going to worry about it.

I only had a few minutes and didn't have my brother with me to set up targets. So I just shot a few rounds through the 638 and a few through my new Taurus TCP. I shot some Win 130 gr FMJ target/range ammo in the 638, and it kicked but was comfortable. I also tried some Corbon DPX 110 gr +p ammo. Bigger bang, quicker, but the recoil was not any worse.

A very comfortable gun to shoot. A lot of muzzle flip, but the design of the grip and frame make recoil very manageable with no bite or pain to the hand. The 4.25 lb DA trigger actually feels about the same as my CM9, with a long throw and a predictable stage near the end of the stroke. Quite safe, IMO. And it goes bang every time with good, strong hits on the primers. I will practice with it every range session, but I think this beauty is ready to carry in that new AIWB holster from James Dean, which is due today!

I will have pics to post soon.

[getsome]

Glad you like your new little wheel gun there JFootin...I really feel your pain about the nerve damage deal and my left hand is getting worse every day and I thank God my right hand works pretty good for now as I'm totally right handed...

5 years ago I had cervical spine surgery done on a pinched nerve that left my right arm useless and that was a bummer...Doc got my right arm back to about 75% strength so thats good enough but now the left arm is almost gone...I can grip with my left hand but can't open from a fist...

For this reason I'm probably going to trade my PM40 for something like a Smith 686 4 inch because I really don't think I could clear a jam with the PM40 very well and even less so in the future...

Friday I picked up a nice no lock 642 S&W at O'Dells gun shop for a pretty good price $379.00 out the door...I really like the gun but the trigger pull is pretty stiff and nothing like the Kahr...I wore a blister on my trigger finger dry firing it and am thinking about sending it back to the Smith Performance Center for an action job so I can keep the lifetime warrenty...

I will have to get some of those Hogue Bantam grips as I found out like you did the HKS speed loader will not clear the standard factory grips...Good luck with yours and shoot it like ya stole it...(sorry Jocko)...

[JFootin]

Yeah, my condition is a slowly progressive atrophy of the motor nerves to the extremities: feet, legs, hands and arms. Being in my 60s, it is really hitting me hard.

I went for the Kahr because of the light double action trigger and the simplicity of controls. But that slide is a real bear. I have to put the gun in my right hand and rackit using my left hand. I can't rackit at all the other way. At present, I can manage racking and clearing jams. Not lightning fast, but I wouldn't be real fast with clearing jams or reloading with any gun.

I love my CM9, and I am going to keep it as long as I can. But this is why I got the 638. Five that go bang every time with no jams. And instead of struggling trying to reload, I think I'll do a New York reload with my TCP in my pocket.

I had almost given up on the 638, though, after sending it to a gunsmith for a trigger job, paying $75, and getting it back almost as stiff as it was before. So many people tried to tell me it was impossible to get the DA pull much below 8 lb, that it was unsafe, that any gunsmith that said they could get it down to 4 lb was disreputable.

But I knew better! Expert gunsmiths have been doing this for generations on these guns. It is only lately that a CYA attitude has infected the manufacturers and the entire gun world with the attitude that a wheel gun with a nice trigger is somehow a sacrilege. So I found a well respected gunsmith here locally who did a proper trigger job for me, and this gun is going to be with me for the long haul.

Actually, I can now operate this trigger as easily as someone with full strength hands can operate one in the 8 lb range where most gunsmiths stop nowadays. So, I am cool.

I find it puzzling that Smith & Wesson, Uncle Mike's, HKS and Safariland have all let that issue with the standard grips not clearing speed loaders go unaddressed for decades. But the Hogue Bantam clears with room to spare. Thanks, Melissa, for the recommendation.

I am going to paint the front sight ramp orange, let it dry, then polish the gun with Flitz gun wax. I am also still waiting on some holsters. I am going to get some nice pics and post them soon.

[JFootin]

A man, his gun and holster melding together!

It was a cold and windy today on the back side of that Noreaster, so I hung around the house and did some chores. Early this morning, I put on my perfected J-frame in the custom AIWB holster that James Dean made for me. I wear a thick 1 1/2" belt and use the same hole when carrying, making it extra snug to prevent any sagging. It has a very strong clip and sits so tight when clipped to my belt that it is a little less than perfectly comfortable.

So I decided to clip it to just my pants behind that snug belt. That worked great! It rides "softer" and conforms to my body better in the sweet spot we designed it to ride in at 11:00. And it has been perfectly comfortable all day long, sitting, standing, bending over, doing various chores, bellying up to the kitchen counter to wash some dishes. It has stayed in position with no need of adjustment. The waistband of my jeans remains perfectly strait and does not sag, so I don't anticipate any undue wear or shifting with this attachment method.

And, boy, is this all day comfortable, or what?! Jocko talks about a man and his gun melding. Well, the right holster is a very important part of the equation!

[Austerity]

Coming from a certified wheelhead, I only use speed strips. They carry much better and are just as fast with some training.

[mr surveyor]

I still prefer the speed strips, not only for ease of carry, but for versatility of ammunition. I always have at least two shot shells, either in the gun, or on one end of a speed strip with the "gap" between those two and the hardballs. Actually, you can carry three loaded speed strips side by side with no more "bulge" than a single speed loader.

[espresso]

Glad to hear you got your 638 slicked up and paired with that James Dean, I saw pics of that holster and it looks really nice. I have a thing for wheel guns just something about them.

[JFootin]

Glad to hear you got your 638 slicked up and paired with that James Dean, I saw pics of that holster and it looks really nice. I have a thing for wheel guns just something about them.

I know! Just something about them! The J-frame feels so right in the hand, draws easier fron a front pocket than even a little 380, and carries really well on the waist.

When I was experimenting with AIWB carry using an Uncle Mike's #3 pocket holster, I compared my J-frame and my CM9 in it. Here is what I found: While the CM9, thin as it is, has a relatively bulky rectangular slide almost an inch wide and continuous from the muzzle to rearward of the grip, plus a frame just as wide, the J-frame has a frame just 1/2" wide, a barrel thinner than that, and the frame curves down toward the grip starting forward of the grip, with only the cylinder and grip being wider. At the AIWB position with a backward cant, the J-frame lays down near my belt, allowing my middle aged spread to expand above it, preventing printing with any shirt draped over it. With the CM9, the back end of that bulky slide sticks up and gets pushed out by my spread, printing badly and jamming the muzzle end into my belly. The CM9 also prints in my pants, again because of that bulky slide. Whereas, the J-frame doesn't print below the waistline and I hide the cylinder behind my left front belt loop.

Needless to say, I am really liking my J-frame!

[espresso]

One day when I come across a deal I going to pick up a nice little CC revolver. I have only two guns a CW9 and a GP100 4'' with wood grips.
I love my Kahr and really enjoy shooting it and it carries great, but I can't shoot my big .357 without grinning from ear to ear. When I go shoot with other people I pull it out last and everyone want a to shoot it. It's a nice way to end a range session.