I have been out of the revolver game quite a while. Who is doing good trigger work these days or produces parts (such as smooth trigger) for competition actions. Doesn’t have to be Model 15 specific, can apply to K, L or N frame.

Also, any suggestions for IDPA specific holsters or gear.

Thanks

Channeling your inner Malloy and Reed?

LEO's are allowed to wear a duty holster in IDPA.

As such, there is only one choice: The Safety Speed clamshell Holster

I have one that is about 60 years old and still works with my Model 67. I bought it to show as proof that there is no piece of gear that cops wont buy.

It would also have the advantage of showing up at the idea match with an exposed (although locked place) trigger and a holster requiring you to put your finger into the triggerguard to release it. Watching the RO react to the explanation of how it works would be very amusing.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: car541,

The 15 is my old USAF duty pistol. Been looking for a decent one locally forever. Great trigger on my issue gun and it was very accurate. The issued ball ammo was anemic to the point that if the lighting was right, you could watch the bullet as it left the muzzle and flew to the target! Legend had it that the issued ball ammo would not penetrate windshield glass. I would love to find a USAF marked 15. I carried mine in a Don Hume Jordan duty holster, which was a better quality match for the issued holster.

I qualified as expert in the USAF with a model 15. Shooting wad cutters single action at a large target at 25 feet. I don’t know why everyone didn’t qualify. I read that the issue ball ammo was a slightly smaller diameter to save wear on the barrel. Another reason it was such a pathetic load.

I still have a box of that old issue 38 Spec. 200gr FMJ load. It was due to be destroyed(age in Vietnam)and they gave it to me. Nothing more than a souvenir of the past.

For parts (or service if you are squeamish) T k custom is what you seek.

https://tkcustom.com/collectio...e-revolver-gun-parts

For IDPA etcetera, obviously kydex would be the easy route. Blade Tech makes some holsters for revolvers. Leather, if you can find an older adjustable safariland (I think the 517 series but I don't have one in front of me to confirm) that would be the path forward. If you have time and money Mike Barranti for leather.

In my K Frame revolver days, I often carried in a Bianchi Model 5 Black Widow holster. Still in production but probably not IDPA friendly.

Wilson Combat or Apex for some really good K, L, or J frame drop in action jobs in a bag. I have used the WC kits in several L frames and the Apex kits in several J frames and they are really good. Not sure on the holster other than if I was grabbing one of my revolvers for IDPA it would likely get one of my leather concealment holsters from either R Grizzle or Milt sparks. If I was looking games only holster I’d probably start looking at JM Customs.

I have found every old classic S&W to be completely adequate function and trigger wise just as they come. Most of mine are 50-60+ years old. Smooth reliable. Don’t need to be messed with. I have also seen people tinker with them and them have misfire issues. A slightly heavier trigger that is 100% reliable is FAR superior to a delightfully smooth light trigger that is not

quote:

Originally posted by captain127:
I have also seen people tinker with them and them have misfire issues.

Brings back memories.

Working on S&W revolver actions was the first gunsmithing skill I taught myself and that was a very long time before I learned to adapt myself to the gun rather than adapting the gun to myself. I was also more of a gun owner than a shooter in those days.*

Other than just slicking up the action parts that may have had some minor effect on improving the trigger pull without any real drawbacks, the two methods of lightening the pull were to clip the rebound slide spring and to reduce the pressure on the mainspring by backing out or shortening the mainspring strain screw.

Shortening the rebound slide spring could compromise trigger reset function. Reducing the mainspring pressure could result in the light strike misfires—but not only that.

Near the end of my revolver fascination period I ran across an article that discussed the effect of firing pin impact force and primer ignition on precision (“accuracy” in those days). At one time there were handgun disciplines that required more than hit-an-IDPA-target-at-7-yards accuracy. Some stages extended to 50 yards (as I recall), and being able to put multiple bullets in the same spot mattered. In addition those disciplines required shooting the revolvers in double action only (or at least that’s what everyone did for whatever reason), and therefore light trigger pulls were a benefit.

According to that article, an experiment had demonstrated that lighter firing pin strikes resulting from reduced mainspring power resulted in poorer accuracy at distance and that led to the dilemma: light trigger pull or best accuracy?

The need for high levels of handgun precision isn’t what we hear much about today, and most shooters evidently consider double action shooting to have been invented by the Devil (ignoring Glocks, of course), but that old article did stick with me as a lesson that sometimes the way the factory produced a gun was the best.

* There is a difference that could be discussed, but not here.

I mostly agree with that generally S&W revolvers have good enough triggers out of the box. My belief is that they have better triggers than needed, and better accuracy than required.

I'd clean and lube it and shoot the snot out of it before modifying it.

quote:

Originally posted by car541:
LEO's are allowed to wear a duty holster in IDPA.

As such, there is only one choice: The Safety Speed clamshell Holster

I have one that is about 60 years old and still works with my Model 67. I bought it to show as proof that there is no piece of gear that cops wont buy.

Only if it's painted flat black

When I lived in San Francisco, the clamshell was not unpopular with the local CHP officers...mounted to the belt on swivels

quote:

It would also have the advantage of showing up at the idea match with an exposed (although locked place) trigger and a holster requiring you to put your finger into the triggerguard to release it. Watching the RO react to the explanation of how it works would be very amusing.

I can only imaging.

They have a hard enough time when they come across a holster without a covered trigger guard

quote:

Originally posted by sigfreund:
Near the end of my revolver fascination period I ran across an article that discussed the effect of firing pin impact force and primer ignition on precision (“accuracy” in those days). At one time there were handgun disciplines that required more than hit-an-IDPA-target-at-7-yards accuracy. Some stages extended to 50 yards (as I recall), and being able to put multiple bullets in the same spot mattered. In addition those disciplines required shooting the revolvers in double action only (or at least that’s what everyone did for whatever reason), and therefore light trigger pulls were a benefit.

According to that article, an experiment had demonstrated that lighter firing pin strikes resulting from reduced mainspring power resulted in poorer accuracy at distance and that led to the dilemma: light trigger pull or best accuracy?

Interesting. When I started shooting in IDPA we were still shooting out to 50 yards...it's since been reduced, first to 40 yards and currently out to only 30 yards...and we always shot in DA

Early in my LE career, I competed on the departments PPC team. Competition included 24 rounds shot at 50yards from prone, kneeling/sitting, and both sides of the barricade. Of the top 5 competitors in the state, 4 shot that stage in DA...this was with bull barreled revolvers with very light triggers; the sole SA shooter in that group had his gun set up with a very heavy trigger. At distance, the the thinking was that it takes finer trigger management to shoot in SA without slapping the trigger.

I wonder if the test you read had the shooters testing in both DA and SA

quote:

Originally posted by YooperSigs:
In my K Frame revolver days, I often carried in a Bianchi Model 5 Black Widow holster. Still in production but probably not IDPA friendly.

When I started in LE our issue was the M-15 and the Safariland Border Patrol holster with a thumb break.

During one contract negotiation, the union got them to upgrade use to the M-13 and Hoyt break front holster

quote:

Originally posted by 9mmepiphany:
I wonder if the test you read had the shooters testing in both DA and SA

I do not recall if that was mentioned. As you may know, though, and it’s partially based on an old recollection, in S&W revolvers when the hammer is cocked in the single action mode, it’s drawn back farther and compresses the mainspring more than the point at which the hammer is released in the double action mode. (Just confirmed that with an old model 686.)

If that were true of a revolver someone was using for competitions, then the SA impact would be greater and perhaps any primer ignition inconsistency would be less than when firing DA.

I guess people view what they need differently. I don’t view accuracy as “hit an IDPA target at 7 yards” as a standard. A better frame of reference is two in the credit card of a USPSA target at 10 yards less than 1.8 off the draw accuracy. Or a bill drill sub 2 seconds accuracy (all A’s)

quote:

Originally posted by sigfreund:
I do not recall if that was mentioned. As you may know, though, and it’s partially based on an old recollection, in S&W revolvers when the hammer is cocked in the single action mode, it’s drawn back farther and compresses the mainspring more than the point at which the hammer is released in the double action mode. (Just confirmed that with an old model 686.)

I had to stop and think for a moment when you brought it up...because I've never fired my competition 686 in SA...but I clearly remember it being correct in my old M-27 and certainly in my M-17.

I'm less inclined to cock the hammer back to the SA notch to check a hard primer as the hammer no long has a hammer spur

I had a friend work on this Model 19 for me. It was a 19-5 in nice condition. I asked him to see if he had a target hammer and trigger to put in it. Turns out he had one that would drop right in. While in there he added a Wilson Combat spring kit. Man it is smooth and shoots so nice. The target hammer has some great color on it. I need some practice but it was fun to shoot.

Try Frank Glenn for any revolver work.
Frank is semi-retired but still working.

https://www.glenncustom.net/

Gemini customs

https://www.geminicustoms.com/

When Grant Cunningham retired he recommend Frank Glenn or Gemini

Frank Glenn is in Arizona

Gemini is in KY

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