While there's no substitution for qualified gunsmiths, for guys like me who plod through their daily routine while contemplating the next gun project, the folks at Apex Tactical Specialties have eliminated a lot of the hard work associated with working on Smith & Wesson J-Frame revolvers by offering its J-Frame Drop in Duty/Carry Kit, a four-piece drop in product designed to enhance your snubby's appeal with drop-in ease, no fitting or modification needed.
After watching the disassembly video on the Apex website—there's also one on assembly, too—I removed the sideplate and replaced the factory firing pin. firing-pin return spring, main spring and rebound slide spring with the replacement parts. (As a secondary ounce of prevention, I was also armed with a copy of "The S&W Revolver: A Shop Manual" by Jerry Kuhnhausen, a must-have, in-depth resource that provides an in-depth examination of the lockwork of all Smith & Wesson J-, K-, L-, and N-frame revolvers, complete with detailed descriptions and illustrations of solutions to common problems, like repairing cracked frames to poor timing and removing excess enshake.)
Finally, I double-checked my work with a Brownells .38 Spl/.357 Mag. Range Rod Combo Kit, which provides instant verification of the revolvers timing by confirming the barrel and cylinders are in perfect alignment during single- and double-action dry-fire to verify everything was installed properly
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