Does Your EDC Gun Work? Are You Sure?

While examining new defensive loads for snubs (article here), I discovered that my constant-carry second gun had a disturbing tendency for light strikes. When we’re talking about any defense handgun, hearing a ‘click’ instead of a BANG when you really need it is a bad thing.

Was it the ammo? A new-ish Smith & Wesson M642UC set the sample ammo off without fail. My M&P340 is old, made back in the first year of production. I’d replaced the mainspring, rebound spring, and firing pin (with spring) in about 2011.

From that ammo story:

In a personal M&P340 with a replacement XS front sight, the load generated 822 fps average and put four of five hits into 1 7/8”, a remarkable effort. The load hit dead on to the sights … I did get failure to fire problems on the second round in each string; I’m thinking it’s my old gun, tired out and in need of re-springing.

The ammo was from High Desert Cartridge Company, the .38 Special 140 grain short barrel hollowpoint.

So now, light strikes. I’d shot this gun before, recently, without any issues on another new ammo rollout, so I faced the reality that I had lost faith in the gun. After I ordered replacement springs, I waited.

The same concern exists when anyone buys, inherits, or otherwise acquires a gun. The recipient is faced with a question…or should be. Does it work?

In my book, failure to test an older gun you own is a serious mistake.

In keeping with that, my failing revolver stayed in the safe until the new springs arrived from Wolff Gunsprings.

I have the properly ground screwdriver bits for the job and the rebound spring tool from Brownells. I also had some SLiP 2000 EWL – “Extreme Weapons Lubricant.” I’m not going to remove the stocks and side plate without also cleaning the interior of the gun and reapplying a decent oil (not a quick-drying CLP) to certain places in the gun. (If you’re not familiar with the insides of the double action revolver, get someone with experience who is.)

The springs were factory-strength – or as close as I could get. The “standard hammer spring” is 8½ pounds. The rebound spring was close…16 pounds instead of the factory-supplied 16½ lbs.

After detail stripping the gun, I used solvent and cotton swabs to clean out the nooks and the parts. A bit of oil on the top, bottom, and sides of the rebound slide was added to the bit of oil applied to the top contact surface of the hammer strut.

While the resulting trigger pull was again factory-heavy, the action had a noticeably smoother feel. That was no doubt the result of the cleaning and lubrication.

On the first available range day, the gun, the offending load, and some other ammo types went to the range.

Since the ammo that failed to fire was test ammo, I checked that first. Firing from fifteen yards, two-handed, the first five touched off perfectly. It’s a firm load; the 140 grain XTP loaded by High Desert Cartridge to just over 820 fps from this M&P340 thumps the shooter’s hand. All five rounds went into 2¾ inches, with the best three in 7/8 inch.

Even knowing that the replacement front sight, the Standard Dot for the S&W J-Frame from XS Sights was configured for the UC guns with the higher rear sight, I failed to account for the different sights. I held with the front sight only slightly elevated and held low enough on the bull that the rounds struck low. With my grip and vision, the rounds also strayed a bit left.

Next I tried Speer Gold Dot from the older box marked for short barrel guns, a 135 grain Gold Dot HP +P. That shot 3½ inches low at 20 feet. I gave up on the “Kentucky elevation” and held with the “ball in the bucket” over the top of the aiming circle. It struck 3½ inches low with five hits in 1¾ inch.

An old box of the long gone PROLoad ammo Professional Grade 110 JHP-XTP round shot 5¾ inches low. Five rounds clustered into 1½ inch.

Most important, all the rounds fired during the session lit on the first strike. It seems that replacing those springs turned the trick.

Long story short: before you carry them, check your guns.