S&W 952-1 question

Can anyone tell me where the over travel screw(?) adjustment is hiding on a 952-1?  Supposedly it’s under one of the grip panels but a cursory look didn’t reveal anything obvious.  Obvious to me, that is.  It may have bright orange large letters saying “Adjust over travel here” but I didn’t see it.

I found the pre travel.  Thanks!

There is no lettering or instructions, but you made me chuckle.  It is not under either stock.

Okay, the pistol is field stripped and you are holding the frame in your shooting hand and you found the large pre-travel screw by looking top-down in to the frame when the pistol is field stripped.

Now as you are looking down at that screw from directly above, tilt the muzzle end of the frame down at a 45 degree angle, as if you were going to shoot towards the ground, maybe 5 feet in front of you, and you are still looking at that large pre-travel screw. NOW you should should be looking at the over-travel adjustment screw, a tiny hex head that is probably one-fifth the size of the pre-travel screw. This little screw sits horizontally in the forward most part of the trigger bar. You'll see now how it works, it stops the forward motion of the trigger bar.

Like any/every trigger over travel adjustment screw that I've ever seen, if you adjust it too far, you will find that you cannot fire the pistol. Also for anyone who hasn't played with one, these small machines ARE subject to vibration and migrating screws. What you may have adjusted perfectly at home can adjust itself under fire and halfway through a box, you may find a trigger that won't let you break the next shot. So a touch of thread lock and taking your allen wrenches along on the range day are both good ideas.

Thank You!!  It would have been “like me” to miss something obvious.  Your caveat about some locktite did cross my mind. I may experiment first with some tape behind the trigger to act as a stop to see if any adjustment feels better before I start “screwing around” and potentially get myself in trouble.  It’s a great trigger but I think id like a bit less over travel.

Really appreciate the detailed description and advice, Sevens.

You are most welcome and there is nothing at all obvious about the design of this particular over-travel adjustment. It is not easy to spot or notice it is there. I had my first 952-1 and shot it and loved it for at least 3 years before I figured out it was there!

I will go ahead and ask… is it not one of the nicest looking pistols ever?  Something about deep blued steel and medium dark walnut grips… and I really like the shape of the grip. Makes sense because I like a curved mainspring housing on a 1911.

Edit to add: there’s not a lot out there about the 952. Makes me nervous about messing with it. Even SW could not tell me the recoil spring length and weight.  Wolf got me there.

It is indeed an attractive pistol -- but I think the stainless 952-2 is even more attractive. My 952-1 does not have a deep blue finish, it's more black than blue. The original Model 52 has a more beautiful blue finish that the modern 952-1 doesn't really copy.

As for 952 and all (true) Performance Center pistols and information, visit us at the S&W Forum. Smith & Wesson in Springfield, MA (soon to be beautiful Maryville, TN) knows next to zero about these pistols. The last of the real deal Performance Center pistols were shipped in the 2010/2011 time frame, the actual PC does not exist and hasn't for a decade.

S&W uses the "PC" name and classy logo these days as a badge of features. They slap it on horrific abominations of tupperware and it means nothing whatsoever akin to what it did from 1992 to 2010. The real Performance Center was lightning in a bottle and sadly, that ceases to exist at Smith & Wesson today.

There are precious few people and places that can work on a true S&W PC pistol if you were to need that, and if we were to compile a list of places to never send a PC pistol for help, the S&W that exists today would be on that list.

Thanks Sevens. I’ve perused the SW forum but just as a guest. The disdain for current “PC” guns is palpable over there! And I agree the 952 finish is more black, I guess. I see them as somewhat equivalent because I tend to classify guns as stainless, blued, parked and “tupperware”. Realizing there are others like nickel, chrome, lots of polymer finishes… somewhere in my future is a SW 52, NIB unfired, in my fathers closet. I really need to buy it off of him! And just once… a 945!

Might PM you about pistol smiths for the 952.
Thanks for all your help!