Swapped a Grade 2 deadbolt today and the old one only had a 3/4" throw; the customer thought it was sticking because it bottomed out early in a shallow strike. I mark the bolt with a pencil before chiseling so I only take what’s needed and keep the door tight. Trivia angle: which brands stuck with 3/4" throws on their mid-90s residential lines?
I still see mid‑90s Weslock and older Weiser with 3/4" throws; when I upgrade them, I open the pocket with a 1" spade and drop in a deep dust box so the 1" bolt won’t pre‑bind. @OP did you also run into contractor‑pack Kwikset doing 3/4" back then?
Pretty sure mid‑90s Kwikset Titan and early Defiant packs were still 3/4", so they ‘bottom’ in shallow strikes like you saw. I’ll pencil‑mark the bolt, then run a 1" Forstner through the strike opening with tape as a depth stop to keep the jamb clean, or just swap in a 1" Kwikset bolt if the housing matches. @jessica_b88 did you see Titan‑era short throws too, or am I misremembering?
Weatherstrip preload can mimic ‘bottoming’; I try 1/16" strike shims before deepening… Seeing Dexter/Taymor 3/4" lately?
Seen early Brinks/Legend at 3/4-inch; I Dremel to your ‘pencil mark’ depth — agree?
I still run into late‑90s Weiser and Weslock at 3/4"; when I upgrade to a 1" throw I back‑cut the strike pocket 1–2 mm at the rear and keep the face tight so the bolt seats fully without opening the reveal — saves callbacks; @c_harper56, seeing Weiser on your runs too?