The Abandoned 29-2

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krinko

krinko

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Aug 15, 2010
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Nice Nickle plated 29-2---

414229426.jpg

414229427.jpg

Pinned, recessed and buggered by somebody who opened the sideplate and fiddled around with the trigger and hammer and mainspring.
Came in with the wrong size rubber grips on it. When I pulled the grip screw, it was possible to see the mainspring through the screw hole. This is not good.
Attempted firing from full cock gets the trigger pushed forward, caught internally by the hammer, a thing which is mentioned in archived posts on this very forum. So I'm a bit worried about internal damage that might be caused by the "trigger job" inflicted on this revolver by a previous owner.
I was going to try and learn the S&W lock by repairing this, but this lock is much more complicated that a Webley or Nagant and it's already way off its base line, which inhibits learning the right way to fix things---so I'm going to have to send it to the factory.
I think it'll be worth it.
-----krinko
 
Ditto the trip back to the mothership. I have a Model 10-6 that was a Police Department trade-in. The right wood grip was beat almost to splinters from banging into doors over it's career. It soon developed problems shortly after I got it. I am familiar with S&W actions but also know my limitations so it went back to the mothership.

The bad news is the factory repaired it to like new condition. The reason I say bad news is the buttery smooth action from 30 years of shooting had been replaced with the stiff new out of the box internal action. As near as I can they trashed the original parts, installed all new parts including the springs, checked the timing and sent it back to me. The cost was a little over a C-note with me paying shipping both ways,

Judging from your pictures it would be worth it to me to send it in.
 
4" 29-2s used to be cheap.

Usually what would happen is that somebody would see Dirty Harry and want a .44 Magnum.

6" guns were usually hard to come by, so they'd buy a 4" and a box of the hottest factory ammunition the store had.

Not long after, the gun would be for sale at a discount.

That (and a factory defect in the forcing cone) is probably how I got a deal on mine in the '80s.
 
I have used Pinnacle a couple of times, very happy with the finished product everytime. One was a 3" model 65 that he installed a 4" model 64 barrel and another was a model 642 that he fitted a 940 cylinder.
 
NIGHTLORD40K said:
Sounds like a "Durability Package" upgrade is in the cards- nothing wrong with that.

Beautiful gun!
Click to expand...

If your referring to Endurance packages, they cannot be “installed” or retrofitted. There were design changes in the frame itself involving different specifications of hard parts. Differently cut radii on select pins and whatnot.

Still though, newer materials technology with newer parts can be a good thing.

Maybe they will give it a proper trigger job while they are at it.
 
earlthegoat2 said:
If your referring to Endurance packages, they cannot be “installed” or retrofitted. There were design changes in the frame itself involving different specifications of hard parts. Differently cut radii on select pins and whatnot.

Still though, newer materials technology with newer parts can be a good thing.

Maybe they will give it a proper trigger job while they are at it.
Click to expand...
Hmmmm, coulda swore I saw various members here saying that they had sent their 29s in for some sort of upgrade relating to binding and bolt unlocking issues with older guns......?

Perhaps they were just getting new, not neccessarily improved, parts?

In any event, as gorgeous as the 29s are, .357 is all the Magnum I ever want. Hope the OP gets it straightened out.:)
 
Brian Williams said:
I have used Pinnacle a couple of times, very happy with the finished product everytime. One was a 3" model 65 that he installed a 4" model 64 barrel and another was a model 642 that he fitted a 940 cylinder.
Click to expand...

Mark at Pinnacle did all of the action work on my S&W competition revolvers. Very satisfied with the service also!
 
I loved my 4" 629-1
Most of my shooting screamer 180's or 200's.
Up to 240 should be OK.

300's sucked big time w the factory wood grips.
And after a few broke the trigger pin.

Smith fixed it, I slapped on some Hogue rubber grips and said nothing over 240.
Ended up trading it for a 6", shot some deer, then dumped that for an 8 3/8" and after killing more deer, went back to a 6".

In and out of the vehicle, on the hip...........the 4" wins.
Have always run my .44 mags (Rugers and Smiths) full out.

I'd like another 4" and maybe "try" some moderate loads ;)
4" with good eyes was a 50 yards max range gun.
6" I could do up to 100 yds.
Hunting now, proly go reflex sight.
So a 4" would be just for close range, iron sighted.

Always thought the nickle 29's to be quite pretty, that goldish tint.
Buddy has one, 4" like the OP. Its a shooter too.
 
Last edited:
"If you want to do the work yourself get Jerry Kuhnhausen's book on smithing S&W revolvers..."

That's how it starts, sure. First a book, a cheap little book...
Then before you come to your senses, it's stoning jigs and $75.00 apiece Eastern Himalayan red stones in about forty special shapes...
God help you if you use the Western Himalayan stones!
I am not young enough to do this again.
I will pay someone who already has the tools.
-----krinko
 
"300's sucked big time w the factory wood grips.
And after a few broke the trigger pin."


LoL! I recently got a used 629 that apparently hadn't been shot much. After I got it I put a box of 44 specials through it, NBD. A few days ago I took it to the range with a friend. First we each shot a couple of cylinders of 44 special, then 180 grain magnums, then 240 grain magnums. I don't think that the original owner had shot anything as hot as the spicy 240's we shot through it. The fancy wooden grips actually loosened up a bit. Tomorrow I will take them off and add a scrap or two of toothpick in strategic spots to tighten them back up.

Good luck to the OP on his Model 29! :)
 
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