S&W 629 thumb piece went flying yesterday

solman said:

Would you send the gun to S&W for inspection or just maybe keep an eye on it?

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Blue Loctite.

That solved the loosening-screws issue on my 629 (bought NIB 30+ years ago).

I had one (329) do that but mine also ruined the stud. I sent it back and they fixed it free.

Ill second the blue Loctite.

Learned that lesson early on with my first 29 when the front side plate screw fell out and the cylinder fell off the gun during the reload. Like you, I actually found that little screw in the gravel too, and I was amazed.

I check all the screws on a new revolver when I get it, and Loctite that front screw on all of them. I usually check them each time I clean the gun too.

I also check the ejector rod, as they have been known to come loose and that can cause a problem. Just go VERY easy here with the Loctite if you use it.

Ive also used it on a couple of cylinder releases too.

The downside here is, it happens. Plus side is, youre shooting the gun enough to cause it to happen.

Shooting magnum handguns is like riding an old Harley......they shake everything loose. Check all screws regularly and Loctite the ones you can.

AK103K said:

... Just go VERY easy here with the Loctite if you use it. ...

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Amen!

To control/minimize the amount I always apply it with a toothpick.

I've had to loctite screws on my ruger super blackhawk too. Seems like that should be done in the factory. Glad you found the piece!

Seeing as you bought it new, I'd send it back.

I would not necessarily look at it as merely an issue of the one piece - though it may well be.

I would be concerned that it might be a Friday/Monday gun and the exhibited failure (which is what it is) might be an indicator of other mis-steps in assembly/parts selection.

By my experiences - sending it back for a valid reason will likely result in an even better pistol being returned.

Too, I would be polite and very communicative in your interactions with them.

Todd.

Jeebus, a screw backed out. If I sent guns back because of a screw backing out, I'd constantly have stuff in the return process.

Hint: Blue locktite (or other thread locker) won't do much if there's oil or grease in the threads. If you're going to use some of that stuff, make sure you get both threaded parts nice and clean.

AK103K said:

Ill second the blue Loctite.

Learned that lesson early on with my first 29 when the front side plate screw fell out and the cylinder fell off the gun during the reload. Like you, I actually found that little screw in the gravel too, and I was amazed.

I check all the screws on a new revolver when I get it, and Loctite that front screw on all of them. I usually check them each time I clean the gun too.

I also check the ejector rod, as they have been known to come loose and that can cause a problem. Just go VERY easy here with the Loctite if you use it.

Ive also used it on a couple of cylinder releases too.

The downside here is, it happens. Plus side is, youre shooting the gun enough to cause it to happen.

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What front screw do you speak of?

Every shooter needs a container of blue lock tite. The base pin retainer and base bin on my 1956 Ruger Single Six went flying last week. Luckily I found all the parts in the snow and wet leaves and reassembled it.
Moral of the story....
Screws come loose all the time and not just on the big magnums.

ontarget said:

Every shooter needs a container of blue lock tite. The base pin retainer and base bin on my 1956 Ruger Single Six went flying last week. Luckily I found all the parts in the snow and wet leaves and reassembled it.
Moral of the story....
Screws come loose all the time and not just on the big magnums.

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Yep.

I had the screw on the cylinder release of my Model 10 start backing out the last time I took it shooting. I have a couple hundred rounds through it, but it was a well-traveled cop gun before me, so it's tough to assign blame for that. Anyway, it wasn't exactly caused by the vicious recoil of a 38. A flat-head from a multitool on my belt kept the latch tight enough to finish up my box of ammo, then when I got home, you all know what that screw got.

I will say though - my GP100 and 686? Never a problem so far after thousands of rounds through both. Screws backing out can happen to any gun, but those two have never had an issue.

Aim1 said:

What front screw do you speak of?

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The front screw on the side plate on the right side of S&W revolvers (and others). That screw holds the side plate down, and it also holds the cylinder yoke in the gun.

GBExpat said:

Blue Loctite.

That solved the loosening-screws issue on my 629 (bought NIB 30+ years ago).

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Ditto, though my 629 is less than a year old. Also used the treadlocker on the rear sight. Glad I noticed before I lost them. Glad you found the thumbpeice and the screw, solman.

Same experience with my Smith 986 P.C. snubby 9mm. Locktite blue solved the minor inconvenience.

BOARHUNTER

I learned the magic (and necessity) of Blue Locktite when the front sight flew off my 1943 S.A. Garand and landed in a field of shale-gravel that was the exact color of parkerized steel. I never found the sight and a period replacement and screw cost me $55.00 plus shipping.

I locktite all the possible screw backer-outers on handguns, rifles and shotguns now.

Stay safe.

Howdy

I did a photo comparison of a S&W Model 17 and a Model 617 a few years ago.

Here are a few photos that may prove interesting.

This first photo is of a traditional forged and machined thumpiece on the left, and a MIM thumbpiece on the right. NOTE: this is not meant as a condemnation of MIM parts, I just wanted to compare the two technologies. If the OP's Model 629 is very new, I have to assume it is mostly made with MIM parts. I will also assume that although the 22 caliber parts I am showing may not be identical to what is in a 629, I'll bet they are pretty close.

Interesting to note that the slotted part that fastens the thumpiece to the underlying cylinder bolt is a nut, not a screw. It looks like a screw because it has a slot to tighten or loosen it, but it is actually a nut.

Now look down in the hole in the MIM part where the nut rests. Notice those spiral marks cast in? I don't know this for sure, but I believe they are there to act similar to a locking nut, Helping to hold the nut in place without it backing out.






Here are the undersides of the two parts. Those machining marks around the forged part are simply tool marks left behind as the part was machined. The underside of the MIM part is a bit more complex. The four slots at right angles are positioning features that help line it up properly when assembled to the underlying cylinder bolt.






Here are the cylinder bolts the thumpieces fasten to. These are the parts that slide forward when the thumpiece is slid forward, the rod shaped part at the top presses the back of the extractor rod forward, freeing the cylinder to swing out. In this case the MIM part is on the left, the traditional fabricated part is on the right. Notice the shape of the threads on the MIM part. These are the threads that are engaged by the nut when it is torqued down to hold the thumpiece in place. The MIM threads are interrupted. They do not go completely around the feature the way the threads do on the fabricated part. If you look carefully at the MIM part you can see the parting line where the 'green' part was formed in a mold. To remove the part from the mold, I believe it was simpler to interrupt the threads so there was a flat surface that could be popped out of the mold more easily. Bottom line, less thread contact with the MIM parts than with the machined parts.





Does this really matter? I don't know. I have dozens and dozens of Smith and Wesson revolvers from every era starting in the 1850s. I have never had a thumbpiece pop off. I don't think I have even ever had one come loose. Granted, my only 44 Mag S&W is a Model 29-2 that left the factory around 1967. I have not put enough rounds through it to shake anything loose. I seldom fire it with anything other than 44 Special loads.

So, blue loctite is probably a good idea. Clean the threads thoroughly with solvent to remove any grease or oil. Both the male and female threads. I wish I had a figure to give you for how much torque to use to fasten it in place, but I don't.

Driftwood Johnson said:

I have dozens and dozens of Smith and Wesson revolvers from every era starting in the 1850s.

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Color me jealous.

A couple years ago I lost the thumb piece on my no dash 686 while shooting outdoors. I called S&W and they sent me a new one but is the old style as it should be. Had some screws back out on my 625 too. Now I check screws every time I clean a gun after shooting

I just blue lock tighted my 500 last night. Degreased the threads and laid it on it's left side overnight so nothing could work it's way into the gun.
I got tired of screwing it back in with my thumbnail every 20 round or so.

The thumb piece nut is a screw I check regularly on all S&W revolvers that I shoot regularly.
I have had it come loose on 1950 era revolvers and on 2000 and later revolvers. Never lost one though.

Mine recently came off of my Lew Horton Model 29 as well. Found it in the bottom of my holster but the nut was gone. Got another and Loctited it on this morning.

It's prudent to check screws before/after each shooting session on any gun with screws. Don't just assume they are tight just because you "locktited" them.

JMHO

Paul

Prudence is indeed the name of the game. I always give them a quick check to be sure. So far I've never lost a part but have found some loose