S&W 649-1 Bodyguard: broken hammer stud!

[5-SHOTS]

I have to post an unbelievable problem occurred, last week, to my beloved S&W 649-1 Bodyguard.
Since it was the gun I always kept loaded when I was at home (just because it NEVER failed me before), I was checking everything worked well, as I periodically did. After a few dryfires, the trigger was not returning fully forward, stopping itself at about 2/3 of the travel; I only had to touch the hammer spur and the trigger always returned to its rest position. So I decided to remove the side plate thinking it was an easy fix (something connected to the hammer block safety lever snagging somewhere, I was guessing) and SURPRISE: the hammer stud was broken!

After a close inspection I’ve discovered that the hammer stud was defective from day one: as you can see on the pics I’ve posted (in particular on the second pic, red circled), there was only a thiny portion of steel in the central diameter of the stud itself that was “working” and was evidently not enought...(total diameter of the stud is 0.122’’).
The steel around that area appears to be porous and of low density just like a pot metal toy car: a casting defect, I guess.

The serial number of the gun is BEU34XX,but I don’t know the manufacturing year because I’ve purchased it used from the first owner, two years ago,in like new conditions (only 5 rounds fired, no drag line on the cylinder, no drops signs, etc.). I put only 800 rounds from it since and dryfired it probably 1600 times. And I’ve always treated the gun like it was made of gold. Considering the “internal” conditions of the stud, it has been a miracle that the gun has been able to fire 800 rounds and withstand some dryfiring…

It is the first time I’ve seen and heard a breakage like that and the smith that inspected the gun, that has 30 years of experience, told me the very same thing.
Now the gun is back to the S&W's italian importer and I hope it will be fixed well and quickly. Anyway I’ll report you everything, once the gun will be at home again.

The breakage occurred to my gun has changed my mind about the Internal Lock: as someone said, there are too many parts can fail instead of the Lock. That was the case on my no-Lock, no-MIM S&W…

Does anyone experienced the same issue on a S&W revolver (dropped guns apart)?


Best regards, 5-SHOTS.

 

[xcop]

649

My 649 had the same exact issue. I sent it into Smith and when it came back they had polished it up and beveled the cylinder edges. Runs perfectly now.

 

[Lee Roder]

In over 10 years, several thousand rounds, and probably over 20K dry fires, both hammer and trigger studs in my model 60 died. Any "flex" in the stud will allow it to work harden and, eventually, snap.

S&W service can be very slow so you may need to ride them (esp from Italy). Last return to Springfield (hammer stud) from here in the USA resulted in over a month long wait, until I emailed CS to find out what was up. Guess it must have been sitting on a shelf somewhere or a strange coincidence in machine scheduling as my gun was returned to me the next day. Great job though, they polished it up nicely and you really have to look closely to see where the new stud was inserted

Good luck

 

[5-SHOTS]

xcop and Lee Roder, thanks for posting your experiences. Yeah, flex (up and down) and a defective piece made the issue. I'm expecting a two months long repair...

Best regards, 5-SHOTS.

 

[ktd]

I had the same issue about twenty years ago on a smith 27, the large frame .357. This was a 1970's vintage gun. In this case, the other end of the pin was held in by the sideplate and it still worked fine. It was only when a gunsmith friend was showing me how to take the plate off that we found out the pin was broken. Smith and Wesson fixed it even though this gun did not have any kind of warranty in place.

That is about the only failure I have had with a Smith. Once your is fixed and test fired a bit, I would not worry too much, especially if they replaced the frame, I have seen one of just about everything broken at one time or another.

 

[5-SHOTS]

Thanks ktd. When I purchased mine I removed the side plate for inspection and everything was OK. However it is possible that the stud broken later and the gun functioned well untill it finally failed.

I hope it is not necessary to replace the frame. Is seems more like remove the broken stud with a press and fit a new one refinishing the frame on the left side.

Best regards, 5-SHOTS.

 

[RevolvingGarbage]

Why is it that S&W uses a solid stud like that and not a normal pin in holes on both ends?

 

[Old Fuff]

This is a rare problem, but has happened to me once on a 1960's era J-frame. For the record, the hammer and trigger studs they use today haven't changed from those used during the recent post-WW2 past.

The studs (pins) are press-fit into the frame, and can be replaced, but only once. Replacement is something that should be done at the factory because after removing the remains of the old one, a new, oversized stud is used to maintain the press fit, and the frame is placed in a fixture to insure it isn't bent or warped.

Before they went to press-fit studs (to reduce costs) the studs were threaded, and could be replaced it the field by any gunsmith that had a special spanner wrench. Those days of course, are long gone.

 

[5-SHOTS]

RevolvingGarbage and Old Fuff, thanks for posting here. My Bodyguard is still not comeback home...

Hey Old Fuff, I've always red your posts with a lot of attention and always learned something I didn't know before about revolvers. Thanks.
I'm a little scared knowing that the replace can be done only once: I don't want it to be a safe queen after the repair! Well, it only depends on me...

Best regards, 5-SHOTS.

 

[Old Fuff]

During the holidays things sometime slow down at S&W because of vacations, etc.

I think that the chance of the same stud breaking more then once is VERY remote, and if it did happen the company might consider replacing the frame on their dime. Once fixed, I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[5-SHOTS]

Broken hammer stud update

After exactly two months, my Bodyguard is finally come back home. They replaced the hammer stud, bead blasted the interior of the frame, refinished the frame on both sides (not as well as It was) and test fired the gun. They left some minor dents here and there when they put the frame on the fixture. They also dented the front sight on the right up side (fixed myself). The whole thing costed me 1/3 of what I paid for the gun used (and the gunshop owner didn’t charge me tax because I’m a good customer of him, go figure). I’m not impressed, even if I wasn’t expecting a free repair because I know the policy of the italian importer is different from S&W in USA…
Anyway everything works good. I’ll test fire it this weekend weather permitting. It will be the next gun I’ll part from to finance something better.

Best regards, 5-SHOTS.

 

[Owen]

5-shots,

was the gun returned to the USA, or was the repair done in Italy? That damage doesn't sound like the S&W repair guys here in the states.

 

[5-SHOTS]

owen: unfortunately was repaired by the italian importer that I was told has all the tools (but not the same care of S&W in Springfield...). I wished for two months it was back to the USA but it was NOT...Anyway, machanically, it is just perfect; the point is that it is not as nice as it was anymore, so I'll part from it.

Best regards, 5-SHOTS.

 

[Jim K]

I had the same thing happen in my own pre-Model 36 Chiefs Special. I fixed it myself, of course without sending it to S&W, but I have little doubt that the cause was dry firing.

At that time, the stud was a press fit, but was not riveted or expanded so another fix would be possible, not the case where driving out the stud would expand the hole in the frame.

Jim

 

[5-SHOTS]

Thanks Jim.
If I only knew what I was going to spend to fix it, I'll fixed it myself (and sure I'll succeed doing it) and I'll be happier.

Best regards, 5-SHOTS.

 

[calvin.jt]

Hi all, I recently came across a J-Frame that I am having trouble identifying. I am hoping someone can tell me more about it. The model is M649-2. The letter on the cylinder is an F. Usually they have a "N" for nickel or "V" for stainless. Does anyone know what the "M" in front of the model number means? Also, what the "F" means on the cylinder? The first three of the serial number is BPT, any help on when it was made?
Thanks.
CJ

 

[5-SHOTS]

Hi calvin. The M means "Model". For the F on the cylinder I have to ceck mine (I'm not at home now). For the manufacturing date post everything to the DOB thread for S&W revolvers on the top of the revolver section.