Dpris:
Bob,
Not disputing S&W rebuilt your gun for you, but what I'm trying to get across, for the benefit of anybody mis-reading this & getting the idea they can send an older 29 in for an Endurance Package re-fit, is that they can't.
The EP is not a retro-fit deal.
It is not a "package" you can order done to your gun, as some makers & custom shops offer.
It's a manufacturing change that goes beyond pins & springs.
Denis
Well, this is the story of my Model 29, for whatever its worth:
I had sent my Model 29 in for repairs and the thing broke down again. I was getting unlocking of the cylinder, dual firing pin imprints on the primers, and general lock-up of internal parts. They repaired the gun and returned it, and it broke down in a few rounds. I contacted customer service and was told to return the gun.
After they (S&W) had my gun about a month or so, Joe Mooney, from the engineering department called me and said, as best as I can remember:
"Bob, since your gun left the factory we have developed an endurance package. We are installing the machinery now and won't be able to work on your gun for about six weeks."
I agreed to this, and after about two months, Joe Moony called me again and said they were just getting ready to install the endurance package in my gun. He told me at that time about the radiused pins as being a new part of that package.
It was at that time S&W had just introduced the full lug barrels for the Model 29 and I inquired about the possibility of having one put on my gun. Joe agreed it could be done and that they had a brand new 8 3/8" full lug barrel. When I asked the cost, he told me: "Mr. Wright, as long as we've had your gun, it will be on Smith & Wesson."
I got the gun back about three weeks or so after that, as I've shown in the photo.
My work order shipped back with the gun detailed the work done as "Edurance Package" and "Full Lug Barrel installed" and N/C.
I can't locate the correspondence just now, but my log book shows the first failure was the trigger pin sheared off in June of 1984. In February of 1989 more problems occurred, and the gun was in the factory from April until September 1989.
So call that what you will.
Bob Wright