I recently picked up the 629 revolver I purchased on gunbroker.com from the gunsmith. After only six rounds, the gunsmith informed me that the jamming was due to the cylinder being pushed back further than it should be towards the firing pin and that the whole firing pin assembly had to be remilled. He then told me that I should no longer shoot .44magnum cartridges out of it, because if I do, I should expect to be rebuilding it again in 250 rounds. This took me by a great deal of surprise, as I've never heard of any gun, regardless of the size of caliber, that was only good for 250 rounds. Just wanted to see what the rest of the community has experienced on longevity of these guns, and if I can really expect to be back at the gunsmith in 250 rounds. Thanks for the help

Completely wrong.

S&W 44 magnums can shoot thousands and thousands of 44 magnum loads before service. Wear on the gun is reduced if you shoot mostly mid-range and target loads. However, 250 magnums won't hurt a darn thing. People only get in trouble when they try to shoot super heavy TC/Ruger loads in their Smith over a prolonged period of time.

my original 29-2 had 13000 factory equivalent loads thru it before needing a tune up at the factory.

makes me a bit nervous as to what my gunsmith did...pretty frustrating to buy a gun then go right out and spend $300 on repairs.

You need to find another gunsmith and probably should have sent the gun back to the factory in the first place.

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44 Garrett Defender Ammo 4 me.

Yup. Sounds like your 'smith is either ill-informed or needed to pay some bills on your dime.

I've got one 629-6 that has app. 8000 rounds, mostly magnum equivalent but some mid range as well

Starting to be a bit concerned, I have a blue Pro Series 29-7 on the way. Don't want to have to baby this gun to feel as though I've got a solid piece in my hand. Did the factory "enhancement" or "upgrade" package successfully addrress these problems and specifically, what were the factory enhancements. How can I know if my gun is post or pre enhancement?

You not going to believe this but I have a set of no dash 629's with one each 4 inch, 6 inch, and one 8 3/8 inch version. I've never fired a round through any of them and I probably won't.

I have a Model 29 with 8 3/8" barrel that has over 10,000 magnum reloads through it. It is just as tight as it was originally. It has never seen a factory load. I cast my own bullets and my 250 gr Keith ahead of 23.0 grs of H110 are what it has mostly seen (1200 fps). My hunting load is 24.0 grs of H110 for 1300 fps.

Either of those loads will shoot through a large whitetail deer end for end at 100 yards. That is enough power for me, and obviously is not too hard on the revolver.

FWIW
Dale53

I'm unclear here. You bought a used gun from a gunsmith on gunbroker and now the same gunsmith says it is shot out and can't take more than 250 rounds before another rebuild?

You need a new gunsmith I think.

BTW - My 4" 629 shot 200 rounds of 44 mag this weekend. It's fine. It is also 11 years old and according to the log book has fired 4,675 rounds since I bought it.

P.S.

Back in the olden days... shooting metallic handgun silhouette we would HAMMER those model 29s with FULL power +P+ hand loads for hundreds of rounds a weekend. We beat those guns to death and put loads in that normal people couldn't stand to shoot. Then people complained that the Smiths were not strong enough. Sure they weren't strong enough to handle 20% overloads as a steady diet. Go figure. I beat two Dan Wessons to pieces as well.

The 629 is a strong safe gun. Send yours back to the factory and see if they can give you a straight answer on what is going on with it.

If I were you I would email S&W and have them look at it .

Amen to all of the above. I have a 629-1. I have never counted
the rounds thru it but it has to be north of 1000 rounds as I shoot
a box a year thru it just to keep it from rusting
I also have shot up a Dan Wesson but that was thru some
exuberant load development and heavy shooting of 445 in rifle brass.
My Redhawk has many thousands of rounds thru it and has NO
endshake. The 629-1 and 629-2 are normal too.
250 rounds sounds like the limit for a certain aluminum frame
German 44 magnum (Rohm). Not for a Smith.

Since I got my Mountain Revolver (629-2) MagNaPorted, I have shot
roughly 250 full power rounds out of it during load development
and it is showing NO signs of any stress. If any gun is going
to loosen up it would be this one (or those light weight "alloy" guns).



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Nemo

Talo, 3 inch, 629 here.
As of this weekend, about 250 rounds of Magnums.
Cylinder gap, unchanged.
End play, unchanged.
Early peening from first few rounds fired when gun was new, unchanged.

I am very happy with this gun and look forward to many more Magnum sessions. There is just something indescribable about shooting full house 44 Mags.

That load seems to be shooting well

1100 rounds so far, about 10 240gr factory JHP and the rest my handloads. I think I am going to settle on a 240 LSWC over Unique 10 gr, so a medium magnum load, which did about 1080 or so out of the 4" barrel.

Hopefully I will work up to controlling the 2400 19 gr load a bit better. And that isn't even max.

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NRA Benefactor Member

I think he is just an exaggerator. It's unfortunate he did the work without calling me to ask me if I wanted it done. I'm sure he fixed it correctly, as he seems like the type that would be very particular about that sort of thing, just probably a little bit of an alarmist. I mean, he's telling me I should list the gun for sale because I will never have full confidence in it again and it's only good for 250 rounds and I should go buy a Ruger.

Sounds like your smith either doesn't know S&W's or doesn't like them and was pushing Rugers. Here is my range 629. Purchased it used at a gun show years ago and have at least a thousand rounds down the tube without any issue.

I am sure every gunsmith has his favorites but to pass on his bias isn't the professional thing to be doing. Gunsmiths are like doctors in that you can get two totally different opinions on the same subject.

Your S&W is a great firearm not to say a ruger isn't for some folks but " they ain't no S&W "

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44 Garrett Defender Ammo 4 me.

I have several hundred rounds thru my .44M Mountain Gun and many hundreds more thru my other 44M's and never had any problems what so ever. Sounds like you gunsmith doesn't know Smiths and believes the old misconception about them being 'weak'.

I have put thousands of rounds of cast boolits only thru 5 different 629's that I still own. I've had a few minor "issues" with most of them, but nothing I couldn't either fix myself, or send back to Smith for them to fix on their "nickel".

I think I'd find another gunsmith.
My 629-4 has had something north of 5K full power rounds through it. My 29-4 has seen more than that and neither one shows any signs of wanting to slow down.
If any of my guns start to have problems they'll probably go back to the mother ship for a bit of TLC.

The 29-7 has all the accuracy/endurance upgrades.

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Lynnie, Professional Pest

That load of 19gr of 2400 and 250 Keith is a good one - you can fool with bullet size and hardness and come up a great Performing load - enjoy your 629 its a fine sixgun