Are the cylinders and barrels of the 629-3 through 629-6 interchangeable?

[Ferrous]

As the title says, are the barrels and cylinders used in the S&W 629-3, 629-4, 629-5 and 629-6 all interchangeable? If I buy a "new" 629 barrel and cylinder, will it fit in a 629-4 revolver?

[jaymoore]

Not without fitting, in all probability. Not so hard if you have a lathe to adjust barrel shoulder and breech end length. Fitting the cylinder usually requires cutting the ratchet, especially if not previously fitted to another revolver. Best done on a mill with rotary table or super spacer. Then there's fore-aft adjustments.

So, basically, if you have to ask, it's probably not something you want to try!

[Ferrous]

Originally Posted by jaymoore

Not without fitting, in all probability. Not so hard if you have a lathe to adjust barrel shoulder and breech end length. Fitting the cylinder usually requires cutting the ratchet, especially if not previously fitted to another revolver. Best done on a mill with rotary table or super spacer. Then there's fore-aft adjustments.

So, basically, if you have to ask, it's probably not something you want to try!

Yes, no doubt fitting will be involved with parts like this. I'm asking because I want to know if a newly produced unfluted cylinder *can* be properly fit to my 629-3 and 629-4. I know that the newer 629 cylinders cannot be fit to a 629-1 because the locking lugs were lengthened for the 629-3, but I don't know if there were other changed along the way that would make the newer cylinders incompatible with 629-3 and later versions (same question about the barrels).