629-4, Broke the firing pin on hammer. Repair or replace hammer?

[0reo]

So I went to fondle my new-to-me 629-4 today and noticed the tip of the firing pin is broken off. (This gun has the firing pin on the hammer) Can I just replace the firing pin piece or do I need to buy a whole new hammer?

I'm a little stumped as to how it happened. It wasn't broke the ladt time I handled the gun and I'm the only one who has. I've not yet fired the gun. I did remove the cylinder for inspection the last time I handled it so maybe I did something stupid alond the way. I sure hope this isn't super expensive to repair. I'd rather spend my money on brass and powder then on repairs.

 

[Jaymo]

The firing pin (hammer nose, as Smith calls it) and it's rivet are replaceable.
Numrich should have them.
Brownells and Midway have them, IIRC.
I'd much rather replace the firing pin and rivet, than to replace the hammer assembly.

 

[0reo]

Thanks for the reply. After I posted I searched and found that apparently this is pretty common, especially for the 629-4. Maybe it wasn't something I did.

 

[snubbiefan]

Interesting...I've never broken a FP, but have replaced some noses for others that did. I've never owned an M629 either. I wonder why this child is "problematic" and prone to FP breakage.

 

[0reo]

The posts I found suggested maybe something to do with a faulty heat treat on a batch made back then.

 

[Nightowl]

My BIL has a 629-4 that had the hammer nose break. He bought it used in excellent condition and fired it very little before it broke. It seems the -4 is more inclined to break the hammer nose than normal.
The old rivet can sometimes be reclaimed, but I would prefer to get a new one with the hammer nose.

 

[0reo]

So No one has these. Period. S&W doesn't make or stock them anymore. All the usual major and minor retailers are sold out and obviously not getting anymore from S&W. One retailer told me that scavenging old guns for parts is the only way to get these and they're very hard to come by that way.

FU2 S&W. FU2.

I am going to do what I need to do to reverse engineer this part and look into having a thousand of them made. If I can do it an break even or better I'm going for it just to spite S&W.

 

[2hawk]

Have you tried Jack First?
Jack First Gunshop - First in Gun Parts - Rapid City, South Dakota

And, I think you may have a market here if you do go ahead. I wouldn't mind a couple spares, and I'm sure a lot of others here would agree. Good Luck!

 

[M29since14]

If you make them you will sell them in time - and it probably won't take long.

It won't be as simple as it seems. It's probably going to take a little R&D to do it right. Good luck and let us know how it goes. I wouldn't mind having a dozen or so. Sorry for the bad luck with your 629.

 

[jeffrey]

Same thing happened with my 629-4. The hammer nose just plain snapped soon after I got it. No one had the part. I sent the gun back to S&W and they fixed it under warranty and they covered the shipping costs. They blamed improper heat treating.

S&W told me that although they no longer had any hammer noses for this gun for sale, they did have them for repair. Have you asked them if they would install a new one for you if you sent the gun in? If not, it's worth a try.

 

[snubbiefan]

If not already mentioned....try Jack First in Rapid City, SD. Their website is rather basic, but you can get the phone number. Just about "anything" gun you try to find now is scarce. Numrich Arms are usually my go-to people, but they have gotten very sluggish lately.

S&W told me they were sending me some parts "that day" when I called them. "That day" was 2-months ago and I still don't have any parts.

 

[0reo]

I didn't even ask. I don't know what S&W's warranty is but I bought the gun used, plus, the idea of waiting 6 months+ for repair does not sit well with me. Not when I can buy myself that time for $60 by buying one of the target hammers Midway still has in stock and robbing the nose from it.

 

[VictorLouis]

Curious as to how much, if any, dry-fire you folks did with the guns before they went south? I had one go on a K-frame years ago, which I dry-fire i don't know how many times. Snap caps, henceforth.

 

[0reo]

Found it! Jack First Gunshop in Rapid City, SD makes them and the rivets. The lady on the phone said they'd be shipped today. It was about $60 for two noses, and two rivets shipped to Baltimore.

 

[jpeschken]

I didn't even ask. I don't know what S&W's warranty is but I bought the gun used, plus, the idea of waiting 6 months+ for repair does not sit well with me. Not when I can buy myself that time for $60 by buying one of the target hammers Midway still has in stock and robbing the nose from it.

I know you asked the question quite a while ago, but S&W's warranty is as follows;

"Lifetime Service Policy
We will repair any defect in material or workmanship without charge to the original purchaser for as long as you own the handgun." More info on their web site.

Service Info - Smith & Wesson

I have dealt with their service. It was quick, properly done, and they paid shipping both ways, including Fedex picking up at my house. I was pleased.

 

[0reo]

Well, I'm not the original purchaser and one would think the customer service rep would have suggested the warranty option if it applied and they had the part. He didn't.

 

[dbltapster]

If dealing with S&W, is there a need to send the revolver back? Couldn't you just send back the hammer..or am I missing something?

 

[Hapworth]

I know you asked the question quite a while ago, but S&W's warranty is as follows;

"Lifetime Service Policy
We will repair any defect in material or workmanship without charge to the original purchaser for as long as you own the handgun." More info on their web site.

Service Info - Smith & Wesson

I have dealt with their service. It was quick, properly done, and they paid shipping both ways, including Fedex picking up at my house. I was pleased.

This applies to original owners of S&W firearms produced from 1989 forward.

 

[ImprovedModel56Fan]

If dealing with S&W, is there a need to send the revolver back? Couldn't you just send back the hammer..or am I missing something?

Had the same thought. No real experience on my part, but reading posts for a few years has made it clear that one does not get the same answer from every rep every time.

 

[snubbiefan]

I always get jumped-on for being a cheapskate when I bring this up....but it's the truth.

The S&W database sux, or is pretty much useless. If you think that warranty-card you send in does you any real good.....it's just a marketing tool and your gun may-or-may-not get entered into the system. I sat down one day (when you could actually reach a rep without an hour-long wait) and had them run the numbers on all my Smiths. One...ONE showed-up in the system. I asked the rep how they would deal with a warranty issue if they could not confirm the "original purchaser" and was cheerfully told....they would take my word for it.

What you do is (of course)....your call, but the odds are pretty much in your favor that they don't know who the original owner was/is.

No....I have never sent one home other than for a published recall. I've never ridden-the-bus for free. Just sayin'......that's all.