929JM

[philip.de.baets]

Although there are few 929JM revolvers in Belgium & Holland, I know a couple of owners and most of them have their reservations regarding this revolver from the Performance Center. Fit and finish are not what one would expect, and accuracy is troublesome. The latter is probably due to the barrel, which is intended for use of 9mm Parabellum cartridges. Most 9x19 (= 9mm Para = 9mm Luger) factory loads and indeed most available bullets are .355 caliber. According to some serious people that know their way around guns the bore of the 929JM's barrel measures .356; which is detrimental to accuracy with "normal" 9mmPara loads. Comments are welcome.

 

[old&slow]

I've had my 929 for a little over a year now.. Here is a review I did on it then.

http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-revolvers-1980-present/412047-quick-929-review.html

There have been other write-ups on this forum about the 929.

I've been using 147 gr. .356 plated Xtreme and .356 SNS coated cast bullets and have been happy with the accuracy. I did notice a big drop off in velocity.. The same load out of my autos runs about 950 fps. and just a little bit over 850 fps. out of my 929.

 

[Lou_the_welder]

??

I use 115gr.RNDS Berry's and xtreme plated. Laser accurate. Bullseye powder.

I havent shot factory 9mm loads ever. So, you may be right. I remember factory loads weren't any good , even in my autos...

 

[philip.de.baets]

Thx. I have tried several (re)loads with the Berry bullets, but accuracy was not convincing. Before I will call a certain load "accurate" I expect to keep 10 shots within the "9" at 25m, from a sandbag rest.

 

[CMEA]

hello to everyone, I have experienced occasional lite hits with my 929 7 solid and one dimple 6 solid and 2 dimple, questioning what could possibly be interfering with the hammer travel. I finally decided to remove the hammer stop. it works unbelievably well now all solid hits. Would anyone know why the hammer stop would be doing this? thank you in advance

 

[Lou_the_welder]

hello to everyone, I have experienced occasional lite hits with my 929 7 solid and one dimple 6 solid and 2 dimple, questioning what could possibly be interfering with the hammer travel. I finally decided to remove the hammer stop. it works unbelievably well now all solid hits. Would anyone know why the hammer stop would be doing this? thank you in advance

Put hammer stop back on and send to SAW. There's another thread (that im also in) related to just that. By removing the hammer stop, the hammer will cause frame damage. This may be a current problem to some 929s.

Call so they can send you a FedEx return barcode. They ship and send it back for free.....

 

[Nightowl]

What is this hammer stop you are referring to? Perhaps a picture?

 

[Ignatz]

My 929 needed the barrel crown cut, and the barrel entrance throat cut too. When I received the gun, I mounted a scope on it and was shooting around 3-4" groups at 25 yards. After the barrel re-cutting, the groups went to just under 2" at 25 yards. That's fine for me.
Also I'm shooting .358" moly Bayou brand 135gr round nose bullets. The cylinder throats in my 929 are about 1 thousand larger than my 627's cylinder. Where the 627's cylinder throats seem all exactly the same...the throats in the 929 have three that are slightly larger than the other five. Maybe only a thousandth, but not perfect. I think if the cylinder throats in my gun would be perfect like my 627...it would shoot closer to 1" groups. Like I said, I can live with 2" groups in USPSA.

 

[Lou_the_welder]

My 929 needed the barrel crown cut, and the barrel entrance throat cut too. When I received the gun, I mounted a scope on it and was shooting around 3-4" groups at 25 yards. After the barrel re-cutting, the groups went to just under 2" at 25 yards. That's fine for me.
Also I'm shooting .358" moly Bayou brand 135gr round nose bullets. The cylinder throats in my 929 are about 1 thousand larger than my 627's cylinder. Where the 627's cylinder throats seem all exactly the same...the throats in the 929 have three that are slightly larger than the other five. Maybe only a thousandth, but not perfect. I think if the cylinder throats in my gun would be perfect like my 627...it would shoot closer to 1" groups. Like I said, I can live with 2" groups in USPSA.

Did you use a crown cutter (11°or 45°) or send it in to SAW?

 

[Ignatz]

45 deg on the crown, and 11 deg on the throat. I bought the tools and cutting oil from Brownells. If you have access to .355, .356, and .357 jacketed bullet heads, push then thru the cylinder throats to see if you can detect differences. Its a crude way of checking cylinder throats, but it will give you a way of seeing if they are different.

 

[Pizza Bob]

What is this hammer stop you are referring to? Perhaps a picture?

I assume that he's speaking of the hammer block...

Adios,

Pizza Bob

 

[Lou_the_welder]

45 deg on the crown, and 11 deg on the throat. I bought the tools and cutting oil from Brownells. If you have access to .355, .356, and .357 jacketed bullet heads, push then thru the cylinder throats to see if you can detect differences. Its a crude way of checking cylinder throats, but it will give you a way of seeing if they are different.

Ive been meaning to get that brownells 45° crowner.....thats why i asked. I have a new 627 that has accuracy issues. Im trying to maybe solve some issues by "down-loading" powder on magnum and special loads. Its a real picky shooter.

My 929 on the other hand eats anything (mixed brass even) and spits em out more accurate than i can point. Even with those contrast sights, its really enjoying to shoot. And the moonclips are way easier and faster to load.

Took me a while to figure out starline brass was the best in the 627 but i still want my cylinder chamfered. Brownells also sells a tool for just that..........

 

[Nightowl]

I assume that he's speaking of the hammer block...

Adios,

Pizza Bob

I assumed so too, but thought maybe he had found a new part I didn't know about. The hammer block should not be part of his problem.