Need help with model 29.

[Rat Rod Mac]

I recently bought a model 29-2 that I enjoy shooting very much. In order to keep from beating the gun up and me I have been downloading the reloads, even using .44 Special brass at times. Once in a while I'll load up some more normal loads, but still not max. The problem then comes in. Upon recoil the cylinder bolt latch jumps out of the cylinder notch and I have to turn the cylinder until it drops into the next notch. It even does this once in a while with the reduced loads. I'm thinking the cylinder latch bolt has a weak spring. Have any of you guys experienced this behavior with any of your magnum Smith's? Does anyone make a heavier spring that could be swapped out for the original? If so do they come in different spring weights or just one considered heavier? Does Brownell's sell such a spring and if so do any of you know the part number? If a spring doesn't do the trick any suggestions? Thanks. RRM

 

[KSK]

I suggest replacing the cylinder bolt with a new one. I had the same problem and tried just replacing the spring, but it did not help. The new cylinder bolt fixed it. I would try that first. Good luck.

 

[jcelect]

Problem

Your problem is not the gun, it's YOU! I know because I have the same problem but with the 500 S&W or 460!
The problem!
When you pull the trigger, and the gun fires, you are relaxing you trigger finger. Your finger then slaps the trigger under recoil! This slight movement of the trigger unlatches the cylinder.
One solution!
Pull the trigger and pull through holding the trigger against the trigger stop. This can only be done under live fire conditions because the recoil is needed!
My solution!
Don't buy the 500 or 460! I have killed more deer with my 44 mag than I have with a rifle!
Your solution!
Sell the 44 mag and shoot only 22s OR, retrain your brain because your trigger pull is done subconsciously!
IMHO - jcelect

 

[M29since14]

S&W will sell you a new spring (I think) and you can buy them from Midway or maybe any number of other sources. 29-2s and earlier versions are well known for this problem. In some cases the cylinder will rotate “backwards” after it unlocks, causing you to cock the hammer for the next shot on the already-fired chamber, resulting in the proverbial click, not a bang.

In my own case I never had the problem until I started using bullets heavier than 250 grains. I had a couple of bullets in the 300-320 grain range. Those were troublemakers. I sent the gun I was using most back to S&W for a tune-up. That helped, and subsequently I restricted bullets for full-charge .44s to a maximum of ~275 grains. I never shoot anything heavier than that anymore. My .44s are older models, except one. The newer models with the “endurance” changes are supposed to handle loads with heavy bullets better, but I haven’t got enough experience with them to know about that.

If your gun is battering its bolt notches and you are not doing fast, double-action shooting, you might want to send the gun back to S&W for a tune-up - before the cylinder is ruined.