New Model 29 - is canted barrel "normal"

I have one of the newest 686 (6", 6 shot). It has correct adjusted barrel. The gun shop where I got it is also a fine gun smith and he would never sell a gun with canted barrel. The guns he gets are checked and if anything wrong he sends them back to the importer. Why does your gun shops accept revolvers with canted barrel and why do you buy them? ....I assume that you check the gun before you buy it? ... I think you should return the gun to the shop and let them have the trouble by sending it to s&w for repair or they should give you a new gun.

On the 686 I have a trigger job has been done and LPA fiber sights has been mounted. The gun smith would never work on a gun with a canted barrel. My rear sight is adjusted very close to the center.
 

Attachments

  • DSC_4574.jpg
    DSC_4574.jpg
    32.5 KB · Views: 204
There are some people who "DRINK THE KOOL-AID" when it comes to S+W.This Model 36 with a born on date of 6/12 had a barrel so badly canted to the right that if I had to use it at 10 feet without aiming before testing it I may be very dead today.This failed 3 points in quality testing and should have never left the factory.This is highly unacceptable when you are making a product that may be used to save the buyer's life one day.When it got sent back after this I got the letter adjusted to factory specs with vice marks on the gun.In 25 rounds it was so canted right the cylinder ejector rod could not engage the frame.They cared sooo much they just twisted the barrel back.After round 3 they "Got around " to taking off and replacing the DEFECTIVE BARREL which should have been done to ascertain if the barrel or frame threading or both were bad THE FIRST TIME.Thank God I look at the barrels of my guns instead of just shooting them and PRAY that S+W did the job right to begin with....JMHO.....Mike
 
Last edited:
It's not getting any better. S&W burning the midnight oil right now producing nothing but M&P 15's and shields. Mostly the AR's. In anticipation of the unknown.
 
The original design demands that the center line of the forward lock is in exact center of the ejector rod. If this is not the case the rod is in a bind and the cylinder will be pushed out of center. To ignore this when mounting a barrel is poor workmanship. I have noticed that on most post WWII guns that the front lock is poorly fitted, and exists in name only.
 
I bought a S&W 29-10 and after one week took it out to the range and the barrel is canted to the right put a box of 44 magnum 240 grain loads through her and it shoots great and when I got home I called S&W about my problem and was told that a canted barrel is normal.I do not think so and she is headed back to S&W for repair and I hope to get it back fixed.
 
You forgot the lead babbitt way used by S&W and its armorers for decades! It is painful to watch, but really works!

I've been waiting for someone to bring that up. Smith&Wesson armorers school teaches this method and has since at least the 70's. It is not used to "turn" the barrel to align the sights as much as barrel to cylinder alignment checked with a range rod. It works!
 
This is all new information and very interesting.

It sounds like this could be a fix that needs to be done, or it could be just fine the way it is. It sounds like a number of folks have revolvers that are canted, and shoot just fine.

Scooter, thank you for your long response. Very informative.

Asthetically I would prefer a barrel that is exactly straight. However, it sounds like a number of revolvers out that have a canted barrel and that is not a problem so long as the revolver shoots to point of aim. And I would hate to ship it to them, and have them somehow mess it up.

Anyone have more info on how barrels are canted at the factory to adjust for windage, if it is normal?

Suggestions on what to do next...

A Leave it as is, and adjust sights for windage to shoot to point of aim, and accept that a canted barrel is okay.
B Send it back and hope they can fix it (if it is indeed broken).

And more info or ideas?

I appreicate everyone's input.

Best Regards

How do you know where the point of aim is if your sights are crooked? This is not a trivial problem. It makes aiming very difficult. It is unacceptable in my opinion. I've seen in on two Colts and probably three S&W's. It needs to be fixed if you have any sense of accuracy.
 
Agree, you should ship it back to S&W and get the barrel screwed on straight. I had a Ruger GP100 that was canted maybe 2 degrees. Sent them a picture, they sent me a FedEx label 5 minutes later and I had the gun back in 9 days with a straight barrel.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top