Recessed firing pin bushing?

[McInnis]

First, I'm not bashing S&W revolvers. I have 8 of them, they're my favorite class of firearms. But I got pretty unlucky with my last one. I purchased a 5" NIB model 629 last Friday. First time to the range had multiple jams both with hand loads and factory ammo. The cylinder locked up so I couldn't cock it. Twice I had to pound the cylinder open.

I took it to my gunsmith who is something of a revolver expert. He noticed that the spent brass had protruding primers. They weren't protruding much but just enough to lock up the cylinder (the hand loads I used were plinkers). Then he noticed that the priming pin bushing is slightly recessed. When I compare it to my other revolvers it is noticeable. It's been sent back to the factory.

Anyone else heard of this? I'm wondering how unlucky I got. Also, anyone have any experience with S&W's warranty service? How long of a wait will I probably have?

 

[Bullet Bob]

"(the hand loads I used were plinkers)."

What primers were you using? How did it work with factory ammunition?

 

[Protocall_Design]

On the older guns, the firing pin (or hammer nose) bushing should be flush with the recoil shield, with no burr sticking out around the hole. The new ones are slightly convex to make sure nothing is past the case head.

A recessed bushing is sure to have problems.

 

[MrMoose]

Back to the future

This sounds much like the issue with the old 686 no dash and -1.
Caused a recall for firing pin, bushing and an M stamp. Boxing my gun up today and sending it in for the 30+ year old recall.

Fortunately, you have a good warranty to lean on. Sounds like your 629 may be taking an all-expense paid vacation including a round trip on a FedEx truck . Not great that it needs to go in, but S$W should sort it out for you.

BTW, you have a really cool gun...

 

[twodog max]

Could be if your plinkers are very low pressure loads the primers may be backing out of the case and pressure is not high enough to seat them. All the newer revolvers have a convex bushing is this what you mean by recessed? I would look at my loads first before being concerned about shipping it to S&W.

 

[McInnis]

Guys, as I said it happened with factory ammo as well as my hand loads. In fact it jammed 100% with factory ammo.

 

[McInnis]

Could be if your plinkers are very low pressure loads the primers may be backing out of the case and pressure is not high enough to seat them. All the newer revolvers have a convex bushing is this what you mean by recessed? I would look at my loads first before being concerned about shipping it to S&W.

That was my gunsmith's theory at first (too llow of pressure) before he noticed the bushing. It is convex, you're right but compared to my other revolvers isn't quite flush with the flat surface in which it is located.

 

[steelslaver]

Might be a bit to low of bushing. But, how did it do using regular power loads. Be interesting to know if it functioned correctly.
Problem with real low powered rounds is as follows
Firing pin strike shoves case all the way forward and ignites primer, then powder, pressure pushes primer back slightly in primer pocket, normal pressure round over comes cases wall tension against chamber wall and slams case back into recoil shield and that causes bushing to press primer back flush, the case slightly contracts, and allows the cylinder to turn freely. Low pressure doesn't overcome cases tension on chamber wall and let it slam back into recoil shield, so primer remains just slightly backed out of case and binds on recoil shield.

I first discovered this using primed cases to fire wax loads. Unless you drill out the primer pocket, the primer will back out of pocket and lock the gun up with those no powder basement plinkers.

 

[Fishinfool]

Send it back for warranty service. I am assuming it is a new production gun?. Yes the FP bushing should be slightly convex, but the bushing itself should not be below the level of the breach face. Since you had issues with factory as well as reloaded ammo, there is an issue. It could be bad ammo, but the chances of both bad reloads and factory ammo at the same time are on the slim side. Warranty work is usually done pretty quick - a couple weeks, but with the whole Hunan Virus thing, probably expect longer.

Larry

 

[McInnis]

Might be a bit to low of bushing. But, how did it do using regular power loads. Be interesting to know if it functioned correctly.

Thanks for the explanation. I'm not sure what you mean about regular powder loads. The factory ammo I tried wasn't reduced recoil, it was standard magnum loads.

 

[pantannojack]

Thanks for telling your story. I will not consider anything new.

 

[McInnis]

I'll admit that was my first reaction. I told my wife no more S&W revolvers for me, although that's probably a lie. But if they had test fired this thing just once they would have known it was defective.

That makes me realize, this revolver didn't come with a piece of fired brass to register it with the state of California. Did they finally end that idiocy?