Sight Elevation issues with new 629

[PaulFowler]

Hello all,

I purchased a new 4” 629 yesterday at a local gun shop and wanted to share my experience.
After the purchase I took the pistol to the range for a sight-in. At 25 yards the pistol was shooting about 10” low. The groups were very nice and windage-wise fine.
So, when I tried to adjust the rear sight for elevation I couldn’t get it to move. I had seen posts about this issue on the forums before but never experienced this with any of my other S&W revolvers.
Long story short, I took the pistol back to the shop and explained the issue. The guys at the shop pulled out two more 629s from the case to compare and the 6” had the same issue! The 629 classic sights worked perfectly (both new pistols as well).
The shop owner graciously (and creatively)remedied the issue and told me he was going to check out the rest of his new S&W revolvers before selling them and he was going to contact S&W about it.
With new S&W revolvers costing around $1000 and up it seems weird to me from a quality control standpoint that they are leaving the factory like this.
Anyway….

 

[505Gibbs]

Just another sad case of current quality! With all the issues listed here in the forum I doubt many would check elevation or windage screws for 'working' before completing the purchase.

 

[stansdds]

One more thing to add to the list of things to check before purchasing a new S&W handgun.

 

[Yendor357]

What was his “creative remedy”?

If I encounter a revolver that shoots that low, I get on MidwayUSA’s site, and order a taller rear sight.

Pics?

 

[daverich4]

Just another sad case of current quality! With all the issues listed here in the forum I doubt many would check elevation or windage screws for 'working' before completing the purchase.

Well, I just bought a 24-3 this week, took it to the range and it has exactly the same problem. The standard S&W screwdriver wouldn’t adjust windage or elevation at all. I’ll have to take it apart to see if I can free the adjustments up.

 

[505Gibbs]

Well, I just bought a 24-3 this week, took it to the range and it has exactly the same problem. The standard S&W screwdriver wouldn’t adjust windage or elevation at all. I’ll have to take it apart to see if I can free the adjustments up.

Not to diminish your issue - I believe the 24-3's were released a fair amount of time gone by. They're nothing current which is the topic of the initial post here.
Hope you have success.

 

[PaulFowler]

What was his “creative remedy”?

If I encounter a revolver that shoots that low, I get on MidwayUSA’s site, and order a taller rear sight.

Pics?

His creative remedy was to swap the working rear sight assembly from the 629 classic to my pistol.
Even with a taller rear sight, adjustable sights, by definition, should be adjustable.

 

[joebuck]

Just stop buying new S&W's until they get their head out of their rump holes.

 

[daverich4]

Not to diminish your issue - I believe the 24-3's were released a fair amount of time gone by. They're nothing current which is the topic of the initial post here.
Hope you have success.

My post was a response to his claim that problems with the rear sight were somehow a new rear sight issue.

 

[Rock185]

Have the new Smith & Wessons replaced the Kimbers as the guns the Kool kids enjoy ridiculing? OMG, I didn't know. Must find some sucker ASAP to unload a Kimber and S&W on

 

[SLT223]

Have the new Smith & Wessons replaced the Kimbers as the guns the Kool kids enjoy ridiculing? OMG, I didn't know. Must find some sucker ASAP to unload a Kimber and S&W on
View attachment 769693

How do you like the recoil tamers? Ive never tried them. The skinny little TGW grips were not at all helpful with full power loads in my hands.

 

[Yendor357]

Rock, when I paid $1200 for a brand new revolver that I couldn’t even cock the hammer, I’m not ridiculing for fun. When the gold bead flies off after 2 cylinderfuls, there’s a .028” crane/cylinder gap, it shoots 6 inches low, and a screw starts backing out, I’d say I have a very legitimate complaint, as do others.
I’d rather be posting pictures of the good groups, and velocities I’m getting with my new gun. But I don’t have my new $1200 gun. It’s been gone for a month or so by now. No word on repairs. I’m not cool. I’m also not a kid.

I have several Kimber. Mostly bolt action rifles. No complaints.

 

[jeffrefrig]

This S&W "quality" on their new guns seems to be the subject matter of threads almost weekly. 10 inches at 25 yards seems quite unacceptable, to put it mildly. I suppose that was pretty decent of the shop owner. Let him deal with the factory. Maybe this is why the older used ones are priced up the way they are. (Besides them also looking nicer.) My 629-6 with a 6" barrel is probably my best shooter, although I've never had the chance to shoot beyond 25 yards.
We're planning on hitting the rifle range again this week so it'll give me a chance to try it out at 50 yards. (I'll let my grandson take the 50 yard hike down to tack up the target!)
OP Paul, have you tried a new Ruger lately? Even if you do have an issue, you get the gun back in 10-13 days.

 

[Yendor357]

“Pretty decent” is an understatement. If any of our local shops did that for me, I’d never go anywhere else. That was super cool of the gunshop to fix your issue.

Where I’m from, for all practical purposes, once you hand over your money, you are On Your Own.
Forget about returning an unfired , defective gun. You’re screwed.

I want to hear about the range day, with pics!

 

[Rock185]

SLT223, The Hogue Tamer grips with that "Sorbothane" material inside the top of the back strap really work for me. "Sorbothane" sounds like some marketing Poly-Razmotaz, but with .357, 10mm, and lightweight 9mm revolvers, the difference in felt recoil is significant..

Yendor357, I apologize. Been there, done that, with some problem child guns over the years. Ruger replaced a GP100 for me a few years ago.

 

[1961MJS]

Hi
I bought a brand new 617 last year. The sights were VERY tightly screwed down to the lowest position. My assumption was that they were screwed down to avoid wear in shipping. That's a guess, but no other ideas.
Later