What parts to buy for a 629-5 future rebuild?

[HBW1412]

This is my 629-5 44 mag. It shoots very tight groups. I have shot it close to 27,000 times since buying it in 1999.

If you look in the pictures you can see that there is some galling/peening on each edge of the cylinder notches. I load all of my ammunition and have recently switched to 23.5 gr. of H110 and 240 gr. XTP bullets from previously using IMR-4227 with handcasts.

The cylinder gap is .011, but it is extremely accurate and doesn't spit any lead. Lockup is good also.

I like to look long term and prepare for any eventual breakdown. What I'd like to know is what items should I buy now that I may not be able to buy in the future (for what ever reason) in order to rebuild this revolver.

I'm thinking a standard spring kit, cylinder, firing pin, a new hand and a cylinder stop.

Should any of these parts be oversized and if so, are there any other tools I will need to perform this rebuild?

Am I missing anything or is a rebuild a waste of time?

I appreciate any advice you may have for me, so thank you in advance.

P.S.: The yellow gunk all over the gun is the ballistol I just soaked it down with.

 

[jimmyj]

I would buy a second Model 29-5 instead of extra parts for a "Future" re-build

 

[chief38]

HBW1412

For a 44 Mag with 27,000 rounds through it (and presumably a fair amount of Magnums) I think you have gotten your monies worth! Secondly, from what I can see in your photo's, the galling you speak of does not look all that terrible. I have seen a lot worse in revolvers with a lot less ammo through them. If you have the skills and patients, you could remove some of the galling with a miniature Arkansas stone - by hand. Just go slow so you don't scratch the cylinder with the stone.

In my experience the parts that wear out first are the hand, cylinder stop, ratchets, hammer & trigger. The cylinders usually last a long time, although yours seems to have the galling issue.

For better or for worse, I get attached to my guns and though some might feel it is not monetarily worth it, I would rebuild what needed to be done. If you are just hedging your bet for the future I suppose it would be prudent to acquire a new ejector rod & ratchets, over size hand, cylinder stop, firing pin & rivet, springs, and maybe a hammer & trigger. As long as the frame and barrel are still good, I wouldn't want to turn it into a paperweight.

I recently did a complete re-build on my Dad's 1951 Baby Chief's Special. The only original parts left are the frame, barrel, cylinder latch and grips. Everything else has been replaced with the same exact era parts that I inherited as well (thankfully he also left me a big box of period correct parts for many Smith's). The only thing I have not been able to acquire are some of the screws (it's a 5 screw gun + the screw for the cylinder latch). That year they actually used a screw instead of the nut they used shortly thereafter. After giving up my 6 month search for the Nickel screw set, I refurbished the originals and they now look descent - but would still like replacements if one day I stumble across them.

I am also getting ready to do a complete re-build on a pre-M15 that has had at least 60,000 rounds through it. It was my Dad's competition gun and has already been re-built once and has previously been re-barreled. I have all the necessary parts except for a wide spur target hammer. Once I find that I will go to it.

Good luck with yours!

Chief38