your highest round count with a 29/629

[daveyc]

I was looking through some of my handloading records last night and realized that I have 9,200 rounds through one of my 629's. it is a 629-6 classic 5"
there has been no noticeable change in either side-to-side cylinder play or in endshake. no parts have been replaced. The firearm was purchased new in 2008.

about 2/3rds are with 240 cast lead at 1100fps. the other 1/3 is with full house 240 and 300 grain jacketed rounds.

to think some people say you have to have a Ruger to have a high round count in a .44 revolver. I say, our Smith's are plenty tough enough.

What is your highest round count in a 29/629?

 

[rockquarry]

I don't know the numbers, but have always been curious how others keep up with such figures in an accurate manner.

 

[daveyc]

I don't know the numbers, but have always been curious how others keep up with such figures in an accurate manner.

I am a handloader and have kept notebooks for the last 20 years with how many of each load I have put through each firearm. it is fairly meticulous and a little crazy, but i have always liked to know.

I also cast all of my lead bullets. those 6,000 cast bullets amount to a hair over 205 pounds of lead being melted, cast and then fired through that 629!!

 

[raljr1]

I don't know the numbers, but have always been curious how others keep up with such figures in an accurate manner.

I keep a reloading log. It says I have reloaded 412 cartridges of 44 magnum , so that's how many I've shot. Others must do the same.

 

[Sevens]

I love to hear reports like these with REAL numbers. I'm sorry that I don't own a 29/629 to contribute.

Like a lot of things, a reputation is often established somewhere. When it comes to the 29/629, the reputation being discussed came directly from the popular days of IHMSA and guys shooting large bore guns with heavy bullets and very stout charges of powder, all in the chase to knock over very heavy steel targets at long distances.

It was here that the 29 built it's reputation and S&W reacted to it with improvements. But the origin of the reputation is absolutely real, much like the reputation of K-frame .357 Magnums, forcing cone failures with 125 and 110 grain loads. When you open that conversation, you'll find plenty of folks who report they have thrashed their K-Magnums with no ill effects but it does not change the well established history and reality of the reputation.

 

[Sevens]

Hey daveyc and raljr1, we should start a little club, I do exactly the same thing and what one person might call OCD, I call it a hobby that I enjoy completely. I keep an absolutely accurate count on ALL of my guns.

I obviously don't know the back story on guns that I buy used, but I still ask the seller if they know and I'll also say this -- I don't ask them before I buy, I don't even hint at it, and AFTER they have the money and I have the gun, that's when I ask, and I explain why I'm asking, it's simply because I love to try and learn the story of my gun and I love to keep the details of the story as the story grows.

So yes, I keep strict round counts, and that's accurate. And for me it's easy, because my ammo is all handloads and I can write on the flip-top box with a dry erase pen, so I know where the ammo went.

 

[rockquarry]

I am a handloader and have kept notebooks for the last 20 years with how many of each load I have put through each firearm. it is fairly meticulous and a little crazy, but i have always liked to know.

I also cast all of my lead bullets. those 6,000 cast bullets amount to a hair over 205 pounds of lead being melted, cast and then fired through that 629!!

I wish I was as organized. I've cast for about fifty years and use only cast in all handgun chamberings, but only maintain one range notebook for everything and it's only for load development, chronographing, and accuracy notes.

I could easily come up with those "book" numbers, but the number of rounds I shoot when "just shooting" would be almost impossible to even estimate, though I think many do this and the numbers probably wind up on the high side - certainly worthless information.

I try to shoot two or three days a week if the weather is decent. I suppose if the two 29s I bought new just over forty years ago had only seen 500 rounds per year, that's 20,000 or so rounds, almost all of that magnum ammo until I stopped loading magnum a few years back and went with .44 Special only.

20,000 rounds doesn't seem like a great deal assuming that figure is even close to right. I commend you guys who keep up with this stuff, but I don't think I will start at this stage.

 

[crstrode]

6

No matter how hard I've tried I have never managed to get more than six into, or out of my revolver.

 

[Blazin Bill]

Round count was less than 10k in my 629, but I spent a winter training and shooting in IDPA, so all fast DA work. Dry fired every day. Cylinder notches got peened.
Every since then I've wondered if the carbon steel guns are a little tougher.

 

[ubronM]

Quick calculation, 7 years (629 classic, bought used) 48 weeks a year, 50 rounds a session makes 16800 rounds. group teaching sessions about twenty times a year for 6 years, 100 rounds each time (half reasonably mild reloads, half factory full power) makes another 12000 rounds. All in all about 30000 rounds and still tight, and wins me a trophy in our large caliber handgun competition every year.

 

[stansdds]

Round count was less than 10k in my 629, but I spent a winter training and shooting in IDPA, so all fast DA work. Dry fired every day. Cylinder notches got peened.
Every since then I've wondered if the carbon steel guns are a little tougher.

Carbon steel does have a slight advantage over the stainless used in firearms. Case in point, 1911 aftermarket barrels. Most makers use stainless steel because it sells well and does not require a finish. Fred Kart makes some of the finest 1911 barrels, but uses only carbon steel because it is less likely to fail. Target rifle shooter often report that as carbon steel barrels begin to wear, they slowly lose accuracy, but a stainless barrel will suddenly lose accuracy.

 

[Blazin Bill]

Carbon steel does have a slight advantage over the stainless used in firearms. Case in point, 1911 aftermarket barrels. Most makers use stainless steel because it sells well and does not require a finish. Fred Kart makes some of the finest 1911 barrels, but uses only carbon steel because it is less likely to fail. Target rifle shooter often report that as carbon steel barrels begin to wear, they slowly lose accuracy, but a stainless barrel will suddenly lose accuracy.

Yes. And John Linebaugh would only build his big boomers with carbon steel because he said it was stronger. My next S&W 44 will be a 29.

 

[Blazin Bill]

I think this thread would be more enlightening if dry firing was included, and % of SA versus DA.

 

[S&W Fan]

In November 1978 I bought a 6.5” 29 that had 3 rounds fired in it lol. I shot at a minimum 25 rounds, usually 50 weekly until I sold it to a good friend in December of 1983. So according to my public school math that equates to “a boat load” of rounds . He still has it, shoots it every once in awhile, hasn’t needed any work.

 

[daveyc]

I think this thread would be more enlightening if dry firing was included, and % of SA versus DA.

that is very true. I would have no idea at all how many dry fires. I would guess half as many "real" firings. but that would only be a guess.

I suppose that while dry firing would add some wear to the internals bearing surfaces, it would pale to the wear true firing would have.

 

[daveyc]

Quick calculation, 7 years (629 classic, bought used) 48 weeks a year, 50 rounds a session makes 16800 rounds. group teaching sessions about twenty times a year for 6 years, 100 rounds each time (half reasonably mild reloads, half factory full power) makes another 12000 rounds. All in all about 30000 rounds and still tight, and wins me a trophy in our large caliber handgun competition every year.

you sir, just won the internet for the day!!!

30K rounds is a whole boatload. I would think Smith and Wesson would like to talk to you about an ad campaign. you mentioned you purchased used. Do you know the year of manufacture/dash number? just curious.

 

[rockquarry]

I think this thread would be more enlightening if dry firing was included, and % of SA versus DA.

It's interesting you mention that. We all have preferences. These may make differences regarding wear, but I have no facts on that.

I don't dry fire. I think it's a very poor second to live fire for me and never saw any real benefit to dry firing. It's incredibly boring. I'm fortunate in being able to shoot often. For those who find dry firing helpful, stick with it.

I seldom fire any revolver double-action, with an exception being a qualification or practice for a qualification, but I don't qualify anymore. I have revolvers that I've never fired double-action. Some were bought used, some were bought new. Several of my S&Ws I've had more than forty years. I don't recall ever firing any of my Colt revolvers (all bought used, all from the '50s and '60s) double-action.

Surely no one keeps figures on any of this, but I thought there were very few who kept track of every round fired. I was wrong.

 

[MSD2343]

I don't know the numbers, but have always been curious how others keep up with such figures in an accurate manner.

I’m an accountant by trade so it was second nature to me to keep an Excel-based log of the rounds fired on all my firearms.

I don’t have a 629/29, but I have a close relative, a Model 27-9 “Classic” purchased new in 2012 that is my highest mileage handgun. I’m just shy of 15,000 rounds on it, about 35% have been magnums, almost all fired in DA. Still tight and problem free.

 

[rockquarry]

I’m an accountant by trade so it was second nature to me to keep an Excel-based log of the rounds fired on all my firearms.

I don’t have a 629/29, but I have a close relative, a Model 27-9 “Classic” purchased new in 2012 that is my highest mileage handgun. I’m just shy of 15,000 rounds on it, about 35% have been magnums, almost all fired in DA. Still tight and problem free.

From a non-record keeper who shoots a good bit, I'd guess 15,000 rounds from a quality revolver is not a huge number. At least, I hope it's not. I expect guns to last a lifetime even if they are high mileage. The pros(?) say lead bullets cause less bore wear than jacketed ones. Sounds logical, but I'm unaware of any proof.

 

[daveyc]

I’m an accountant by trade so it was second nature to me to keep an Excel-based log of the rounds fired on all my firearms.

I don’t have a 629/29, but I have a close relative, a Model 27-9 “Classic” purchased new in 2012 that is my highest mileage handgun. I’m just shy of 15,000 rounds on it, about 35% have been magnums, almost all fired in DA. Still tight and problem free.

That is a great report about the longevity of S&W revolvers!!