S&W 5 Screw 29 question

[FISH4BUGS]

HELP! I was cleaning my 5 Screw 29 and decided to take off the thumb latch. I unscrewed the screw, removed the thumb latch, and was wiping it down, and the stub of the thumb latch (the part that goes down onto the gun) slid back a bit. Now it won't go forward so I can put the thumb latch back on. WHY?
Thanks for the help!
Donald in NH

[StarMetal]

That part of the latch system that is inside the gun is a bar that rided in a machined slot inside the frame. On the front of the bar is a round nose that comes through the breech face and pushes on the pin of the cylinder latch out of the hole in the breech face to unlock the cylinder. On the back of the bar is a hole and it contains a spring and little pin and this is what powers it. If it moved back some it may have dropped alittle when you removed the thumbpiece and screw thus putting it at an angel and the nose of may not be hitting that hole in the breech face. The hammer holds it come completely coming out of the slot. I'd open up the cylinder if you can or if it's already open and look in that hole with a light to see if the nose of that bar I discribed is lining up. I'd fiddle with it if I were you by putting the thumbpiece on and the screw BUT DON'T TIGHTEN THE SCREW DOWN TIGHT NOT EVEN SNUG, JUST TIGHTEN IT ENOUGH TO HOLD then try wiggling and pulling up and forward at the same time and see if you can get it to move back into place.

Joe

[9.3X62AL]

Welcome to the board, sir. Agreed with all that Starmetal said, and would add that the L-bar of the cylinder release bar may have hung up on the hammer tail. If so, then a pull up and a push BACK might disengage it and let it return to the milled gallery the part rides in under spring tension.

FWIW--S&W armorers don't unscrew the thumbpiece cap screw unless they have the sideplate off the revolver--for the reasons indicated in your situation.

[FISH4BUGS]

Well, I tried all the suggested cures to no avail. I finally reached the limits of my knowledge and desire, and took the gun to a gunsmith. He fixed it in about 15 minutes and cleaned the inner workings of the gun. I thought about taking off the sideplate and fixing it myself, but I thought I would just get in deeper.
I am glad to have discovered this board. I am a reloader, bullet caster ( I use Hensley & Gibbs moulds) and shooter. I shoot cast bullets in all my sub machine guns. Gotta love it!
Thanks for the help!
Donald

[9.3X62AL]

I'm glad you were able to resolve the problem, even if it required the services of a gunsmith. With a fine piece like a 5-screw M-29, I wouldn't want to exceed the limits of my knowledge and run the risk of screwing something up. The spring tensioning of the several parts involved in your difficulty can work in concert to make life miserable for the maintainer--and ultimately the best response is to remove the sideplate and "start from scratch".

[Char-Gar]

Disassembly of a Smith and Wesson DA sixgun is a piece of cake, but there are a few tricks you need to know. Buy a copy of The SMith and Wesson Shop Manual by Jerry Kuhnhausen. It is cheaper than a trip to the gunsmith.

[carelesslove]

I agree, that the disassembly of a $&W revolver is a simple task - I have been doing it for 25+ years, so it doesn't pose a problem for me.

However, I can see how it would be intimidating to a novice - and EVERYONE is a novice - at least once.

The first thing is to get a good text, like the one mentioned above. Then a few good tools are in order.

For one, a good fitting set of screwdrivers, to remove the sideplate screws. Make sure you take out the front screw and immediately screw it into the right side stock. The threads fit and you DO NOT want to mix this screw with either one of the other sideplacte screws. It is specially fitted to hold the yoke in place.

Next, a small plastic hammer (or reasonable facsimile - actually, I use the plastic handle of a small CRAFTSMAN screwdriver), to tap on the end of the gripframe, after the sideplate screws are removed. Believe it or not, just tapping the end of the gripframe, will work the sideplate out in just a few taps.

The most useful tool I have acquired, just recently. www.gunsmithing-tools.com, sells a Rebound Slide Spring Tool that really makes life easier, by helping to get the rebound slide out and back in without sending internal parts flying unexpectedly.

With these tools and tips (like the good textbook, above), You can get past being a novice.

However, I strongly recommend practicing on a less cherished revolver than a 5
Screw S&W.

Happy gunsmithing, carelesslove