Peening ratchet for a temporary carry-up fix?

[Petander]

Hello,

I have a M29 with only 1100 rounds through it but half of them have been way over VV N110 max, the gun needs some TLC. Endshake,cylinder slots peening etc...

It doesn't always carry up on one cylinder,some others are on the edge but they do click. I cleaned it to bone dry,still the same... Trigger got really good from brakekleen cleanup,by the way.

I decided to go ratchet peening route for now,no need for a new hand just yet I think. I will peen and deburr the cylinder slots,too.

Any experience about ratchet work,ideas,"don't do it:s"... all appreciated.

Pic is from the net,not mine.

[Tatume]

I recommend this book:

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/101636706?pid=698010

[Greg S]

How much endshake? Tightening up endshake might tighten up carry up. The proper fix is to peen the hand (stretch) and refit. Peening rachets might cause bind when the hand bypasses which my 627 8 shot suffered from when new. I'd worry about endshake first, then refit hand then reset cylinder gap. Get a wolffe reduced power mainspring and a set of 11-15 lbs trigger return springs, polish the inside/outside of the rebound, trigger nose and cylinder stop engagement. Leave SA Trigger sear and hammer hook alone (case/surface hardend).

Oh yea, what Tatum said. Kuhnhausen's books are a great resource. Demistifit's proper gunsmith practices for maintenance issues.

[Petrol & Powder]

Correct the end shake first.

After the end shake is corrected, you can address the carry up issue. I would not peen the ratchet as this technique is fraught with additional problems, not the least of which is .....end shake issues. You end up chasing your tail.

Correct the end shake and then fit a new hand if needed. Often a standard replacement hand will correct the carry up issue but occasionally an over-sized hand is needed.

When correcting end shake, there are two practices: shims and stretching the crane.
Of those two techniques, I prefer stretching the crane (swaging the arbor to lengthen it slightly and then re-facing the end of the arbor to set the final length).

Installing shims to correct end shake is a simpler solution but I will not use shims on revolvers carried for self-defense.

[Petander]

I recommend this book:

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/101636706?pid=698010

Thanks,I have that excellent Kuhnhausen book.

I'm waiting for cylinder bearings... will try them first... nobody is sending them from the USA because they are gun parts... bloody washers?

But I have them coming and yes,will fix shake first. Peening the hand was new to me but hey,it makes sense. I understand that working with the ratchet is non-reversible... and I managed to find a hand. These parts really are hard to get stuff.

[Mr_Sheesh]

Also, don't feed it any more rounds way over VV N110 max, please.

[Petander]

Also, don't feed it any more rounds way over VV N110 max, please.

Not me.

I got the gun from the original owner a couple of weeks ago. He had loaded 500 rounds, then bought another 500 factory rounds. Those 1000 were enough for the 90's... now the gun has been in safe for 20 years.

Anyway,he gave me half a box of his handloads, I pulled a few, yes a couple of grains over max,crazy compression. Forcing cone is pretty bad.

He was proud to tell me those 240's had chronoed 1700 fps...

[Hickory]

This is why I don't like to buy older S&W's.
People who have owned Rugers and shoot +P+PPP loads in them think a S&W will handle them also.

[Petander]

Yep - I knew what I was buying though. I also examined the gun , checked with range rod (ok), measured gaps etc... and I already knew about the forcing cone. I like the one owner history even though it's a bit beaten up. Shoots fine,good barrel.

The thing is,I'm slowly gathering proper gunsmithing tools. Yes they cost a double fortune over here. My logic here is,I may as well buy "to-be-repaired" -guns for cheap and repair them. It's a hobby,some folks drive and repair antique cars or bikes.

[darne]

I use bearing shim washers from McMaster-Carr for end shake washers. Maybe there is a Euro industrial supply house that can provide them.

Hope this helps

Dan

[Petander]

I use bearing shim washers from McMaster-Carr for end shake washers. Maybe there is a Euro industrial supply house that can provide them.

Hope this helps

Dan

Thanks,

luckily there is Euro-Brownells.

20 years ago I was sending cash in an envelope to pay for gun & reloading & casting goods. Things are better now despite some strange exporting rules.

There will always be another middle-man to legally take our money,no matter what restrictions.

[Petander]

This shoots normally,lock-up problem can be found with extremely slow cocking while slowing the cylinder down with thumb. One cylinder won't carry up.

Waiting for the endshake bearings, meanwhile shooting mild loads - looks like my unsized .432 Mihec 245 HP shoots clean barrel @ 1250 fps even though the bullet is a loose fit for the cylinders. Drops right through.



These grips have been in a drawer for 30 years.

[Tatume]

The grips look very nice. The wood aged well.

[skeettx]

Watching with attention
I have repaired the endshake on many Smith and it makes
a HUGE difference

[Petander]

No bearings from Brownells yet.

I loaded a bit warmer approaching 1500 fps. I also got the great silhouette front sight adjustment screws soaked and working, previous owner of 30 years said he "never needed to adjust" .

Steel said "clang" downrange today, only 75 m but good fun. Minor spitting but not much.

[Petander]

Brownells shims finally arrived,I also got the frame wrench.

Endshake went near zero with 3x0.002" shims, I suppose shooting will settle them down a bit. Timing got fixed as many in this thread suggested,now the hand is reaching the ratchet properly again.

Headspace and gap are still acceptable. Me happy!

EDIT: I put the wrong shim package in the pic! No yoke shims used in this gun.

[skeettx]

Well done
Waiting on the range report

[Petander]

All good. I also peened the slightly beaten up cylinder notch edges, a little makes a big difference. Everything is smooth and even now.

A 10" 44 isn't that big.