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Thread: S&W 629 Performance Center sight alignment question

  1. #1
    Boolit Master
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    S&W 629 Performance Center sight alignment question

    Hello again,

    I got my hands on this customer return revolver, it had multitude of problems right out of the box, like timing,rough irregular action etc. I'm maybe interested in it for a very low price. Too expensive to repair,sending overseas is not an option either.

    So I took it for a test.

    The sights don't align because the barrel is not completely turned in, front sight is on the right. Shoots left even with rear sight maxed to the right.

    Do I have to remove the barrel first to screw it back in,remove a tad material to help it go deeper? Or can I just try to turn it more from here? How do I know this is the limit,how do I know the force? It may not go any deeper and that's why it was left like this.

    I have never removed a revolver barrel. I have the nylon support blocks for a couple of frame sizes but not for this one.



    It needs an oversize hand,too. A gunsmith had said it needs a new cylinder to begin with, my range rod says it is ok so I'm here just wondering is repairing/trying to repair this is worth the effort or not.



    Thank you.

  2. #2
    Boolit Master
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    Why did they say it needs a new cylinder ?
    I have bought several revolvers with similar problems and was able to repair them myself.
    But then I had the right tools like action wrenches and bore alignment rods and forcing cone gauges.
    But as far as the barrel rotation goes.
    You should first pull the barrel off.
    Then next time it is tightened , it will probably torque up just a little further in the rotation because the barrel and frame will have minor compression from the last torquing.
    But before you remove the barrel , check what your cylinder Gap in to the barrel.
    When the barrel is removed , guage the forcing cone.
    But all this is easy for me to say , since I have had previous experience.
    And buying guns in that condition at a good price was worth it to me since I did my own work so it cost me less to repair.

  3. #3
    Boolit Master
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    Makes sense,thanks for the clear reply LAGS.

    I'm just gathering tools,I have the Brownells wrench,timing rods etc. Already repaired a few old S&W:s for my own use but never removed a barrel,not yet.

    About changing the cylinder,I don't understand it either. We have smiths and "smiths", the sideplate screws are already "screwded" by that smith I guess.

    I keep reading Kuhnhausen.

  4. #4
    Boolit Master
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    His book is a good place to start.
    I still have my copy around here somewhere.
    But it is sad to hear that the " Bubba Gunsmiths " are not just confined to the U.S.

  5. #5
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by LAGS View Post
    But it is sad to hear that the " Bubba Gunsmiths " are not just confined to the U.S.





  6. #6
    Boolit Master
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    Yep.
    Wrong screwdriver was used.
    Way to narrow.
    But that minor damage can be repaired if you can not get the correct replacement screws.

  7. #7
    Boolit Master
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    Yes,the screws themselves are not big deal.

    But if they represent the gunsmith's overall ability/attitude... well you know.

    I'm the first one to notice the crooked barrel,go figure. Not the original customer,the shop or the gunsmith mentioned this anywhere,I got a printed paper about all the other problems.

    Despite shooting to the left, this is grouping normally,maybe one cylinder shoots a tad higher that the others,need to confirm. Range rod test passes clean anyway. I ordered the N insert for the wrench from Brownells.

  8. #8
    Boolit Master
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    One of the chambers may be out of alignment with the barrel to cause a slight difference in the bullet impact.
    You might be able to identify which one by using an alignment rod and an empty case in the chamber.
    But if you can mark the cylinder , then fire individual rounds out of each chamber to be able to identify and mark if the one chamber is a problem.
    Or if it a Random issue which could be play in the cylinder on the crane/yoke

  9. #9
    Boolit Master
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    Yes,it's a known one cylinder. It's the one with the most serious timing carryup problem,too.

    Accuracy-wise,nothing major though but I got that feeling while shooting and observing things.

    Here in the pic is bad shooting, I was aiming at "25M" marker writing to try and hit the target center. I will check the cylinders separately soon. The spread in this pic is the shooter but you get the idea how crooked the front sight is because of the "unclocked" barrel. Rear sight is maxed to the right. Looks and feels strange to shoot...


  10. #10
    Boolit Master
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    I couldn't confirm any POI change between cylinders,shooting offhand. Better use a rest.

    Lots of circular cutting tool marks in the forcing cone,no polishing to talk about. One cylinder won't carry up SA at all, I'd say this is a dangerous condition,very easy to fire a non-concentric round. I'm using a snap cap in that cylinder for now.

    And this. I wonder what would be a reasonable price for a DIY revolver like this? And how can a factory send out something so completely unfinished/tuned/checked while praising their own excellent gunsmiths custom work?

    These cost 2200€ here. Useless out of the box.


  11. #11
    Boolit Master
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    Here is the ratchet.



    Hand doesn't look worn, this gun has less than 500 rounds count. I will measure though.

    Should I go with S&W oversize hand or Power Custom one? S&W is only .0005 oversize as far as I understand. Enough?

    EDIT: well Brownells Finland only had Power Custom so that's what I ordered.
    Last edited by Petander; 10-05-2020 at 08:05 AM.

  12. #12
    Boolit Master
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    Hammer only hits with the left side... and what's up with the sideplate fitting?



    Burrs...


  13. #13
    Boolit Master
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    See how hammer left side only touches.



    Lots of tool marks here, I also find interesting to see erosion and gas cutting at 500 rounds,more than half of which have been 44 Special. Previous owner used factory ammo only,also cowboy loads,there was some lead in cylinders.




    I don't know what to think.

  14. #14
    Boolit Master

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    Looks like a mess, but if you can get it cheap enough it is a good opportunity to learn some skills.

  15. #15
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Plate plinker View Post
    Looks like a mess, but if you can get it cheap enough it is a good opportunity to learn some skills.
    Yes,I have been gathering tools and learning , knowing how to maintain and repair these is a necessity. Even though parts are hard to get nowadays, only Brownells here,with a limited selection.

    Cylinder chamber throats are really uniform, all the same .431 . I didn't slug the barrel yet though but range rod feel is just right. Trigger is good, DA is heavy as is cocking the hammer.

    Are these modern frames easier to crack than the old ones when removing barrel?


  16. #16
    Boolit Master
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    Well now that I deep-cleaned and measured the cylinders yesterday - there was some lead,I did notice a small scratch.

    After shooting 50 Magtech factory 44 Mag rounds today... I think the "scratch" is more visible now,after a good Bore Tech carbon remover cleanup. Throat size has not ghanged,as far as I can mic.

    But is this a crack,or a scratch?

    No borescope here... but this may be the reason why a gunsmith talked about a new cylinder. I never met the smith so I don't know. But nobody mentioned a cracked cylinder,I'd never taken the gun for any test.


  17. #17
    Boolit Master
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    It's only a scratch with a couple of other marks near it.




    Now that this revolver turned out to be a real lemon, I'm inspecting everything really carefully,expecting to find more problems. Price goes low,low,low... This can be made to shoot safe and good - I also found out about cylinder change talk, a smith had said it's the cylinder that causes bad timing. Well no it is not,lockup alignment is perfect,I have range rods. It's just in need of a wider hand so cylinder will turn far enough to lock up.

    I'm actually interested in seeing all the MIM things inside. I also still like how this shoots even with the crooked front sight/barrel.


    Now that they are clean,chambers are very pretty,uniform and brass drops out nice:


  18. #18
    Boolit Master
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    I do not see any reason that this revolver could not be rebuilt and all the problems corrected.
    The question is.
    How much work can you do yourself , and how low of a price can you get it for.
    I am sure there are plenty of members on this forum as well as others that can walk you thru what you need to do.
    But things need to be listed for repair , then done in a certain order.
    Don't just jump in an fix one thing just because you have those tools now.
    It can effect things down the line.
    Things like an Oversized Hand can be made by yourself with hand tools and plenty of patients.

  19. #19
    Boolit Master
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    Yes I think removing / re-clocking the barrel is the big one - and the first one to start with. I can get help with that.

    I'll start another thread about the hammer/frame alignment.

  20. #20
    Boolit Master
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    The barrel and frame is your starting point.
    Then the Yoke / Crane alignment.
    Next the cylinder allignment.
    All this must be set before you start any kind of Timing adjustment.
    The cylinder stop in the frame , must be working and securing the cylinder in allignment with the bore Before you try to adjust the Hand for rotation.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check