Tight throat in pre lock S&W 629 Classic?

[bluesman423]

I just received a new-to-me pre lock S&W 629 Classic.

The only boolits I have are 240 gr semi wadcutter Lee design cast from wheel weights and powder coated. They measure .430 with a micrometer.

These boolits will not come close to going through the throat of any chamber with finger pressure. In fact, they have to be pressed through.

After going through one throat the boolit measured .428. So I stopped and did not try the other throats.

I am concerned about the throats being too tight and do not want to harm my new 44 mag.

Do I buy a smaller sizing die? Have the throats reamed? What should I do?

Thank you if you can help .

[fredj338]

They are too small. No need to size the bullet smaller, it will swage down on passing thru with les than desirable results. It isnt going to hurt the gun, but you may get leading & accuracy will be less than desirable. The fix is to open up the throats to at least bore dia. I have a RBH/ss in 45colt that had 0.450"-0.451" throats. I only shoot lead or coated lead thru my revos, & my bullets are all sized to 0.452". It shot ok, leading in the first 1-2" of bbl. So I opened the throats to a uniform 0.4515-0.452". Leading went away & the accuracy was about 50% better.

[Bird]

My 629 classic is the same. Just tried it. I have been using .430 cast for the past 20 years. Very accurate, even a bit more so with jacketed, so I will not change the throats.
I do, and have always had leading for the first inch or so, but I run an Outers Foul Out in it for 15 min, and it removes everything.

[Randy Bohannon]

Send your cylinder to DougGuy here on the forum and he will fix it with aplomb and get them all the same size. Not unusual for each chamber or one or two to be a different size than what is spec.

[Outpost75]

Doug did my .44 throats to .4305", I size bullets to .430 and the gun shoots like a rifle.

315938

[rintinglen]

+2 on Doug Guy's work. He's fast, and he's good. Plus, I am told he makes a good cup of coffee.