S&W rebuild

[waksupi]

I'm thinking on sending my M29 S&W in to the factory, for general reconditioning. Anyone had this done? Any idea on the time involved?

[Catshooter]

The boys on the Smith & Wesson forum pretty much all report wonderful results from the factory.

[44man]

Too many years ago that I won't say, I had a S&W, 6" barrel .357. It was nickel plated and shot great. Someone gave me a box of .38 specials and I just wanted to shoot them up. I had a pocket of these and mixed in with them were .357 loads. I just mixed them when loading so I didn't pay any attention when some had no recoil and others did.
One of the old .38's did not clear the muzzle and the next shot split the bottom of the barrel at the muzzle. I didn't see it and kept shooting until I seen bullets hitting the ground right in front of me. I had the original "shoot around corners gun."
I sent it to the factory, had them install an 8-3/8" barrel with a rib, remove the nickel and put on the bright blue. It was fantastically beautiful and super accurate. I scoped it and was able to hit those little frozen juice cans at 100 yd's from prone.
Now I will tell you how much it cost me----$35.00, yup, thats right.
Any indication of my age?

[fecmech]

I sent back my K38 in the early 90's after many years of PPC competition, the gun came back better than new. I did not have any cosmetic work done just end shake repair and barrel turned back a thread and forcing cone recut. I get better groups off sandbags with a dot sight now then I did with a Ransom Rest before I sent it back! Cost me $43.00 then. Nick

[Char-Gar]

Over the years, I have sent a dozen or so sixguns to Smith at Springfield. Turnaround time has always been reasonable, and the work has always been done right the first time.

I once sent a pistol back to Ruger three time for it to get fixed right.

[waksupi]

Well, I got it packaged up, and sent next day, as they requested. Did absolutely no good, to explain that overnight mail from Montana takes an average of four days. Apparently, some regulation demands that type of shipping, however. The secretary at work did know how to send it as such, with a fee recovery possible, if not delivered on time. She says it has worked out very well in the past.

[Duckiller]

All hand guns must be sent next day per BATF regs. Fed ex, UPS, etc lost/allowed to be stolen/ turned up missing on too many handgun shippments. So says #2 son who works at local gun shop. He wasn't sure of exact number, but prior to reg between 5-10,000 gun disappeared a year. No problem with long guns. Duckiller

[omgb]

I sent my model 19 in last year after 28 years of heavy use. My daily load was 13.0 grains of 2400 and a 150 grain keith-type bullet. I must have run somewhere between 5 and 8 thousand of these through the gun as well as 2000 or so factory 357 loads and a couple thousand 38 SP wadcutter loads. the point is, my little M19 was ready for a rebuild. I had an action job, the barrel sent back (it was cracked at the forcing cone), the end shake removed and new springs throughout. I also had a new crane installed and nickled. Total cost, $289.00 less shipping. Turn around was two months. They advised gettin a new cylindar but since they new ones weren't counter bored and since cases didn't stick, I decided to skip it. They also recommended shooting only 38SP from now on and saving the 357 mag stuff for "special ocasions". If I followed that advice they said, I could expect another 30 or 40 years of regular service out of the old gal. So, I'm happy with the service. I got a lot of work done at a fair price.

[Four Fingers of Death]

My first centrefire pistol was a 586. It was well worn abd had blooms on the cylinder from 38 use. I have fired squillions of 38s through it since and it still shoots good. I fancy sending it back for a rebuild. Sending it from Australia would probably cost almost as much as a new one, but this would be my gun! Probably a bit wanky, but I'd like a 38 Special cylinder as well.

[waksupi]

Bad news today. I got a call from S&W today. They say the revolver is basicaly wore out. And they don't have all the necessary replacement parts. SO, I believe I will get the single and double action function fixed, and have them send it back. The darn thing shoots like a rifle, not what I would expect from a wore out gun. So, I guess I will start searching Gun Parts, and gun shows, for whatever is needed.

[Scrounger]

Bad news today. I got a call from S&W today. They say the revolver is basicaly wore out. And they don't have all the necessary replacement parts. SO, I believe I will get the single and double action function fixed, and have them send it back. The darn thing shoots like a rifle, not what I would expect from a wore out gun. So, I guess I will start searching Gun Parts, and gun shows, for whatever is needed.

Ric, an unscrupolous scounderl would probably look for one in the same model or caliber, one with obvious scars that would drive the price down, buy it, switch organs, I mean parts, then send the donor on its way, really no worse than it was before it came into his hands.

[Bucks Owin]

I sent my model 19 in last year after 28 years of heavy use. My daily load was 13.0 grains of 2400 and a 150 grain keith-type bullet. I must have run somewhere between 5 and 8 thousand of these through the gun as well as 2000 or so factory 357 loads and a couple thousand 38 SP wadcutter loads. the point is, my little M19 was ready for a rebuild. I had an action job, the barrel sent back (it was cracked at the forcing cone), the end shake removed and new springs throughout. I also had a new crane installed and nickled. Total cost, $289.00 less shipping. Turn around was two months. They advised gettin a new cylindar but since they new ones weren't counter bored and since cases didn't stick, I decided to skip it. They also recommended shooting only 38SP from now on and saving the 357 mag stuff for "special ocasions". If I followed that advice they said, I could expect another 30 or 40 years of regular service out of the old gal. So, I'm happy with the service. I got a lot of work done at a fair price.

Hmmmm, that's interesting. There's a 6" M19-4 in our family arsenal that I gave my daughter (but I mostly shoot! [smilie=1: ) I really cherish this sixgun as it is a CHP Commemorative 1929-1979 that I bought NIB unfired from a friend. (I let my daughter fire it's first rounds) It was given as a retirement present to a patrolman now deceased who didn't like it and so never shot it! Being a friend of the family's, his son sold it to me. Anyway....

Being aware of the forcing cone issue with this gun, I try to load "gentle" magnum loads and only with heavy boolits as apparently it is continued use of hot 125 gr loads that have wrecked so many M19s. I've heard that M19s are no longer even repaired at S&W. (No more parts!) It's "rumored" that S&W will send you back a new 586 instead of rebuilding a M19.....

The load you mention isn't particularly "hot" and I'm a little disturbed that your cone failed with what would seem to me like an "easy life" for your gun. How long ago did you have your's repaired? Also, at it's age I'm assuming it's not one of the "dash" models? (eg 19-2, 19-4 etc)

Dennis

[omgb]

The repair was done last summer. The gun was new in 1977.

[waksupi]

I talked to Don at S&W today. Good man to talk to, about revolvers. There are quite a few worn bits on my revolver. Considering how well it shoots, I asked him to just fix the cycling problem in the double and single action modes. He said he would also have a bit of end shake taken care of. When I asked him how they would like to be paid, he said don't worry about it, they would do the work, and ship it back. Certainly the best I could hope for in the situation. I give S&W a big recomendation, for doing what they could, considering the absence of necessary repacement parts. They didn't try to sell me anything extra, didn't try to retain the firearm as dangerous, Just plain no BS. That is what I expect from any company, or individual, I deal with.

[omgb]

That was essentially the way it went with my M19. Two of the cylinders were out of spec. I couldn't see it but their guage said they were ever so slightly bulged. They quoted me a price to replace it but cautioned me that the new cylinder would not be counter bored. I asked if this were a safety issue and they said not yet. i told them that cases didn't stick and they said given that and if I backed off my loads to more 38SP pressures the cylinder should last indefinately. So, I turned down their offer for a replacement. No pressure, no BS, just good plain advice.The guy who worked on my gun was John Seifert

[redneckdan]

It's "rumored" that S&W will send you back a new 586 instead of rebuilding a M19.....



Dennis


I thought about this fer oh, about 2 seconds. Too much history in my 19-4. My cylinder is over indexing in double action mode, but only if you really crank on it. I'll save her fer huntin and bullseye. Guess I'll have to get a ruger to beat the piss out of.[smilie=1: