What are the current Smiths up to ? Dash what? I'm not really a Smith fan but some of ya'll may have talked me into trying one.

I come across a used 629-6 5" full lug (I like the full lug just for looks) today for $700.00 There are some scratches on the cylinder but other than that it was very clean and the action felt pretty smooth. It may have been worked over a bit. Much smoother than a new one they had in the case. You can tell it has been shot a fair bit but it locks up tight and no erosion on the top strap that I could tell. Curious if I might should go back and get it.

Thanks.

The decent 629s with FORGED internals (instead of cast) end at -4. Any dash # beyond that is worthless IMHO.

Cast is stronger then forged, ask about Ruger, BFR's, Freedoms or whatever.
Any 29 designation will take what you give it. Only thing with a S&W is boolit weight. Some parts have too much inertia with recoil so 265 gr has proven max weight in the .44.
Ruger pioneered cast with their Pine Tree facility and the bfr's are cast there. Strongest guns on earth. Why are there Ruger only loads?

If I get it, its main diet will be 240 grain SWCs behind 10 grains or less of Unique. I don't cast but there is a place down the road I can buy 500 of them for less than $50.00. I have a Ruger SB Bisely Hunter for anything heavy.

The dealer that has it will usually take a little less for cash.


Dave.

Cast is stronger than forged?!?!? HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!



When casting a frame, a lot more metal has to go into it to match the strength of forged.

Good castings can very good, but forging compacts and refines the grain structure of the metal, and it will normally have better toughness and fewer defects than cast.

Wrong...cast is not stronger than forged. Yes castings can be made to be strong, but they are not stronger than forged. Forged parts have greater impact and shearing strengths than their cast counterparts due to the grain flows of the steel. Additionally with forged you do not have to worry about voids in the castings which can cause failures of the part.
Again a lot of manufacturers used cast parts due to cost and they work just fine.

Whether a part is cast or forged is but one aspect in the strength of the part. The alloy that is used, how the alloy is heat treated, the physical dimensions of the part and work hardening all affect the strength of the part. Some alloys are so tough and some parts so complex in shape that casting is really the only practical way to make the parts.

That is true. For years I have read about stretched frames in S&W's. I have never seen it because they are strong. I have owned many of them. But I still have my cast Ruger SBH with well over 81,000 heavy loads through it and uncounted light loads. There is no measurable wear. BFR's are cast by the Ruger Pine Tree foundry and freedoms are cast.
Forging is expensive with no advantage over new steels. It makes cheaper steels stronger is all.
How is the "X" frame made? Had a few here and they sure look like castings. Done right with the lost wax process and good steel, cast is stronger. You would be a fool to shoot Ruger loads from a S&W.

The standard 629's are -6 still.

The gun you are looking at is very common so I would not jump on it unless it is a very good deal ($600).

The 5" 29 or 629 classics are great. Best overall barrel length for carry,sight radius and shooting comfort.

The forged parts were last put in the -4 629's and -6 29's.

The 629-5 has MIM but is still pre lock. Nothing wrong with the MIM and I would no pass up a nice -5 in the configuration you are looking for.

I would advise you to watch the online auction sites and hold out for a nice 629-3,-4 or -5.

I have owned a pile of Smith revolvers -3's -4 -5 -6...I have never had any failures due to cast parts, I think this subject is much to-do about nothing.........Good luck with your new Smith......Hb

Take a look at some of the pictures of revolver cylinders have ruptured. The S&W almost always loses the top strap. Ruger is the much stronger guns.

That being said, I love my dozen or so Smiths, and I don't abuse them with ridiculous handloads. If I need more power, I get a bigger gun.

Thanks guys. It's off the table now anyway after yesterdays events.


Dave.

Are you keeping your head above water over there? Sounds like a real mess, hope you are safe.

I can say about Ruger. Friend has a .41 BH and forgot powder in a case when he was interrupted by his son. He was loading one at a time instead of a block.
The boolit stuck in the barrel and he fired a max charge behind it. Bent the cylinder up and top strap to ruin his scope and bent the pin down. The steel did not crack.
Ruger replaced the gun at cost.
Now I never harmed a S&W but had some here that shot heavy boolits so the cylinder could not be opened. The pin in the center that unlocks the front lock got peened from recoil. Pin is too soft but it was an easy fix.
Heavy boolits also let the cylinder stop move out of engagement from inertia so the cylinder will turn backwards. Either to a fired chamber or to fire a live round from hammer bounce. X frames have doubled and they blame the shooters finger---NOT, cylinder stop spring is too weak.
I had an argument with S&W about it and I see they offer different springs now.
I have fired brass from a S&W with double hits on primers and even out on the brass. If it goes all the way back to a fired chamber, you just get a click next pull of the trigger. Torque from the rifling always turns the cylinder backwards.
Hammer bounce is real from internal pressure on the primer. It kicks the hammer back and we even had photos of SA hammers near full cock but the geometry of the guns keep the cylinder locked.
I fixed 29 stops by adding a tiny lock spring inside the stop spring. I have many springs from doing locksmith work but never have an exact spring for the S&W.
It takes so little to fix and the S&W is still a great gun if you know them.
Now I see all the floods and fires going on all over so I hope and pray all of you are safe.

I bought a 629-6 a couple months ago. 4" barrel new

I've only put a couple hundred rounds through it. It is very accurate. I believe the load I've chosen is H110 23 grains 240 grain Hornady and 240 grain Remington.

This is my third 44 mag S&W. The other two were pinned and recessed with target everything.

This 629 is much better than the old 29's I had. More accurate etc. In short I love it.