Need help with a sick S&W

[Aikibiker]

My buddy just called from the range. Where he and his Mom are spending a few hours together. His S&W model 29 of late seventies early eighties vintage has started spitting lead shavings out to the side from the gap between the cylinder and barrel when he fires. Aside from this the revolver is working fine and delivering acceptable accuracy.

He has decided to pull it off the line and concentrate on breaking in his mother's new compact 1911.

Do any of the forum revolver experts know what could be wrong with his gun?

Thanks for your help.

 

[Old Fuff]

Without examining the revolver it is difficult to say, but several possible causes could be:

1. Leading or other fouling has built up in the forcing cone at the back end of the barrel, and this is causing the gun to spit lead. The solution is to give it a good cleaning. A tool, available from www.brownells.com called the Lewis Lead Remover is ideal for this purpose.

2. The part that allows the cylinder to swing out, called the “yoke†is sprung, allowing the chamber and barrel to be misaligned. If this is the case the owner will need to have it repaired by a gunsmith specializing in S&W revolvers, or return it to the S&W factory.

3. The cylinder has developed a condition called “end shake†which can cause the gap between the cylinder and barrel to increase. Again, repairing it would call for the services of a gunsmith.

4. If the cause cannot be determined the gun should be sent to S&W for evaluation.

 

[schromf]

Old Fuff,

Isn't his an indication of the cylinder is out of time also? A worn hand can cause this condition.

Course if that was the issue I would be looking into what else was wrong that caused the hand were and the crane is the next place to look.

Either way, I would suggest a visit to the gun shop.

 

[Mannlicher]

If it were my Model 29, I would call Smith for a mailing lablel, and send it back for a tune up. The factory does a super job. Inexpensive also.

 

[Old Fuff]

It could be a hand/ratchet problem. Check the fired brass for an off-center firing pin indentation in the primer. Also cock the hammer slowly and see if the cylinder rotates enough to lock up. A sprung crane can also cause the same thing because the hand will push the yoke outward as it rotates the cylinder.

 

[1911Tuner]

Sick Smith

Gonna cast a vote for the sprung crane. Smith & Wesson lockwork pre-times and doesn't generally go out of time badly enough to spit lead unless they're badly worn. The sprung crane, on the other hand, is fairly common. It happens when somebody has seen the Uber-Cool gunman on TV flick the cylinder open and closed...and has been standing in front of a mirror to see if they can look just as cool while flicking it. That'll trash a good revolver about as fast as anything that I can think of short of backing over it with a 3/4-ton pickup loaded to the rails.

As Fuff suggested...check for endshake too. If the cylinder will move fore and aft (while in battery) more than a barely perceptible amount, that may be your problem. M-29s that have been fed a lot of full-power ammo tend to develop end shake pretty quickly.

Pull the cylinder rearward as far as it will go and use feeler gauges to check the barrel to cylinder gap. .005 to .007 is about right. Much more than that will contribute to your problem, though I've seen some Smiths with as much as .010 inch gap that didn't spit.

Luck!

Tuner

 

[Gatsu]

Thanks for the replies, I'm the owner of the 29-2 in question. The heaviest load I've shot out of it were a few 300gr reloads that were given to me with the gun, the guy said they only go about 1200 fps. I've checked all the primers I've shot from the last two range trips and the indents are all dead center. There's no gunk build up in the area between the frame and crane that I can see. I didn't really notice it start spitting until I started using Fiocchi's 240gr cartridges and got complaints from people standing in the next lane. Also, would a loose ejector rod cause my problems? I moved it a little and it was loose, so I tightened it back as far as it would go with my fingers and it seems to be locking up more securely (can't fit a playing card or piece of paper between the cylinder and barrel gap/no noticeable end shake). Almost forgot to mention, that my speedloaders were sticking on the frame when I used them, after tightening the rod they slide in and out with ease. Thanks again for the help.

 

[Wildalaska]

Back to the factory!

WildtheywillfixittootsuiteAlaska

 

[1911Tuner]

Whoa Back!

Okay...You noticed it with one certain brand of ammo...Very possible that it was unburned powdrr blowin' sideways out through the gap. Some very slow-burning ball powders are bad for that. Olin 296 and H-110 are two, and it's likely that the Fiocci ammo is loaded with something similar to those.

Check another brand of ammo by shooting it side-by-side with the Fiocci
with a sheet of paper held about a foot beside the gun. If you see a lot more residue with one than the other...you may have nailed your problem.

Luck!

Tuner

 

[mtnbkr]

though I've seen some Smiths with as much as .010 inch gap that didn't spit.

My old model 36 (flat latch, pinned barrel) has a .011" gap and doesn't spit (even with lead ammo). Not only that, but it's fairly accurate. I'd fix it, but other than it being a bit loose, it's a great gun with a superb trigger and good accuracy.

Chris

 

[Dave Sample]

I correct these things with a forcing cone reamer and facing cutter. I cut the forcing cone to 11 degrees and face it off and they quit spitting.