4" 629 durability

B

bullfrog99

New member
if i found one of the pre internal transfer bar firing pin 629 44mag that i liked, what would you guys estimate it's life would be firing maybe 100 44 magnums and perhaps a thousand or so 44 specials every year, would i wear the gun out in any short period of time.
 
Naahhh, I don't think it'd wear out in a SHORT period of time on your stated diet...might wear out in, say, 50 or 60 YEARS-!!!...I've got a four-inch 629-4...with the hammer-mounted firing pin AND all the "endurance" mods...that I HOPE will outlast me!!!....mikey357
 
EVERLASTING

Counts on the "44 magnums" ammo you fire LOL.

(Based on what you say it should last many many years.)
 
I'm with maxwayne. At that rate, your biggest dilemma will be who you will bequest the gun to when you die.

M1911
 
For what it's worth

I traded a gun for a well-used 629-2, 4" barrel. I have shot many rounds through the gun, which is a real sweet shooter.

It's lock up is as tight as a 649 .357 I bought a couple of years ago which has fired less than a thousand rounds of 60% .38 Special and 40% .357 Mag.

Anecdotally,

Ledbetter
 
One way to extend the life of your S&W revolver is to take a carpenter's or artist's pencil (the ones with soft, rectangular shaped leads), and rub it on the topstrap immediately above the bbl.

This is because of the phenomenon of top strap cutting. It used to be thought that this was due to the hot gas escaping from the bbl. / cyl. gap, but it has been shown that the problem was actually unburned powder grains in the gas acting almost as a sandblaster does. The graphite/polymer layer deposited by the pencil will effectively counter this phenomenon.

Hope this helps, Walt
 
Dear Walt,

That is a nifty tip with the topstrap and pencil. I was under the impression that it was gasses that cut into the topstrap as well. If you know of anywhere that I can read about this, please point me in that direction.

Forgive me for speaking off topic, I don't have any experience with the 629's durability; but I would be surprised if it had a major malfunction during your life. I read an interesting article once that stated the cylinder always failed first. Of course they were talking about Ruger revolvers, but I imagine the principle still applies.

Take Care,
Rhyno
 
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