weiler
.30 Stingray
Posts: 424
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Post by weiler on Mar 16, 2022 7:36:45 GMT -5
The time has come to track down one of my grail guns, a 4” Smith 44 mag(pre-lock). The blued models seem to be hard to find but have found a few 629’s on the web this week, for a gun that will be shot ( sensible loads) and lived with, educate me on the differences between the -1, -2 and -3? or if anybody has a line on something worth looking at, a PM would be greatly appreciated
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Post by blackmamba on Mar 16, 2022 8:04:02 GMT -5
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Post by bradshaw on Mar 17, 2022 10:05:03 GMT -5
The time has come to track down one of my grail guns, a 4” Smith 44 mag(pre-lock). The blued models seem to be hard to find but have found a few 629’s on the web this week, for a gun that will be shot ( sensible loads) and lived with, educate me on the differences between the -1, -2 and -3? or if anybody has a line on something worth looking at, a PM would be greatly appreciated ***** Chris.... major difference I see is the elongated STOP NOTCH, S&W’s clever answer to CYLINDER FLOAT. This was in answer to a problem presented the factory, and denied for at least a year, by this shooter, and experienced & witnessed by numerous IHMSA competitors based on personal experience with quality variations the result of Bangor-Punta management decisions hitting the shop floor. In short, inertial of the lightly-sprung CYLINDER STOP----in conjunction with out of spec assemble----inspires cylinder to unlock under recoil, and the frame to rotate counter-clockwise under BULLET TORQUE.... which causes the bouncing hammer to strike the left side of the fired casehead.... or worse, to strike the left adjacent chamber. In an extreme example, the revolver may double (or worse) on one pull of the trigger. In the most benign case, your next shot dry-fires on the chamber just fired. A heavy CYLINDER STOP SPRING is not the correct answer. Better than nothing, but the oscillating stop requires pressure within a certain range to properly function. The old “4-screw” S&W has a screw in front of the trigger guard. This screw holds the CYLINDER STOP SPRING and a plunger which exert pressure on the stop in a straight line. As cost-cutting measures go, elimination of the plunger-sprung stop was one of the worst. As a shooter living with the Model 29, 4”. 6-1/2” and 8-3/8”, I value weight, balance and performance of the original straight barrel over the so-called Mountain Gun. My favorite all-round load for the M-29/629 4-inch seats a cast 240 or 250 SWC DEEP SEATed over 5.5/231 (or self-same HP-38). And, for a bit more velocity, cast 240 or 250 SWC deep seated over 10.6/HS-6. Both are accurate @ 100 yards as the individual bullet allows it to be. Commercial cast often have a Bevel Base, which compromises accuracy as pressure & velocity climb. With a balanced bullet, these loads are silhouette accurate, al though trajectory @ 200 meters puts them out of their league in the steel game. These rounds cover nearly all I want from a 4-inch 29 these days, and are quiet enough around the barn for unannounced work. Quality of the individual example is everything. David Bradshaw |
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weiler
.30 Stingray
Posts: 424
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Post by weiler on Mar 17, 2022 11:48:47 GMT -5
David many thanks for the insight, I have your deep seated loads earmarked specifically for whatever 4” I get my hands on. Actually I’ll PM you a link to a 629-3 I found online, but would greatly appreciate your 2 cents on it
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Post by jfs on Mar 17, 2022 13:22:12 GMT -5
Had the cylinder problem with my 29-3 and factory 240gr ammo...
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Post by kings6 on Mar 17, 2022 22:38:54 GMT -5
Thank you for the insight David. I have a 4" 4 screw Model 29 I want to shoot as soon as the grips return from Nutmeg where they are getting carved. I will try your recommended 231 load along with the HS-6 load when it returns.
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Post by kings6 on Mar 19, 2022 14:03:35 GMT -5
Correction this is a three screw model 29 no dash gun. Just pulled it from the safe and checked.
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jgt
.327 Meteor
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Posts: 782
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Post by jgt on Mar 19, 2022 14:27:51 GMT -5
How can that be?
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Post by rkcohen on Mar 21, 2022 9:03:37 GMT -5
"The time has come to track down one of my grail guns, a 4” Smith 44 mag(pre-lock)"
....money makes a great blood-hound....
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weiler
.30 Stingray
Posts: 424
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Post by weiler on Mar 21, 2022 10:15:06 GMT -5
got this one on the way! BTW David I tried your load of 200gr JHP (no 210 Sierras in the house) over 22.5 H110 in a 7.5” Super Blackhawk, ~1,400 fps and behaved well, will try it when the Smith gets here and compare ES/SD to the hodgedon recommended load.  |
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Post by boxhead on Mar 22, 2022 19:25:07 GMT -5
A couple of 629 no dashes. Factory stocks put away.   |
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weiler
.30 Stingray
Posts: 424
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Post by weiler on Mar 22, 2022 22:10:31 GMT -5
A couple of 629 no dashes. Factory stocks put away. who did the grips? very nice! |
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Post by kings6 on Mar 22, 2022 23:03:52 GMT -5
You are right! It IS a four screw no dash model 29. It came with The gun came with two sets of grips. Smooth rosewood targets and a set of ivory magnas that extended about 1'4" below the bottom of the grip frame with an additional piece of ivory glued to one of the panels to fill this 1'4" void. I send them to Zane and he shortened them to match the bottom of the grip frame and now they are in CT and Emily of Nutmeg Sports is having an eagle carved on the right panel similar to the once I sent pictures of to her of Elmer Keith's guns. I sent the lower pieces of ivory Zane cut off to see if the carver can use the material to plug the escutcheon hole on the outside to make a cleaner slate for the carving. I am hoping that since it is part of the same grip and would be incorporated in the carved area, the plug will be unnoticeable.  |
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jgt
.327 Meteor
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Posts: 782
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Post by jgt on Mar 23, 2022 7:56:12 GMT -5
That explains it. The case looks like it was originally for a 5" so probably left the factory with a model 27-2 in side. I never cared for 4" guns for shooting magnum loads, but even I would not turn up my nose at a 4 or 5 screw 44 magnum S&W. Congratulations on your prize.
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Post by bradshaw on Mar 23, 2022 8:51:24 GMT -5
got this one on the way! BTW David I tried your load of 200gr JHP (no 210 Sierras in the house) over 22.5 H110 in a 7.5” Super Blackhawk, ~1,400 fps and behaved well, will try it when the Smith gets here and compare ES/SD to the hodgedon recommended load. ***** Chris.... tossed a gallon jug for an aerial shot with this load from 4” M-29 about ten days ago. Followed hole into snowbank to extract expanded Sierra 210 JHC. (Note: targeting @ 100 yards through Freedom Arms M83 .44 Mag with Jim Stroh smithed Shilen 10” bbl, 1:16 twist, there is little group disparity from 22.5/H110 to 26/H110; Leupold 2.5-8x33mm EER scope.) I consider 22.5 grains Win 296 or selfsame H110 minimum for consisyency, and it works from the M-29. I reserve 24 to 26 grains 296/H110 for Super Blackhawk or Redhawk. General preference rund to a cast 240 or 250 SWC deep seated over 5.5/HP-38 or selfsame Win 231. With alternate 10.6/HS-6 for a pinch more velocity, with a pinch weaker accuracy @ 100 yards. Note, the accuracy difference is academic, as either would fill a human head from a football field away in proper hands on a good day. Conceptually, I prefer POWDER COAT to greased, and tip my hat to Jeff “Tank” Hoover for introducing me to this peak advance to bridge jacketed & cast performance. David Bradshaw |
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