|
Post by seancass on Feb 20, 2015 5:30:52 GMT -5
Just brought one of these home. This is my first new S&W. Sorry for the blurry phone pics and the concise phone text. Initial review notes heavy trigger, but fairly smooth. Won't headspace a snap cap, didn't try live ammo, but it looks like it requires the moon clips. It only included one clip, which is disappointing. Need a reloading tool for it. Sights are great. Long, full underlug barrel means it's pretty front heavy. Port where crane meets frame was red from light surface rust. With side plate removed, the interior looked like it had been left on the bench behind the grinder or belt sander (also disappointing). Also my first time seeing the MIM parts, interesting engineering. Forcing cone visibly rough, like the tool had a small chip in it. It's not that i dislike the gun. However, I do feel like I did not get my money's worth. My overall response to this gun is "You call This performance center?" Frankly, I blame you people for raising my expectations for a firearm!
|
|
|
Post by AxeHandle on Feb 20, 2015 7:47:52 GMT -5
Sounds like someone lifted a couple of the moon clips from the box. Based on my 45ACP revolver experience nothing will extract without moon clops but I'd expect factory 9mm to headspace without moon clips. There are some good moon/demoon tools out there. Some of the more experienced shooters will chime in soon for details about them. Order a bunch of moon clips and some loading tools and shoot the rough spots off that beast. Might pick up a spring kit too...
|
|
|
Post by serialsolver on Feb 20, 2015 9:06:30 GMT -5
I wonder what the bore size is? .355 or .357? If it's.357 it may not shoot 9mm very accurate but a .357 cylinder could be fit to it for a dual caliber gun.
|
|
|
Post by seancass on Feb 20, 2015 9:40:33 GMT -5
I wonder what the bore size is? .355 or .357? If it's.357 it may not shoot 9mm very accurate but a .357 cylinder could be fit to it for a dual caliber gun. It's supposed to be 355, specifically for the 9mm chambering. I have some factory ammo and a small pile of components to give this thing a test if the weather improves.
|
|
|
Post by hammerdown77 on Feb 20, 2015 10:55:54 GMT -5
If the gun is as rough as you say, I'd call up S&W and tell them the condition is unacceptable for a Performance Center gun and ask them to take it in for warranty on their dime.
I've had good luck with S&W warranty returns. Biggest problem is actually getting someone on the phone sometimes.
As to the moonclips, for just range play, I really like the Rimz moonclips. They are polymer and easy to load unload by hand, without tools. For gun games and carry (not that I think I'd want to carry that gun), definitely use steel clips for more secure round retention; however, I've dropped loaded Rimz clips, had 'em in a pocket, and generally not been gentle with them, and have yet to drop a round.
|
|
|
Post by bearbait1 on Feb 20, 2015 11:35:50 GMT -5
Sean,
About the only way to think you got your money's worth out of a PC gun is to appreciate any differences in the gun design/appearance/features from the non-PC gun. Based on my 625PC and a lot of feedback on the s&w forums, the PC guns are just assembly line guns, with the same possible lack of attention or final QC as regular production guns. Mine had a couple of issues that would have never been let out of any real custom shop. I cleaned up my 625, and it is one of my favorite guns these days.
Craig
|
|
|
Post by revolvergeek on Feb 20, 2015 17:01:08 GMT -5
Sorry to read that it doesn't live up to expectations out of the box. I have been kind of curious about that model myself. I will be very interested to see how yours shoots once they get it sorted out.
Re: use of moon clips, I think that it is something about how S&W is cutting the chambers / throats on some of their modern auto cartridge firing revolvers. In the past I had a couple 25-2s and a 940 in the past that would shoot all day long without moon clips (no extraction of course, but all three would headspace and fire properly), but a modern 22-?5? that I had for a while recently would not work more than about 50% without moon clips. Depending on the bullet and crimp normally 3 or 4 of the chambers would allow the entire cartridge to move forward under recoil just enough to mark but not pop the primer.
|
|
|
Post by seancass on Feb 20, 2015 19:45:38 GMT -5
I don't want to be too harsh to this poor thing, I still kinda like it. Took some pics to show off the chamber situation: I think what i need is some 9mm Auto Rim. Or some 38 super? Maybe trimmed? Cutting 38 special off and fire-forming it crossed my mind, but it has to expand about 0.01in, so I'm guess it won't survive. But really, what is this? A 50lb trigger pull? spring kit to be ordered soon...
|
|
Fowler
.401 Bobcat
Posts: 3,566
|
Post by Fowler on Feb 20, 2015 20:58:59 GMT -5
I don't care who makes it, on any competition gun that isn't custom made such as a Clark Custom PPC gun will probably need a really good trigger job done to your tastes. I handled one of these at my local pushers when it first got there, the triggers was not impressive but my buddy who works there did a trigger job on it and it was magnificent when he was finished.
Get the trigger job and a pile of moon clips (load them at home at your leasure) and go have fun.
|
|
|
Post by savit260 on Feb 20, 2015 22:57:00 GMT -5
From what I've read on the S&W Forum, the 929's only ship with one moon clip (my 627 came with 3) and won't fire without using them. There's a couple of threads on the subject over there. I've been pleased with my PC627-5 V Comp which is kind of your 929's cousin. I felt the d/a trigger was a bit heavy/over sprung but smooth on mine right out of the box. I'm at 800 rounds down range with it now,( and a bunch of dry firing) and it feels pretty darned nice now. Seems to me that the spring started feeling "broken in" at about 400 rounds. Couldn't be happier with the way it shoots.
|
|
|
Post by seancass on Feb 21, 2015 18:27:02 GMT -5
Initial Range Report: She shoots! It was a beautiful day for a trip to the range. Really our first big snow fall of the year(some of you can hate me for that I guess). Sure don't want to waste daylight shoveling the drive! This was high-noon by the way, snow fall is making it look dark out I guess. My range companions for the day. 929 and 44M Vaquero. I shot some lead thru the 44 to see how much of it stayed in the barrel. A decent balance of heavy and light recoil to keep me busy for a few hours. Also pictured is my home-made demooner. It works pretty well, it might stick around instead of spending money on something else. I also found some of my brass clips in easily, others is near-impossible. Got luck and had a bunch of the easy stuff. I put about 200 rounds thru the 929. Very soft shooting, as one would expect. Very accurate. I'll need better weather and a bench to approach the limits of the accuracy. To the surprise of no one, it shoots. The trigger could still be a lot lighter and I think a spring kit will help that. I had two rounds fail to fire, but that might have been the ammo, they have decent looking strikes. We'll find out soon how she likes handloads. The internet had me believing I should run heavier bullets, like 147's, but these 115 and 124's shot just fine. Groups fired at 200 yards. Just seeing if you're reading this. The trigger is starting to feel more workable, don't know if it's me or the gun. Still heavier than I'd like. Oh, and when I got home, the neighbor told me to use his snowblower to do my drive. It's been a good day.
|
|
|
Post by savit260 on Feb 22, 2015 11:21:11 GMT -5
Pretty good shooting for 200 yards Double action right? Nice shooting.
|
|
|
Post by buckheart on Feb 22, 2015 20:49:47 GMT -5
Looks like you have a shooter there. My performance center 44 had serious leading issues. I sent it back to Smith & Wesson and since it's return it's been fine
|
|
|
Post by seancass on Feb 22, 2015 20:58:34 GMT -5
Looks like you have a shooter there. My performance center 44 had serious leading issues. I sent it back to Smith & Wesson and since it's return it's been fine What was the problem!? I haven't fired any lead yet, but I think I will. This thing will be too expensive to feed if I don't at least try it.
|
|
|
Post by buckheart on Feb 22, 2015 21:50:47 GMT -5
I believe it was the tooling marks on the forcing cone.
|
|