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S&W 629 Question

danski26danski26 Member Posts: 284 ✭✭✭
edited July 2005 in Ask the Experts
I have a S&W 629 with the 5 3/4 inch barell. I bought it new last year from a retailer. I have spent the last year trying to get it to shoot well enough to hunt with and i'm at the end of my rope!

I have tried 2 factory loads, 4 different powders, 8 different projectiles, I have slugged the barell, i have tried cast .430 and .431 size kieth bullets AND i have sent it back to smith once. They said everything A-OK!

The best i can get it to shoot is 5 inch groups at 25 yards. Thats off a bench rest with the iron sites. I'm not the best shot in the world but my superblackhawk shoots great for me, 2 inches or better at 25.

Why won't this smith shoot!!!!!!!!

Is this the kind of accuracy to expect from smith??????

danski
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    richbugrichbug Member Posts: 3,650
    edited November -1
    I get better accuracy than that with my 2.5" 686. If you can find someone with a ransom rest try that. It may just be that it is not a grip that you can shoot accurately. the Ransom will tell.


    Did you measure the throats? Ideally they should be slightly larger than your projectiles. I had a problem with a ruger that had .427" throats, and leaded terribly and gave poor accuarcy.
    .
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    danski26danski26 Member Posts: 284 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    The .430's did not lead "except with 800x". I could shoot all day with those with no prob with lead.

    I did have two of my buddies try it off the bench with the same results as me. Wish i had a ransom rest....that would tell me for sure.

    I will go clean it up and measure the throats.

    danski
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    danski26danski26 Member Posts: 284 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Chamber throats measure .429 inches

    danski
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    danski26danski26 Member Posts: 284 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    No one can tell me there experience with a smith 629??????

    danski
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    William81William81 Member Posts: 24,603 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    My 629 was good for under 2.5" at 25 yards with ammo it liked. It did 4-7 with ammo it did not.

    I tried every major brand of ammo in all sorts of configurations. I finally settled on Federal American Eagle in 240 gr. or Federal 180 gr. JHP.






    Guns only have two enemies: Rust and Liberals....
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    forthhorsemanforthhorseman Member Posts: 656 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I've used Winchester 210gr Super X Silvertip HPs in mine and consistently fired sub 3" groups at 25yds.
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    roysharoysha Member Posts: 749 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Since the 629 is probably my all time favorite handgun, it disappoints me when someone has a problem with one. My experience has lead (no pun intended)me to some conclusions that may or may not apply to your situation. First, virtually every stainless handgun I have ever owned has taken from 250 to 1000 or rounds to slick up the barrel so it doesn't copper foul or lead up. I won't use the term "break in barrel" since there are some here who don't believe in it and I don't want to beat a dead horse. If you shot some full house factory jacketed ammo and didn't thoroughly clean the barrel before shooting lead there could be a bit of a fouling problem. Likewise, if you shot lead and did not completely remove any trace of lead before firing jacketed ammo, this can cause inaccuracy also. The old BS about shooting a few jacketed bullets to clean the barrel after shooting lead bullets is, in my opinion, just that, BS!
    I realize this is a serious pain to do but my recommendation to you is to obtain 200-300 or so good Keith style cast bullets, load with 10grs. Unique, and go to the range with a Lewis lead remover, Hoppes #9, JB Bore Cleaner and a batch of flannel patches. Shoot 6 rds and pull the barrel with the Lewis patch. Do this until only a minimal amount of lead comes out with the Lewis patch. Also swab with Hoppes and run a tight patch of JB back and forth several times after pulling the barrel. When not a lot of lead is coming out after 6 rds, do 12, and so on. I had a 4506 that took nearly 20 8-shot clips before I could go to 2 clips, but when I finished, I was able to shoot 1000 rds or more between cleanings of the barrel. Using a 700X load in the 4506, I ran a series of 1756 rds, (cast 200gr.SWC) before I had a bobble and the accuracy never did fall off. Gun just got too dirty!
    With my current 629-1, (retired my first one) I have to clean the charge holes after 600-700 rds and nearly all the lead, which is a very small amount right at the throat, pushes out with a tight patch and Hoppes. I doubt that a Ransome rest would show any difference and even if it did, I don't imagine that you would want to carry one around while you were hunting.[:D]

    "What you do ultimately means nothing, and you could be replaced tomorrow by the first passing cretin." Corinne Maier
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    danski26danski26 Member Posts: 284 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Around 300 kieth through it, 100 305gr tc, 100 240 gr swc, 100 speer gold dot 240sp, 100 180gr xtp, 100 300gr xtp. I do use the lewis lead remover "great tool" and sweets 7.62 for the copper fouling.

    I think that the barell wont get "seasoned" anymore.

    I did try that 10 gr of unique load....nice mild fun load.

    I don't think it is that the barell leads and accuracy is lost the accuracy has not been there in the first place.

    danski
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