# S&W 629 failure



## Quack Addict (Aug 10, 2006)

I got these pics of a S&W 629 in an email. The claim was this was caused by "Chinese made ammo". 

Regardless, any ideas what would cause this? Only thing that comes to mind for me is the primers weren't properly seated on either factory or hand-loaded ammo.

Thoughts?


----------



## Rustyaxecamp (Mar 1, 2005)

I would think more like a careless handloader vs any factory stuff.....


----------



## UNREEL (Jun 8, 2007)

Exactly why you should never shoot hotloads out of a 629. Top strap just isn't strong enough. I have seen a few of those over the years.

Rugers can handle them, because of their construction. The loads I run out of my Super Redhawk can never go through my Smith...


----------



## Matt V (Dec 8, 2004)

I had the exact same thing happen to me quite a few year's ago. The only difference was the top strap on mine was bent straight up. I think mine was a bad reload.


----------



## Mags (Apr 10, 2002)

Even though S & W revamped their revolvers in 1989, I would still only use normal factory ammo in them, or reloads that aren't loaded to specs beyond factory ammo. For any "hotter" loads, the Ruger is still demonstrably stronger built to handle them, but even with a Ruger you don't want to use something too nutso of a load for risk of ruining the weapon and causing injury to the shooter and/or bystanders.


----------



## Gil Martin (Jan 18, 2003)

It would be interesting to know exactly what caused this failure. I doubt that high primers were the cause. All the best...
Gil


----------



## Quack Addict (Aug 10, 2006)

UNREEL said:


> Exactly why you should never shoot hotloads out of a 629. Top strap just isn't strong enough. I have seen a few of those over the years.
> 
> Rugers can handle them, because of their construction. The loads I run out of my Super Redhawk can never go through my Smith...



Here's a piece of the response I penned back to my friend:



> I give it 3 replies before someone chimes in about how Rugers are superior to Smiths...


It took 2 :lol:

How would a "hotload" make 3 cartridges go off almost simultaneously (look at pics closely)? Ruger, Smith or Freedom Arms, I don't see where it would matter.

I'm guessing they were handloads - pill looks like a 240gr Hornady XTP.


----------



## UPhiker (Jul 13, 2008)

I laugh about all these people that hotload their 44mag Rugers. The 44mag is so yesterday. If they were really manly, they'd have 454's, 460's, 475's and 500's.


----------



## tc scout (Jan 25, 2008)

Be my guess they were handloads, way too hot! Maybe even the wrong powder. Looks like the first cartridge exploded rupturing the cylinder which in turn ruptured the other two cartridges cases setting them off. 
JMHO


----------



## UNREEL (Jun 8, 2007)

tc scout said:


> Be my guess they were handloads, way too hot! Maybe even the wrong powder. Looks like the first cartridge exploded rupturing the cylinder which in turn ruptured the other two cartridges cases setting them off.
> JMHO


 
Kinda what I'm thinkin..

Quack, it's got nothing to do with one gun being "better" than the other.

I prefer my 629, hands down, over my SR or SBH any day. Just framework of the gun is all..


----------



## 454casull (Jan 6, 2005)

Saw those at the store a few months ago. Old pics. From my understanding it was a mis-us of a very fast powder. The Smith can take "some" abuse but if you want to produce 454 casull, 460 or 500S&W ballistics then GET ONE OF THOSE! My model 29s see a steady diet of 240gr Sierras on top of 24.6 of 110. No issue here. If I want to shoot 300+ I use the 454. Choose the right tool for the right job. I love my Smith from the feel down to the looks. No better looking DA revolver made in my opinion....


----------



## tc scout (Jan 25, 2008)

tc scout said:


> Be my guess they were handloads, way too hot! Maybe even the wrong powder. Looks like the first cartridge exploded rupturing the cylinder which in turn ruptured the other two cartridges cases setting them off.
> JMHO


This was not a case of "its the Gun", probably would have happened to
any make of revolver. I have a 686, although its only a 357 I don't run hot loads in it.

If you want to push the envelope in any caliber, IMO better get yourself a Contender or Encore.

Once this topic started, we all knew the comments would come about "my gun/make or model is better/stronger than yours". And this wouldn't have happened in my gun.

IMO it was a DUMB handloader


----------



## Quack Addict (Aug 10, 2006)

UNREEL said:


> Quack, it's got nothing to do with one gun being "better" than the other.


No offense taken, just a bit of an inside joke between some of my friends about how the Ruger crew looks down their nose a bit at Smith owners. I always find the "Ruger trigger job" funny... sit on the couch for a couple hours while watching a Football game or Nascar race and dry fire the Ruger about 20k times to get it close to the way a S&W feels out of the box... :lol:

I'm with 454Casull on this - a handloader shouldn't try to turn a cartridge into something it was never meant to be... even Elmer Keith blew up a couple *strong framed* pistols with wicked-hot 44 Spl loads, which is why we now have the 44 Mag. 




tc scout said:


> IMO it was a DUMB handloader


Yeah - the more I look at the pics the more I am starting to think this was an instance of a handloader putting to use the infamous compressed Blue Dot load in a weapon that wasn't worthy 

If it is a Hornady XTP in the pic, it totally takes the wheels off the "Chinese ammo" claim for me.


----------



## Beaglernr (Dec 1, 2002)

I saw the results from something like this a some time ago, a fellas "friend" was giving him some hot loads, he bent the frame in a Blackhawk and said Rugers were no good cause they could not take the load. He picked up a S & W 629 to take the great hunting load. His first round was ok, second round the gun was sticky, third round the gun looked quite a bit like the one in the picture. It seems his "friend" was trying to make duplex loads like the original Casull loads were.


----------



## Rustyaxecamp (Mar 1, 2005)

UNREEL said:


> Kinda what I'm thinkin..
> 
> Quack, it's got nothing to do with one gun being "better" than the other.
> 
> I prefer my 629, hands down, over my SR or SBH any day. Just framework of the gun is all..


exactly.


----------



## jmoser (Sep 11, 2002)

I own quite a few S&Ws and use them exclusively where DA is desired or required, no other gun can come close. I even have 2 converted to DAO with roller bearing hammer strut followers for competition.

BUT - 

1] A Ruger SRH, GP100, or Redhawk DA is a much much stronger gun
2] Same for Blackhawk in SA
3] My SRH and GP100 DAs would surprise you as to how smooth and light they are vs. a S&W

and most importantly

4] In a hunting gun that will be fired Single Action only 99.99% of the time what difference is a better DA pull ?? In hindsight I wish I had a Super Blackhawk SA vs the SRH DA in .44 mag.

For the more powerful .44, .45, .454 and up magnum level loads I will take the stronger heavier gun every day of the week.


----------



## HTC (Oct 6, 2005)

jmoser said:


> I own quite a few S&Ws and use them exclusively where DA is desired or required, no other gun can come close. I even have 2 converted to DAO with roller bearing hammer strut followers for competition.
> 
> BUT -
> 
> ...


A good list there. If you gave me the opportunity I would add Dan Wesson to it.


----------

