S&W 929 Revolver arrived (update)

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This is how it looks after 1500 rounds of which about 1000 were on the plate rack indoors. Things have smoothed out quite a bit. The opening problem was related to the front detent ball which with wear in and some grease is a lot better.
The red dot scope is mounted on a weaver base, the gun is shown in a ghost holster from Double Tap on my CR speed belt. I ordered 100 moon clips from Revolver Supply in US and split them up between the 4 of us that bought this model.
The insides have been polished as well as the trigger face, the revolver as purchased came with a Wolff main spring, I only replaced the rebound spring with the middle weight one from a Wolff set. The lightest one was not quick enough on trigger return.
My old ppc speed loader works for the moon clips for now.

One of the owners found a piece of tubing with the correct ID for 9mm and made a moon clip casing remover by trimming the edge to about 1/4 of original circumference. I have done this before for the 625s I owned. Unloading the moon clip is very quick now.
If I could just get a side plate without the name on it I would be quite happy with my purchase. The gun is mine, not his.

The other three 929 owners are also happy with their purchase. Only one other has spent time on the plate rack though.





I purchased it last Thursday from The Powder Keg and it arrived Tuesday. On Wednesday three shooters and me put about 200 rounds through it and I have this as comments:
- although size does matter in handguns the N frame does not feel any larger than the L frames I own
- the fact that it is 2 ounces lighter than a 6 " 686 is noticeable. The titanium cylinder contributing greatly to the weight reduction over a standard N frame
- with 8 plated round nose bullets in the full moon clip reloading is very quick
- the trigger is the worst I have ever had from smith and wesson and i have owned around a dozen of their revolvers however this can be worked on. Just a surprise as this is my first performance model and I expected more. I have an extra Wolff set of springs so I will polish the insides and replace the sprins after a thousand rounds.
- the cylinder did not release very well initially but I think it is getting better over time.
- it will fit in my old Ernie Hill holster so I don't have to go hunting for another holster.
- I threw some reloads together just wanting to get some trigger time but the load proved to be very accurate. On the third moon clip I made a rather large ragged hole at 15 yards. Not my best performance but looks promising.
- I have the weaver 401 base on the way to mount on it and Wholesale had a sale on scopes so I picked up another pro point for it.
- I ordered 25 full moon clips from the US and they are shipping them across the border.
- and this probably speaks volumes. The other three shooters who fired it each found their own 929 and purchased them this week and they are on the way.
- looks like ithere is going to be a lot of rattling steel targets in the next couple of weeks.
- we have a plate rack indoors so I will have to settle for that on Monday.

929 is center between my two L frames I had out for comparison.

 
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I got mine a few months ago and had to nearly sell my soul to get it (well, traded away a 625 but that's pretty much the same thing).

I'm just getting into revolvers so I'm no aficionado, but I do like my 929. I find the trigger is "OK" but certainly doesn't feel like some of the worked on triggers on other guys' revolvers I've tried at the club. Interestingly enough I found the same thing with the cylinder being finicky to open the first 10-15 full rounds (binding up after firing and very hard to open) but that seems to have solved itself with a few hundred rounds' us.

I really want to change the front sight for fibre optic, but it proving very hard to find one. I wrote to HiViz and they quoted me a part number but said its a bit taller than the factory 929 blade and my rear sight "should have enough adjustment". So I'm still looking and would take any suggestions or tips!
 
I got mine a few months ago and had to nearly sell my soul to get it (well, traded away a 625 but that's pretty much the same thing).

Too bad you couldn't have kept the 625. Yes, the 929 is a nice revolver but if I could only keep one….the 929 would be gone.
The trigger on my 625 is so smooth in both single/double action and balances perfectly in my hands.
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That 625 looks sweet. I've a model 25 in 45 Colt that is a very nice shooter. I take it that the short cylinder and set back barrel makes for less OAL?

I've been looking at 9mm revolver, but after finally working up some nice 357 target loads, I find the 9mm cylinder for my Blackhawk just leaves me flat uninterested. I appreciate that these are competition guns and not as much for plinkery, though.
 
Plinkery!? Someone call? The set back on the 625 is because of the short .45 acp case. (they still look odd with that massive air gap between the bottom of the cylinder and the frame imho) Come on .45 hardball in a wheel gun...what's not to love?

My autocorrect did that. I thought it was cute ;)

The short cylinders lend a unique look. I don't mind it. Plus you get a longer barrel that looks a bit shorter.

If you can shoot a (6)25 without moon clips I could get into that.

Sorry for going OT.
 
My autocorrect did that. I thought it was cute ;)

The short cylinders lend a unique look. I don't mind it. Plus you get a longer barrel that looks a bit shorter.

If you can shoot a (6)25 without moon clips I could get into that.

Sorry for going OT.

I agree with the unique looks.
I've never tried my 625 without moon-clips but even if they weren't required I'd still use them. Load up all the MC's before heading out to the range, pop them in, pop them out…brass stays neatly together.
 
My autocorrect did that. I thought it was cute ;)

The short cylinders lend a unique look. I don't mind it. Plus you get a longer barrel that looks a bit shorter.

If you can shoot a (6)25 without moon clips I could get into that.

Sorry for going OT.

Hello Mark. My 625 will shoot with or without Moon clips. I typically use the polymer Ez moon clips, because they are
easy to use, and require no tools.
Both the 929/986 do however; require the use of Moon clips. Unfortunately, no one makes the polymer moon clips for
the 9mm at this time, that I am aware of.
 
TK Custom moon clips for the 929 and 986, they are OEM for S&W. FYI
And they ship to Canukstan.
Spoil yourself with a BMT mooner tool and thank me later.
 
I bought my moons from Unique, they seemed to have the best price. I got my 929 last summer and I was not too pleased with the overall condition of the gun, burrs etc. Murray told me that is the new standard because it's all done CNC with little handwork allowed. I cleaned it up and polished the trigger parts and changed the rebound spring to get a lighter action. Barrel looks like a sewer pipe inside, almost wish I didn't have a bore scope. Seems to shoot ok but I don't have a lot through it yet. I tend to shoot at 25m most often.
 
I bought my moons from Unique, they seemed to have the best price. I got my 929 last summer and I was not too pleased with the overall condition of the gun, burrs etc. Murray told me that is the new standard because it's all done CNC with little handwork allowed. I cleaned it up and polished the trigger parts and changed the rebound spring to get a lighter action. Barrel looks like a sewer pipe inside, almost wish I didn't have a bore scope. Seems to shoot ok but I don't have a lot through it yet. I tend to shoot at 25m most often.
Don't feel bad. I'm also not impressed with Performance Center. Seems like mine was rushed out the door.

Mine went to Murray Charlton for inspection. Muzzle crown was dinged/burred and wasn't too impressed with the bore either.
Accuracy was mediocre at best for @ 25 yds. I have a CZ TS 9mm and K-38 that will shoot tighter than my 929.

Will let everyone know when it returns from MC.
 
Don't feel bad. I'm also not impressed with Performance Center. Seems like mine was rushed out the door.

Mine went to Murray Charlton for inspection. Muzzle crown was dinged/burred and wasn't too impressed with the bore either.
Accuracy was mediocre at best for @ 25 yds. I have a CZ TS 9mm and K-38 that will shoot tighter than my 929.

Will let everyone know when it returns from MC.

I wonder if the crowns are a result of this EDM rifling process, as both my 66 and 69 looks like they need the crowns cleaned up. You'd think they'd chamfer the things, at least. Perhaps smith doesn't think "combat" revolvers need these little touches?
 
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