a468bu Posted May 11, 2015 Share Posted May 11, 2015 Ok I bought a 929 back in Feb. In that time it has been back to Smith 2 times. First time they replaced the barrel. The 2nd time they replaced the Cylinder. It shoots great groups at 20-25 feet. 50 ft the best group I can get can barely be covered by my hand. My friend also purchased one around the same time and is having the exact same issues. Smith has replaced the barrel on his as well. I might have chalked it up as to I'm just a bad shot. But I had 4 other people shoot the gun as well and they are unable to do any better. I have tried 5 different powders. 4 different weights and styles of bullets. Shooting offhand, shooting from a rest, etc. Just able everything imaginable. And I am just about fed up. Is anyone else out there having these problems? I can not imagine these are they only 2 guns doing this. Thanks Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Freeman Posted May 11, 2015 Share Posted May 11, 2015 Both of mine shoot bugholes at 50 yards with Zero 147s all the way down to Sierra 115s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MWP Posted May 11, 2015 Share Posted May 11, 2015 Try .357-.358 bullets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gregg K Posted May 11, 2015 Share Posted May 11, 2015 I wish I could shoot .358 in my 929 because it would simplify bullet purchases for my 627 and 929 if I could use the same but .358 bullets won't pass through my cylinder. .357's are snug but will pass. I'm afraid to use the Ti cylinder as a bullet swedge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatJones Posted May 11, 2015 Share Posted May 11, 2015 When shooting lead bullets, the correct size is the smallest bullet that will not drop feely though any of the cylinder throats. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seanc Posted May 11, 2015 Share Posted May 11, 2015 I wish I could shoot .358 in my 929 because it would simplify bullet purchases for my 627 and 929 if I could use the same but .358 bullets won't pass through my cylinder. .357's are snug but will pass. I'm afraid to use the Ti cylinder as a bullet swedge. What is conventional wisdom on this? I have read conflicting things about this being good or bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gregg K Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 I have to gently tap .357 bullets through the cylinder but with some pretty good hits with a squib rod I couldn't drive a .358 through and just reversed them back out. I don't think there is much data out there with the use of a Ti cylinder and didn't want to be the test subject. Rough measurements of the bore after slugging the barrel seem to indicate a .357 bore but I don't have the proper tools to do a precise measurement of a 5 flute bore. Most of the 5 flute v anvil micrometers run around $400 to $700 so I'll have to settle for a rough guess. There is another way to measure accurately with a 108 degree V block but I don't have that either. All that said .357 bullets shoot fine and are accurate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seanc Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 I have to gently tap .357 bullets through the cylinder but with some pretty good hits with a squib rod I couldn't drive a .358 through and just reversed them back out. I don't think there is much data out there with the use of a Ti cylinder and didn't want to be the test subject. Rough measurements of the bore after slugging the barrel seem to indicate a .357 bore but I don't have the proper tools to do a precise measurement of a 5 flute bore. Most of the 5 flute v anvil micrometers run around $400 to $700 so I'll have to settle for a rough guess. There is another way to measure accurately with a 108 degree V block but I don't have that either. All that said .357 bullets shoot fine and are accurate. Interesting. I was just playing around with mine, .357 bullets go through all mine, I can easily push them through with a pencil, barely any force required. A coated 358 does not fall freely through but it wouldn't take much to get it through either... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peterthefish Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 I'll echo .357 sized bullets being the key to accuracy in mine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sp00ky Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 I found the .357 158grs. jacketed or plated bullets to be more accurate in my 929. .358 lead bullets would not fall through the cylinder, .357 would. I could be wrong, but I think S&W just simplied production and used the 627 cylinders and chambered them for 9mm. Makes sense to keep production costs down. I couldn't get decent accuracy at all with 115grs .355 9mm bullets. 147grs .355 bullets would give me acceptable accuracy. Longer, heavier bullets worked best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisC Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 Greg has an early 929 so it may not be the same as the later ones. I know of a fee that have been checked by gunsmiths and they are not 9mm barrels or cylinders. They are all recent production guns. The early ones might be .355's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a468bu Posted May 12, 2015 Author Share Posted May 12, 2015 Well I wrote to S&W and they are telling me to send it back for the 3rd time. What do you think they will do about it this time? I am really frustrated with this situation. The firearm was $1,000+, Moonclips $$$, Mooner tool $$$, Brass I bought just for use in this gun $$$. I just cant believe they are letting these guns out the door like this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sp00ky Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 Mine was an early one with .355 bore. I can't understand why new barrels would be .357 bores. I'm done sending mine back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seanc Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 Mine was an early one with .355 bore. I can't understand why new barrels would be .357 bores. I'm done sending mine back. On the one hand, seeing what is being let out the door nothing would suprise me, on the other hand I would be surprised if they were really going out as 357. Like Greg said, acutally measuring it properly is not a simple thing to do and the engineer i talked to at smith said they are true 9mm (.355) barrels. Its not a 357 with a 9mm chamber. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a468bu Posted May 12, 2015 Author Share Posted May 12, 2015 Mine was an early one with .355 bore. I can't understand why new barrels would be .357 bores. I'm done sending mine back. So you have also sent yours back? What was done? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sp00ky Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 (edited) Sent it back cause it wasn't accurate enough IMO. They said 2" groups @ 25 yds Ransom Rested with factory Win 147 grs ammo was more than acceptable, then it was sent back. I get it's not a custom gun, I assumed wrong, thinking it should do that @ 50 yds. Edited May 12, 2015 by sp00ky Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
357454 Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 My first 929 was scrapped when I returned it to the factory, the replacement they sent me exhibited accuracy and ejection issues until I tried a suggestion on this forum to load 160 gr .357 diameter cast bullets along with VV N320 powder. The gun now groups @ 1" at 20 yards with easy extraction. In my testing I found that many of the traditional 9mm loads and data exhibited accuracy and extraction issues. Should you return your gun to the factory again ask them to provide you witht the specs for the ammo they use for accuracy testing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seanc Posted May 13, 2015 Share Posted May 13, 2015 My first 929 was scrapped when I returned it to the factory, the replacement they sent me exhibited accuracy and ejection issues until I tried a suggestion on this forum to load 160 gr .357 diameter cast bullets along with VV N320 powder. The gun now groups @ 1" at 20 yards with easy extraction. In my testing I found that many of the traditional 9mm loads and data exhibited accuracy and extraction issues. Should you return your gun to the factory again ask them to provide you witht the specs for the ammo they use for accuracy testing! what did you settle on for an over all length? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
357454 Posted May 13, 2015 Share Posted May 13, 2015 My first 929 was scrapped when I returned it to the factory, the replacement they sent me exhibited accuracy and ejection issues until I tried a suggestion on this forum to load 160 gr .357 diameter cast bullets along with VV N320 powder. The gun now groups @ 1" at 20 yards with easy extraction. In my testing I found that many of the traditional 9mm loads and data exhibited accuracy and extraction issues. Should you return your gun to the factory again ask them to provide you witht the specs for the ammo they use for accuracy testing! what did you settle on for an over all length? OAL is 1.160" + - .005 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a468bu Posted June 12, 2015 Author Share Posted June 12, 2015 Well got my 929 back from its 3rd trip back to smith. This time they replaced the barrel and the cylinder again. Both for the 2nd time. I took for a short trip to the range this evening and it seems to be better. Not quite sure yet as it's been a long day and I didn't feel as if I was shooting my best tonight. I got some different loads worked up and I'm going to try and do some testing over the weekend. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a468bu Posted June 14, 2015 Author Share Posted June 14, 2015 Well did some testing last night and the results were fantastic. I had different loads worked up using 147gr blue bullets. I tried power pistol, cfe, and titegroup. The titegroup was the best but I could barely extract them. Using 3.0 grs of tg. Oal of 1.145 and using new starline brass. Any suggestions? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seanc Posted June 14, 2015 Share Posted June 14, 2015 Well did some testing last night and the results were fantastic. I had different loads worked up using 147gr blue bullets. I tried power pistol, cfe, and titegroup. The titegroup was the best but I could barely extract them. Using 3.0 grs of tg. Oal of 1.145 and using new starline brass. Any suggestions? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk What headstamp brass? I have best luck with federal, winchester, speer and blazer. I'm using 2.7-8 of titegroup with a 160 coated bullet, but loading to 1.17 COAL and they do not stick at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a468bu Posted June 14, 2015 Author Share Posted June 14, 2015 Brand new star line. I read some people had problems with it while others none at all. I'm thinking of trying a longer oal Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seanc Posted June 14, 2015 Share Posted June 14, 2015 Brand new star line. I read some people had problems with it while others none at all. I'm thinking of trying a longer oal Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk ... Try different brass... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peterthefish Posted June 14, 2015 Share Posted June 14, 2015 Brand new star line. I read some people had problems with it while others none at all. I'm thinking of trying a longer oal Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk ... Try different brass... May extract better once the brass has been shot and cleaned once. That load is similar to mine and shouldn't cause issues on its own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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