S&W 929: the front screw on the rear sight keeps coming loose

[ysrracer]

Can I just loctite it in place?

[Mcfoto]

Yes. My 627 has the same disease. 

[alecmc]

Yes, nearly every screw on a revolver should receive a bit of blue or purple lock tite. 

 

[RePete]

I've never used LocTite on any of my revolvers and they have never come loose.

[PatJones]

I've never used LocTite on any of my revolvers and they have never come loose.

There is a drop of blue on my strain screw, that's it.

If you must Loctite the little screws, use 222 the low strength variety.

--
Pat Jones
Firestone CO
USPSA #A79592

[IHAVEGAS]

I do not know of any reason to be scared of Loctite. Maybe you folks can educate me though. 

 

Haven't done it on the 929 yet but on another gun I've used the technique shown except held a screwdriver tip to what I wanted to heat with some needle nose pliers and put the torch on the screwdriver tip. Have also been told that melting beeswax on the screw in question can work but do not have any experience with this. 

 

I've owned 2 older Harleys and an air cooled BMW twin, the first time something comes loose it gets the juice.

 

https://www.henkel-adhesives.com/us/en/insights/all-insights/blog/how-to-remove-red-threadlocker.html

 

Edit: And yea, on my 929 I've put blue on the same screw for the same reason. 

Edited August 24, 2020 by IHAVEGAS

[triplesinglestack]

Used blue in most of my screws and have no problems when it's time to take it apart.

 

Jason

[Toolguy]

The purple 222 and the blue 242 don't require any heat to remove the screws. Just a regular screwdriver works fine. I don't understand why some people are so paranoid about using the correct grade of Loctite. Just because one person doesn't need it dosen't mean someone else wouldn't benefit from it. Ultimately, everyone has to make their own decisions.  Personally, I use Loctite a lot with no problems.

[alecmc]

1 hour ago, Toolguy said:

The purple 222 and the blue 242 don't require any heat to remove the screws. Just a regular screwdriver works fine. I don't understand why some people are so paranoid about using the correct grade of Loctite. Just because one person doesn't need it dosen't mean someone else wouldn't benefit from it. Ultimately, everyone has to make their own decisions.  Personally, I use Loctite a lot with no problems.

 

Yup. This.

 

 

You dont have a problem with it loosening.....until you do.

 

I prefer to take the proper precautions to give myself the best chance of success. 

[RePete]

15 hours ago, PatJones said:

There is a drop of blue on my strain screw, that's it.

If you must Loctite the little screws, use 222 the low strength variety.

--
Pat Jones
Firestone CO
USPSA #A79592
 

The people using LocTite on the strain screw have used it to lessen the pressure on the mainspring rather than shortening the screw.

 

A better method than LocTite would be to perform this job.

 

 

Edited August 24, 2020 by RePete

[IHAVEGAS]

54 minutes ago, RePete said:

The people using LocTite on the strain screw have used it to lessen the pressure on the mainspring rather than shortening the screw.

 

A better method than LocTite would be to perform this job.

 

 

 

And then use Loctite on the new screw I suppose.

 

Don't most folks just bend the spring?

[Toolguy]

Most folks don't KNOW that you can just bend the spring. That's what Wolff does. Their #2 spring is just a #1 with a bend in it. You can bend either one of them to make it the other one.

Edited August 24, 2020 by Toolguy

[MikeBurgess]

19 minutes ago, Toolguy said:

Most folks don't KNOW that you can just bend the spring. That's what Wolff does. Their #2 spring is just a #1 with a bend in it. You can bend either one of them to make it the other one.

The ones that do may also find that it is easier to adjust a strain screw then to bend a spring, 

[IHAVEGAS]

51 minutes ago, MikeBurgess said:

The ones that do may also find that it is easier to adjust a strain screw then to bend a spring, 

 

On the subject, tracing an outline of the spring before you bend it is handy. 

[Drillbit]

I'd like to here more about this "spring bending."  What is the process?  

[RePete]

I made a jig to bend the springs.  A 3"x3"x1" block of aluminium, drilled 2 holes about 3/4" apart and drove in 2 roll pins.  Hook the spring in 1 and use the other to perform the bend gently and slow for the desired effect.

[ysrracer]

11 minutes ago, RePete said:

I made a jig to bend the springs.  A 3"x3"x1" block of aluminium, drilled 2 holes about 3/4" apart and drove in 2 roll pins.  Hook the spring in 1 and use the other to perform the bend gently and slow for the desired effect.

 

Can you post a picture?

 

Please?

[RePete]

31 minutes ago, ysrracer said:

 

Can you post a picture?

 

Please?

I can't because I can't find the jig.  I haven't used it in 10 years and it may be gone.

[Mcfoto]

I’ve heard the best method is to put the spring in a vise, and bang with closest heavy hand tool. Rinse and repeat...

[IHAVEGAS]

The way my revolver smith showed me was.

 

1. Trace the outline of the spring so you know how much you bend it.

 

2. Use whatever is handy to stick the spring in (he used an old metal filing cabinet drawer if memory serves) and bend it. 

 

This is not brain surgery. 

[Toolguy]

I just hold the bottom end in hand, put the top (hook) end on the bench and thumb in the middle. That gives it a big radius. You don't want tight bends in a mainspring. You can make it more bent or straighter that way.

[Carmoney]

On 8/28/2020 at 1:39 PM, Toolguy said:

I just hold the bottom end in hand, put the top (hook) end on the bench and thumb in the middle. That gives it a big radius. You don't want tight bends in a mainspring. You can make it more bent or straighter that way.

 

Exactly.