627/327 cylinder in a 929?

[MuayThaiJJ]

Is this possible? I really love my 929, but I'd like to shoot 38SPL in an 8rd cylinder without buying another revolver.

thanks!
N

[MWP]

They’re different length cylinders. Around 1/8”. 

[MuayThaiJJ]

Ah, so I might need to shorten a 627 cylinder, I assume. Hopefully long enough to house 38SPL wadcutters

[MWP]

Setting up a Smith for a second cylinder is tough- which usually means expensive. You have to time a second cylinder to the existing hand. In theory you could find a 627 cylinder with ratchets cut large enough to be cut to that hand, but most likely a brand new ratchet needs fitted.
 

Then you have the yoke. The rear “depths” of the 929 and 627 cylinders are different, which means the yokes aren’t the same length. So now a second yoke would have to be fitted to the 929 frame. Yokes are a controlled part, the factory won’t sell them. Most likely you’d end up searching eBay or buying a complete but cut up gun for that.
 

None of these things should be taken on by an amateur. By the time you’re done, a yoke is probably 150$, cylinder and new star is 200$, machining cylinder, hand cutting 8 separate timing ratchets, refitting yoke and putting the entire thing together into a gun that works- let alone a different POA/POI, you’re easily at the cost of a 627. 

[MWP]

I went down this route early on when the 929s came out. Since 9mm is tapered it’s doesn’t really get along with a tapered chamber in a revolver and nothing holding it in place. I was planning to chop a 627 cylinder down to 929 length. Good thing I pulled the barrel out and tried to fit the 357 cylinder to the 929 yoke and frame before cutting it- it was so far forward the firing pin wouldn’t even mark the primers. 

There’s still a handful of California 929 shooters using short colt in their 9mm guns rather than dealing with the headache that was 9mm in the early 929s. A lot less complaints about them the past few years. 
 

Lots of options for you though. Fitting a 929 barrel to a 627. Finding a 6-6.5” model 27 barrel. Although a 5” 627 still has the same sight radius as a 6” 1911, I’m not sure the long 929 barrels are the advantage they’re perceived to be.

 

There are titanium 327/627 cylinders out in the wild, they’re just getting really tough to come by these days. 

[Toolguy]

I fitted a 627 cylinder to my 929. Didn't seem that big a deal. Now I can shoot 9mm or 38 out of it just by trading cylinders. I never have shot 9mm in it yet, but it works fine with 38s.

[MuayThaiJJ]

1 hour ago, Toolguy said:

I fitted a 627 cylinder to my 929. Didn't seem that big a deal. Now I can shoot 9mm or 38 out of it just by trading cylinders. I never have shot 9mm in it yet, but it works fine with 38s.

 Warren, can you please tell me how you did it? I have a good machinist I work with. Thanks

Edited May 9, 2023 by MuayThaiJJ

[Toolguy]

I faced off the front on the lathe and fit the cylinder gap to the barrel and the cylinder to the crane. The headspace stays the same on the back side.

[MWP]

1 hour ago, Toolguy said:

I fitted a 627 cylinder to my 929. Didn't seem that big a deal. Now I can shoot 9mm or 38 out of it just by trading cylinders. I never have shot 9mm in it yet, but it works fine with 38s.

Oh it’s doable. Especially for you. Did you cut the cylinder down? Are you on the same yoke as the 929 cylinder? 
 

I haven’t sat down and compared a newer 929 to one of the original ones, but considering I don’t hear about the issues we used to hear about with them and in the interest of making parts easier to manufacture they standardized things between the 929 and 627s. 

[Toolguy]

Yes. Same yoke. All I have to do is trade cylinders. It's about a 2 minute changeover. I expect they are standardizing things between the 929 and 627. It would make sense to do that. Older ones might need more fitting.

 

The cylinder isn't that much shorter. A full length 38 Special works fine with any (normal) bullet.

Edited May 9, 2023 by Toolguy

[MWP]

3 hours ago, Toolguy said:

Yes. Same yoke. All I have to do is trade cylinders. It's about a 2 minute changeover. I expect they are standardizing things between the 929 and 627. It would make sense to do that. Older ones might need more fitting.

 

The cylinder isn't that much shorter. A full length 38 Special works fine with any (normal) bullet.

That’s great to hear. When the 929s came out we tried all sorts of things to try to get them to work. 627-4 cylinders, 357 mag cylinders. Hopefully they’re getting better. 
 

Having a gun that could go back and forth would be pretty cool. 

[MuayThaiJJ]

Ok guys, I got a 627 cylinder ordered from S&W. Any tips on where I can find the rest of the cylinder assembly (minus yoke)?

[MWP]

12 minutes ago, MuayThaiJJ said:

Ok guys, I got a 627 cylinder ordered from S&W. Any tips on where I can find the rest of the cylinder assembly (minus yoke)?

Check eBay and Numrich. 

[Pseudonym]

1 hour ago, MuayThaiJJ said:

Ok guys, I got a 627 cylinder ordered from S&W. Any tips on where I can find the rest of the cylinder assembly (minus yoke)?

You could get them from S&W where you ordered the cylinder, or as suggested e-bay and Numrich. I have also had good luck and service  with Jack Fist Gun Parts.

[MuayThaiJJ]

Ok, I am going all in on this project, guys. I just ordered these parts from S&W:

• 627 fluted cylinder
• extractor
• extractor rod
• extractor spring
• extractor rod collar
• center pin
• center pin spring

Anything else I need? Also, according to the only schematic I could find on N-frames, they also show these parts (S&W customer services says they don't see these): extractor pins and gas ring. Are these needed? @Toolguy @MWP

[Toolguy]

The extractor pins and gas ring are for older models. You don't need those. The cylinder should come with an extractor, but it never hurts to have an extra.

Edited May 9, 2023 by Toolguy

[MuayThaiJJ]

It works! Thanks guys