I bought a new 629-5 3" bbl. right at 4 years ago, It is a Lou Horton special. This is my concealed carry handgun.
At first I was just as happy as could be with it. Then the thing started having problems,
1) top strap flame cutting way more than normal,
2) the cylinder face had to be squared, stoned, to clean the burn marks of the face.
a year or so goes by,
I had to take this one back to my smith to see how to get the cylinder crane out! he could not either because the cylinder pin is bent somehow, along with the crane, and it is out of time to boot. So it goes back to S&W. It comes back in 12 days, next day I take it to the range, shoot it about 75 times, alot of cylinder dragging and locking up. I was able to fool around with it and shoot that much, but finally it locks up tight. It also does this with an empty cylinder.
I called S&W, they say send it back they will look at it again.
needless to say I have lost confidance in this one, I am thinking about buying a redhawk, having it cut down to 4"bbl, then getting a action job.and a lighter wolf trigger spring.
so far it is not looking good. This is my only S&W, and at this point my last too.
Halfbreed

Halfbreed
Before you send the gun back to S&W check the ejector rod to see if it has worked loose. This would cause the cylinder lock up you described. If this is the case you can free it up yourself by holding the rod with your finger and rotating the cylinder to screw the rod back into the star. You might need an extra hand because you'll have to hold the rod, hold the hammer at about half cock (so the cylinder will spin freely) and rotate the cylinder. The rod has left-hand threads. If this is the problem and you get the cylinder open you can tighten the rod by wrapping it in a small piece of leather and gripping it in a vise so you can tighten it. Don't overtighten or you will warp the rod.

I have all but given up on S&W. I have a .38 that is (probably) older than I am, that shoots 2" groups at 50 ft with anything I put in it, and notlhing fails. I also have a 4 yr old 6946 (9mm) that coultdn't hit the broad side of a barn from inside! Really, the best I can get with it is 6" at 25ft. I don't consider this to be acceptable, but I do carry it in situations where surviving could be worse than not (like in CA, NY, or MA). Otherwise, I carry a Taurus .357 or a Kel-Tec .32, depending on apparel requrirements. I would love to be able to cary a .45, but I am just too...slight of frame...at least for the level of "conceiled" I am comfortable with. I only carry the .38 when I expect real trouble that might be expecting me. I've been right once and wrong...well how can you be SURE you are WRONG when it comes to your life or the life of your child/spouse/friend/co-earthling?

Hoghunter, I tried tightening the ejct. rod, actually the other day it was loose to me, I hand tightened it, before I called S&W. I talked to the gunsmith who worked on it, I am still waiting for a fed-x pickup on it, maybe today?
I tried a few tricks he mentioned, also checking for powder under the star, one kernal of unburnt powder. I can open the cylinder no problem, just cant get the cylinder to turn properly.

Stranger 73, I hear ya loud and clear, I am thinking of getting a used redhawk, having my smith cut it down to 4" and an action job. I find myself sorely disapointed in my S&W, and absolutly lost the confidance in this for a ccdw weapon.
Thanks for the responses guys, I greatly apreciate them.
Halfbreed

Hoghunter, I tried tightening the ejct. rod, actually the other day it was loose to me, Halfbreed If that rod isn't tight, you will have problems opening the cylinder. I use a wooden clothes pin under pliers and tighten it up more than you can do with your fingers alone. Smith makes great guns and have an excellent warrantee. If you have problems, they will fix it for you. Sometimes not the first time but they will back their work up, and fix it right. I have been there and I am speaking of experience. Good luck

500 magnum nut, hello, I have been calling S&W alot in the last few days. I have let them know I am frustrated in what is going on. I do not appreciate a handgun being sent back in worse condition than it was sent to them in. Several of the long time customer service people have personally told me they will see to it that it is right before it comes home.
One of these guys told me he used to work in the performance center.
The cylinder opens fine, but it will not turn when it is closed, makes no differance loaded or not, cleaned under the star with a toothbrush so that is cleaned, i tightened the ejcter rod that is not the problem. If this pistol just came out once in a while I could be a little less upset, but when this pistol has one goal and objective, that is to save the life of my family and me. I am just very thankful I took it out the very next day and shot it. before it had to be fired in defense of life and limb.
Halfbreed

First of all, you mention the cylinder will not turn when closed. The cylinder will not rotate unless the hammer is pulled back enough to unlock the cylinder stop (little hand that snaps into the outside of the cylinder). Another problem is underneth the cylinder could be dirty, and that's why the cylinder is binding on the shaft. Does the cylinder freely spin when the cylinder is open? Sometimes S&W screws up and needs to fix their repair. It happened to me in the past with a new revolver I bought that needed a little TLC and they made it worse, I was polite and sent it back and they got it right eventually. Just send it back and they will back up their work.

500 mag Nut, the cylinder spun freely when it was open, it was getting sticky because it was dirty and I could not get the crane and cylinder out, that was the reason for sending it to them to bebin with, the first it went to them. It came back with the hand so screwed up it would not allow the cylinder to turn or at least not without alot of dragging hard most of the time. unless it was open. They tried to give me a bunch of guff because the forcing cone had been opened up more than their specs, I asked in the same attitude I was given, what that has to do with the cylinder not turning properly after their smith worked on it, all I got was it was not within factory specs, they wanted to change the bbl. and the front sight because it was not within specs either, at a cost of about $175.00, it was a square bladed sight that caught on my galco leather holster every time I tried to draw the pistol.
customer service?
Halfbreed

well the 629 came home today, it feels much smoother, like maybe an action job had been done to it, the trigger pull seems quite a bit stiffer. I may be looking into a wolf trigger spring kit. Tomorrow I will be taking it to the range to see what will happen, it also looks like they may have reamed all the chamber throats, little rings around the throats. there is quite a bit of copper fouling in the bbl. so I bought a box of factory ammo to see what they did to it.
i will let you guys know something tomorrow
Halfbreed

well guys here is the latest ,After 300 rounds of full house loads, not a glitch, not of any kind.
It is still shooting tighter groups than it ever did before. Today was a good day at the range.
It was just a shame I had to send it back the second time. Todays shooting showed me I need to paint the front sight red, lost sight of it a few times in the bright daylight.
Halfbreed