Stripped screw on S&W Model 29. Need help

[L1A1Rocker]

My father picked up this Model 29 recently and it has a problem. Screw number 1 in the below picture is stripped. Screw number 2 is very rough and needs a tap and die to true everything up. Does anyone know what the repair procedure would be on screw #1? A local gunsmith said that he'd do some research on getting a bigger screw, turning down the head and re-tapping. Now he seems to be backing out not wanting to do the job. . .

First, we don't know if the screw or the frame is stripped. Does anyone know a good way to remove this screw? Dose anyone one know the thread information on this screw (threads per inch, diameter, what tap and die is needed) as I cannot find that info in any of my reference material. And in general, does anyone know what the repair procedure would be if the frame is stripped?

Thanking you all in advance.

[deth502]

afai can tell, thats the screw that holds the side plate on. if i were me, id probably tear it down till that was the only thing holding those 2 pieces together. then pull apart on them gently, while turning the screw out, to help it out.

after that, a stripped screw ie easy. a striped hole, without looking at it, one old trick is to set a ball bearing on the hole and tap it wih a hammer. this displaces some of the surrounding metal into the hole to give some material to tap. it will be no where near as strong as the original, but it will hold teh screw, and i dont think thats a high stress location anyway.

thats an easy fix, and may not work in this situation, again, id have to see it. there are lots of other methods too, including welding in the hole, "home made helicoils" where you tap it for a larger screw, loctite or solder that screw in, then tap that screw to the smallefr original sixe, ect..

imo, there are lots of options yet, i wouldnt start worrying. although, it might turn onto a large bill if your paying someone to do it.

[Richard Simmons]

Have you considered contacting S&W and returning it to them for repair? I'd bet you they will take care of it in a timely fashion and at a very reasonable cost.

[dfariswheel]

A big +1 for sending it in to S&W.
I "think" they use a special heli-coil type insert to repair stripped holes.

You need to take care with hole # 2 since that's the screw that retains the cylinder assembly. It has to be fitted to the individual gun and if the hole is damaged you could open the cylinder to load and have the cylinder assembly fall out.

NO ONE knows more about this then S&W, so the smart move is to let the experts repair it the factory way.

[alismith]

I'll give your dad $50 for the gun, then it would be my problem. I'm sure that would take a lot of stress off his mind.