New-to-me S&W 29-2 .44RemMag with a coil spring hammer spring?

[2238945]

Hi all, I recently purchased a used 29-2 4" 44RemMag recently, and upon looking it over, it appears to have a coil spring, Ruger Redhawk style, hammer spring installed in it. There is a steel bracket, stamped "TLS Redding, CA", and it resembles a physically larger J Frame coil mainspring set-up.

While I never met the owner (as far as I can tell), I purchased it from his estate for a very good price (under a used Glock in my area). Different shooting friends that I know of his have related to me that this was a relatively common and available conversion during the late 70s-early 80s, and a few of them have had S&W revolvers sent to this particular gunsmith in California for their revolvers to be adapted to use this hammer spring set-up. It has the hammer spring stirrup removed from the hammer, and a ball mill cut into the hammer to allow the spring to drive the hammer.

The gun is a 29-2, it has been refinished prior to me owning it with satin hard chrome/metalife by Mahovsky's Metalife. The prior owner either himself attempted to reduce the grip frame to a K frame size, convert the frame from square butt to round butt, and then checkered the front and back strap; or the prior owner had a gunsmith do it. Either way, different K Frame grips that I have tried won't fit it due to the curvature near the triggerguard not being 100%, so I'm pretty much restricted to a slip-on style grip, such as rubber Hogues (not much of a fan of), or the current K frame Pachmayr that was pretty much pressed on. Bummer, as I was planning on a set of square butt to round butt VZ G10 grips.

I am wondering if it is in fact a Ruger Redhawk spring of the same weight and dimensions, or if it is a spring for another model firearm that was adapted to this specific use. I do not have a Redhawk to compare the spring with, nor do I know anyone in my area that would have one that I could see.

Does anyone have any information relating to this conversion that would be of use? I know that there is a company out there currently offering coil spring conversions that are more competition-oriented, however this revolver is gonna mainly be a woods-walking or hanging out at the range shooting .44 special-level loads.

Thanks all!

This should be a link to pictures of the spring set-up, if I did everything correct on my end:
https://imgur.com/a/58QZMjV

[willie]

Hi all, I recently purchased a used 29-2 4" 44RemMag recently, and upon looking it over, it appears to have a coil spring, Ruger Redhawk style, hammer spring installed in it. There is a steel bracket, stamped "TLS Redding, CA", and it resembles a physically larger J Frame coil mainspring set-up.

While I never met the owner (as far as I can tell), I purchased it from his estate for a very good price (under a used Glock in my area). Different shooting friends that I know of his have related to me that this was a relatively common and available conversion during the late 70s-early 80s, and a few of them have had S&W revolvers sent to this particular gunsmith in California for their revolvers to be adapted to use this hammer spring set-up. It has the hammer spring stirrup removed from the hammer, and a ball mill cut into the hammer to allow the spring to drive the hammer.

The gun is a 29-2, it has been refinished prior to me owning it with satin hard chrome/metalife by Mahovsky's Metalife. The prior owner either himself attempted to reduce the grip frame to a K frame size, convert the frame from square butt to round butt, and then checkered the front and back strap; or the prior owner had a gunsmith do it. Either way, different K Frame grips that I have tried won't fit it due to the curvature near the triggerguard not being 100%, so I'm pretty much restricted to a slip-on style grip, such as rubber Hogues (not much of a fan of), or the current K frame Pachmayr that was pretty much pressed on. Bummer, as I was planning on a set of square butt to round butt VZ G10 grips.

I am wondering if it is in fact a Ruger Redhawk spring of the same weight and dimensions, or if it is a spring for another model firearm that was adapted to this specific use. I do not have a Redhawk to compare the spring with, nor do I know anyone in my area that would have one that I could see.

Does anyone have any information relating to this conversion that would be of use? I know that there is a company out there currently offering coil spring conversions that are more competition-oriented, however this revolver is gonna mainly be a woods-walking or hanging out at the range shooting .44 special-level loads.

Thanks all!

This should be a link to pictures of the spring set-up, if I did everything correct on my end:
https://imgur.com/a/58QZMjV


See. http://tkcustom.com

A similar device is sold on this website. Your gun has a simplified version.

[2238945]

See. http://tkcustom.com

A similar device is sold on this website. Your gun has a simplified version.

I know about the TK Customs one, although that looks to me to be more competition-oriented.

My main concern is figuring out exactly which kind of spring my 29 is using. Is it a Redhawk spring, or possibly a 1911 or Beretta mainspring? With not having any Redhawks around for me to compare it to, I figured I'd probe the heads of the members of this forum as there is some super knowledgeable people on here.

[Hambo]

I would try to contact Daryl Bolke.

[willie]

I know about the TK Customs one, although that looks to me to be more competition-oriented.

My main concern is figuring out exactly which kind of spring my 29 is using. Is it a Redhawk spring, or possibly a 1911 or Beretta mainspring? With not having any Redhawks around for me to compare it to, I figured I'd probe the heads of the members of this forum as there is some super knowledgeable people on here.

Why not go to the horse's mouth--Wolff Gun Springs? They can suggest choices based on the large number they make.

[2238945]

That's true, I didn't think about them. Thank You!

Also I sent a PM to Daryl Bolke, I know there's a way to @ them and they'll get a notification, but i'm not sure exactly how to do that. With the stuff that he knows about revolver history, hopefully he'll recall something about the specific set-up I have.

[willie]

That's true, I didn't think about them. Thank You!

Also I sent a PM to Daryl Bolke, I know there's a way to @ them and they'll get a notification, but i'm not sure exactly how to do that. With the stuff that he knows about revolver history, hopefully he'll recall something about the specific set-up I have.

Yep. He probably has a couple in his shirt pocket.;)

MAS is a member and very likely has seen your spring set-up.

When you learn how to @ somebody, tell me. I missed that boat too.

[03RN]

Yep. He probably has a couple in his shirt pocket.;)

MAS is a member and very likely has seen your spring set-up.

When you learn how to @ somebody, tell me. I missed that boat too.

willie

That is all. @ then type the name

[2238945]

03RN

Like that? Thanks

Edit: Yep super easy, just like that, seems like it worked. Thank you.

[willie]

2238945

It works. Thanks O3RN

[AzShooter]

I had the conversion done to my 625 in the 80s and we used a J frame spring. Contact Wolf and you can probably get a stiffer spring from a J frame to work in your Model 29.

[john c]

I had the conversion done to my 625 in the 80s and we used a J frame spring. Contact Wolf and you can probably get a stiffer spring from a J frame to work in your Model 29.

What’s your experience with the conversion? What were/are the pros and cons?


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[Pistol Pete 10]

Why would you do that? It seems like going in the wrong direction. The leaf spring is one of the things that makes the action in a Smith better than a Ruger. What am I missing?

[2238945]

Why would you do that? It seems like going in the wrong direction. The leaf spring is one of the things that makes the action in a Smith better than a Ruger. What am I missing?

I plan on removing it, just trying to find out exactly what is all being used so I know for if I ever put it back in. I haven't fired the gun yet, although the Double Action is only about 10 pounds, but has a shorter travel than a usual S&W action; and I prefer a longer DA like the OEM S&W.

I removed the coil spring type, and put in a Wilson Combat reduced power mainspring, which produced a great approximately 8 pound DA trigger, and was incredibly smooth (probably due to the metalife coating). I had to put the coil mainspring system back in, as the gun has a K frame Pachmayr grip on it, and the screw for the grip is occluded by the leaf mainspring. I plan on trying a Hogue rubber grip (sigh...) which would eliminate the grip screw issue due to the stirrup on the bottom of the frame.

[2238945]

I had the conversion done to my 625 in the 80s and we used a J frame spring. Contact Wolf and you can probably get a stiffer spring from a J frame to work in your Model 29.

I think it might be a J Frame spring now that you mention it. I think I have a few sitting around in my stuff somewhere, and it wouldn't hurt to try it.

The spring in it now is plenty strong. I haven't live-fired it yet, although it has a pretty heavy hammer strike in DA, so I think it's powerful enough.

Thank You for the J Frame spring mention!

[AzShooter]

What’s your experience with the conversion? What were/are the pros and cons?


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I really like the conversion and wish I still had that gun. It was aa S&W 625 that I shot for ICORE, USPSA and Steel Challenge Matches. Fasted gun I could ever reload.

Trigger pull was very smooth with no stack up.

Had to pay bills aat the time so the gun had to go. It's current owner is still very happy with it.