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

  1. #1
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    New-to-me S&W 29-2 .44RemMag with a coil spring hammer spring?

    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

  2. #2
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    Quote Originally Posted by 2238945 View Post
    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.

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by willie View Post
    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.

  4. #4
    Site Supporter Hambo's Avatar
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    I would try to contact Daryl Bolke.
    "Gunfighting is a thinking man's game. So we might want to bring thinking back into it."-MDFA

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by 2238945 View Post
    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.

  6. #6
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    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.

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by 2238945 View Post
    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.

  8. #8
    The Nostomaniac 03RN's Avatar
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    New Hampshire
    Quote Originally Posted by willie View Post
    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

  9. #9
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    @03RN

    Like that? Thanks

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

  10. #10
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    @2238945

    It works. Thanks O3RN

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