Introduced in 2014, the Model 929-1 is an N-Frame, 9mm Luger, 8-shot, double/single action revolver featuring a stainless steel frame and titanium alloy cylinder. Other custom features, such as adjustable rear sight, trigger travel stop, removable muzzle compensator, teardrop shaped hammer, Hogue rubber finger-groove monogrip, and performance center action tuning place this gun squarely in the camp of high-end competition tools. The 929 is ideal for revolver operators who compete in Bianchi Cup, U.S. Practical Shooting Association (USPSA), International Practical Shooting Confederation (IPSC), International Confederation of Revolver Enthusiasts (ICORE) and Steel Challenge. Champion shooting competitor Jerry Miculek, the most decorated revolver shooter in the world, lends his signature to the frame of the 929.
Ergonomics is more than just how the gun feels in your hand when you pick it up. Simply checking it out at the store versus firing several boxes of ammo during a range session can (and often do) result in very different impressions about how the gun feels in the shooter’s hand. The 929’s overall combination of ergonomic factors result in a gun that is comfortable in a wide variety of hand and finger sizes. Our group of shooters is broadly diverse in size and grip preferences but, even so, none of us had a complaint in this area. We expect that most buyers will leave the Hogue rubber Monogrip in place but aftermarket replacement to fine-tune the grip feel should be easily available. Plentiful sight radius and light, crisp trigger feel are also included to enhance the ergonomic excellence of this gun.
The layout of and type of sights fitted to the gun impact a shooter’s ability to acquire the target quickly and cleanly, especially in rapid fire situations. Weight and balance affect the ability of a shooter to position the gun correctly, hold that position for target acquisition and trigger pull, and return naturally to firing position after each shot.
Accuracy is what it’s all about with this type of gun – one that goes far beyond “good enough to disable a threat” in a defense situation. Competition and personal satisfaction at the range dictate that any deviation from point of aim must not be caused by the gun. In the hands of a highly skilled shooter using high quality ammo, projectiles from the 929 absolutely will make “one ragged hole” in the target even at longer-than-normal distances. The reputation of the S&W Performance Center® will not suffer from this model.
So, I really wanna buy one of these beauties, but what am I gonna do with it?
Tactical/Combat – the 929 is a seriously “badass” looking gun but many tactical aficionados would argue that no revolver could claim that attribute. After all, there’s no accessory rail for hanging on laser sights, flashlights, microwave ovens or beer coolers. ☺ The 8-shot moon clip is seriously inferior in capacity to the 15 or 20-round magazines fitted to lots of “combat” semi-autos. On the other hand, the seriously fine-tuned double action trigger feel makes rapid fire accuracy attainable more so than most other revolvers, the compensator makes bringing the muzzle back on target easier and quicker than most other handguns – wheelie or semi – and the moon clip ammo system makes reloading almost as fast as magazine changes in a semi-auto.
Carry/Concealed Carry – The trick to any successful carry regime is an appropriate holster. Assuming that requirement is met, the 929 could very easily be considered a proper “open carry” gun but its overall size/length makes it a bit more difficult to conceal unless wardrobe includes a long overcoat or a shoulder rig is the preferred arrangement. Without the concealment constraint, the 929’s 8-round capacity and relatively fast reload capability (because of the moon clip system) make it an entirely appropriate every day carry gun. Despite its stainless steel frame, the 929 doesn’t seem as heavy as it should for its size. The titanium cylinder helps with that.
Home Defense – Most all defense experts will tell us to get a shotgun or semi-auto carbine for home defense. Where that’s not feasible or desirable, a handgun can reasonably be used as a substitute, and the 8-round onboard capacity with quick reload “moon clip” capability combine to overcome whatever perceived handicaps the revolver platform might have had. Add to that the “idiot proof” reliability of revolvers over semi-autos and the 929 becomes an excellent choice for home defense. Especially when deployed in addition to the 12-gauge already on duty.
Recreational Shooting – Lots of folks own and shoot guns that do not fall into the personal defense, hunting, or competition categories. There is enjoyment to be gained from mastering the personal challenge of causing a projectile to hit a target very close to the point at which it was aimed. Having the correct tools – gun, accessories, ammunition, etc. – to aid in meeting that challenge is easily enough justification for buying a high-end revolver such as the 929, and the package S&W has assembled here meets this criteria in spades. It most definitely puts bullets where the shooter points it and the silky smooth feel of the trigger - both in single and double action modes - is as good as we’ve ever felt in a gun “straight out of the box”.
Competition – Clearly, this is the firearms niche S&W designers had in their sights. (pun intended)
Any endeavor that requires mastery of some degree of skill and/or demonstration of a particular talent usually winds up in “games” that pit the skills/talent of one participant against another or of the participant against a clock or other benchmark. As this activity has grown over the years the quality of the guns used has commensurately increased and even a very small incremental improvement means a win for the shooter who gets to implement it. The model 929 incorporates all of the desirable features in its class. For those of us who don’t posses the skill or talent of the “Champion” category, the Model 929 is way more gun than we could hope to utilize but is one helluva lot of fun to shoot nonetheless.
Conclusion - We've handled several offerings from the Smith & Wesson Performance Center ® recently and this one is among the best, even from that hallowed source. Diagnosing the cause of a miss is easy with the 929. It could be the ammo but is most likely a “brain fart” with the shooter. It damn sure ain’t the gun.
The compensator minimizes muzzle rise, allowing the shooter to bring the front sight right back on target after each shot. This is a huge bonus in competitions which involve timed shooting and is a very nice addition even to activities where aiming is unhurried because it allows the brain to focus on other issues. This may not seem like such a big deal but it is to some shooters, who didn't even realize it until they’d been given a chance to actually use a compensator.
If you've ever tried marksmanship with a revolver in double action from beyond seven or ten yards, you might believe the manufacturers don’t give a flip how rough the trigger feels. It’s difficult to put rounds on target when the trigger pull tries to move the muzzle all over the place or when the pull weight is so high you think an electric winch would be a handy accessory. We've had to dress up the internals on almost every one of our revolvers to get a really smooth trigger pull; even some of those that are “high end” or came from a manufacturer’s “custom shop” or “performance center”.
Such was absolutely not the case with the 929. As mentioned earlier, this gun has probably the best “out of the box” trigger feel of any gun we can remember: right up there with the S&W 627 V-Comp we reviewed in October, 2015. The 929’s trigger is absolutely a joy.
The 929 uses a “moon clip” system to load the cylinder. This system is ideal for tactical or competition because it makes ejection of spent cartridges and reloading of ammo very quick and easy when time is a factor. The system, however, is really not necessary or maybe even desirable for range use. It’s not optional like some guns where you can load it with or without the clip. The clips supplied with the gun were a bit hard to load and unload because they gripped the ammo we were using just a bit too tightly. Another brand of ammo might well have fit the clips perfectly, as all case dimensions (the diameter of the groove at the rear) vary slightly The owner tried to modify the clips with a file and went just a hair too far, making the clip hold the cartridges imperfectly. He bought some aftermarket clips after that and they worked better.
If the gun will be used in competition or for personal defense, keeping several clips loaded up and handy makes our minor issue irrelevant. Loading and unloading of the clips would then be done at a time when the gun is not in use. This, after all, is the intended purpose of the system anyway. Tools for loading and unloading the clips are available in the aftermarket which make the process quick and virtually painless. We recommend these for anyone who might want to use the 929 regularly, either in competition or for casual range use.
The 929 is neither inexpensive nor the kind of gun you’ll want to leave lying around in the glove compartment of your truck. It is a thoroughbred. It probably shouldn't be your first or only revolver but if you’re ready for, and can appreciate, a bit of nirvana at the range, this is it. If you’re a revolver competitor you probably already know about the gun and we can only say that you will not be disappointed.
Respectfully Submitted
The Bunker Bunch
August, 2016
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