ZT, you may be coming to the same realization that I did - that a 5" barrel may be the best of all worlds. I don't think that enough handiness is gained with a 4" barrel to offset the loss of an inch of barrel.

The photo below illustrates the overall lengths of 629s with three different barrel lengths.


The uppermost gun is a 6.5" 629-4 Classic, the middle one is a 6" 629-1 and the lower one is a 5" 629-4 Classic DX.

After handling N-frame S&Ws in all barrel lengths, I think the 6.5" full-lug ones feel decidedly muzzle-heavy and the 4" ones feel "short" for their frame size while the half-lug 6" and 5" full-lug ones just feel more well-balanced in the hand.

For what it's worth, "DX" guns were supposedly the more accurate ones during test-firing and were returned to the production area where "DX" was added to the laser-etched "629 Classic" on the barrel and the actions were reported to have been tuned somewhat. They were shipped with wood and rubber stocks, an assortment of interchangeable front sight blades and their test target. DXs with 5" barrels were only made in 1992 as -3s and and in 1993 as -4s and accordingly, their numbers are low but they are out there. They can command a good buck but I didn't think the $800 I paid for mine about two years ago was excessive.

Fortunately, new 5" 629s with MIM parts and the IL are readily available today.

Ed