I have a desantis thumb break scabbard for my 4 inch 29. Bought a 5 inch 629 a few months back and got a simply rugged for it but was just poking around on the s&w site and found a desantis thumb break for a five inch 627. Since they are both n frames it should work for my 629 5 incher shouldn't it?

It should work fine. They are both N frames. I doubt the DeSantis was made for a slab-sided barrel. A tightly boned holster made for a slab-sided revolver may not fight a normally shaped barrel.

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Proud anachronism

The significant differences among N-frame revolvers are:

1. Cylinders. Three different lengths, different capacities, fluted & unfluted.

2. Sights. Fixed or adjustable. Front sight height varies by caliber.

3. Barrels. Length and profile, exposed ejector rod or underlug, multiple underlug profiles.

Note that different cylinder lengths can result in different overall lengths with the same barrel length (a .45ACP short cylinder with 4" barrel will be about 1/8" shorter than a .357/.41/.44/.45LC revolver with 4" barrel.

Both the 627 and 629 use the same cylinder length. Both have adjustable sights. That will leave barrel lengths and profiles, and cylinder capacity/fluted vs. unfluted.

Most production holsters from the larger manufacturers will be made to accept just about any of the possible variations, with forming to accomodate.

Hand-made and formed holsters may not accept all variations, as they are specifically formed to the intended revolver. Examples: (1) a holster specifically formed for the 625 in .45ACP with standard barrel profile and underlug would be unlikely to accept a 627 or 629, particularly if equipped with full-length underlug; (2) a holster specifically formed for the 6-round .44 magnum cylinder would be unlikely to accept the unfluted cylinders or 8-round .357 cylinders.

In the shop I use 3 dummy guns and 4 actual revolvers to duplicate most variations. There are still some N-frames that I cannot do.

That is a first class reply and an excellent example of this forum-detailed,useful information and right on point for the original question.
Thank you for taking the time and sharing your expertise-it's what this forum is all about.
Regards,
turnerriver

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turnerriver

Thank you much.