I've been looking at 2 629 Mountain Guns. One is the original 629 "Mountain Revolver" and the other is a regular 629 Mountain Gun. Both are in excellent condition but Mountain Gun has the box and paperwork. However, the Mountain Revolver is $75 less. Of course both are pre-lock guns. Any reason to get one over the other?

UPDATE: I ended up with the 629-2 and am very happy with it! Actually saved more than $75 after dealing with the owner of the shop:

I just picked up a 629-2 Mountain Revolver and I love it. I've been refreshing this page every 5 to 10 minutes since you posted it, as I'm also very curious to see what comes up

-edit- ok I just subscribed to eliminate that 'waiting' feeling

The Mountain Revolvers were a limited run of 5000. The Mountain Gun is regular production. If it were me, assuming equal condition, I would grab the Mountain Revolver and never look back. Either way, they're great guns though.

First off, I wouldn't fault anyone who just chose to save $75. They're both great guns. I however would pick the newer Mountain Gun. The most important difference for me is that the newer gun has smaller chamber throats that were part of the endurance package upgrades. Reducing the throat diameters made it easier to get the best accuracy out of S&W .44s. The endurance package was primarily engineered to enable the N frame to better handle heavy recoiling long range silhouette 300 gr. reloads which I wouldn't fire out of a Mtn. Gun because I'm a wimp, but I'd prefer to have the strength upgrades anyway. After all, the lighter Mtn. Gun barrel is going to subject an N frame to more recoil than a heavier barrel with standard 240 gr. magnum cartridges. Also, even though I only use iron sights now, I'm starting to favor newer frames that are drilled and tapped for optics because my eye sight may not hold out as long as I'm other wise able to shoot. Torakan didn't say which dash number Mtn. Gun he's looking at but the newer optics mounting system is available in pre-MIM 629 dash 3s and 4s and still pre-lock in dash 5s. Additionally the Mtn. Revolver's bead blasted finish shows wear worse and can't be touched up with Scotch Brite pads after it gets scratched. I can see where a hunter might prefer the duller finish so the deer don't spot reflections, you don't need the hottest .44 mag. loads for deer, and you'd save the $75 with the Mtn. Revolver, so take your pick.

I prefer pre lock and forged trigger and hammer over later models MIM. parts.
The 629-2 Mountain revolver is probably a bit more rare than later models but does have the bead blasted finish and is not tapped for optics.

I have the Mountian Revolver and it is adequate for purposes of defense against man or beast. I shoot a 260SWCGC at 1100 fps and with my meager skills at the trigger they all go in one hole at 50 unsupported. Anything hotter slows down fast followup shots.

I do have finish wear on the weapon, but it adds character.

I would second the "Mountain Revolver" as the first choice. Another difference between the two if the Mountain Revolver was made when broach-cut rifling was still the standard method, while the Mountain Gun was made since EDM has been the standard method. Practically there shouldn't be any difference, but in the early days of EDM they didn't have the process down too well and there tend to be variations in internal dimensions. Hopefully this has been resolved!

I have had both. My Mountain Gun, rifled by EDM, had a groove diameter of .435". Anytime you get over about .432 it gets really interesting to load for it since standard dies won't accept a .435 bullet, and neither will the charge holes of the revolver. It was quite an experience to get the gun to shoot with cast bullets without severe leading.

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Gunsmithing since 1961

I picked up this 629-2 "Mountain Revolver" a year or so ago and it's proven to be both a good looker and a good shooter....



Cylinder throats measure a consistent .431, and groups with Beartooth 250 gr Keith SWC, or a locally cast 265gr Keith/Thompson SWCGC have hovered around an inch at 25 yds.



This revolver does like a little velocity with these bullets. Group size shrank as velocities increased, with the best coming as I neared or slightly exceeded 1100 fps. My hope was for a woods-wandering load between 950 and 1000 fps with either of these bullets but I can live with the slightly greater recoil in exchange for the accuracy I'm getting.



The hard-chromed internals smoothed up nicely and although the bead blasted finish does show a few handling marks, I prefer it to the look of brushed or polished stainless. I don't ever see myself scoping a 4" MG, so the lack of factory drilled and tapped mounting holes is not an issue.

All that said, the bottom line is...you'll be happy with either. For that matter, who says you can't have both?

Roe

i agree you cant make a bad choice they are both great guns