629-3 w/ unfluted Cyl, 8-3/8

alfsauve · #1 08-18-2011, 05:54 PM

Okay, I had to drop out of the S&W revolver a month club, but am trying to catch back up.

Got this off of GunBroker. A local pawn shop has been listing it for a couple of months at $899. They finally lowered their reserved and I got it for $650. A tad higher than I wanted as I was hoping for $600. (Plus I had to pay sales tax....that hurt.....always buy out of state.)

It's a 629-3, with unfluted and recessed cylinder. The s/n is not inside the yoke but only on the butt. CANxxxx. Which places it in 1996. But it's a -3. Should be older. Couldn't find a product code.

Is it possible this is a 103614? only 50 made? None of the other product codes seem to jive exactly with date of manufacture and features.

Raimundo · #2 08-18-2011, 07:00 PM

That would make a really nice shooter. I prefer shooting .44 magnums with longer barrels. Nice find.

m4bgringo · #3 08-18-2011, 11:11 PM

Interesting. I just bought one also, it is sitting at my FFL's. I plan to visit it Monday to check it out. We have an idotic law in NJ that only allows us to buy one handgun every 30 days IF you have a permit................ I have three guns paid-for so far, no permits yet. Fourth gun will be on it's way soon.

redbos · #4 08-19-2011, 07:58 AM

Thats a pretty 629. I always wanted one with an unfluted cylinder.

alfsauve · #5 08-19-2011, 09:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by redbos

Thats a pretty 629. I always wanted one with an unfluted cylinder.

I wanted my 629's to be unique and the unfluted cylinder looks really cool.

Just to make you jealous, here is a picture of my 629-1 6". Next week, I'm going to complete the NRA Distinguished Expert with it. Not a slam-dunk, but I should be able to score the requisite 170/200 with it. Also is a picture of the two together. Big brother and little brother.

Engineer1911 · #6 08-19-2011, 10:15 AM

M629 with unfluted cylinders: 3", 5", 6-1/2", 7-1/2", and 8-3/8" . The 5" has a new unfluted cylinder from S&W that was a "drop-in" fit.

Your picture has a much better background.

alfsauve · #7 08-19-2011, 04:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Engineer1911

M629 with unfluted cylinders: 3", 5", 6-1/2", 7-1/2", and 8-3/8" . The 5" has a new unfluted cylinder from S&W that was a "drop-in" fit.

.

Utter AND Complete jealousy. Nice stable. Mine just has two matching 686s (1-6" & 1 8-3/8") and one 4" M66(nodash)

alfsauve · #8 11-09-2011, 08:08 AM

Got the S&W Letter from Mr. Jinks. My 629-3 is unique. It was a run of 180 made for RSR and Lew Horton, Product Code 103647. Yes it was shipped to RSR in 1996, even though the -3 frame had already been superceeded by the -4 in 1993. It's nice to know that the gun is "as shipped". Now it would be nice to know how it move from Ohio to Covington, GA.

I guess I should send a copy of the letter to Mr. Supica for the next revision of "the book". This product wasn't in the 3rd edition.

I realize, as the SW letter states, that S&W did a lot of "special runs". So while my gun is "special" and rare to me, it's just one of thousands of "special runs".

For those who've never seen "the letter" here is a redacted copy of mine.

AimSmall10 · #9 01-08-2016, 10:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alfsauve

Got the S&W Letter from Mr. Jinks. My 629-3 is unique. It was a run of 180 made for RSR and Lew Horton, Product Code 103647. Yes it was shipped to RSR in 1996, even though the -3 frame had already been superceeded by the -4 in 1993. It's nice to know that the gun is "as shipped". Now it would be nice to know how it move from Ohio to Covington, GA.

I guess I should send a copy of the letter to Mr. Supica for the next revision of "the book". This product wasn't in the 3rd edition.

I realize, as the SW letter states, that S&W did a lot of "special runs". So while my gun is "special" and rare to me, it's just one of thousands of "special runs".

For those who've never seen "the letter" here is a redacted copy of mine.

Curiousity has me now. I have this exact wheel gun as well, save for what is likely a different serial number..... maybe! Anyhoo, just starting my search to see what information I can garner on my gun as well, and this post popped up in a Google search. This led to that, and that led to this, and eventually I ended up on this thread that has a little age to it, but better to start here and see what happens than to try shooting from the hip hoping I hit the correct target. Did you ever settle on a value for your revolver? What would venture to say the current market value would be, roughly, of course? Do you even still have your gun? And finally, since it appears that there were only a handful of these made, would you be willing share serial number information if I were to share mine? Just trying to get some information nailed down and then assess a value. At the same time, I think it would be a bit ironic if you had gotten rid of your gun and somehow, someway I ended up with it in the middle of Illinois!!

Nightowl · #10 01-09-2016, 12:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AimSmall10

Curiousity has me now. I have this exact wheel gun as well, save for what is likely a different serial number..... maybe! Anyhoo, just starting my search to see what information I can garner on my gun as well, and this post popped up in a Google search. This led to that, and that led to this, and eventually I ended up on this thread that has a little age to it, but better to start here and see what happens than to try shooting from the hip hoping I hit the correct target. Did you ever settle on a value for your revolver? What would venture to say the current market value would be, roughly, of course? Do you even still have your gun? And finally, since it appears that there were only a handful of these made, would you be willing share serial number information if I were to share mine? Just trying to get some information nailed down and then assess a value. At the same time, I think it would be a bit ironic if you had gotten rid of your gun and somehow, someway I ended up with it in the middle of Illinois!!

The original post describes a recessed cylinder and the photo certainly appears to show it as being recessed. Recessed cylinders were phased out around 1980 and have not been made for centerfire guns since, except for this one.

Is your cylinder recessed as well?

Kernel Crittenden · #11 01-09-2016, 02:40 AM

I don't think it's been mention yet, but the OP's gun in this thread is factory drilled and tapped for a scope base (you can tell by the shape of the rear sight tang), which was a new feature for the -3 and was only done on the Classic and DX models. Standard production M629's didn't get D&T'd until the -4.

alfsauve · #12 01-09-2016, 04:53 PM

Still have it, though mostly shooting my 686's of late and just acquired a 929 for competition.

PM Sent with full S/N but CAN7xxx if that helps everybody else. And remember mine is not on the yoke, but on the butt. Which may be a characteristic of this run

The only way to tell value on this would be to put it up for auction. For estate purpose I put down only $600. I suspect if you got wide enough attention to an auction you could get more. $800?

Don't know about D&T. I'll go check mine when I get up from the computer. This run was made after the -4's were shipping so it may have been.

AimSmall10 · #13 01-11-2016, 08:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nightowl

The original post describes a recessed cylinder and the photo certainly appears to show it as being recessed. Recessed cylinders were phased out around 1980 and have not been made for centerfire guns since, except for this one.

Is your cylinder recessed as well?

Nightowl, yes, it is indeed recessed! And if I can figure out how to load some photos on here I will gladly show the gun and most everything about it that I can

AimSmall10 · #14 01-11-2016, 08:46 AM

[IMG]file:///home/chronos/u-777d3298c21771a9baf4a6d64298f8b9755512d7/Downloads/S&W%207.jpg[/IMG]

AimSmall10 · #15 01-11-2016, 09:00 AM

Here are some photos of my S&W 629-3 Classic with fluted & recessed cylinder....

AimSmall10 · #16 01-11-2016, 09:03 AM

Three more....

alfsauve · #17 01-11-2016, 09:28 AM

D&T: How about that. Looked under the top strap and there are three tapped holes under the rear sight. Good to know, though I'll probably not every mount a scope on it.

AimSmall was asking about value. One way, of course is to check auction sights for the final bids. Rock Island Auction has an upcoming one in February with several 629's. Problem is they're in multi-gun lots so assigning value to each gun is problematic. One lot has a 10-5/8" 29-3 and a 8-3/8" 629. Two Smith & Wesson Double Action Revolvers -A) S&W Model 29-3 "The Silhouette" Revolver (The 629 doesn't have an underlug and has a non-removable stainless front sight.) They are estimating $1,400 to $2,000 for the pair. Splitting the value 50/50 between the guns, then that's $700 to $1,000 each (PLUS 18% auction fee and shipping). Monitor the auction to see where it actually closes. That will give an idea of value.

alfsauve · #18 01-11-2016, 09:30 AM

Nice pictures. Yep. Just like mine.