So with the idiotic end to private sales between legal possessors coming to a close here in WA, I pushed to sell a couple guns that didn't really serve a purpose. I ended up selling off a "black rifle" that was a neat gun but not my cup of tea.

With that cash burning a hole in my pocket, I thought I'd start putting together a parts list for a nice AR carbine (the rifle I sold was not an AR). AR parts are ridiculously cheap right now. Then I remembered something.

I hate 16" 5.56/.223 ARs! And this wasn't enough to do a 6.5 Grendel or .308 build that I'd be proud of. Already own a 20" 5.56 AR.

So I put my feelers out there for a few guns on my "wish list" and struck gold with a local seller. What do ya guys think?



In case it's not really clear, it's a 629-3 Classic 5". In really nice shape, but clearly has been carried a bit. My first .44 Magnum. Don't worry --- I'm far from recoil sensitive especially with a full sized steel gun. It won't be back up for sale with a box of 19 rounds included!

I bet most of the guys here would take a 20+ year old N frame over a budget build AR any day of the week.

I'm looking for recommendations on a cross-body holster as this will be the gun I taking out hiking in the summers. Prefer the modern style over the cowboy "bandolero" style.

Also, grips/stocks. I have a 686 that wears Ahrends, but for this one I think I'd like some checkering. Recommendations?

Ahrends with checkering?

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~ S&W aficionado in training ~

Congratulations on an awesome 629!

Check out Altamont.

Altamont Company - Smith & Wesson

That is a nice revolver! Perfect barrel length for a .44 magnum.

You might want to test drive a set of checkered stocks...I did and switched back to smooth. These Ahrends Retro Combats on my 629-4 are about as good as it gets for a fit in my hand. And no checkering to abrade the skin with full-house loads.

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No good deed goes unpunished.

I've never seen any Ahrends S&W w/ checkering.

What do you guys think of Badger Custom Grips? They definitely look unique. Yes I know they aren't checkered...sigh

Nice gun. Definitely a good move. I'm a .38/.357 revolver guy myself, not counting one M25-5 in .45 Colt, so the 629 is not my cup of tea but that's an excellent acquisition. I don't think you want to use checkered grips with it, though.

***GRJ***

Beautiful gun. Check Diamond D holsters for that chest holster rig. Enjoy!!

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Don't You Ever Wash That Thing

Live and learn, the checkered Altamonts didn't work for me. The checkering was actually not the "big" issue --- these grips are just enormous. Sorry for the huge pics!

Here's a pic of them with a high grip. Note how much unused grip is hanging below. There is a palmswell on these grips that doesn't quite match up to this method of holding a revolver (my preferred method).



Here's how it fits best. My hand is way down and the trigger is quite a reach. I have average sized hands.



So today my Ahrends Retro Combats (round to square Cordia) showed up. Gripseller (Ebay) once again.

Here's how they look with a high grip. Almost no wasted space.



Even the "low" grip isn't much different.



So, in closing, I don't think the Altamont grip is bad --- it's high quality and well made --- it just didn't fit for me, literally.