Hey Everyone, I have to real nice mint to NIB 629-4's.both have the firing pin in the hammer, both have boxes and all matching paperwork and both are in mint to new unfired condition.

My question to the experts is if you had a choice of only keeping one and using it in the field which would it be? I need to choose... I can always keep both.... no scratches just hair

But as far as keeping them in New condition which one should be the field gun?

I know they both are rare, Trail boss only 500 made and the backpacker less....so I am in a little bit of a pickle...


Pics below...sorry for the black lab hair..its everywhere and they are a little dirty, not fired dirty just dirty...

BackPacker link Inspection sticker found under grip 12
629-4 BackPacker Photos by airbornewings | Photobucket

Trail Boss Link
629-4 Trail Boss Photos by airbornewings | Photobucket

Thanks

Wayne

I was starting to drool as I began to read the thread. Then scrolled down to see NO PICS.

Shoot both of them. Or, don't shoot either one and pick up a TALO deluxe 629 to use as a field gun.

Obviously keep the Trail Boss.

Just as obvious, sell me the Backpacker

Keep them both, buy a standard production 629 or 69 for the field

Pics would be nice.
What are the differences?

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Accuracy supercedes Speed

Thanks guys, I am going in the field this weekend, when I get out I will take pics of both...you guys are great!!!
The mountain and snow are calling me this weekend....
Dog is ready as well.

I'm not any help but I think one of those maybe has the non-fluted cylinder and has been ported, of which I'm not a fan.
So my decision would be the one with flutes and no ports.

I'm with jack. I'd ditch the one with ports. If there is one.

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~ S&W aficionado in training ~

Both seem to be ported. Trail Boss has flutes, Backpacker is unfluted.

I would keep both...shoot both...AND pick up a plain jane 629 for general purposes.

Thanks for the advice and info guys....so both are fluted, both are 629-4 with firing pin in hammer, both have 3 inch barrels. The only difference is that the Trail boss was factory magnaported.
So as it stands my question to all is, is the magnaported barrel helpful vs the backpacker that is not when it comes to control and firing fast?
I will post pics of both this week...dang job gets in the way....
I have seen the backpackers go for $1400 on GB and the trail boss around $1100...I really only need one of them.... they both are really pretty though...

Wayne

Everyone will have an opinion on how much good porting does and it will vary. Generally, I think it works fairly well, especially in high-powered rifles, maybe not so much with shotguns, and somewhere in between with magnum revolvers. I don't care for it in spite of that because of the drawbacks - chief among them increased noise.

I would say sell the ported one, but really, if you are not using either, why not sell both? Get something you regard as "less collectible," and have some spare change for other projects to boot? I've never understood the fascination with 3-inch .44s (and 2.5-inch .357s), but I guess I am in the minority on that. The 4-inch guns are plenty mean, as far as I am concerned. Good luck with your decision.

Personally my preference would be fluted, non-ported. From your description, that sounds like the backpacker.

It would be fun however, to have both and be able to shoot them together to see what difference the porting makes in how it shoots.

Honestly, a 3 inch 44 magnum is not high on my wish list. Currently the only 44 mag I own has an 8 3/8 inch barrel and I like it just fine. If I wanted a "short barrel" 44 mag I would probably get a 69 with 4 1/4 inch barrel.

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Accuracy supercedes Speed

Thanks I may just do that. So if anyone has a real (mint) nice Mountain Revolver 629-2 with the firing pin in the hammer and original grips let me know... Box is not big deal to me....

Wayne.

I had one a while back and should have never gotten rid of it.

I WOULD KEEP BOTH, AND NOT SHOOT EITHER ONE. PICK YOURSELF UP ANOTHER MOUNTAIN GUN (I LOVE MINE) OR JUST A CLEAN PRE-IL, 4" STANDARD MODEL FOR THE FIELD. THAT 3" PAIR SHOULD APPRECIATE RAPIDLY, GIVEN THE LOW NUMBERS THAT YOU REPORT. PULL THEM OUT OF THE SAFE IN 5 YEARS, AND PUT THEM ON GUN BROKER FOR SOME CRAZY MONEY…….

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'Nam 1968-69.DAV,VFW,NRA Inst.

Pics are up, both guns..