Attached is a picture of a box label of a 29-5 classic hunter that my Dad got from my Great-Grandpa. I'm thinking about looking for other classic hunters. Note that the label says Classic Hunt under the Features column. I have seen several pictures of labels that the owners claim to be classic hunters, but under the Features column it says Unfluted Cyl. Just because it is an unfluted cylinder doesn't make it a classic hunter right? And if it were a "true" classic hunter, it would say Classic Hunter on the label, right? In the past, could a person order a revolver with an unfluted cylinder? Can you still order a custom revolver? I would appreciate some info. The labels have me confused and I would only want to obtain true classic hunters. Thanks

Attached Images

20160208_182349_zpskd9ie807.jpg (61.2 KB, 276 views)

Take this one for example:
Smith and Wesson 686-3 Classic Hunter : Revolvers at GunBroker.com

Would that be a classic hunter even though the label doesn't say it? So what makes a Classic Hunter a Classic Hunter? And that one for example, would someone who collects classic hunters add that to the collection even if it doesnt say classic hunter on the box? thanks

Unfortunately, you cannot rely upon Smith & Wesson box labels for exact information. I have a 686-3 Classic Hunter that has been confirmed by S&W to in fact be a Classic Hunter and the box label says "Unfluted Cylinder" only. It also says the gun came with Target Stocks but most people who have the same gun say theirs came with an aftermarket Hogue MonoGrip and that is what is shown in S&W's advertising for the Classic Hunter.

For reliable info, your best bet probably is calling S&W.

Ed

As I understand it the real Classic Hunter configuration includes not only the unfluted cylinder, but also the full underlug barrel, adjustable front sight with the 4 presets for 50, 100, 150, and 200 yard silhouette shooting. They also had the Hogue mono-grips with the high shoulder on the right side.

Mine is a blued version 29-3 and that's the way it is configured, and to the best of my knowledge that is the standard configuration - at least for the earlier M29 version.

I can post some marketing sheets later, but the classic hunter models were quite simply, unfluted versions of the popular full underlug "classic" models. They were limited production runs.

I don't think it matters whether the box says unfluted versus classic hunter, they are both classic hunters. This is mostly a variation on the description field on the box labels that occurred over varying time periods. There were many offerred, such as 629, 686, 657, 29,etc.


Hope that helps. I have several of these, mostly 629's and these were actually both the 629-1, and 629-2 series of engineering changes. I don't have the standard catalog handy, but I believe this was because some models, like the 629 classic hunters were done in multiple limited runs over two different time periods.

IC

The classic hunters had non fluted cylinders, plain black ramp pinned in replaceable front sights. Square butt grip frames that are unique with the full lugged barrel (standard 29 and 629 classics as well as magna classics and classic dx models were all round butt).

Most in 29, 629 will have the unique six inch barrel though there were some 629 8 3/8 and 3" made I have read.

The 686 classic hunter was only made in 6".

The 657 classic hunters were made in 6.5"

The 610 classsic hunters were in 6.5" with round butt in a couple different runs.

The 629 classic hunters were made as -1,-2 and -3 versions.

I would go off the product codes. The label won't always say "CH", neither are every type of CH marked with the term on the gun.

The days of ordering a made-for-order new custom gun from S&W are long gone. I think that went away in the '70's. You can send them an existing gun and they will customize it. The Performance Center exist for that. They have another, smaller shop, that does custom gunsmithing, but I forget what they call it.

At one time S&W sold unfluted cylinders as a spare/replacement part. So it is possible individuals bought these and created pseudo CH's. If such a gun was sold in the box the product code would give it away.

Collecting CH's would be a interesting hobby. They made a lot of variations. M29's, M629's, M686's, M657's. Probably others. Different barrel lengths and dash numbers. Even some Performance Center guns. Maybe ten (or more) distinct types and variations, all together.

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~ S&W aficionado in training ~

The ORIGINAL "Classic Hunter" was/is a Model 29-3.
It was a limited production of 5000 offered by Lew Horton in 1987.
It was ,of course, blue with a 6 inch full underlug barrel and unfluted cylinder.
It also sported Hogue rubber combat grips and an interesting sighting system that consisted of Smith & Wesson's well known, fully adjustable micrometer rear sight, but also the curious 4 position silhouette front sight.

A contest was held in Shooting Times magazine to select a name for the new "Mystery Magnum" and out of 50,000 entries, the name "Classic Hunter" was selected.

S&W subsequently used that name on a number of different models, but that was the first and original.

John

And a photo of the magazine

I remember calling Smith & Wesson when about three months after I bought mine another showed up on GunBroker.com. I wanted to see how many might have been made (I didn't own a Standard Catalog back then). When the lady told me that three had been shipped since 1994, I thought I should buy that other one so I would own two-thirds of all that were made - who knows, maybe the third one would one day become available.

Then as I was about to buy that second one, I thought that owning that percentage of a total production would be too good to be true and I ought to double-check that information. The person with whom I spoke that time advised me that a computer crash in 1994 wiped out all their production records so all they can cite is shipping data from that time forth. By then, I had purchased a SCoSW, which suggests that 5,000 686 CHs were made; when I told the S&W person that, he said then that's probably right as they consider it to be close to gospel.

Apparently, there were three of those guns still in factory inventory when that computer crash occurred.

Ed

Well we need a picture:

My only Classic Hunter is this 657-3.

The guy I bought it from got it new and said it had some kind of factory tuning job from the Performance Center before it was shipped.

Don't know if that was standard, but it does have a great trigger.

Unfortunately he lost the box in a move.

Attached Images

657-3.jpg (147.6 KB, 1333 views)

Here are my two:

657-2 .41 Magnum (I have the Hogues, but put Ahrends on it)


686-3 .357 Magnum

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No good deed goes unpunished.

My 629-3 Classic, 6 inch, full underlug, SN BMJ61xx came with the same rubber grips as shown and the unfluted cylinder.

Yep, that's the one I have right there. The original configuration I described above...

I've got a 657-5 Classic Hunter, 7-1/2" bbl. The label doesn't indicate anything special but the codes verify it.

This website has some info on the Classic Hunters:
A Love for the Classics

.

657-5 Classic Hunter


.

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Waiting for the break of day

Thanks for the info everyone!
So reading the text below, where is the product code and what is it for Classic Hunters?
I would only consider buying if it had the box with it.

Finally went out and opened my garage safe,
My CH 629 is product number 103616. Spec. Ord. 8305
The label says model no. 629, Barrel 6, Finish S, SB and Unfluted Cylinder.
But not CH.
I was taken back when I opened the box.
That's not a 629!
I am storing my pre 17 in this box.
My CH 629 is in a rug.

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NRA LIFE MEMBER

LOL I could see myself doing something like that, at least you didn't grab the rug and a box of .22 and head for the range thinking you had your 617.

I am following this with interest, I just won a 629-3 CH on gunbroker and am awaiting shipment with box, I will post up some pics and details once I get it.

Actually just checked the ad here are the specs off the box
6" Barrel, Finish S, stocks SB, Features Unfluted Cylinder
Ser# BFS988x, Product code, 103616, Spec order 0353
Wearing Hogue Black rubber grips

Same product code as yours Pilgrim,

So from what I am gathering the product code would be the best way to tell for sure whether or not a gun is a CH or not. I am assuming I should get a copy of this Standard Catalog to verify product codes?

This is the "original" Classic Hunter, 1 of 5000 by Lew Horton, and the Issue of the magazine introducing it.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

I've mentioned this several times in the past but you have to wonder why Smith & Wesson would use a grip that obscures part of their logo, especially when that same grip manufacturer made ones that not only didn't do that but also bore S&W's logo.

It also makes one wonder why the box labels for some of those guns would be marked for Target Stocks. Could they have printed the labels in advance and at the last minute elected to use the MonoGrip? But even then, why not simply reprint labels?

I have nothing against the MonoGrip and feel it is one of the most comfortable grips for S&W revolvers. I'm just puzzled...

Ed

This is a curious practice and was something S&W did often and over long periods of time. I think there is an answer. To S&W aficionados the term "Target Stocks" means a very specific thing. Wood stocks with a certain shape and look.

But, I think S&W has a broader view of what constitutes a Target Stock. I think in their vernacular a TS is any stock that fills the gap behind the trigger guard. I've seen them use the TS feature code on labels with guns that wore Combat Stocks and Hogues. Both those stocks fill the gap. That's my theory, anyway.

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~ S&W aficionado in training ~

Regarding the portion of the stock covering the S&W logo, it's my opinion the stocks were a selection by a cost accountant, not a designer or engineer.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

And it's a pretty good one.

Ed

My 629-1 Classic Hunter (# BBC2892) is 1 of 5000 of the first stainless run. It was supposed to be a limited edition, but sold so quickly, they had several more "limited editions" before putting it into production. I would think there would be a slight premium in value for the "limited edition" runs, but I am just guessing. I'm sure S&W has records as to which were part of each series.

The original box (whose loss is another story), had the words "Classic Hunter" very neatly handwritten on the label. I am the original owner and changed out the factory installed Hogue grips for S&W targets.

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Free advice is worth the price

It's very unusual for S&W to use the letter "O" (oh) in a standard production s/n. Probably because it is so easily confused with the number "0" (zero).

Can you double check that s/n by looking on the bottom of the grip frame? You'll have to remove those Target Stocks to see it.

I suspect it's actually the letter "C".

__________________
~ S&W aficionado in training ~

My 629-2 is SN BBL8140.

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NRA LIFE MEMBER

You are absolutely correct!

I removed the grips and it is a "C".

Not nearly as clear on the crane. I thought it was part of the number as a zero. Thank you for the clarification.

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Free advice is worth the price

September 1988.

BBC is a known s/n prefix for the 103616.

Tony2much is a great Forum Name.

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~ S&W aficionado in training ~

November - December 1988.

Your Forum Name is "just okay". But your vibrant personality makes up for it.

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~ S&W aficionado in training ~

Yeah, that is a rather curious question. I'd wager it was probably partially economics (rubber vs nice wood), and partially availability - because I'd bet that Hogue had a lot more of their standard production grips than the more limited production S&W grips available at any given point in time.

FWIW, I've got nothing against them either - EXCEPT that they are BUTT UGLY. They look like somebody slapped a big ol' glob of tar on the grip frame and then gave it a squeeze to shape it to their hand.

But they sure do soak up the recoil of heavy magnums.

Here's mine. Now we just have to find the other 4,998.

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	Classic Hunter.jpg (117.1 KB, 63 views)
	Classic Hunter sights.jpg (36.7 KB, 57 views)

Thank you KC. It was actually a derogatory name my ex used to call me due to my tendency to collect things. She would say I wasn't satisfied until I had too much.

She may have had a point.

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Free advice is worth the price

Evidently, SHE was too much!

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~ S&W aficionado in training ~

Here's mine.

It's from the 2nd run, bought it new.

Hard chromed.

I like it, who did the Hard Chrome? Looks like it has held up well

629-1 Classic Hunter, bought this ANIB and gone but not forgotten.

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ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ

I remember reading about that as it was happening. I was in 8th grade and in the hospital with a broken leg. My dad brought that issue of Shooting Times in for me to read while I healed.

I've wanted one of those ever since!

Mag-Na-Port.

Someone has already posted the best reply. CONTACT SMITH & WESSON. It is going to cost a fee, but with a lot of people listing what a revolver is, and we all know it is not, on INTERNET gun sights, I would think that paying the fee is cheap.

Also, with the limited amount of space on the label, Smith & Wesson did abbreviate, and there is no additional value if the label reads HUNT instead of HUNTER. I have even seen labels that have had the word HUNTER abbreviated as HNTR.

I hope this helps.