I've been trying to find the right S&W 629 with a full lug, 3" barrel and an unfluted cylinder for some time now. I don't want any MIM parts or the integral lock. I've noticed that there are some subtle differences between the various models that have been produced in the 629-3 and 629-4 range, and I was hoping some of the more knowledgeable folks on this forum could help me out. It seems that S&W produced some of these as limited runs outside of the Lew Horton special editions, but unless my eyes are mistaken, the Lew Horton versions have a longer (full length) ejector rod? Can anyone confirm that this is the case?

OK, here's what I'm talking about. Below are two pictures of two 629-4 revolvers, both with 3", full lug barrels. The one on the left was the Lew Horton Custom Carry, the one on the right is supposedly a special order from S&W (supposedly). The only functional difference I can see is the ejector rod length, what's the deal with this? Why would they use a shorter rod on some of these 3" guns, is there some advantage to this? The Lew Horton version also appears to have a hole or notch of some type at the front of the lug, you can just barely see it in the picture. Does anyone own either of these who can chime in?

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	1996 LEW HORTON Classic Carry S&W MODEL 629-4 PRODUCT CODE 103600 (resized).jpg (127.3 KB, 103 views)
	S&W 629-4.jpg (107.9 KB, 98 views)

They are both dash 4s. I will have to go up and look at the ejector rod. I think that they are both pretty long like your Lew Horton. One of mine is just a straight S&W production gun, I am not sure about the other one. The one with the factory Pachs is a good shooter. The other one with the Ahrends composite grips is pretty painful with full house rounds.

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Three inch 29s and 645 005.jpg (80.1 KB, 46 views)

Looking at your photo, there appears to be a cross pin about half way down the underlug, which makes me think you have the "short" rod. I don't actually own the Lew Horton, I just wish I did. I'm trying to figure out what the deal is with the long vs short extractor rod though... why would you ever want the shorter rod? Extra weight in the under barrel lug? Is the short rod still long enough to fully eject a .44 magnum case?

All 3 inch guns have the full-length ejector rod. Otherwise , S&W would have to have two different 3 inch barrels types. In the OP's picture above it just looks like the second gun has a shorter ejector rod due to the way the photograph was taken.

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~ S&W aficionado in training ~

I think those are different barrels.

Here is my Model 629 TALO edition with 3" standard barrel. I do not like the full length ("Python") lug, or an unfluted cylinder. It just adds dead weight.

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Is the extractor rod long enough on your TALO to fully extract spent .44 magnum cases?

Ferrous, I have a Model 29 with a 6" barrel, and a Model 629 with a 3" barrel. Neither gun will fully extract a fired magnum case, but that has never shown itself to be a problem.

The extractor rod on the 29 is about 0.40" longer than the one on the 629, yet the 629 extracts the empty cases to almost the same degree as the 29, maybe 1/16" less. The extractor somehow is able to plunge deeper on the 629 to make up for its shorter length. I hope it is clear in these photos I just took (both extractor rods are fully depressed).

There is no effective difference between the two guns regarding their ability to eject empty cases.

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	100_4592.jpg (63.9 KB, 33 views)

Here is a picture to compare the extractor rod lengths...

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	100_4557.JPG (71.9 KB, 26 views)

Great illustration Warren Sear, that's just the kind of information I was looking for. So it seems that when you get the shorter rod that comes on (some of) the 3" barreled 629s, they just set it so it can go all the way to the latch to enable about the same level of extraction. Good to know.

Here is mine, a 1989 run, 629-2E. Good luck finding one because they are few and far between from what I have seen.

The cases come about 90% of the way out. You tap them with your fingers and they fall in your hand.

My 629-5 is full lug and unfluted...No lock..A 3 incher for sure...
Goes Bang and spits the shells out afterwards too!!
Damn front sight is tall and ugly...Don't know who made
the trigger n hammer tho...MIM, TIM, JIM, or SWIM???
Who knows

That is the one complaint about mine. The front sight is so tall. Even to the point where it leans right. I have considered getting one of those Hi-Viz or whatever sights they make for them, but I just can't get away from originality. The most I could do is swap those god awful Pachmayr grips for some Ahrends. Now it stings my hands, but looks good!