Hi -

This is my first general post here and I appreciate learning from everyone.

As the title says, I'm interested in the 629 with the 3" bbl. I'm not new to handguns but I'd like some input on how this model shoots and carries.

Also, if someone could recommend a couple of different kinds of belt holsters (outside the pants) it would be greatly appreciated - thanks guys!

Best,
Rich

That's pretty big to carry. I have a 4" 629-1 in my night stand. It's fairly heavy when fully loaded with 240 gr. JHP's.

Have you seen the new Model 69 with a 2.75" barrel that's built on the L frame?It's a 5 shot revolver a bit smaller and lighter than the 629 N frame.

A Model 696 in 44spl may be to your liking also but they are not cheap when you find one for sale.They're also 5 shot built on the L frame.

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NEVER GIVE UP YOUR GUN

A M629 with a 3" barrel is a handful with full Magnums. Velocity loss with the short barrel is also another consideration as the Magnum cartridge is really designed for a 6" tube.

As far as a carry gun, I suppose if you are walking through the woods and use a chest style or a 2" stiff belt and OWB holster it might be manageable, but as far as discrete concealment is concerned there are much better Revolvers for that - IMHO.

Not saying the M629 is a bad gun - just saying it has limited practical purposes.

Depending on where you live and what you wear you can conceal carry the 3"er owb but as noted above you will know it's there. With the right belt you can do it. You'd be better off loading 44 spl for defense loads to avoid over penetration and to keep recoil manageable.
I like Lobo's pancake holsters. Great quality and reasonable prices.

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I like my 629-5 MG.. 4 inch tapered so a little less weight, and I think better balance for carrying and shooting.

I don't mind packing it around, I walk in the National Forest here in AZ daily, and the critters are abundant.. my poor dog got chased by a very large angry Javelina the other day.. then it looked at me... Rock in one hand gun in other...

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We all have opinions.....

You know the old line about the two happiest days for a boat owner? The day he buys it and the day he sells it. Well, my two happiest days owning a Lew Horton 3" M 629 were those two very days.

I won't belabor my dislike for the .44 Magnum here but you can PM me if you want the whole, personal reason.

I have had mine for nearly 10 years. I like it. Recoil is stiff with full power loads, but it is nice to have the power available when you want it. Mostly I shoot 44 Special level loads in it.

It carries fine it in a field holster that I made for it.

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I bought one in December. I was very surprised of how accurate it is. The groups I'm getting even in DA are quite good. I polished it up some and put a set of black Badger grips on it. I occasionally carry it in a Craft Holsters IWB or Simply Rugged pancake. It's a fairly easy carry for me because of my size. I carry Speer 200 gr Gold Dot hp or Hornady 180 gr in .44 sp. This is a great gun. One of my favorites. I forgot to mention that it is a Talo edition. Don't know if that makes a difference, but the trigger was real good out of the box.

I have a Talos 3" 629 and I have been very pleased with it.

Most of my shooting has been with reloaded 210-240 gr. bullets at 900-1100 fps. The Speer factory loads comparable to the reloads seem to be discontinued, but CorBon still sells a comparable load.

IMO there is nothing to gain and a couple things to loose when considering a 3" over a 4" 629.

The 3" is going to loose velocity and has a shorter sight radius. Its not any easier to carry. Its going to have increased recoil.

If you are worried about weight consider a mountain gun 4" version but in all honesty my standard 4" 629 is just as easy to carry as my mountain gun and the weight difference between the two is not even noticed when on the belt.

I see the appeal of the pre lock 3" versions of the 29/629 as pieces to put in a collection but they have very little utility to me as a shooter. Just my opinion.

In cool weather I have carried my 3in talo 629 in a simply rugged pancake holster. With a good belt it is manageable around the farm. Not my first choice for around town carry.

I don't carry my 44 Alaskan to big, I have carried my 629-4 3" in a pancake, I almost always have my CA bulldog 44spl at 19oz it's a little more than a J frame, and yes I just got a stub mod 69. But it's back to the mothership because of a ring in the bore. I have been practicing carrying an L frame using a 2.5" 686 while the 69 is away. I reload 44 mag and Spl. I have a 4" 29 but prefer the 3".
SEMPER PARATUS

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I've carried my 3" Talo 629 in a DeSantis thumb break holster. I bought it primarily as a trail gun or a backup carry while hunting. I don't consider it suitable for concealed carry.

Loaded with .44 special it's a fun range gun, and surprisingly accurate too.



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The 3" 629 doesn't know it isn't a target gun so it shoots like one. Very accurate if you do your part. Yes, magnums sting you, but it's a dream to shoot with lighter loads. I use a Milt Sparks 200 AW holster and I'm very happy with it. I have no thoughts on concealed carry, it's too heavy for me to consider that.

Go for it, this one is a LH dash one

For leather, I like the simply rugged and el passo saddlery.
These are for the 4" N frame


With a proper rig and a little thought to clothing a N frame is very doable.

I don't know if you reload or not but the .44 Magnum has to be one of or the most tractable and easy to reload cartridges available. Any sort of decent bullet/powder combinations seems to give excellent accuracy. The power is there even with moderate loads.

I also just purchased this revolver a few months ago. Story here:

Latest addition to my 3" revolver collection - 629-1 3" Update - Range Report.

Seems to be allot of interest in it lately and rightly so. To me it is the Porsche 911 turbo of revolvers. Not so practical at first glance, but WOW is it fun to drive!

Very fun to shoot with mild to wild 44 Specials and downloaded .44 Mags. Tolerable with full power ammo for a few cylinders. As goblin and others have said, amazingly accurate if you do your part:

The 3" M629 TALO was listed as 39.6oz. My 2-3/4" M69 weighs 34.1oz with the factory grips. N-frame vs. L-frame, definitely a noticeable size difference.

I don't get those suggesting it'd be ineffective because of it's "short barrel" & "lower velocity". A 45ACP in a 3-3/4" bbl. (actually 2.8") M4516 is effective. I think the 44 can match that with moderate loads, if that's what you want to carry.

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There are lightweight versions of either frame size: 329NG or 396NG (28oz. or 24oz.)

S&W 44 snubnose: M396NG-M69-M329NG

(-01c)

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More than accurate enough for SD distances.
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69 Combat Magnum (Nosler-Unique target)

(-01b)

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I found some pictures of the holster I made for my 3" M629 (OK, "TALO" ) that I referenced in Post #8. I like how the rear site is protected by the leather tab, and how the retention strap can be set so it is out of the way completely when I don't want it.

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A couple of more pictures. I have used it for concealed carry, and it works OK for that, but requires a bulky shirt or jacket.

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Love the looks of the 3" on a 629 but I wish they had a full length ejector rod on them like the 3" k frames do.

The 3" 629 is a beast! I mean that in a good way!
Accurate, powerful, compact. They make a serious flame-thrower.

Here's my 629-4 Backpacker model, with a Guides Choice chest holster:

^^^^ Very nice!

I have a 3" 629-1 that I picked up a few years ago. I find it shoots very well. My handloads which push a 240gn bullet to about 1000fps and factory 240gn magnum loads shoot to the same POI at 25yds. I don't find the recoil or noise to be a problem. It is my constant companion on my trips to the everglades. I use an EPS "Tom Threepersons" holster.

I foolishly sold my Lew Horton 3" 657... I kept my Lew Horton 3" 624. Frankly I prefer the balance of the heavier barrel. I would jump all over a 3" 629. I'd probably load down to heavy Special Velocity... My prefered carry is a hand built OWB near clone of a Bianchi BHL.

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A 3' 629 can be carried concealed IWB or OWB or in a shoulder holster, but a 4" is more comfortable OWB. My IWB is a Sparks VM2, and OWB an Alessi CQB.

The recoil is stiff, but you get used to it. After 10 rounds or so, you hand loses most of its feeling. .44 Special is roughly equivalent to .45 Colt or ACP, and is relatively mild in this revolver.

I fit the 3" with Ahrends Boot Grips, and the 4" with full-length Ahrends RB grips. there's only 2 oz difference in weight, but the the 4" is more barrel-heavy, which handles better with longer grips.

With a good belt and holster you can carry any N frame, unless you have a back or other condition that would effect weight bearing. The more you carry a full size gun the more you forget it is there. Nobody that has ever been in a gunfight wanted a smaller gun, or less bullets !

I have a 629 8 3/8" with a full underlug. I can carry it all day in a shoulder holster. It's actually a tanker holster I use but almost any type of shoulder holster should work with a 3" model. As for carrying one on your belt be prepared to wear suspenders or something because they will drag your pants down because of the weight.

One thing you really need to consider with the lighter models mentioned here is that they will kick harder than a heavier model. That weight absorbs recoil.

IMO a gun this size would be tough to carry concealed on the waist. It will be noticeable to anyone who knows what to look for. I've carried my 8" barrel 629 concealed with that tanker holster. I just did it to see if anyone noticed. They didn't AFAIK.

I have to admit the guns are "intriguing" to look at and there are some pretty rigs shown. I am glad everyone has a chance to get what they want and enjoy it, but for me, I always think of Elmer Keith when someone mentions .44 Magnums and 3-inch barrels. I think a .44 Magnum revolver needs a 3-inch barrel, "...like a hound dog needs two tails."