I have a low round count model 629-3 that I bought new in 1990. serial number BET60xx with the box and original grips. I shot it some, not a lot, back then and its been sitting in the safe for all these years. I am thinking of selling to getting something with a little longer barrel for hunting and would like to have your opinions on a value. I would consider it in excellent condition. Thanks for any help!

cruise completed auctions at gun broker see what they are going for. Region can make a bit of difference as well.

ok, thank you. I was looking on there and gunsamerica but couldn't find any that were exactly like mine. I am in Pennsylvania

$800-1000 in my opinion. Based on what I have seen on the online auction sites.

One of the desirable 629's IMO.

That's what I was thinking after reading older posts on here but there are so many different versions I was a little lost. Thank you very much for your help... I also have a model 66-2 357 mag with the wood finger groove stocks on it. I'm not planning on selling it but cant find the box and don't have a date on it. Any ideas on when it was made? serial no is AZJ50xx

It would of shipped in.....

March - May 1988.

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~ S&W aficionado in training ~

Standard barrel model or Mountain Gun? That will A difference in price too....

The 629-3 and the 629-4 were the high water mark in the S&W 44 Magnum evolution IMO.
The dash 4 nudges out the dash 3 because the dash 3 rear site is unique to that revision only although the flash chromed hammer trigger get bonus points for cool.

As stated there were two versions of the 4" 629-3, the standard wide rib and the narrow rib tapered barrel "Mountain Gun" version.
The Mountain Gun was only available with a round butt frame , if yours is a standard 4" is it a square or round butt frame ?

IMO your 4" 629-3 in either standard or Mountain config is way more desirable than any current production version....
BTW except for the longer site radius the longer barrel versions are generally not more accurate than your 4" although the longer barrel will increase velocity,
As you may know your 629-3 is drilled and tapped to accept a scope mount providing an alternative way to increase accuracy for hunting.

I have the standard barrel with the square butt wood grip. I wasn’t aware that it was drilled and tapped for a scope though. I will have to look into that. On the box it says under finish S for stainless, Stock SB square butt?, then under features CT TH RR WO. Not sure what these stand for. I really appreciate everyone’s help. This is a good learning experience and I think I may try to just use it for hunting after hearing all of your thoughts. I have been away from revolvers for a while but now I am regaining a lot of interest in them again. Thanks to all for the help!

If it help, my 29-3, shown on the right, is PRICELESS.
(Model 27 on the left.)

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In Omnia Paratus

As you may know your 629-3 is drilled and tapped to accept a scope mount providing an alternative way to increase accuracy for hunting.[/QUOTE]

I have a 629-3 it's not drilled and tapped for a scope. That feature became standard with the 629-4. Mine is the non fluted 6 inch Hunter model. It might be different with the 4 inch, many things changed in that few years. Mine also came with Patridge sights.

Finish:
S = Stainless Steel
Stocks:
SB = Square Butt Frame
Features:
CT = Combat Trigger
TH = Target Hammer
RR = Red Ramp Front Sight Insert
WO = White Outline on the Rear Sight Blade

Great gun. I have one just like it and also value it in the $800-$1,000 range.

Thanks again, the only one I could figure out was the combat trigger but that was a guess. Now they all make sense!

I tried to attach a couple pictures.

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The other side

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Beautiful pair!

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FBINA, 204th Session

That is a REALLY nice piece. Love to have it, myself. Might want to slow down, & reconsider your options...

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Regards - GCF

I am definitely rethinking it. I guess I didn’t realize what I had. Thanks to all of you, I am learning a lot in the past two days.

Where at in PA?

Mount pleasant area. Close to New Stanton

Oh okay, that's not too far from me. If you do decide you want to sell it I may be interested.

In the 629-3 and 29-5 models only the classic and magna classic full lug revolvers were drilled and tapped, they also had a unique rear sight assy.

The standard non full lug 629-3 and 29-5 were not drilled and tapped and had the old style square front rear sight assy. This also includes the non fluted, square butt full lug barrel "classic Hunter" models.

What exactly are you looking for that is different from what you already have? I have a 5-inch 629-3 Classic that might be the sort of thing you are thinking of for hunting. It is drilled and tapped for a scope, has a full barrel lug with a round butt and the original Hogues as well as a chamfered cylinder and a removable front sight (it currently sports a brass bead, not pictured). Is this the sort of thing you imagine hunting with?

629-3 on the left, 66-2 on the right

629-3

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I had two excellent 4" 629's and I currently find myself without any, and looking to re-stock my inventory.

You may want to reconsider moving in from your 629-3.

Smith & Wesson really knew what they were doing at this point in time, and the quality on that revolver is excellent.

4" prelock 29's and 629's are desirable.

I know that the 44 Magnum is pretty powerful for a lot of range work, but you can shoot 44 special out of it all day long, and still carry Magnums in it for hunting and occasional range work.

Well after reading all of the information,I am definitely reconsidering my first thoughts. I really didn’t know that my dash number was that desired, and that explains why I was having a difficult time finding any online that were for sale to compare to. My not too well informed decision to get something with a longer barrel was a bit premature. I was under the impression that A longer barrel was needed to hunt with but I am going to try it with the 4 inch and just practice with it so I am confident of my shot placement. My hunting distance will be only what I can shoot consistently and no longer that archery range anyway. I do reload and will try some midrange loads and work my way to a what I want to hunt with. Thanks again to all for all the information.

The primary advantage to hunting with an 8 3/8s inch barrel is the sight radius. The secondary advantage is the added weight. I have 2 model 29s and one 629 with long barrels and they are awesome silhouette shooters. They're all easily capable of knocking down targets at 100+ yds. In my opinion you're gaining a considerable advantage to hunting with a longer barrel. You'll get less muzzle flash, less muzzle rise and a more precise sight alignment with a longer barrel. Some may do it but I wouldn't go into the woods with anything that short.

If you reload, you should be able to work up a load in the gray area between 44 spl and magnum that ought to be very manageable with the 4-inch barrel and still knock down just about anything you wish to hunt.

Thanks for the info. I am just getting back into reloading for the 44 and all my older books seem to be quite a bit over the newer data. I never even went to the max years ago, but today’s data says I’m over max on some of the loads I had back then. I will take your advise and look at the 44 special loads and go from there. I mostly have 240 gr bullets, mostly lead and some jacketed,and will try to come up with something using them.

I did a lot of research to figure out that I wanted a 629-3 Classic as a starting point to make exactly what I wanted for my only .44Mag. revolver. Shown below is what I started with and what I ended up with. I had a 29 4" years ago and always thought it would suit me better with a tad more muzzle weight. I agree that the 629-3 and -4 are some of the best N's around.

Stu

Starting point


Finished 629-3

I haven't been loading long enough to have any older manuals, but it didn't take me long to figure out that the new manuals generally show very conservative data. Work up to the classic Skeeter Skelton load: 7.5 grains of Unique with a 240 grain LSWC ought to put you close to 1000 fps. I believe 18 grains of #9 will put you in the same ballpark, though that's with magnum brass if memory serves.

If I recall, you shortened the barrel on this revolver to 4" or thereabouts and had a custom sight mounted on it. Very nice!

Yes, it is right around 4". A very generous forum member provided the rear sight and the front is the Weigand that takes interchangeable S&W blades. Right now I have a red dot Patridge front sight on it. I load 240 gr. SWC in front of .44 Special +P+ equivalents in the Mag case and it is a joy to shoot for these ancient hands.

Stu