I’ve come into possession of a beautiful .44 Mag that will be with me until death do we part. I’ve been told it’s a Trail Boss. Some swear it’s a Back Packer. Others mention a limited run. It really doesn’t matter but I’ve become curious. Anyone shed some light on this? It isn’t ported.

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Lew Horton special. You can tell by the full length guide rod.

Nice gun, but not a Backpacker model.
At least, it's not like my Backpacker (not sure if S&W made more than one model of Backpacker).

My 629-4 Backpacker has a fluted cylinder. It does not have the full-length barrel lug. It also does not have a lanyard ring.

You've got a real nice gun there.
Do you reload? You'll find shooting full-house magnum loads in that will keep things interesting.

However, full-power ammo is what I usually load mine with because it's a woods-walking gun for me, mostly. Don't do a lot of target shooting with it.
Get some Winchester white box 240-gr jacketed softpoints for it and go blasting.

Let us know how it shoots for you

Except for the front sight and lanyard , it looks like my 629-2E!

At first glance, I have a 629-5 that looks identical until noticing the lanyard loop at the bottom of the grip. Mine was sent back to the PC for an action job and had the chambers chamfered. I'd submit the serial number to S&W and get the history, but suspect a limited run.

A 3" full lug barrel and unfluted cylinder is usually called a "classic carry"

The jeweled trigger and hammer do not signify any performance center work. It is not a backpacker or a trail boss

I have a 629-6 that RSR sold in a run of 5000 back in 2003. It is a 3 inch and unfluted cylinder. It is called a Trail Boss. I was under the impression from the various runs by S&W over the years that if it was unfluted and the barrel was 3 inch for any of the 629's, that they were considered a "Trail Boss". Some others here may educated us all in this matter, I am away from my SCSW this afternoon, so it is not available for me to ponder the question while looking over all those pages of information .

My RSR - 4 has Trail Boss engraved in script on the right side plate, has a fluted cylinder, a 3" magna-ported barrel that does not have a full underlug and just has a normally tapered ejector shroud, but not full length. It came with 2 sets of grips that are identical except one has a lanyard ring. It appears to have a case hardened hammer and trigger. Red ramp and white outline.

Everything you need, nothing you don't a perfect little 44 magnum.

Mod29... Yes, I reload. I’m lucky, (so far), I’ve never had a problem with recoil. Use to hunt w/the 329PD so this should be tamer, you’d think! Just moved to S. Florida. Have any pet loads that’d be handy on hogs?

Diesel... the paperwork with the gun said it was a PC piece and that they jeweled those pieces.

Fortyshooter... Nice looking piece!

There may have been an unfluted full lug 3 incher called the Classic Hunter, or something like that. Not a Backpacker for sure.

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Honoring the little pin

I guess it's possible but I have never heard of anything like that. I'd prefer to have the original -4 case hardened finish on the hammer and trigger.

I'm almost positive what you have is a classic carry though. The trail boss had magnaporting and said Trail Boss on the side plate. The Backpacker just had a regular 3" barrel and fluted cylinder.

I definitely am going to continue to research this. The responses have been helpful. I believe I have a Lew Horton special, (though I’m certain of the P.C. work). On another point, I have a 2nd Generation Colt .45 that has the Case Hardened look. I was always disappointed it didn’t have that polished blue look that you’d find on a presentation S&W Model 17 or 29, but that’s just personal preference I suppose.

l had one. 3'' 629-5, unfluted cyl.. An absolute BRICK:-( Heavy, way too heavy..

My son in law now gets to tote the THING. l have a 625 Mt Gun in its place:-)