I love snubbies. My 3 inch 629 just isn't snubby enough, so I called S&W and arranged for it to go back. I'll be getting "either" a 2 inch or 2.5 inch.

I'm stoked. Just had to say.

You'll have to name that gun "Shawty".

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Don't You Ever Wash That Thing

Does S&W have a 2-inch .44 magnum barrel to install on your 629?

I was told either a 2" or a 2.5"

I believe nothing until I see it.

Doc Richard, I wish you all the luck in getting Smith to have in stock your barrel of choice, to properly time/install said barrel... and that you get your old barrel back safe along with your M629!

That said, what do you plan to do with it's current 3" barrel? Is it a full under-lugged version?

Or you could get one of these...

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Accuracy supercedes Speed

I SHARE YOUR ENTHUSIASM,IDR. I PREFER THE 2 1/2" VERSION OVER THE 3" M686......

I DID NOT REALIZE THAT S&W MADE A M629 WITH A BARREL SHORTER THAN 3". PERHAPS THE ARE PC GUNS OF WHICH I HAVE LITTLE KNOWLEDGE.....

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'Nam 1968-69.DAV,VFW,NRA Inst.

If you don’t mind me asking how much was the quote ?

Yes Joe. It’s a PC. 2 5/8 inch barrel if I remember correctly.

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Accuracy supercedes Speed

How does she balance for you Ridge? I skipped over that model on my 3" and under quest for my .44's due to the cylinder not being fluted and the barrel Being fluted/flat cuts... I skipped it because it looked to be counter-intuitive to the so called "balancing act" of a handgun. Things aren't always as they seem I'm learning thus more and more in my 41 years of age/recent experience(s)! Either way, nice piece as I've always liked unfluted cylinders.

I'm carrying a full under-lugged Mountain Back Packer, with/a 3" barrel on my M629-5. The balance of this revolver is even a hair better than the balance on my M29-3 with the 4/5th's under-lug. Presentation/draw and holster clearance is unrivaled to anything else I have in the carry rotation and best yet the recoil impulse is simply a nice, firm push, into the heal of the hand on both aforementioned .44's.

The 3" and shorter barreled .44's sure are addictive aren't they???

Hi HH. It balances like a dream. I l-o-v-e mine.
I bought mine slightly used. Later some local guy who must have been collecting 3 inch 44 magnums brought a lot of them to the market and I bought a 3 inch 629 deluxe that had only been factory fired for a very good price. It’s a nice gun but the trigger is no where in the class of the PC. I am trying to dry fire it a lot with snap caps to smooth the trigger out. It doesn’t have quite as nice balance as the PC either. On the plus side, I don’t have to worry as much about the 3 inch as the PC. The 3 inch has replaced the PC as my camping gun. I am planning on putting night sights on it.
I’ll try to add side by side pictures tomorrow.

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Accuracy supercedes Speed

Please do post pics they sound nice! Yeah, a PC massaged trigger gun is very noticeable when side by side a Non-PC gun. I've got a 626-6 w/3" barrel too. It's certainly not a PC gun but I have 1K rounds thru her and probably 2K dry fires with AZoom Snap Caps of course. Now, compared back to back with the other 3" M29-3 and M629-5... the -6's trigger is darn close because its worn in so well. My brother likes the gun and trigger so much he's buying it from me next time I see him. Parts that get a chance to mate & mesh from surface contact hone themselves nicely so keep up the dry firing and soon enough that trigger will almost be in the ballpark of your PC gun.

I'm now thinking I'm going to swap in a spurless hammer on the 629-5 MBP with one from Apex Tactical or Power Customs because it's my newly dedicated "Woods-Gun" and snag-less presentation is paramount. I'll too let dry and live fire hone the new hammers mating surfaces silky smooth.

My friend, there was a run of either 2" or 2.5" .44 mags sold under the "name" of Camfour. The revolver had fixed sights and was a true .44 snubby. If you can find them, they go for upwards of about $1500 to $2500.00 I figger I'll try this first.

You're a far tougher hombre than I am. I cannot imagine shooting a 44 Magnum with less than a 4" barrel. I hope S&W comes through for you.

Hi Dan -

Actually, I'm probably not . I've found that Hornady makes a short-barreled round that is manageable in both .44 mag, .44 special, and .357 mag.

They are a bit expensive but they work.