I've been carrying a 629-3 6.5" when out in the woods for many years and decided it was time to get something a little less cumbersome (and I needed an excuse). So I went with a brand new 629-6 3", mostly because all the older ones I found in 3" were ridiculously priced. So this is my first new unfired revolver since 1995.

I've not seen any of the newer models up close until yesterday and had a few thoughts. While I don't have any issues with mim on a functional level, it's not very aesthetic, especially when compared to my older 629. The new revolver does feel great, however. Barrel is straight, lockup and timing is near perfect, and the action is very smooth but a touch heavy.

Gonna take it for a spin this weekend with some of my Keith loads.

Overall happy with the new addition. She sure is pretty, but that lock though...

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Good pick up! I own the same gun and have hit a 6" steel plate at 75 yards standing. (several times actually I kinda amazed myself)
The best advise I can give you is to ditch the Altamont meat shredders for some kind of rubber grips whether they be Hogue or Pachs. The stock grips may look OK but will take hunks of thumb meat that takes forever to heal. Ask me how I know.

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Don't You Ever Wash That Thing

I've had my 629-6 3" for about two years. I've fired everything through it I could find and it just eats it up.

Congrats on a great decision! I hope you have many years of happiness together

Please post a range report. I am about to get my own 629-6 3" and I would love to know what you think of it!

Mine was/still is pretty great... Once I installed an "Original Precision" lock delete from "JDinAZ"; a fellow forum member here manufactures them. I also put 2 little dabs of Purple Loctite on every screw including the strain screw under the grips to keep everything snugged down nice, (shooting full house mags loosened every factory torqued screw causing light strikes, cylinder release problems!), After the Loctite, everything ran and still runs great! I enjoyed about 600 full house mags and 300 Hot .44Specials (about 6 months of shooting worth), before letting my little brother finally got a chance to shoot it, (his first time shooting .44Mag or .44Specials); and had to have it and thus made me an offer to buy it I couldn't refuse. So he saved for a month and then picked it up from me... I took the $ and added some and got into pre-lock M29 and M24 Lew Horton Specials (very addictive).

Pic of mine next to the M29-3 LHS that replaced it before I sold to Little Brother:

Thanks, guys.

I anticipated the grip issue and already ordered a Hogue rubber grip. Often when at the range I'll leave the wood on and use a shooting glove. Those checkered grips on my old 629 are abrasive with full house loads.

Nice tip on the loctite. I've not encountered that problem with my other guns but I will keep an eye on it. What was the cost on the lock delete?

$39... from OriginalPrecision...
https://www.originalprecision.com/

I went with a darker colored Delete than the frame on the M629-6 to accent with the trigger, hammer, rear sight, front sight, etc... With the Youtube video the first one taking my time took about 40 minutes... by my third one it almost took longer to set out my tools, wipe them off, and get them back up as it did to install the lock delete. They are great. Here is a pic of the one I did on my M625 to match the frame...

I have the same 629, and I love it, though I end up carrying my M29 more. I got the M629 to carry when my M29 trigger pin broke.

I dry fired it 1000 times or so, then put in a Wilson spring kit and a Cylinder and Slide extended firing pin. I went for the extended firing pin after having serious problems with light strikes in a 325 and deciding that for any carry gun with a trigger job I'm going for a longer firing pin. It now has a trigger as good or better than any S&W revolver I own. Just earlier today I pulled it out of the safe for the first time in a few months and marveled at how well the trigger turned out.

Obviously I don't shoot a lot of full tilt magnums with these grips, but I have shot a lot of moderate 44 Mag handloads. I found that the Altamont "Legacy" grips just beat up the skin at the base of my thumb, while magnas and the original grips grind against the thumb bone until my skin tears. I plan to hit the range tomorrow to test some 210gr Silver Tip 44 Mags thru it, so we'll see how it goes.

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Congrats!

I love my 629-1s. Great for occasional CCW and woods carry.

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Forgot I had some old Altamont rosewood laminate grips stashed. I meant to send these back but never got around to it. Glad I didn't.





The hogue mono doesn't look near as sexy but that's what I'll be using on it.

I just got back from the range. The Silver Tips were hotter than my 200gr 44 SPL Underwoods, but very manageable in my 629. I don't remember exactly, but I shot 4-5 cylinders between my 629 and 4" M29 with no issues and no significant hand pain. They were pretty dang loud, though.

It was the 250gr 45 Colt XTPs I shot later in my modded M28 snubbie with boot grips that shredded the skin over my thumb joint.

Bad azz! What's the patch say underneath those beauties?

I'm taking our 3" Lew Horton Special & our Mountain Back Packer up to the Nantahala National Forest this Holiday to our family Mountain Home tomorrow morning! Going to see if I can't bait Ol' Smokey out of the tree line with some brats and steaks I've been marinating since last Saturday evening. Some of you already know about the damage this already relocated (radio collared bear) has already done to our 2nd home... over the last 5 years the bills keep getting more and more expensive and extensive. Underwood... your .44Spcials with your 255 Hard Cast Keith's... I'm counting on you! Pop-Pop!

What grizzly "bear ammo" will the 629 handle? I've read different accounts and I'm a little confused. I'm pretty sure they can't handle the P+ loads, but can they safely handle something like Double Tap 320 grain hard cast wide flat nose ? Any other ideas welcome too. By the way, I purchased mine new from GunBroker about 3 years ago. I have the 3 inch barrel version. Thanks.