Hello, i have been going over my wheel guns lately. Posted few pictures under questionable quality heading few weeks back. I have a 629-4 backpacker 44 magnum revolver. I have read articles on the endurance package on some of Smith and Wesson revolvers. I hadn't seen what exactly that package looks like internally. I figured few people may have the same inquiry as to what interior wise this is. There is another channel that has been routed to accept a sliding lug that works off the trigger hand, (which has a longer pin to locate into a groove in the sliding lug) that prevents the cylinder bolt from sliding back under recoil and unlock the cylinder to rotate randomly. In addition the cylinder stop has been lengthened as well as the cut outs in the cylinder. Hope this provides some interesting information during our current stay around the home front situation.

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Does yours say "Backpacker" on it anyplace? My 629-4 does not. Hickock45 has a video on his Backpacker, but it has the new frame and frame mounted firing pin.

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Richard Gillespie
FBINA 102

Good info and a nice gun. I need one of those in my safe...

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Don't You Ever Wash That Thing

Thanks for that reminder about this important safety upgrade. I believe the center pin spring may also be longer and slightly heavier in these guns as well.

The lug you show in your attached photo intercedes between the front of the bolt and the frame when the hammer is cocked or the trigger is pulled(DA). The resulting position of this lug during the firing phase prevents the bolt and it's attached thumbpiece from moving forward during recoil, and putting any additional pressure on the center pin and center pin spring.
This lug is a "heavier duty" version of the third pin on the back of the current hands in the other current production S&W revolvers, which serves to block the bolt's tendency to move forward during recoil in a similar way.

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Ret. LE, FA Instr, S&W Armorer

There is nothing donating the backpacker on the gun, i have the original box and paperwork stating the backpacker name . From my understanding this model was a 1994 only model gun. I believe later models did have images and logos calling out the backpacker name. Anyone care to decipher the serial number?

Date code information? I believe this is from 1994 one year only gun?

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Neat gun -- would love to have one. I do have the Scandium/Stainless 329 2 1/2" version.
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Paul

You are correct about the longer pin, great observation i forgot about that when i had it apart.

Great gun! I have a 386 scs that's really light weight, look forward to shooting it really soon.

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I have a somewhat newer 629 backpacker that says Backpacker on the side.

It also has the internal lock and frame mounted firing pin.

Plus porting on the 2.5" barrel.

It was some kind of special for a distributor.

At first the lock turned me off, but it's a well made gun and the lock has never caused a problem and doesn't bother me any more.

I like the fiber optic front sight, although it has to be cleaned every time I use the gun because of powder residue from the ports.

It came with big Hogue rubber grips which work well -- but are huge and ugly.

But I substituted Arend's Cocobolo boot grips which are fine for the 44 Special loads I usually shoot.

The porting seems to limit the muzzle flip to less that I expected from such a short barrel gun.

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What is the product code on the box? There are a many 629 "variations"

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Still Running Against the Wind

I have one of the 3” M629-4 Backpackers as well. No they do not say backpacker on them.

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Life NRA, Life TSRA, C&R FFL

What grips are on your backpacker, original on mine are the Hogue black rubber

Here is box specifications

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Box has special order code on it also any information as to what that is, other then the obvious backpacker?

The special order code was for employee use. It is the Julian date the gun was boxed. It was assumed the decade would be obvious so only the last number of the year is included. Your .44 was boxed the 95th day of 1994.

K22fan is spot on with the special order code. The product code 130450 also denotes the 3" Backpacker model.

The Hogue rubber grips are correct. I bought mine from a member here, no box and it came with Pachmeyer rubber grips. I put a set of S&W Combats on it that I had laying around. Mine is just a little newer than yours , it is in the BRWXXXX range

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Life NRA, Life TSRA, C&R FFL

I believe the original backpackers were made in April of 1994. The serial number prefix will start with either a BR or BS. I have seen them have both the old style pinned extractor and the new one. I have also seen them have silver medallion Hogues or regular ones.

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-Matt

Thanks gentlemen great information!

It sure irritates me when my ole brain malfunctions!!! My 629-4 box does say Backpacker on it! And the 629-5 that Hickock45 was shooting was called the Trail Boss and it was engraved on the sideplate. Gettin old sucks sometimes!

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Richard Gillespie
FBINA 102

Now hickok45 does have several videos of him shooting a beautiful 629-4 that he is very fond of. The grips or stocks on his 629-4 are what i would like to find i think they look perfect on that firearm.

What grips are these look like combat but more flattened out to me.

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Those were the last version of Combat Stocks that S&W made themselves. They were only made for N frames because the supply of earlier more rounded K/L frame Combats lasted longer.

I should add that while I think I know S&W made Combats when I see them when small pieces of wood sell for $250 inevitably the imitations will get closer to the originals.

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Bolt block disengaged
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Bolt block engaged
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Waiting for the break of day