I've been considering finally getting a S&W Model 629 lately, but the cost seems to have gone through the roof. They're selling for upwards of $1000 now which is just crazy considering I was seeing them for $700 last year, less if you bought used.
I know that a lot of folks panicked and bought guns since last year, but I would have never expected the average Joe would buy a .44 Magnum Revolver of all things.

It's not just the 629 either, the 29 and 329 are all crazy expensive or otherwise completely unavailable right now.

I would have I guessed that a lot of panic-buyers bought 9mms and police trade-in .40s, but it looks like many of them must have seen Dirty Harry and decided that if they were going to buy a handgun then they were getting "The most powerful handgun in the world!" at least to the best of their knowledge.

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Shooting Comfort is bilateral.

You think that's crazy, I saw a used Hi-Point the guy was asking $250 for it! Although to be fair it came with the original paper bag and a letter of mediocrity.

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The best I can with what I got

The average price for a used 29 on GunBroker is currently $1,102.92. Add a grand if your looking for a pre-29...

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If you want one, you just have to accept the current insane prices and get it. They will only become harder to find in the future and more expensive.

Not just 29s, it's difficult to find basically ANY S&W revolvers right now. I recently picked up a 29 4" engraved model for a bit under MSRP and consider myself fortunate.

Still trying to find a 629 6", 586 4", 460XVR 5" and 500 4", and theres VERY little out there. I just can't bring myself to pay 30-50% over MSRP that most of these are going for on GunBroker.

Considering how anti-2A the current administration is, and the constant statements of how they want to ban anything with over 10 rds of capacity, I think you're going to continue to see revolver prices climb and availability drop.

I have a 629 NIB no dash that i considered selling, but not any more. It goes up every day. I have no idea why, but I bought a 629-1 4" a couple weeks ago and that was a grand for lightly used example. I think I did good?

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Pete
I ain't no fortunate son

For a quick antidote to the going price of 29s, look at Anacondas (and don't look at Super Redhawks).

What may be happening is Smith could be cranking out ARs and M&P line of same auto pistols. Thereby neglecting the revolvers, which are less in demand in a Panic.

3 years ago I paid $775 for a brand new 6.5 inch 629.

I couldn't afford to if I wanted to, I'm afraid. Besides, that's too expensive regardless, so even if I could, I wouldn't. The only way that I would drop $1000 on a 629 is if it was a Performance Center model.

I'll keep my eyes open in case I get lucky and find one that is more reasonably priced.

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Shooting Comfort is bilateral.

Prices are crazy all around with guns.

I saw LCRs selling on GB for $700+ with multiple bids.

I'm ever thankful I bought my 629 before this panic buying.

Hopefully it will simmer down eventually.

N frame revolvers are becoming dinosaurs...very expensive dinosaurs. I've got a 625-8 that I was considering selling until I heard they were discontinued. I paid $900 for it new about 5 years ago. The N frame market has gone absolutely crazy. I would bet that S&W discontinues all of their N frames in a few years. Ammo prices are going to kill the big bores. $1.40/rd for 44 mag is no joke. Soon it will be nothing but a reloaders cartridge.

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That's just somebody talkin.

The market only goes as high as the market will bear. There has to be people buying them at these ludicrous prices. I am very happy I bought what I have and when I did.

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U.S. Coast Guard, retired CPO

I think the OP should change his user name to Rip van Winkle - he's obviously been asleep for quite about a year.

Neighbor down the road from me stopped by the other evening to show off his 629-6, 6 1/2" barrel factory wood grips. He ordered the gun back in July of last year, cash register receipt in box $962.00 otd. Fine looking gun.

terry

Nope, I just haven't looked at the prices of Smith & Wesson Revolvers in a year and assumed that folks would be more into wonder 9s than wheel guns.

In fact, the only guns I've really been looking at have all been .40cal pistols, and most of those are still cheap.

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Shooting Comfort is bilateral.

I can't remember when an "N" frame was going for much less than $800, most closer to $900.
Lots of interest in no dash and early and "no lock" models. Also 5" and Mountain Guns of all calibers. These guns have style, beauty and craftsmanship that plastic guns just don't have and never will.

S&W should make more of them.

The desire and price of S&W 3rd generation semi-autos is also increasing.

Maybe people are tired of plastic.

Bought my Model 29 in 1978. Prices and availability were out of hand then too, the Dirty Harry phenom being in full effect. Got mine for MSRP, which was a heck of a deal back then.

..in 1973 the average wait time for a 29-2 was 9 months. Even as a LEO it was close to 3 months. A friend who was a local LEO ordered a 6.5" and was lucky as the next one that came in 3 weeks down the road was turned down by the two LEOs on the list ahead of him...

Prices are reasonable or insane it depends on who is selling it or what auction day brings. I put 4 guns up in the last month for auction and all 4 brought double what I paid 1year to 18 months ago! But I also sold a pre model 39 at auction that I actually lost $1k on! I am still way ahead but it is an unpredictable market. Certainly a sellers market.
As far as 629s go it totally depends on barrel length, dash number, special runs etc. I have bought several 629s in past year but none were under $1k.
But all we’re older models, 3 inch models or collectible long tubes.
In summary.. prices are higher than they used to be.. they will not go back!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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John 1:17
NRA Life Benefactor

I'd like to know the details on the one that went for over $6K.

Tyrannosaurus Rex was a pretty nasty dinosaur.

I think revolvers will be around for quite a while. At least until the next large meteor hits.

Why is everyone so convinced that prices absolutely will not go back?

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Shooting Comfort is bilateral.

Model 29s are only produced for limited times every year. They are a standard catalog item, but only so much time and so many resources can be allocated to making them. It's just the way it is.

I finally got a 6-1/2" 29-10 Classic last year, and I had waited at least a year for those to show up on the market. I have been patiently waiting for 4" 29-10 Classics to make a comeback. But with Covid and supply chain issues I realize that might not happen for maybe another year or two, and possibly longer. It is what it is.

29-2 have been pretty costly here in Kalifornistan for ages.

Wait a minute... <counts on fangers>

'70 & earlier are 50YO now... might be roster exempt!

Our "not-too-unsafe" roster artificially inflates prices on just about anything of interest to me.

I'd kinda like a newer 6" without the full lug. My -1 is a bit tired. For short one I like my -4 Trail Boss just fine. Mine came with 2 Hogue rubber grips. One with a lanyard ring and one without but I don't really like them. I have wood Hogues on it. A 5" would be cool. I won't pay stupid money for one. I think prices will come back down providing the Dems don't really mess up the gun laws.

We're in the middle of a buying frenzy in the middle of a pandemic. Prices are through the roof on everything. You'll either have to wait or just just accept the fact anything we buy right now comes with a hefty premium.

I have 4 S&W 29's, 629's and a Ruger Super Black Hawk. I bought them early when the prices were less. At the time they were expensive, but not like todays prices. They will never go down in price, mine are all pre-lock old school Smith & Wesson's. So, if you can find one, suck it up and buy it.
This is my 5" 629-4, unfluted cylinder bought in 1997 for $515 dollars. Expensive then, bargain now.



My Ruger Super Black Hawk 1995 for $432 out the door. Both 44's are my backpacking guns.



My S&W 629-3 bought for $761 in 2011 also a backpacking gun.



And my S&W 29-3 6" barrel bought in 1985 for... wait for it, $342 dollars. A real beauty.

I do not think the prices will drop until the baby boomer collections hit the market. Especially on the big N frames.

I would like to find another 4" no dash or -1 629. just to hoard it. If you look at the auction sites and sales sites, there are mighty slim pickins out there

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Pete
I ain't no fortunate son

You have been teasing us with just one pic of that 29-3 for awhile now.How about some more if you find the time to take some more.

I’m glad I bought all mine before the frenzy...

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In a year this stuff will fall to pre panic price, more or less.

That may happen, but the big question is what about ammunition? Availability and prices?

Let's return next year and revisit this. Common plastic guns and Rs may return to lower prices but I see revolvers staying high as fewer and fewer are being produced. This sub forum 1980 - present is probably a little misleading too. IT used to mean new guns w/o collector status. That's not true at all niw. 1980 - 2000 even to 2005 revolvers have collector status. You will never see a 629 no dash to a 629-4 3" gun under a $1,000 unless you stumble on someone stuck in a time warp. Let's see how cheap they are next Feb.
I agree about ammo. If we never get back to ammo availability and ammo at a reasonable price then guns will be sold cheap.

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John 1:17
NRA Life Benefactor

I guess I did OK with my 629-6, born in 2016 IIRC. They had a tag on it for $750, they gave me 550 for a GP100 5" that I really didn't like. So about $250 OTD. I was going to pay the $750 if they didn't want either of my Rugers. I got to keep the best of the 2. $750 seemed pretty good to me, and that little hole on the side doesn't bother me. BTW, is that the oil port?

I'm among the new gun owners that started last year. My first 44 mag was a 69 model. I got it because most of the ammo available in my area was 44 mag. Then i got a 29-10 around September, then a month after I walked into my local store looking for a 325 thunder ranch and walked out with 629 6.5" deluxe, and about a week ago I traded my 69 for a 629 4". Love the 44 mag. Most the prices I paid were close to the advertised MSRP I didn't mind much I just wanted them. Oh I forgot as for N frames also have a 27-2 and TRR8 also bought last year. 27-2 was my birthday gift. I think if this administration passes the magazines limitations the demand for revolvers and 1911s are going to skyrocket. I rather carry 8 or 7 rounds of 357 than 10 rounds of 9mm or 380

Yeah.... my money is on the MORE....

Sure will do so. Thanks.

Prices on new firearms will come back down. Manufacturers are focused on cranking out semiautos and ARs right now to satisfy demand. Revolvers will resume production to normal levels later this year and inventories will slowly build.

As far as ammo, it will be much longer for things to normalize. I would guess next year. Folks are still hoarding and panic buying.

I paid $995 for a model 629-6 6in. this past December. Call it FOMO or a kneejerk to the election result. Had a model 29 nickel 6 in. bought in the late 80's for around $425. Should never have sold it.

Being in limited production nowadays, I'm not sure that they'll necessarily return to pre-pandemic prices, but they will most likely settle somewhere for less than the currently inflated prices.

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Shooting Comfort is bilateral.

I listened to that little voice, for once, that pops up once in a while. Last year I was going purge my .44's but didn't. I only have three but I am glad I didn't sell them off. Not sure which one would have gone first. 629-4 6"--Pre-29 6.5"--629 ND 4". Thankfully I reload for it too. Nice thread with some stunning 44 pics.

I think one thing everyone is overlooking is the assumption that the purchasing power of the dollar is linear in terms of real inflation. It is not. This picture shows the money supply in circulation for the U.S. The printing presses and computer balances have been ballooning non-stop, flooding ththe U.S. with cheap money. This has found it's way into the economy, and explains why the stock market is so high while regular people are unable to afford basic goods and services.

For those who are middle to upper class who have been able to benefit from this cheap keynesian money printed from nowhere, the purchasing spree has been unprecedented.

Due to the money supply, and the real level of inflation, we won't be seeing prices drop unless there is an all out depression that leaves people desperate to sell assets in order to eat.

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When the gun makers are put out of business there is only one way for prices to go.

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No baby we aint

The correct grease gun tip was limited production and very hard to find in its original S&W factory box. Sadly not included in most universal kits, but given the number of new gun owners, surely an idea whose time has finally come.



Snap-on has a product idea suggestion program with a $3000 prize... if enough gun owners request it, something may happen yet!

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Looked at a new 329PD today. It was at the full retail price of $1179.00 .
I’ve never paid retail on a gun but that’s probably what we’ve got to look forward to for the next year .

Pre-frame-holed' Smith Revolvers will forever now on command a premium. Prices will probably fall somewhere between last years prices and today's prices from now on... Not happy about it but I have a feeling that is what time it is. You can't get quality like the previous Smith's of yesteryear today or in the future either in my opinion, nor Colt's...1911's are/seem to be an exception just as AR's and AK's are too from the "Boutique" manufacturers. Again, not happy about that but it's just the way things are/is.

5 years ago I decided to get everything I was putting off and wanted for a long time. I finally finished 90% of that "want/need list" up about 2 years ago and am glad I did... As for that last 10% I figure I'll probably never be able to obtain those last few items which a sad but true reality.

I hope I am wrong...

My 3 year old 686 ? Nothing wrong with it. Trigger smooth. timing perfect, bore excellently polished. Who cares if it has a MIM hammer and a lock hole? It's a tool. It works.

Absolutely everything went up, to include C&R stuff and even black powder. Now's the time to be selling what you don't want, but I'd let buying relax for a bit until things come back down (just like last time, they will drop).

Did you see the thread with the oversized thumb latch that covers the oil port. Slick looking. I am not sure it is an oil port. I think it is for a zerk fitting

Being old fashioned I want no holes, straight not canted barrels, proper machining, 1 piece bbls, and no Altamont gtips

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Pete
I ain't no fortunate son

Wowsers, I guess I got mine just in time!! This is my 44K.

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Don't You Ever Wash That Thing