I have found this 629-3 with pinned barrel, how is it possible? Had been the pin fitted later? Not recessed cylinder.

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Marcello

Wasn't it common for Smith to use up leftover parts in transition? Probably an old frame that was drilled for a pin, but used up later in production so just fit a pin and call it good enough! Just my opinion, I can not substantiate that at all.

Smith (or any other manufacturer) doesn't waste parts. The transition between dashes is not a hard stop. It's not unusual to see a dash 2 having a dash 1 feature.

Yes, but I figured they'd have used up all those parts on the next series. M629 was the only stainless .44M with a pinned barrel, neither the dash-1 nor dash-2 were pinned. Well, never say never with S&W.

Some frames may be saved for quite a while for use in special orders or whatever. I once had a p&r 4" round butt model 66-1 that shipped in 1989.

I can understand it if it were a 629-1 but on a -3 seems really strange to me

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Marcello

I’d list it on GB as extremely rare. Opening bid $3000.

My surname is Baldi so your nickname sound for me really familiar

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Marcello

My 629 has no pinned barrel but does have a recessed cylinder.

That's odd for sure. A good friend of mine has a 629-3 with a recessed cylinder. So, the pinned barrel is possible too.

Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

I have a Model 65 that's not a pinned barrel but has a recessed cylinder. I also have a Model 29-3 nickel that was made in '81 but lacks both P&R.

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GOA FL Dir. & Nat. Spokesman

The pin looks rather farther back than usual in the photo above. My guess: someone added it to suit themselves. Not all that hard to do, especially with stainless. And the right tools and skill set.

That's not terribly unusual, called a "transitional model". Probably late in "no-dash" production, since the dash-1 would have neither pinned barrel nor the recessed cylinder. Very early dash-1 guns could be the same way.

What dash number is the M65? There is no "no dash", the model started as a dash-1. Dash-1 and dash-2 are P&R, the dash-3 and later would normally have neither. The M29-3 should not have a pinned barrel or recessed cylinder, but the manufacture date should be 1982 or later, which is when production of the dash-3 started. Is that gun lettered as a 1981 ship date?

It one of two possibilities. Either S&W had a 629 frame stored and finally used it to build a 629-3 or someone with some machining skills drilled the frame for a pin. Given there is a 7 year span between the end of the 629 and the introduction of the 629-3, I am leaning more towards someone drilled the frame for a pin. If that is the case, was the frame and barrel drilled all the way through for a full length pin or was each side drilled to or almost to the barrel and a short section of a pin installed in each side? Why would someone drill a non-pinned frame for a pin? Either they thought the pin would help to retain the barrel or they were thinking of creating a very rare, pinned 629-3 that would be worth a whole lot more than any other 629-3. Questions abound!

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VCDL, GOA, NRA

To be precise, the story goes like this:
in my facebook group of revolver enthusiasts, a member posted a photo of him 629, i immediately noticed that it was with a pinned barrel but without cylinder recess.
I immediately contacted the owner asking him to sell it to me, thinking it was a 629 no dash transitional model.
He replied that he would sell it and sent me many photos including the one I've posted in this thread.
When I saw that it was marked 629-3 I asked if he drilled the frame and if he had bought the revolver new or used.
The answer was that he had bought the revolver new and it had come with a pinned barrel.
At that point I posted the photo in the forum.
Now, I think it was an early frame assembled years later. Also if the time gap has been too long

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Marcello

What year did he buy it, if he bought it new, and what is the SN prefix? Should be three letters if anything 1982 or later.

There is a third possibility, a miss-stamped frame.

I just went and Googled Smith 629 no dash and looked at 10+ different random guns. IMO all of the ones I looked at have the pin about 1/8"(maybe 1/10") an inch further forward. If the frame was made with regular 629's, the pin location would be the same as other 629's.

I'd guess it was added after the fact. I'd imagine back in the 1990's people were still complaining about the loss of the pinned barrel and it wouldn't be terribly hard for someone to add it.

Check the pic inthe first post, there you can say a serial number

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Marcello

Excellent idea!!

...and OP, be sure to post pictures of handling the revolver with white gloves like it's the Mona Lisa. Apparently that trick makes bidders get real stupid.

I ran a steel ruler to the rear of the pin and measured back to the frame at the forcing cone. It came in a hair under 3/16ths. Hope that helps.

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Pics of the pin

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	IMG-20230607-WA0026.jpg (64.4 KB, 26 views)
	IMG-20230607-WA0029.jpg (87.4 KB, 20 views)

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Marcello

It might have worked either way; an older 629 frame was lying around for several years and built to -3 specs with milling the slot for the pin in a newer barrel, or an older barrel with the slot was put on a -3 and the hole drilled for the pin.

From the photo in the first post I think I see "MOD 629" fairly well centered on the frame, then "-3" at a funny angle to the right. This suggests to me an older frame was used and "-3" added, but what do I know?

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

I guess I'm not the only early bird here, Breakfast and 2nd cup of coffee.

Never say never with S&W they say.

The serial number starts with "BHMxxxx" which puts it somewhere in the early 1990s for a ship date, the cylinder has the notches of the Endurance Package which started in the late 629-2s, and the pin appears it might be a little too far back to be factory. My .02 is it was pinned after the factory!
jcelect