629-4 Mountain Gun

I have a 629-2 Mountain Revolver (103652) with the traditional fluted cylinder as well as a .45 Colt 625-6 MG with porting - bought both NIB. Not a fan of magnaporting, but I don't notice it when shooting standard pressure .45 LC. Never seen an unfluted Mountain Revolver. The above unfluted MR's cylinder isn't chamfered - imagine it would look funny. Also, the chamfering on my MR is much more pronounced than on my MG.

What a beautiful pair you have there!
 
S&W 629-4 Mountain Revolver - Unfluted

Well, yesterday, I called up Smith & Wesson and they confirmed that my 629-4 Mountain Revolver, identified by product code and serial number, did leave the factory with the Glass Bead finish, and Unfluted cylinder, as described in the SWSC 4th Edition.

Based on the serial number, they also stated this revolver was sent out to Magnaport, for the barrel porting.
 

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629-4 4" Mountain Revolver

Today, I received the gun at my FFL, and was very happy with the appearance, balance, condition, and feel. I appreciated the differences in the glass beaded finish, and the unfluted cylinder.

The porting was excellently executed by Magnaport, though I personally would never have gone thru the expense to altered a very unique factory version of the 629-4 Mountain Revolver.

I had spoken with Smith & Wesson CS and they assured me they could restore the gun to factory original barrel. So I have options here.

Last night I had watched several video's on the pros and cons of Magnaporting & Powerporting, which is a factory feature on many Smith & Wesson Performance Center revolvers.

Particularly , the Jerry Miculek video shows his many Magnaported handguns including one he used in winning 3 (semiauto) Championships. He seems to be a big proponent of Magnaporting, displaying how it helps the shooter stay on target quicker, yet slows the velocity of the projectile.

For me maintaining originality of a uniquely featured 629-4, supersedes concerns for muzzle flip and speed/competition shooting. I'm very fond of the 629-4 and I have had a few of the 3" variety and one 5".
 

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629-4 Mountain Revolver - Unfluted & Glass Beaded!

I've decided to shoot the gun as is, and develop my own opinion of the benefits of the barrel porting, vs bringing it back to original configuration.

I'm not concerned about the gun having a non fluted, non beveled cylinder, or having a glass beaded finish, those are a bonuses of being a unique version of the 629-4! Though an unfluted cylinder may contradict the idea of lightening the revolver, it also changes the balance, when holding/shooting.
 

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I'm looking at buying this unusual version of the 629-4 MG that has a glass beaded finish, magna ported, and an unfluted cylinder. The product code is 103652 (1989) on this version.

Does any one here have one? Does anyone here know how many were made? Any thoughts on this one?

I'm not particularly a fan of the flame thrower slots on the barrel, but I'm sure it comes in handy when roasting marshmallows or starting a camp fire, etc.

Seriously, I just think the gun overall is pretty unique, and thought if might be nice to have. I've owned several 629s, all dash 4's except one, but never knew this one existed.

I WOULD BE SURPRISED IT THIS REVOLVER IS ACTUALLY SCRIPTED AS A "MOUNTAIN GUN". IT LACKS ONE OF THE SIGNATURE FEATURES OF THE MGs---THE "BLACK POWDER" STYLE, BEVELED CYLINDER. THE UN-FLUTED CYLINDER IS USUALLY A FEATURE OF A "CLASSIC HUNTER". COULD IT BE THAT THIS UNUSUAL REVOLVER IS ACTUALLY A VARIATION OF A CH, RATHER THAN A MG ? ? ? TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE, THE PORTED BARREL IS NOT A FEATURE OF EITHER THE MG OR CH REVOLVERS. OF COURSE THERE'S NO TELLING WHAT S&W MIGHT SURPRISE US WITH.....

IMHO, THE SEMI LUGGED BARREL DOESN'T APPEAR TO BE TAPERED QUITE LIKE THE BARREL OF A MG. OF COURSE, AS THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE HAVE SUFFERED THROUGH THE PERIODIC EXPLANATIONS OF WHY, THIS OL' SOLDIER TYPES IN CAPS----ONE EYE JOE DOES NOT SEE VERY WELL...lol WE REALLY NEED THE SERVICES OF A GUY LIKE Kernel Crittenden TO SORT THIS OUT FOR US--OR ME, AT LEAST........

BELOW ARE PICS OF MY 3 MGs. L to R, THEY ARE A M686+. A M629, AND A M625 IN .45 COLT. THE M629 IS PICTURED SOLO, AS WELL. THE MGs ARE FINE REVOLVERS.....

I HAVE ALSO POSTER A PIC OF 2 OF MY M629s. the 8 3/8" BARRELED ONE IS A CLASSIC HUNTER, WITH THE SIGNATURE UN-FLUTED CYLINDER. WHATEVER YOUR UNIQUE REVOLVER MIGHT BE---ITS A WORTHWHILE ADDITION TO ANYONE'S COLLECTION......

I'M NOT A FAN OF A PORTED BARREL OR A BEAD BLASTED FINISH, AND I'M A SHOOTER, NOT A COLLECTOR, BUT EVEN I WOULD BE TEMPTED TO BUY THIS ONE---UNLESS IT WAS TAGGED FOR "STUPID MONEY"......

WELL, RE-READING THIS THREAD, I FOUND OUT THAT I WAS CORRECT---ITS NOT SCRIPTED AS A MOUNTAIN GUN, BECAUSE ITS ACTUALLY A "MOUNTAIN REVOLVER" ! ! ! EVIDENTLY IT LEFT THE FACTORY WITH THAT CYLINDER AND FINISH, AND IT WAS SENT BY S&W, TO MAGNA PORT. BASED ON OTHER PEOPLES EXPERIENCE, WITH PORTED GUNS--I WOULD NOT BE TEMPTED TO BUY OR SHOOT THIS GUN. I DO EXTEND MY BEST WISHES, TO THE OP, FOR AN ENJOYABLE EXPERIENCE WITH IT, HOWEVER......
 

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l had a 629 Mtn Gun.. Too light on the front end made the muzzle flip

a bit much for me... l then went the other way. l found a full lug 3'' 629.

Unfluted cyl too!! Felt like a BRICK to carry.. Pointed and balanced AWFUL..

I solved the problem with 625 MOUNTAIN GUN!!!

l remember Larry Kelley of MagnaPort Arms.. Back in the 70s he went to

Africa with one of his special Ruger SBH 44s.. He killed ALL of the Big Five

with it. Shot special BRONZE bullets in it to get the penetration he needed

on the really BIG critters.

Shortly after Kelley started MagnaPort virtually EVERY ''gunsmith'' from

N Y to L A with a drill press was doing it on every type gun imaginable.

Sure ruined a bunch of fine firearms:-(
 
Interesting thread. I have a 3" 629-4 RSR Trail Boss. I'm not clear on the difference between the Trail Boss and a Mountain Gun??? My Trail Boss is also MagnaPorted and I guess sent by S&W out to get done. I can't say for certain that the porting helps a bunch but I don't experience the negative issues with the porting others are reporting. In low light it's obvious but not really otherwise. I like the gun but have never found the perfect grips for it.
 
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RSR Trail Boss 3" Magnaported

Hey Oink! That RSR 629 "Trail Boss" is another one of many cool guns S&W puts out.

This my first go round with a Magnaported gun, and I know Smith & Wesson also produces many Powerport guns as well, many of them Performance Center guns. I think I'll find out in a week where I stand on Magnaporting and a tapered barrel!:D

I'll be shooting factory 44 specials however, as I do in my 29-3 3" & 629-4 3" Backpacker. From what I'm seeing in the SWSC 4TH, there are several releases of the Trail Boss, but they all appear to be 3" barrels vs the 4" barrels on the Mountain Gun series (including predecessor, Mountain Revolver, Mountain Lion, etc.), with tapered barrels. There are other differences, but those being the most prominent.

Post a pic of your beauty if you have one handy. I would love to see it!

In my case if I don't like the Magnaporting on this Mountain Revolver, I'll just send it back to Smith & Wesson, and have them bring it back to stock.:eek:
 
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A relative of mine has an early .44 MG.

(Traded a minty Model 624 6 inch in on it.)


Some Dealer said those had a Perfomance Center
trigger job on them before they were shipped out.

I've shot it, and it does seem to be the finest S&W
revolver I've ever encountered.

Vintage Bianchi river belt, cyclone crossdraw holster
and Bianchi belt slide round out the carry rig.

Now that I'm into .45 COLT, your .45 MGs sure look neat!
 
I SERIOUSLY DOUBT THE VERACITY OF S&W SHIPPING THE EARLY M629 MGs OUT, WITH PC TRIGGER JOBS.....

SOMEONE MAY HAVE DONE A TRIGGER JOB ON THE EXAMPLE THAT YOU SHOT, AND IT MAY HAVE BEEN THE WORK OF THE PC---BUT I WOULD BET THAT IT WAS PAID FOR BY THE GUN'S OWNER......
 
Hey Oink! That RSR 629 "Trail Boss" is another one of many cool guns S&W puts out.

Post a pic of your beauty if you have one handy. I would love to see it!
Sorry my pics aren't very good:

20180729_162710_1.jpg


20180729_163336.jpg


20180729_163924_1.jpg


20180729_164736.jpg
 

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