Pawnshopping and this S&W 629-4 5 inch "Classic" was sitting there..

D

DeafSmith

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They wanted $800.. I talked them down to $700.. with tax $759 plus change.

In excellent condition except the case hardened hammer and trigger apparently rusted some and now have a 'dark' finish.

Shot it on range at 20 yards with 180 PMC .44 Mag JHPs and 240 grain Federal JHP .44 Mags. 240s are dead on, 180s shoot 5-6 inches low.

Very nice group! Not quite as good as my 8 3/8th inch 657 .41 mag but not bad at all!

Fits my bandolero style Assault Systems holster perfectly.

Now gang I need a N frame flash chrome hammer .500" and wide smooth flash chrome trigger to outfit it to my taste...

Pictures soon folks!!!
 
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Ok... first of all the 'family'..

Then the 629-4!

N1.jpg

Yep, 657 Long Tom, 629-4 .44 5 inch, 629-1 .44 4 inch, 625-3 .45 ACP 3", and 629-1 .44 3".

And now the new 5 inch 649-4.

1748707659446.jpeg

1748707671277.jpeg

You can see the 'burnished' hammer and trigger... sure would love to find a flash chrome .500" hammer and wide flash chrome trigger!
 
Nice snag, congratulations!
I’m sure you know the flash chromed hammer and trigger generally ended with the -3’s. As a matter of fact that’s the only reason I favor the -3’s.
I’m wondering if there’s a way to clean them up without removing any of the colors the ch controls are known for?
I like the family photo, I have to say your 3” looks great dressed like that. The old dash one must be a hand full with the little stocks.
Enjoy your new friend
chris
 
Alllll Right!!! From the range today.

1748718465108.jpeg

Four rounds of 250 grain LSWC with 6.5 grains Unique. That is at 7 yards...

1748718503914.jpeg

Now at 20 yards the six that were on the speed strip.

Now the question... see when I got this a few years ago it shot horribly to the left. Real bad. I noticed the barrel was not strait. With a plastic mallet I torqued the barrel in till the sights were strait up and the ejector lug housing was correct. Everything looked dead on. Then I put the project up as I had other fish to fry. So today I took it out and shot it.

Now is the barrel gonna torque back and shoot way off? That is the 64,000 buck question.

I will handload 50 rounds with magnum cases (all the same kind), hand weigh the charges, and use the 250gr SWCs. Photo to top and bottom of the barrel where it meets the frame. See if there is any torque and if the groups move. If not... LEAVE IT ALONE! If there is some movement I'll straiten it out again and get a good gunsmith to get a stainless pin an pin the barrel to the frame (like S&W used to do.)

But for now .. yea it is a real cool looking gun!
 
CWH44300 said:
Nice snag, congratulations!
I’m sure you know the flash chromed hammer and trigger generally ended with the -3’s. As a matter of fact that’s the only reason I favor the -3’s.
I’m wondering if there’s a way to clean them up without removing any of the colors the ch controls are known for?
I like the family photo, I have to say your 3” looks great dressed like that. The old dash one must be a hand full with the little stocks.
Enjoy your new friend
chris
Click to expand...
I don't shoot full magnums out of the snub 3 inchers... any of them! Yes they will kick way to bad and worthless when shooting one handed.
 
I'm gonna get a smith to pin the barrel in with a stainless pin.. not even fire it anymore till that is done!!! Maybe then find a S&W made holster that fits the 3" barrel and use it...sure would look cool hiking with that getup.. maybe a Puma Stag handled knife on the other hip to (can't afford a Randall for just hiking folks..)

Something like this..

1748787380136.png
 
CWH44300 said:
Nice snag, congratulations!
I’m sure you know the flash chromed hammer and trigger generally ended with the -3’s. As a matter of fact that’s the only reason I favor the -3’s.
I’m wondering if there’s a way to clean them up without removing any of the colors the ch controls are known for?
I like the family photo, I have to say your 3” looks great dressed like that. The old dash one must be a hand full with the little stocks.
Enjoy your new friend
chris
Click to expand...
Here is my S&W 66-4.. notice the flash chrome hammer and trigger (I installed them!)

66-4.jpg

Notice the rear sight is rounded... it's a -4. I also used the wider hammer as I like to cock them with my left thumb for SA fire.
 
Last edited:
$700 for that is a great deal. Goes for at least $1200 everywhere else I know of.
 
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Great find at a great price! imo the 629-4 is the pinnacle of mid-1990's S&W manufacturing. Here's a pair of 629-4's, square and round butt examples, acquired in December 2019 and January 2020 respectively, for what you paid in 2025. Well bought!
 

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DeafSmith said:
I'm gonna get a smith to pin the barrel in with a stainless pin…
Click to expand...
The pin was never used to prevent rotation. There was still 5-10 degrees of rotation with the pin in place.

You said you were able to move the barrel with a plastic mallet? If it is that loose, it may need to be set back one thread and fit properly.

Kevin
 
StrawHat said:
The pin was never used to prevent rotation. There was still 5-10 degrees of rotation with the pin in place.

You said you were able to move the barrel with a plastic mallet? If it is that loose, it may need to be set back one thread and fit properly.

Kevin
Click to expand...
Well just cause it was never used for that reason does not mean it cannot be used for that reason... btw then what was the pin for??
 
That's a great price. I paid close to that in the early 90s. Mine is a little different as you can see in the pictures. Maybe an earlier model -4. The right side of the bbl is laser etched but the left side caliber is engraved. Cylinder release on yours is the later style. I installed the unfluted cylinder and Dawson front sight.
KIMG2261.png

KIMG2262.png
 
StrawHat said:
The pin was never used to prevent rotation. There was still 5-10 degrees of rotation with the pin in place.

You said you were able to move the barrel with a plastic mallet? If it is that loose, it may need to be set back one thread and fit properly.

Kevin
Click to expand...
I googled it and they say..

"On early Smith & Wesson revolvers, the barrel pin's primary function is to secure the barrel to the frame, preventing it from loosening or being unscrewed, even if the threads become stripped. It does this by passing through both the frame and a notch in the rear of the barrel. Additionally, a pinned barrel can be a sign of quality and durability, making older models more desirable."

"A pinned barrel refers to an actual steel pin that goes through the frame and a notched rear portion of the barrel, and it was originally intended to help anchor the barrel to the frame in both magnum and some non-magnum revolvers."

So I will make sure they drill the hole strait across with no play in the barrel. Should keep the barrel from rotating.
 
DeafSmith said:
Well just cause it was never used for that reason does not mean it cannot be used for that reason... btw then what was the pin for??
Click to expand...
To prevent the barrel from unscrewing from the frame.

In the Army Trials of 1906, there were several revolvers that had the barrel spin out from the frame. S&W used the pin to prevent that.

If you have ever seen an unfitted barrel, the groove is already present.

Kevin
 
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