Hi all,

I am always looking for a way to expand my S&W collection. Currently in the process of purchasing a 625, thinking my next one will be a 29 P&R, or a 629, with no IL.

Looking for one in 95% or better condition and plan to shoot it/use for hunting. Thinking 6/6.5" barrel.

Dumb question (since my SCSW is still on its way from Amazon), were there ever any P&R 629s?

What would be a reasonable price in your corner of the country for either one of those?

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NRA Certified Pistol Inst.

The original 629 was pinned and recessed.
The 1982 -1 iteration eliminated these features and changed cylinder length slightly.
For a "user" 44 magnum, P&R makes no difference whatsoever, IMHO (purists screaming here).
While the stainless finish will hold up better with rough usage, personally, I'd get whichever one I could get the best deal on.
Better deals are usually for the non-P&R models.
FWIW, my favorite 44 magnum just happens to be a 4" -3.

My $0.03, YMMV!

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-jwk-
US Army '72-'95

Thanks for the input. My overall plan is to find a decent pre-lock one...it'd just be nice to have P&R because it's more aesthetically pleasing to me, even though I only have one P&R in my somewhat small S&W collection.

Your mention of stainless vs. blued makes sense. Heck, maybe I'll just have to get one of each

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NRA Certified Pistol Inst.

I'm a big fan of 29's and 629's myself. They did make some P&R 629's but they are the no dash versions. According to the SCSW when Smith went to the -1's in 1982 the pin and counterbore were eliminated.
As far as 29 versus 629, I myself think a blued gun is a work of art, but the guns I use the most for hunting and competition are all stainless. I tend to think of stainless guns as more of a tool.

Either will do you fine and if it's for hunting and you are willing to buy a 6 inch or Maybe ? an 8 3/8 inch they did make a P&R version of the 629 with the 8 3/8 inch which harder to find because it's rarer.
6 inch 629 no dash

8 3/8 inch 629 no dash

S&W 629-4 4 inch

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T. Johnson

I found and bought an unfired 1980 p&r 629 no dash 6" stainless boxed and papered for $825 and it is now my favorite gun ever. I bought it to shoot and took it out this weekend for the first time. All I can say is these guns are nothing but amazing. If you can find one in good condition you will never regrete it. Mine is the crown jewel of all my guns.

Of course the greatest part of the 29 vs. 629 dilemma is your proposed solution of having both. While I collect the blued P&R Smiths, if I'm going up someplace where my perceived position at the top of the food chain may be contested, my companion is a 6" 629-1. Nobody in those places seems to care that it's not P&R'd.

My Smith 44's are all stainless guns, just my personal preference.

For a hunting gun, I urge you to find a 29/629 Classic with a 6.5 inch barrel. I have used the one below to kill a few Texas wild hogs.

I have also used the 629 Mountain Gun with it's Crimson Trace laser grip to kill hogs. But that may not be legal where you are.

Left side top to bottom, no locks on any of them.
629 Classic 6.5 inch
629 Classic 5 inch
629 Mountain Gun
629 Mountain Revolver

Thanks for the advice so far, everyone. One I saw a year ago (and am kicking myself for passing up) was a S&W 629 Classic with the 5" barrel at a local shop for around $700. Regret not buying it, but I didn't have the money at the time.

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NRA Certified Pistol Inst.

"Next purchase: 29 or 629. Your thoughts?"

Yes...you need both!