Ok so I quite smoking last new years eve and started to put the $ that were going UP IN SMOKE in a coffee can to buy myself a reward Well its a year later and its time to start shopping
My question is that I want a 44 magnum hopefully in a 3 inch barrel, stainless steel Now the problem is that I am not sure what Model to get , There seem to be so many I am confused beyond belief . I have looked around GB ect and have no interest in the new ones, Any suggestions or direction with model numbers would be greatly appreciated Thank In Advance

Hello,
I think Lew Horton had some 629's produced in a 3" barrel with a round butt and combat stocks back in the mid to late 80's. These would be in the 629-1 or -2 production and engineering change time frame.

I need to revise stainless nor the 3 inch barrel are required I am more of a purist and like a classic looking revolver Thank for any assistance

Well then, that opens it up. The pinned and recessed Model 29's are the most popular with collectors. I have a Model 29-2 with a 4" barrel, and a 29-2 with a 8 3/8". Both of these are shooters. The 8 3/8" has several thousand rounds through it and I had a scope attached to it at one time, but it is a very pleasant shooter. The 4" is more of a safe queen and can be quite a handful with full house magnum ammunition.

If you want a blued .44 Mag, then the M29 is the way to go. You'll normally find them with 3, 4, 5, 6, 6 1/2, 8 3/8, and 10 5/8-inch barrels. The 4 and 6-inch are probably the most common. There are other less common barrel lengths. For standard production guns, prices in the $700 to $1000 range are pretty common.

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~ S&W aficionado in training ~

First off, Congratulations on Quitting smoking. That is a great accomplishment. My mom smoked like a chimney for years, got lung cancer, she actually beat it, but it did a number on her.

damn cigarettes!

OK, onto better things.

If you are looking for a classic .44 Magnum, you have two main Choices.

The Classic Model 29 which came in many variants. The classic Dirty Harry era .44 magnum is a 29-2. It is blued, it came in barrel Lengths of 8 3/8", 6.5" (this is what Harry used), a rarer 6" model which came a bit later, and a 4" Model.

4" N Frames are my favorite, but a 6" or a 6.5" 29-2 is definitely on my list!

The other option you have is the Stainless version of the 29, which is the 629. They came in the same barrel lengths as the 29, except for a 6", and some later variats came in the 3". These are also great guns. They came much later than the 29. I believe it was 1979ish, when they were finally available. The 629 no dash were pinned and recessed. The 629-1 came about in '82/'83 and they were no longer pinned and recessed, but still have it where it counts. Any of the Pre Internal Lock 629s will come highly recommended by forum members. The guns with the Internal Locks are darn good too, it's just an aesthetic thing with a lot of us.

Dollar for Dollar, and so paring similar condition, You can find a 629 for probably a little less than the Model 29 Counterpart.

The Model 29 is more elegant, but the 629 is probably more useable, from the standpoint of not having to worry as much about maintaining the finish.

Here are two of my 629s.

My 629-1, with a 4" barrel. It has Kurac Royal Walnut Smooth Target Stocks. I shoot this one a good bit with specials and magnums. Factory loads only. It is probably my favorite gun for pure shooting along with one of my 1911s.

It is not pinned and recessed, but I polished it up with Mothers, and put the Kuracs on it.

It does come with Target Hammer, Target Trigger, and a Red Ramp Front Sight. It had Pachmyrs on it, and the Factory Target Stocks were long gone. I like the Smooth Targets in it now though.

Some Shots:



With My aforementioned 1911:






And this is my 629 no Dash. This is pinned and Recessed. It is a special gun. Very few 4" no dash 629s were made.

This Revolver came with all the options Checked and features collectors want.
- Pinned Barrel, and Recseed Cylinder Chambers
- Target Hammer
- Target Trigger
- Target Sights
- Red Ramp Front Sight
- Target Stocks

I have a set of Keith a Brown Tulip Stocks on it now. This gun does not get shot now, not with these stocks on it anyway.

I have shot it, and it shoots like a dream, but the 629-1 takes trips to the range with me.

Here it is, With the factory Target Stocks first:






And now with the Keith Browns:







As you can see, these Keith Browns are a work of art in their own right, so I do not want to chance even putting a single Mar on them. When this 629 goes to the range, the Keith Browns come off.

SWEET! I would highly recommend to the OP to get one of these!

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18-4, 15-4

There are a lot of reasons not to get the 3" in that caliber including short sight radius, excessive muzzle blast and ballistic inefficiency. I think there are also some 5" barrels around in some of the 629s you might consider. A lot of people think the 4" is still too short.

Just get a 629 in 4 inch length. The extra inch in the holster is not noticeable, but the 4 inch is MUCH more "shootable." If you want blue, the very knowledgeable Kernel Crittenden calls it correctly when he recommends the Model 29. If the 4 inch Model 29 was "good enough for Elmer," it is good enough for us.

THANKS EVERYONE for your knowledge and suggestions , I think the 29 blued with 4 is that way to go just the "Looks " are so traditional that it stirs my purist heart Will let you know how it all goes , I just dont want the cash burning a hole in my pocket and settling rather than selecting. Cant believe that the dollars saved this past year have been going up in smoke over the years for no reason at all when I could have been purchasing such great items

I WOULD STRONGLY CONSIDER THE THE MOUNTAIN GUN IN .44 MAGNUM. THEY ARE FREQUENTLY FOUND IN CLEAN USED CONDITION, WITHOUT THE IL, ON GUN BROKER. THEY ARE A FEW OZ LIGHTER THAN THE STANDARD BARREL. THE LOOK OF THE TAPERED BARREL IS VERY ATTRACTIVE, IMHO. I OWN THREE--A 686+, A 625 IN .45 COLT, AND A 629--PICTURED L TO R BELOW. THE SINGLE PIC IS THE 625, WHICH IS HARD TO TELL FROM THE .44MAG, SAVE FOR THE BARREL MARKINGS…….

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'Nam 1968-69.DAV,VFW,NRA Inst.

IMO, the classic look of the big N frame revolvers comes alive in the 4" and 5" versions.

Edit: BIG congrats on giving up that spendy habit!

Big congratulations on stopping smoking. As for 44's I'm a huge fan of 3" 629's and 29's but the 4" are good looking too. You can't go wrong with either. Look around here in the classifieds, in various local gun shops and on Gunbroker and you'll be sure to find one that will tug at your heartstrings. Good luck both on the gun hunt and your continuing cigarette-free life and make sure you post pics of whichever gun you end up with.

While all this is true, my 3" 629 is a LOT of fun to shoot with anything less than full magnums. Even a few magnums are fun, and its accuracy is surprising. I have a 6" for full magnums, but the 3" is a lot more fun.

However, for a first .44 I'd recommend the 5" if you can find one, otherwise a 6".

Which brings up a different point. A .44 is probably best suited for someone who reloads. You can run some lighter loads or specials without breaking the bank. If you just want to own a .44, then probably not an issue. Frankly, that's the reason I got a 625. Very similar to running .44 specials without the high cost. I still like to pull out the 29 but I don't reload so I don't shoot it too much. If I reloaded, I'd probably load .44 specials and not even had bought a 625.

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18-4, 15-4

A good option are the Dan Wesson .44 mags, hell for strong,accurate and with the interchangeable barrels, about any length you want in about 10 minutes.

Boy, this thread gave rise to some Jake looking guns.

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"He was kinda funny lookin'"

I have two 44 magnums. Both 629-1. A 8 3/8 inch barrel, and a 3 inch Lew Horton. "Lew" is my favorite. I agree with others, hard to beat a 4 inch, either 29 or 629. I remember when dad quit smoking. He got up one morning, reached for his smokes, looked at the pack and counted 7 cigarettes, that is what he lacked smoking 3 packs the day before. He put them down and NEVER smoked again. After he passed, some 35 years later, I found those 7 cigarettes, still in the pack, in his dresser drawer, he never threw them away. Congrats on kicking that habit and starting a BETTER habit, the 44's. Happy NEW Year!

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Pinned and Recessed Blue steel and Top quality wood.

Barrel length of your choice.

This is a great pay back.

I did the same thing 5 years ago but bought a motorcycle because I saved $3,000 a year.

Quit is the reward, the gun is a bonus!

Enjoy
David

The best part (besides quitting smoking of course) is that you can continue to use your saved money to build a .44 magnum collection!

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Miss My Buddy crsides!!

You absolutely cannot go wrong with that choice. A 4" N Frame S&W gives you everything that you need, and nothing that you don't from the standpoint of a building block for your collection. Don't worry about settling on a single barrel length. You will buy more N Frames after purchasing your first.

Trust me on that.

I bought a model 28 because I wanted a .357 magnum, I followed that up with a 27, both my 629s, and even a K Frame model 19 for good measure.

Happy hunting for that special model 29.

Heresy time:

Here is a nice short barrel 44 mag you could consider:

Ruger Super Blackhawk


[IMG]http://www****ger.com/products/newModelSuperBlackhawkDE/images/0817.jpg[/IMG]

After owning a Thompson Center Contender in .44 mag. I decided that I wanted a revolver. I settled on a 629 with 5 inch barrel. It is handy and the 5" barrel seems to allow most of the powder to burn. I would definitely consider reloading. Here is my setup with UltraDot 30mm scope:

Great guns as well, but if you are going to start with a .44, a 29 is a better first piece to the puzzle, in my opinion.

To me, the Blackhawks are for more of a specific purpose, and not something that is a viable option for CC. Great guns though. They will digest any viable .44 magnum lad that you put down the gullet. A must have for any serious hand-loader for sure.

I have owned a number of 44 Magnums over the years. I would say, for you, look for a 6.5 inch M29, older model. You cant get more classic than that.

Knowing what I know today, I would go out and get a M69 to start. It is the most practical 44 Magnum right now. The Mountain Gun would also be good if you can find one at a good price. You can build from there, depending on what you need.

I've had a 4" 629-6 for years & love it. Stainless like you mentioned early in the thread. Then I learned here on the forum, that the 629 no dash was pinned & recessed. I saw pictures, decided I needed one. I started watching the classifieds, GB, etc.

After months of window shopping, I found what I was looking for. Now I'm on the hunt for some nice factory Targets, and maybe some nice aftermarket hardwood too. I need to get some better pics, but here it is.

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-Roger

Roger,

It looks very nice and I like your ideas on grips.
While mine came wearing the factory targets, I wanted something different too.

Have you thought about combats?

To the op,
Congratulations on quitting and choosing to celebrate with a smith 44. With all the money your going to save, you could ask this question every six months!

I was looking at all my options, and there are many...

I have found that the Hogue rubber work great for me, shape vs hand size, point of aim, etc. So I was considering some Hogue hardwood.

I like these Rosewood grips with their stripe cap, trying to decide about the checkering. Decisions decisions...



And of course, my 686 no dash would deserve a matching set.

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-Roger

Great looking 629 Roger. As far as grips go I prefer smooth with nice grain. My 337ti has Altamont oversize fingergroove combats nice grain but I ordered checkering & wish I hadn't. Now the old S&W N frame targets that I lost at least 2 pair of over the last 40 years look good they just didn't fit my hand.

My 4" blue 29-2 is my concealed carry .44 magnum. My 8 3/8" nickel 29-2 or 8" stainless Colt Anaconda are my open carry .44 magnums. My 6 1/2" Ruger Blackhawk flat-top is my fun plinking at the range .44 magnum. My 10 1/2" Ruger Super Blackhawk is my hunting .44 magnum.

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U.S. Navy - U.S. Army, ret

I like the 29/629 too, in various barrel lengths.


29-3 6"


629-4 4"

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No good deed goes unpunished.

I think my ideal would be a 4" 29,which I still haven't owned .My first was a super blackhawk way back when.Had a 5" 629 around ten years ago which was replaced with a 4" Anaconda that I really liked and kept until some guy waved too much money at me .My only one left,for now,is a 4 screw pre 29 which I still haven't shot..

All of these guys have suggestions, but I didn't see anyone that asked you what it is you want ot do with the gun once you get it. Is it an investment piece ? A shooter ? What kind of shooting ? Do you plan on carrying it ? Will you use it for hunting ? All of these things will matter in what model and barrel length you choose to get. I bought a 629-2 years ago with an 8 3/8 barrel for hunting, and have never felt it was a bad decision.

Get a set of Kuracs or some Keith Browns. Either one will do it Justice.

I have a 29-2 in 6 1/2" Nickel and I love it. The Nickel pinned recessed with Target grips and trigger is a sweet way to go


thewelshm

Have a couple S&W 44mags (21) these are my favs. I would love a 69 with a 2 1/2" bbl. think that is just a dream. These two 629's are fixed sight 2 1/2".ImageUploadedByTapatalk1420167250.895805.jpgImageUploadedByTapatalk1420167269.945367.jpg

NOW THAT YOU HAVE PUT DOWN THE COFFIN NAILS, YOU CAN START ENJOYING ONE OF THE THE FINER THINGS OF LIFE TO A GREATER DRGREE---ADDING TO YOUR S&W COLLECTION………….

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'Nam 1968-69.DAV,VFW,NRA Inst.

Tom, are you offering to sell some of those N frame stocks you aren't using?

I have read your thread about your 629 ND. Excellent.

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-Roger

Just reread your post. I am very glad you stopped smoking. Just watched a friend pass from smoking. You will now be able to fill your safe with Smith and Wessons with your savings. Keep poking around your area's gun shop's and good luck.

Just an Update on this thread --- I counted the Coffee can $1925.00 - So i went shopping was unable to find a 29 but came upon this guy Model 66 -2 for $525 out the door The stash still lives!!! Guy who sold me this one said he could do a Classic 29 for about $825 , So the qustions is Pick up a new bee as a shotter and keep looking for a real classic ? Sounds like a plan 525 plus 825 = 1350 plus havn't smoked inm 14 more days

I have a new model 69 but you wanted the 3" barrel. Regardless, your quitting smoking is paying off BIG TIME!!!

I really like my 3" 629-4 Backpacker model. It's a flamethrower!
My 629-5 in 5" and 6.5" ain't bad, either.

When I'm walking around outdoors or exploring, the 3" Backpacker is what I'm usually packing. Serious firepower, easy to carry.

Citiboy289, if you look around on GunBroker and are patient, you can find deals on the 29-4 and 29-5 Classics with 5 and 6 1/2" barrels. In the course of the last few months I've seen a few 29-5 Classics with 6 1/2" barrels sell for less than $700 and they looked to be in good shape from the pictures. I bought a real nice 629-3 6 1/2" Classic for $850 in November. The Stainless models seem to average a bit higher in price than the blue models.

BTW, the 29-4 and 29-5 and 629-3 have the Endurance Package, but still use the forged trigger and hammer with the firing pin on the hammer instead of frame mounted.

Have you ever shot a 44 Magnum before?