629 DX Question

[Rocket3]

Thinking my next purchase will be a 629 with DX on the barrel. 6.5" or 8 3/8". I've noticed that some of the included targets are shown 25 yards some are 50 yards.

Does it depend by the year it manufactured? Or something else.

A jagged hole at 50 is impressive, 25 not so much.

Thanks,
Jay

[Erocksmash]

Targets were only included on the modes that shot 1.5 inch groups or better, thus getting the DX branding and designation

[Paul105]

Here's pic of 50 yd 3 shot group with 6.5" Classic DX (-5 IIRC). Was doing load development with several revolvers. Never followed up to confirm. Don't remember if target that came with gun was at 25 or 50 yds and don't remember where box is.
.


Paul

[jdlii]

The proof targets provided, according to the Standard Catalog of S&W, 4th edition, with a group size of 1.5' were fired at 50 yards. These models also came with interchangeable front sights including: black ramp, red ramp, post with white dot, gold bead and four black partridge sights for 50, 100, 150 and 200 meters, with a white outline micrometer click rear blade.

They were shipped with an extra combat grip made from Morado wood in addition to the Hogue conversion square butt grips. They are, as you probably know, drilled and tapped for scope mounting. The DX models were produced from 1991-2002. A 5" barrel variation was produced from 92'-93'.

Mine had been a demo model at the Shot Show and a LGS, at that time, had an arrangement to buy all S&W demos at the end of each Shot Show. When I traded into mine the wooden grips and target were MIA.

It is a great shooter and companion piece when deer hunting. It has one 5pt. to its credit so far.

[Paul105]

Forgot about the interchangeable front sights -- every S&W with adjustable rear sights should come so equipped!

[joebuck]

Classic DX in 5". That would be ideal. Did they all have round or square butt?

[Bullet Bob]

"A jagged hole at 50 is impressive, 25 not so much."

You are a much better shooter than myself.

[k22fan]

The 629 DXs were 629 Classics that fired five Federal 240 grain jacketed bullets into 2" or less at 50 yards. I do not know where the author's of the SCSW got 1.5". There are numerous examples of DX test targets over 1.5". The distance was cut in half for the final few years. Obviously 5 shots is not enough to definitively prove one revolver is more accurate than another but at least it showed they had potential.

The Classic line was introduced with round butts while all other 629s with 4" or longer barrels still had square butts. Consequently, all 629 DXs are round butt. The other features that justified the Classic line's higher price were being drilled and tapped for optics, easily interchangeable front sights and a bevel on their front cylinder edge.

Years ago a local gun store took in a used 629DX. Hopping to increase their profits they sold its Combat Stocks separately. I paid the $30 price not knowing that in the future they'd be considered special. I put them on a 627-0 which I'd bought without its original pair. By the way, the 627-0 was the only model S&W ever stamped -0. All other models without a dash # are correctly described as no dash.

[75Vette]

Originally Posted by KLYDE

I found this dash 3 at the LGS back about 9 or so years ago. Box with both sets of grips, sight blade package, papers and target. It was tested @ 50 yards. The target was dated 02/07/1991 and signed by the S&W employee. Group size was 2" but still got the DX designation.

Gun store owner told me it came in with a box of ammo and six rounds missing. I still haven't shot it. I need counseling from 75vette on dirtying it up.

Klyde

Yessiree, that gun needs a workout. It's a terrible thing to have a fantastic shooting gun and not have had the joy of experiencing it. I have several guns that are either 1 of 200 or 'never shot outside the factory' that I'm genuinely glad I shot. They turned out to be some of my smoothest and most accurate guns. Maybe you should treat yourself on retiree Wednesday at the range!!
Here's my dash 3 8 3/8" DX dirty and also a ****** pic from the day I brought it home.
Test target at 50.

[CLASSIC12]

Not a DX, but my 1989 629–2 Classic Hunter produced this six holes group at 50 m. I did not measure it but it’s below 2 inches. Great guns.

[jdlii]

The DX models, according to the catalog, are round butt frames.

[grip frame]

The early DX revolvers (and Magna Classic models), 29-5 and 629-3 were held to 2" or less at 50 yards. The later seemed to transition to 1.5" or less at 25 yards. Hence the early ones were held to a higher standard.

All full lug models were round butt with the exception of the 'Classic Hunter" models.

[grip frame]

Originally Posted by jdlii

The proof targets provided, according to the Standard Catalog of S&W, 4th edition, with a group size of 1.5' were fired at 50 yards. These models also came with interchangeable front sights including: black ramp, red ramp, post with white dot, gold bead and four black partridge sights for 50, 100, 150 and 200 meters, with a white outline micrometer click rear blade.

They were shipped with an extra combat grip made from Morado wood in addition to the Hogue conversion square butt grips. They are, as you probably know, drilled and tapped for scope mounting. The DX models were produced from 1991-2002. A 5" barrel variation was produced from 92'-93'.

Mine had been a demo model at the Shot Show and a LGS, at that time, had an arrangement to buy all S&W demos at the end of each Shot Show. When I traded into mine the wooden grips and target were MIA.

It is a great shooter and companion piece when deer hunting. It has one 5pt. to its credit so far.

The Magna Classics came with 8 different front sights. The DX models came with only five. Red Ramp,black ramp,patridge with white dot,patridge with gold bead, plain black patridge.

[Imissedagain]

The link below says that Classic 29s, that grouped under 1.5" from a machine rest at 50yds, received the DX on the barrel.

S&W Model 29 Classic DX: It’s all in the "DX" - RevolverGuy.Com

[jaymoore]

The real secret to the early DX's shooting so well is that they have 0.429"ish cylinder throats while the rest still retained the old SAAMI (originally from pre-SAAMI days) standard 0.432"ish throats. As the new "standard" was more widely distributed, the DX's were dropped from the line. I've several 629-6 that shoot as well as any of my few DX's. The MIM fire control groups often have better triggers than the old "hand fitted" forged versions to boot. Inconsistent QC with the usual revolvers is the main reason to pay a bit more for a DX as far as I can tell.

[k22fan]

Originally Posted by grip frame

The Magna Classics came with 8 different front sights. The DX models came with only five. Red Ramp,black ramp,patridge with white dot,patridge with gold bead, plain black patridge.

Every DX I ever saw included different height patridge sights marked for different distances. That's logical since S&W's primary goal was to sell more .44s to metallic silhouette competitors.

[HamHands]

Originally Posted by 75Vette

Yessiree, that gun needs a workout. It's a terrible thing to have a fantastic shooting gun and not have had the joy of experiencing it. I have several guns that are either 1 of 200 or 'never shot outside the factory' that I'm genuinely glad I shot. They turned out to be some of my smoothest and most accurate guns. Maybe you should treat yourself on retiree Wednesday at the range!!
Here's my dash 3 8 3/8" DX dirty and also a ****** pic from the day I brought it home.
Test target at 50.

Nice Trio there Vette... You have the most expansive .44Magnum collection and are a true aficionado!

I bought a 6.5" version that really lays the Thump Down on silhouettes... even the Rams would go 2 for 1 half the time @ 100yards... Although the same happened when I shot that Sil Match with you with my M629-5 w/ full under-lugged 3" barrel... considering the 305gr factory Prvi-Partizan rated at 1,300fps that I brought that day made for lots of smiles and raised brows, Hahahaha!

Hell, It was my first Sil Match and I didn't know any better that downloaded 240grainers @ around 1,000fps will pop n' drop steel just fine too. Family pic of said 3" M629 and 6.5" M629 with their little brother atop M24 Lew Horton Special...



That said I lucked into a semi-auto Ruger Carbine in .44Magnum a while back along with an AR-500 steel grade 18"x12" half inch thick silhouette. At 150 yards those same Prvi's rock said Sil really Hard. And with 18.5 inches of barrel 305gr Underwood Keith's really pushes our favorite caliber pills to nuclear!

Pic of said Sil below that was cratering even at 150yards with the aforementioned Underwood 305gr Hard Casts slung from the Ruger Carbine which has become my favorite "Brush-Gun!"

[AveragEd]

I have one of the five-inch 629-3 Classic DXs. I bought it as gun only for $800 maybe eight years ago but did order the S&W sight kit pictured in a previous thread. It's more accurate than I am. It came with its S&W-branded Hogue MonoGrip but I replaced it with a Thailand combat stock set.

Ed

[HamHands]

Originally Posted by AveragEd

I have one of the five-inch 629-3 Classic DXs. I bought it as gun only for $800 maybe eight years ago but did order the S&W sight kit pictured in a previous thread. It's more accurate than I am. It came with its S&W-branded Hogue MonoGrip but I replaced it with a Thailand combat stock set.

Ed

That is one lovely piece... I like my revolvers grips just like I love my women... With firm and neatly trimmed round butts... But I like those square grips for sure. She looks comfortable to shoot!

[grip frame]

Originally Posted by k22fan

Every DX I ever saw included different height patridge sights marked for different distances. That's logical since S&W's primary goal was to sell more .44s to metallic silhouette competitors.

Smith offered an optional plain black patridge sight kit with heights for different distances. I suspect many bought the kit to go with their revolvers. Its a fact that the DX revolvers came standard with only 5 front sight inserts.

The rarest sight blade is a .250 height gold bead patridge that was sold individually. Most were .227 (100 yards).

[jaymoore]

Originally Posted by KLYDE

...[T]he 8 sights pictured.

Klyde

They sent the same sights with all barrel lengths. Never mind the differing ballistic curves of various loads, one wouldn't expect the same results with different sight radii. T'ain't possible! Guessing some clever chap did the math with the original Magna Classic and the bean counters just kept the same selection from there out. Only the iron clangers would know...At least it was IHMSA friendly, more or less. (versus NRA rules)

[sw282]

Originally Posted by HamHands

Nice Trio there Vette... You have the most expansive .44Magnum collection and are a true aficionado!

I bought a 6.5" version that really lays the Thump Down on silhouettes... even the Rams would go 2 for 1 half the time @ 100yards... Although the same happened when I shot that Sil Match with you with my M629-5 w/ full under-lugged 3" barrel... considering the 305gr factory Prvi-Partizan rated at 1,300fps that I brought that day made for lots of smiles and raised brows, Hahahaha!

Hell, It was my first Sil Match and I didn't know any better that downloaded 240grainers @ around 1,000fps will pop n' drop steel just fine too. Family pic of said 3" M629 and 6.5" M629 with their little brother atop M24 Lew Horton Special...



That said I lucked into a semi-auto Ruger Carbine in .44Magnum a while back along with an AR-500 steel grade 18"x12" half inch thick silhouette. At 150 yards those same Prvi's rock said Sil really Hard. And with 18.5 inches of barrel 305gr Underwood Keith's really pushes our favorite caliber pills to nuclear!

Pic of said Sil below that was cratering even at 150yards with the aforementioned Underwood 305gr Hard Casts slung from the Ruger Carbine which has become my favorite "Brush-Gun!"

I remember that match WELL. Time to do it again Jer.

On a personal level the HOTTEST 44s l ever shot were the

0riginal 180gr SUPER VELS. I ran across a couple 20rd boxes on

closeout at Wideners in the early 80s. Along this time our local

IHMSA director had just purchased the newly released OHLER P

Chronograph. 5rds of those 180gr Super Vels were clocked at

an unbelievable ''1803fps''

Dr Kirchner was using my nickel 8 3/8'' Model 29-2. l let him

do the shooting. Twas his chronograph. HIS sky screens too.

Those guys were expensive back then