I have a chance to buy another Smith & Wesson 44 magnum one is a Smith & Wesson 29 - 2 nickel 6 and 1/2 in Barrel pinned and recessed and the other is a Smith & Wesson 629 - 3 with a 5 inch barrel between these two which one would you buy 29 - 2 is like $100 less than the 629 - 3?

Price? Condition? What will you do with it?

I like both models, but I wouldn’t over-pay for the 629. If the -2 6.5” nickel is all original and in really good condition, it might be the “better buy” of the two. Can’t say without more info.

A lot depends on what YOU like and how you will use it.

04 in good condition and the 629 - 3 is like $900 in the 29-2 is like 800 I just plan to put them in the safe

In excellent, original condition (including the factory wood stocks), I’d probably go with the 29-2 - but that’s just me. They’d both be nice to have, so I guess you can’t really go wrong.

What 44 Magnum do you have now?

What is your purpose for it?

Do you already reload? The ammunition is expensive for factory loads.

I like the allure of the 29 because it doesn’t have the long underlug. The longer barrel will have less recoil.

I have a 3” 629 Deluxe and 7.5” Performance Center. I personally would love a 29.

I also have a Taurus 44 Magnum Raging Hunter and Ruger Super Redhawk 9.5”.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Okay Thanks

I have a 3 inch talo two 4in 629 and a 29-2 6in

I’m a sucker for any 5” N-frame. 629-3 gets my vote.

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Some Might Say.

If you're putting it in the safe I'd take the 29-2. If you are going to shoot the bejesus out of it I'd take the 629.

That 5" barrel is a sweet shooter.
But if it will just occupy a space in the safe, perhaps the nickel will have more WOW effect.
The real question is, on which do you prefer to spend your dollars?

Apparently, all your .44's are blue or SS. For just that reason alone, you need to add a nickel gun to the herd.

Larry

Yeah another nickel one will not hurt I have a 29 - 2 6 in in nickel

Easy: the 29-2 in nickel.

That's the way I see it too....

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Todd

P&R 29-2



I like blue.

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Kenny
Endeavor to persevere.

If you want something DIFFERENT - How about a model 69?

Larry

I'm a sucker for 629-3's. Don't know why. Even if it just sits in the safe.

My plan is to find pristine examples of each 629-3 and line them up on one shelf in my safe.

Given good condition the nickel 29-2 is a no brainer for me.

Both are good guns to own. Buy both!! Problem solved!!

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Richard Gillespie
FBINA 102

A no brained the nickel one for sure. Less revolvers were produced in nickel. I’d get blue before stainless. But nickel is my first choice.

For collecting it might be the nickle if it's in super nice condition, but for shooting I'd take a 629 for sure. The stainless will hold up better under steady use and no worries about what cleaning solvents to use or not use. I really like a 5" barrel as well. I have a 686+ with a 5" barrel and it's a pleasure to carry and hunt with.

I am an addict of 29-6s regardless of barrel length. I think the 629-3 is of that same time period and I would love to have one (in each barrel length of course).

I have a few 629-1s and love them a lot. Those have large throats and are only accurate with custom fit hard cast lead. The 629-3 shall be properly throated and have the endurance package.

Long story short: I go against the grain: 629-3 (more practical than the 29-2 nickel) and 5'' barrel is king anyway.

oysterer, a 29-5 would correspond to the 629-3. The 629-3 still uses the old style extractor star and should have the flash chromed hammer and trigger instead of the case hardened hammer and trigger.

OP, my choice, if I could only have one and assuming that both guns are in equally good shape, would probably be the nickel 29-2. But if that 5" 629-3 is Classic (full underlug barrel), it would be a really hard choice to make. Both are very desirable in my opinion.

If buying a shooter the current production 5” is outstanding. Interchangeable front sight, drilled and tapped, fantastically smooth action.

The 29-2 to leave in the box and look at/collect.

The 629-3 for a shooter and even more so in the 5" classic version. Just a very sweet configuration. Pre lock/mim,full endurance package, non rusting flash chrome hammers and triggers,drilled and tapped,quick change front sights.

The 629-3 and -4 along with their blue counterparts 29-5 and 29-6 were the best Smith .44 mags made IMO. I would give a slight nod to the 629-3 and 29-5 as being put together better on average.

I have a 5" 629-3 that is my favorite shooter. Without a doubt has best trigger, and is most inherently accurate revolver in the safe.

What Glen said in #9 post. I have two 44 Rem mag's. A 629 8 3/8" and a Ruger RedHawk 7.5". I handgun hunt deer with them. If I was in the south I would also hunt hogs with them. If I were in Alaska I would carry the Ruger when in the bush.

If it's going in the safe 29-2, if shooting at all the 629...

Dickey the 29-2 will hold its value and likely appreciate and that is a good price assuming it is in excellent condition. If it includes the case and stuff, even more reason. I have one and they are much "tougher" finishes than folks give them credit for. They clean up and polish well and they do not make them nor will ever make them again in Nickel with a pinned barrel. So shooting it is not a problem.
If it's for hunting then the 629 is your gun. Any other reason including home defense take the 29-2. at the price points.

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John 1:17
NRA Life Benefactor

I read this on another forum but it seems applicable to this question, and it made me chuckle; there is truth in it -
“Flip a coin, and if you are unhappy with the result, then you have your answer...”

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Oui Chef!

Well;, here's my answer. Ruger for hunting, 29 just because it's pretty.

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I have a 629-4 3" Trail Boss. I love it. Great balance but a BEAR to shoot with heavy loads.

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The 29-2 in nickel 6 1/2", now go shoot it... a lot!

For safe queens and range guns plus the value will only go up I’d buy both s&w n frames at that cost. For shooters and hunters I go with ruger RedHawks.

Get that nickel finish.

i would buy the nickeled 6 1/2 inch. Why is that even a question?

The only remaining .44 I want is a 5” 629-4 Classic. There was recently a nice one in the classifieds, but I hesitated.

I have:
629-1 3” X2
629-2 Mountain Revolver
629-4 Mountain Gun X2
29-5 8 3/8” Classic
629-4 6.5” Classic

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213th FBINA

I have always preferred the esthetic of the 6.5" Barrel over the 5". I also like Blue the best, but like owning Nickel models also. So my Nickel 29 is an 8 3/8" but my blue is a 6.5. If I was a hunter, I might want a 629, but to me, it is just not "The Classic 29"

Bob

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Sag Harbor & Manhattan, N.Y.

My vote, the 29-2.

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Pine_Worker
Ex-LEO, NRA Life

I have a thing for 5" N-frames. I've never been much of a nickle fan. So I'd go for the 629-3.
But that's just me.

For shooting, the 5" full-underlug 629 is the ultimate. It's my EDC.

I never buy nickel guns because once they start to show age they can get cloudy, subject to chip and peel, etc. The 5” stainless would be my pick but if all you are going to do is hide it in the safe, what’s the point?

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S&W factory revolver armorer

Depends what you gonna do with it. If for collection whatever you want or missing in your collection.

If for shooting, 629-3 all the way. It's just better revolver, it has endurance package, and according to some sources, with -3 series S&W improved quality introducing CNC machining, and using stronger steel on some critical parts. To identify revolvers with endurance package, without opening cylinder, look for elongated cylinder stop notches:

Revolver with endurance package, longer cylinder stop notch



No endurance package, shorter cylinder stop notch



However, if you really want the best S&W 29/629, look for CLASSIC DX:

"Smith & Wesson DX Series

At 25 yards, they were all capable of delivering tight one-hole groups with at least one good commercial load and at 50, they never seemed to run outside of the 1.5-inch mark."

American Rifleman | Smith & Wesson DX Series

Right on! If revolver is not stainless, blue over plated one any time, just my .2 cents.

Buy both, then look for more

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So, which one DID he buy way back in November 2019?