Hi everyone. New guy. I posted in the introduction forum, but in case it was missed, I wanted to thank everyone for the info I lurked before joining.
I picked up one of the 3"629-2 unfluted, full lug, Hunter models. I had no experience with these revolvers and gleaned some info here before I bought it. I will say, it's kinda neat. Haven't shot it yet, so ask me again after haha! I got it from the original owner with the box, papers, and unused cleaning kit. He said he barely shot it and I believe him.

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I extend a hearty welcome to you - that is a very fine revolver which you acquired. Had a chance on one years ago and foolishly walked past it.

Everybody likes range reports; so, when available, please feel free to share!

Thank you!
I certainly will. Have to wait for the snow to melt some. Still plenty here in Maine.

If you shoot .44 Specials in that you'll love it. If you shoot .44 Magnum rounds in it you'll barely shoot it, just like the last guy.

What did it cost, if you don't mind my asking? I sold a fluted cylinder 3" M629 years ago and I'm curious if they've gone up much in value. He shoots .44 Specials in it, BTW, just as I did. It was my bedroom gun for a long time.

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Come and take it!!

It's Beaut! I am a big fan of N frame shorty's!

Get yourself a box of the Hammerheads made for the 329 and the Mountain guns.

.44 Magnum, big slow bullets to stop a Grizzly from eating you. lots of smoke, but you'll shoot it again and again.

Federal makes a similar load. smaller bullet, a little faster, but you won't dislocate a retina shooting it.

Several hot .44 special loads out there also. Don't discount .44 special to protect your tush in the woods.

Good Gun. Best of Luck.

Oh, and get yourself a lanyard ring

Very nice looks like a 629-2E, that I has been on my list for a while now and if I can find one in decent shape I'll pair it with my 5inch

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This is the way....

I'm mostly an old Winchester guy, so I cast and handload for most everything I have. I will most likely use magnum brass with lighter loads. I don't shoot real hot loads in my 6" 629-1, my 3 screw SB, or my Winchester trapper and 92 Browning.
I have an uncle with a 329PD. He got it for 500 bucks because the previous owner shot it haha. I worked up a manageable load for it some years ago.

As to what I paid for it, I'm quite ashamed. I tried to bargain some but there was a line behind me, and quite honestly I haven't seen them going down. It sure did hurt to see the price tag on the box of $399.99. Let's just say it was considerably north of that. Like almost 1k more (I'm an idiot)
I don't worry about resale, as my sons and grandkids will get them all.

Congratulations on your purchase. The unfluted barrel looks particularly sharp on the 3" version. Looks good, feels good in the hand.......just an overall great package.

Thank you!
While I have a few Smiths, this is my first 3". I've always wanted one, and thought if I ever did get one, it would be a K. Coincidentally, it's the first one I paid through the nose for. Kind of how I justified it. I'm into my others quite cheap.
Whatever you have to tell yourself.........right?

That’s a good price for that revolver with box papers and condition. 629 3” revolver prices are sort of scattered but you won’t find many any cheaper than that unless it has an IL. Certainly a good price for a -4 or lower.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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John 1:17
NRA Life Benefactor

Thank you. I at least feel a little better.
From the way it appeared to me, most that were into them for any considerable amount less, have had them at least several years. The prices on pre-lock Smiths has been nuts in the last couple years.
I have seen this same thing occur with post-64 Winchesters. What was a 150 dollar rifle 10 years ago, is now multiplied insanely.
Times we live in I guess. Personally, I don't like it. I don't necessarily care if my $600 gun is worth 2k. Don't get me wrong, I don't want to lose money, but if they weren't so expensive I could have more.
They have about priced the average guy right out of old Winchesters. If I hadn't bought most of mine 30 years ago, I wouldn't have them.

Congrats on finding a great gun!

As the owner of two 3” 629-2s, I can understand why it was shot very little.

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213th FBINA

Very nice! I love the Combats. I can see myself scaring up a set.
I have some on a 2.5" model 19. Have the square butt version on my 629-1 and a model 66-1.

Nice find! The non fluted cylinder and underlug should help some. I have a 3" M629-4 Backpacker and .44 Specials are much more pleasant to shoot

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Life NRA, Life TSRA, C&R FFL

Very nice! That is a great looking revolver you have.
I will will probably load some magnum cases with a milder load. I have a lot more magnum cases than special cases. I don't load anything very hot. Most of my guns are old, so it's a habit. I'm getting old too, so I don't like the pounding anymore haha.

That one will get your attention with a factory load, or Magnum handload. I have found that my cowboy load for the Marlin lever gun shoots real good in my Backpacker. A 200 grain bullet over 6.1 Gr. Trail Boss in Magnum brass. But, once in awhile, a couple cylinders full of the magnum stuff to test that you still can!! :-)

Oh, yeah! Welcome to the forum and congratulations on finding a great looking gun and stuff!

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Richard Gillespie
FBINA 102

That sounds like a pleasant load.
I figure if I can get a 246gr cast going 850-900 and stand it, all will be well. Plenty for the field. Could go lighter for the range.

You did not get hurt at ALL at that price with box and papers etc.

I was out today with my 629 6"; only the 2nd time shooting it since I bought it. Kinda cold here so I cut the trigger finger out of my right glove, and the padding didn't hurt any either! Amazing what a difference the Specials feel compared to the Magnums! Those magnums feel like trying to stop a night stick with my hand! (Don't ask, but I know!) Not sure I'm ready for a 3" yet! I also had my new (inexpensive) little Heritage Barkeep to try out. Ya know, I'm pretty impressed with it! I hit pretty close to the part of the target I was aiming at. I didn't have the magnum cylinder with me, but next time I'll give it a go.
I really like the 629; I'd like to give a shorter barrel a shot (pun) if I can find a decent price. No hurry. My gun purchases are on hold for a little while. I need to go back up the posts & see what OP paid for that revolver. Mine's a -6, but the lock doesn't bother me.

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Waiting For The Sun.

$1k for that? I’d say you made out very well! Well done.

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Pine_Worker
Ex-LEO, NRA Life

The combats and 3-inch N-frames are a great match.

You did well on the gun, welcome to the forum.

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- Post No Bills -

You did well on it as many have stated. I have a three inch -1, -2E, -4 Backpacker, and a -5 full underlug w/non-fluted cylinder as well as a 3" 625. All wear combats and I shoot full house .44 Mag in them. The -4 is my favorite as it had a trigger job at some point in it's lifetime. I also have a 29 -3 blue three inch. Still on the hunt for a 657 three inch and then I'm done.....maybe.

Just guessing a bit, but I'd think the 3" lugged barrel and no cylinder flutes might make this gun heavier than the regular 4" version. I have the same and use round butt N frame standard stocks with the BK grip adapter. Not exactly my most shot revolver.

Glashaus's gun is basically the same gun I sold to my friend 10 years ago for a tad over $900.00 so if you paid $1400 it sounds completely fair for 2021.

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Come and take it!!

Thank you again for the welcome and encouragement, everyone.
I wondered that same thing about the weight with the full lug and unfluted cylinder. Be glad when I can get out and try it. Hoping it shoots fairly well, but I've never had a Smith that didn't shoot pretty darn good. I think the single action trigger is a tad better than my 6" 629-1, but I'm under no illusions.
I can see a set of those combats in my future. Of course, I doubt I will get them for 10 bucks, like the square butt combats on my 6" gun.

Looks a lot like mine.

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Definitely a cool really nice looking revolver !

I think what the OP was saying was 1K north of 399, or 1400.00 if I read it right.
I am a fan of the 44 mag, but I have resisted a short bbl models. I have a 29-5 5" Classic DX, that I am not real fond of shooting. It came with 2 sets of grips, rubber and the Morado combats. I fired 12 rounds almost 30 years ago with the wood combats, and that round butt with with wood combats really pushes the recoil back into your wrist. I have toyed with the idea of selling it, but I believe it to be scarce. I have never seen another 5" DX.

Recently I got a 629-1 4", and i am sure that will be noticeable when I touch that off. I have a full box of ammo that I loaded 10 years ago. Not sure what they are, but i bet they are a stiff load of 2400 powder. That is all I used for reloading. I think I need a set of rubber grips.

That is a beauty OP, and I would not worry about the money. I do agree though, shoot some lighter loads in it. You will know it when you touch that off with a full house load:

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Pete
I ain't no fortunate son

Thank you again, all. The more I handle it, the more I like it. It does have some weight for it's size, so I'm hoping I can use a load with around 900fps without it beating me too badly. Even my magnum loads aren't too hot. I usually use 23gr of 4227 behind a 240gr XTP. This may be a little warm in the 3", and will definitely be a flamer.
Have to find a holster too. I'm looking at examples from Simply Rugged, and Craft. Any experience will certainly be appreciated.

I've got a 6" Classic Hunter, love it, but I'd like one of these. What's my 6 incher worth approx?

At 900 fps I think you'll be fine.

I'll do my best to not run afoul of the rules, but there's a fellow on the big bad auction site who can be found under h.c leather and he makes solid conventional holsters primarily for 3" N frames and Ruger SA types. The leather is clean and IIRC the trigger guard welt is about 1" thick. I think the holster would stop a bullet. He doesn't have a lot of stuff listed, but I've bought at least 3 holsters from him. Simple, top quality.

My short barrel came with a note in the manual to thoroughly test ANY load before trusting the load in a "situation".



Apparently, the gun is so light, that it can easily pull the lead out of remaining rounds, locking up the rotating action of the gun.

I was firing some "HOT" 44 Magnum loads that I had made for my nephew, he shoots them in a Desert Eagle.
I was shooting the rounds in a 4" 629. Well, the crimp was not heavy enough,, the 265 grain jacketed bullets pulled, jamming the gun.
The Desert Eagle did not have any issue with the identical ammo.

Nice gun!!!

I like short barrel magnums, especially N frames.

I’ve got the 3 inch 629 deluxe. I carry it in a Galco high ride leather, and it carries better than a government 1911, despite being the same weight.

The 3 inch barrel makes a huge difference from the 4 inch for carry.

A perfect reduced magnum load is the Winchester Silvertip 210 gr. @ 1250. It’s not as vicious as a 240 gr. Full power magnum, but has more energy than a typical 44 spl. I put it as equivalent to the very top end 10mm loads, which will stop anything on two legs or four in the lower 48 without being abusive on the gun.

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I'd say you did great. Check this out $2300 with combats and fluted cyl:

S&W 629 Lew Horton 3" 44 Magnum LNIB & Mint! From 1989! Like 29! Stunning! - Revolvers at GunBroker.com : 893097789

Thank you again, everyone! I appreciate all the info.
I carry a 1911 of one flavor or another all the time. I swear, this thing feels heavier than a steel full size 1911. I'm kind of glad, as it will help recoil and bullet jump.
I will no doubt go with leather. I can see this gun doing double duty as a woods / barbecue gun.
I pulled the sideplate and crane this evening to have a peek and lube it. It had most likely never been apart. It was dry as a bone.

Nice gun, congratulations!

Don't worry about what you paid for it--you know the minute you put it down the guy behind you would have snapped it up in an instant and then you'd be THAT GUY that let a good one get away, don't you? Just imagine how you would have felt.

We've all seen it and probably experienced it at any number of gun shows or shops--put it down and figure you'll come back later and haggle some more---poof! it's gone.

Trust me--you done good. Enjoy it!

Oh yes! If you'll indulge me, this reminds me of a story about a much younger and stupid Endshake.....
I have an 1894 with a 3xxx serial number in 38-55. Many years ago, I had a chance for it's twin in 32-40 with a number in the 2300 range. I asked the guy what he wanted for it as it would make a nice pair with my 38-55. He said he wanted $650. I replied that we'd never see the day a 94 will bring 650. I'd give him 600, only because I had it's mate. Otherwise, I wouldn't pay that!
I can actually still hear those words coming out of my face on dark nights.

I have a 3 in., M29-4. I load a 240 gr. SWC with 9 gr. of Unique for 944 FPS. I've got fragile in my old age. Larry

Yes. A load such as yours will probably be along the lines of what I will use. I have a nice SWC 44 gas check mold. I also use Unique by the ton. It is easy for me across many, many guns.

I don't think you got hurt buying this piece at all
I have 3 Non fluted 629's
(no 3" though.. but i do have a 7.5" one, and yes it's BIG )
I really think they are so clean looking and they shoot very nice. Especially with a lighter load 44 mag or 44Spl at around 900-1000 fps
Enjoy it and welcome to the forum

Got out to try the "little" 629 this morning. It was quick and dirty (sorry no pics), seeing as it was 10 degrees with the wind blowing. I was surprised right off, as recoil wasn't as bad as I expected. I was shooting Hornady 240gr XTPs over 22gr of 4227.
It was no problem keeping it tight at 15 yards in spite of being VERY rusty. I like it more than I thought I would.
Guess it's safe to start holster shopping!

From ISCS Yoda

"If you shoot .44 Specials in that you'll love it. If you shoot .44 Magnum rounds in it you'll barely shoot it, just like the last guy."

I recommend 44 specials to start. When you touch that off with full house 44 mags, you will know it

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Pete
I ain't no fortunate son

Yes. While I shot "magnums", they weren't hot. I just don't load anything very hot. I thought it was quite manageable. I have other 44s, and have shot this cartridge since 1986. I have a 6" 629-1, a 3-screw Ruger SB, a 16" Winchester 94 trapper, and a 20" Browning 92.
This load runs just about 1500fps in the Winchester and Browning, if I remember correctly. Probably around 950 or so in the 3" Smith, but that is a guess.

Nice looking gun, You did well. I shoot mine with full house loads, but, that is just Me and My brain damage. Love My 3.5 inch 629.

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Very nice! I'd love a set of the round butt combats, but woo! They don't give them away. And, I just bought a set of k-frame squares last week haha.