Anyone have a 629?

[Jagrmaister]

I have an opportunity to get a 629 5" in a decent trade. Never been fired, lock version the owner claims. I don't have a long barreled 44Mag and was thinking it might fit the bill even though I'm not really in the market either. Just posted an item in trade and wanted to see what I'd get offered. He at least has my interest with a Smith. Read a bit on the 629s, but thought I'd come to the source to hear your input anyways.

 

[Dale53]

I have a 4" Model 629 as well as a 8 3/8" Model 29. They are fine revolvers and your later one will have the endurance package (which is a plus).

However, to be frank, I have ten thousand rounds of .44 Magnum through my Model 29 and it is just as tight as the day I bought it.

My practice load is 23.0 grs of H110/296 behind a 250 gr. Keith home cast bullet and my hunting load is 24.0 grs of H110. I have taken a number of deer with this combination and wouldn't ask for anything else.

Once, the night before a hunt, I realized that I only had the practice load in inventory and it was too late to reload anything else. The practice load chronographs at 1200 fps. I shot a rather large six point whitetail deer facing me at 75 yards and it was a through and through end for end. I have never recovered a slug from a deer with any of these loads.

I hope you are able to make the deal. These are truly impressive handguns.

FWIW
Dale53

 

[arjay]

I had a 5 incher for a few years.It was a good gun.

 

[1911-10MM]

The 629 is one of my favorites, here are mine

629-2

629-3

629-2

629-1

 

[75Vette]

Warning:They may be addictive.

 

[CWH44300]

10MM,

Nice photos of some of the more "unique" 629's.
Your -2 classic hunter is not the first one I've seen with elongated bolt notches. Not sure why they did this, has they offered unfluted -1's with regular notches prior to these -2's. I'll admit the first time I saw this, I thought someone had put one together themselves. I've seen too many for that to be the case.

To the op,
Grab it
I've got a few 5" 629's and like that length. They handle magnums well and you'll enjoy shooting it.

 

[CWH44300]

Warning:They may be addictive.

Good looking rack you got there tinknocker

Here's an older photo of some of mine

 

[CLASSIC12]

Love mine, can't got wrong with a 629. Or any .44 Mag S&W. And I'd love to have a 5 inch, should be the perfect balance.

 

[AveragEd]

I have three 629s - a 6-1/2" -4 Classic, a 6" -1 and a 5" -3 Classic DX - and the 5" feels the best in my hand.

For punching paper, which is what I use it for exclusively, the half-lug 6" is best. The 6-1/2" feels a little muzzle-heavy but the 5" just hangs in the hand well without being too short.

Ed

 

[625smith]

The only issue with the 629 is having just one! The 5" has great balance.

 

[Rick_A]

Had one for several years.

Fired only magnums through it and it was nearly rifle accurate.

 

[fyimo]

I have a 6 inch 629 no dash and it's a great revolver.

 

[Kernel Crittenden]

1911-10MM,

Did your -3 come with silver colored scope rings? For some reason I thought those S&W Millet style rings were only made in blue.

Apologies for the thread creep.

 

[ISCS Yoda]

I had a 3" M629. I was happy to let a friend have it. But if everyone on this Forum with a 629 says something this could be a record breaking long thread on the subject!

 

[MattJames]

1911-10MM,

Did your -3 come with silver colored scope rings? For some reason I thought those S&W Millet style rings were only made in blue.

Apologies for the thread creep.

I'm curious about those rings, too. I have a Model 29 on layaway with the barrel milled like that. I'm now thinking of that kind of setup - and why not?

 

[Kernel Crittenden]

I'm now thinking of that kind of setup - and why not?

Because if that M29 doesn't come with the rings, you'll have a challenging time finding a pair. S&W parts department sold out long ago and are not having new ones made.

The rings are based on a design by Millet but standard Millet rings don't fit and can't readily be made to fit. To work, metal needs to be added, not removed. Millet never sold the rings direct to the public, they went thru S&W. AFAIK no other scope ring manufacturer ever made a compatible ring.

Maybe there's a member here with a generous heart and an enormous bucket full of unused S&W rings, gathering dust, who's interested in selling them at reasonable prices. One can hope.

---------------------------

And so, not to be completely guilty of thread drift let me add....

I have a 5-inch M629. It's a -5, so it's nearly identical to the -6 the OP is looking at, but without the lock. Otherwise, it's got the MIM parts and frame mounted firing pin and so on.

Great revolver. I think the N-frame is perfect with a full-lug 5-inch barrel. Not too long, not to short. Seems to balance just right. Took the little seven dollar Weaver base, using the holes that were already drilled and tapped under the rear sight, mounted a 2x Leupold scope on it.

Great combo. Deer hunted with that rig for years. If hunting ain't your bag, would make a great gun for punching paper or busting clay pigeons on a 100 yard rifle range.

 

[M1A]

I had my 4" 629, top left, magna ported. It gets shot on a regular basis. It is old and thankfully does not have Hillary's gaping mouth like my 325PD.

 

[J. R. WEEMS]

629's

This no dash has been with me a long time. Killed many a hog, and a few deer + assorted other critters-- she pretty much sits quiet in the safe now but may get out just for old time sake now that spring is coming. Can't seem to find her a new home but she is fine where she is for now.

AN OLD FRIEND:

 

[1911-10MM]

Hello Kernel,
My 629 did not come with the rings as the original owner could not find them at the time of the sale, he said he had them when he bought the gun new but had since misplaced them, I called Smith & Wesson and was told by a very helpful representative that Smith & Wesson did make the silver rings that were made for the 629 in stainless but they were no longer available. He gave me the name of a gentleman that owns a shop in Springfield Ma. called Guns & Gun Parts that was a retired Smith & Wesson employee that may have a set, I contacted the owner Michael Veilleux. He told me that he was sure he had a set that was original to my 629. After a couple of weeks he called me and I bought them from him. These rings are very hard to find in either blue or silver, I was very fortunate to have found them.
Here is a link to the shop where I found mine, they may have another set like you are needing.
http://www.gunsnparts.com/index.shtml

 

[ACfixer]

I have a more recent 4" 629 that I inherited from a dear friend a few years back. It is a ridiculously accurate revolver in competent hands. Even with the stupid trigger lock it's one of my very favorite handguns.