Limited Edition Performance Center 629-6

[kwheezy2000]

I just picked this up last month, it's my first S&W anything, I put a little over 600 magnum rounds through it, besides being a real pain to clean I really like it.

It has a 7.5" barrel, integral weaver base on the barrel, and full underlug with an adjustable weight system similar to the competitor line, only it has 6 weights instead of 4. I believe this is a limited run from Big Rock and the Performance Center, the serial # is MBR00XX, if anyone can give me more info about the model I would appreciate it.

I've shot factory magtech, PPU, Hornady Leverevelution, & Fiocchi out of it to get some brass to play with. I've loaded 180gr XTP's over 30gr of W296, 240gr XTP's over 23.5gr of W296, 240gr sierra sportsmasters over 24gr of W296, 225gr FTX over 21.5gr of W296 and 300gr XTP's over 21.5g of W296. Shoots it all pretty well, really prefers the 240grainers though, I guess that shouldn't be a surprise. I was quite underwhelmed with the FTX performance.

I picked it up for a grand, and I don't really have a purpose for it, besides having everyone at the range want to see it, especially after touching off a cylinder full of the 180gr handloads, they are quite spectacular.

All in all I'm very happy with it, I tried putting my EOtech on it but I was not happy with the sight picture or the way it looks on the 629. I think that this was made around 2002, and is one of the first 629's to sport the IL (yay?). The single action on it is a hair trigger, there is an adjustable trigger stop, but the trigger does not go back far enough in single or double action for it to contact the frame. Double action is fairly heavy, I don't have a trigger pull gauge but it's lighter than my only other revolver, a Rossi.

What do you guys think?

EDIT: Better Pics

 

[Jhamblen86]

Awesome buy, welcome to the family.

 

[kwheezy2000]

Someone suggested pictures of the front ball detent lock up, so here they are, along with a business end pic, the allen screw below the bore is to change out the stainless steel weights for the much lighter delrin weights. The delrin is black, SS obviously being grey.

 

[qrachel]

WOW - amazing

 

[kwheezy2000]

Thanks, I hear that the quality of s&w in general, and the performance center in particular has been slipping, so I decided to go a ltitle older, this 629 does nor appear to have any mim internals, the trigger and hammer are forged. I also got it because it's a 7.5" barrel, you dont see many s&w's sporting that barrel length, although ruger sure sells plenty in 7.5"

 

[Josh M.]

That load of 23.5gr H110 (or W296) under a 240 xtp is my go to load to see if a .44 mag is going to be a good shooter.

Ive yet to find a .44 the wouldnt shoot that load well if it was going to shoot any load well.

 

[kwheezy2000]

Yes I like the 240 xtp quite a bit but academy is always out of stock.

I learned a bit more, apparently the mbr prefix in the s/n is for this product code only, I was wondering what you guys think the value is? I want it to be a shooter, but if it is especially rare I would be tempted to pick up a second n frame, maybe a 8&3/8" 29

 

[Kernel Crittenden]

What do you guys think?

You need a better cell phone.

...this 629 does nor appear to have any mim internals, the trigger and hammer are forged....

What makes you say that? I don't know if it does, or doesn't, but it is built on the New Frame (frame mounted firing pin) with the lock, which generally means MIM parts. The flash chrome is just a surface treatment. That alone doesn't make them forged. Is the back of the trigger hollow or solid?

Regarding rarity and value, I think the $1,000 you paid was reasonable. It is sort of an unique piece, and there may of only been a few hundred of that particular p code, but S&W made a whole slew of essentially similar PC models with minor little differences in the details. I'd shoot it, and enjoy the heck out of it. Take reasonable care and it will hold it's value and appreciate like any Smith.

 

[kwheezy2000]

picture is worth 1000 words? I am not really qualified to distinguish between the MIM and forged parts for s&w's, maybe its just me wanting to believe it.

Pics of the back of trigger & hammer and with the sideplate off.

Also the phone is a Galaxy S5, I guess the S6 just came out need to upgrade

 

[Kernel Crittenden]

Pics of the back of trigger & hammer and with the sideplate off.

Looks forged to me. The Performance Center continued to use forged parts long after standard production had fully switched over to MIM.... and there's your proof.

Surprising such a relatively new phone takes pictures of such low quality. Maybe it would be better if you backed it off a few inches. Definitely not a macro lens, but good enough to see what needed seen.

 

[kwheezy2000]

I tried backing up to let it focus, think it turned out a little better, still potato quality though I'm afraid.