Model 625 Mountain Gun

[mattallamerican]

how many of the 625 45acp guns were made

 

[jack the toad]

I dont know off hand. Are you referring to the .45ACP 625 MG's or 625's in general???

 

[1911-10MM]

what is the rarest mountain gun

Yes that would be the 617 Mountain gun

The Model 617 Mountain Gun is part of the S&W Archive Collection - a collection of rare Smith & Wesson firearms that are no longer manufactured.

SKU: 150929
Model: 617 Mountain Gun
Caliber: .22 Long Rifle
Capacity: 10 Rounds
Barrel: 4 1/8" Tapered
Front Sight: Black Ramp
Rear Sight: Adjustable
Grip: Synthetic
Action: Single/Double Action
Frame Size: Medium - Exposed Hammer
Finish: Satin Stainless
Overall Length: 9.13"
Material: Stainless Steel Frame / Stainless Steel Cylinder

 

[BGM109]

Excellent looking MG. I love the Long Colt cartridge & would love to find a MG in either .357 or .45 L/C. Thanks for sharing Tom

 

[Muley Gil]

I have owned 4 MGs and still have 2. My 1st was a M629, but it had the lock. I bought a -4 and sold the one with the lock. I bought a M625 .45 Colt and a M625 .45 ACP. I sold the .45 Colt version and kept the ACP.

I consider the M625 MG in .45 ACP to be the best fighting revolver ever built. Most folks can handle the round butt N frame, it isn't overly heavy, the ACP round is powerful enough, but doesn't have that much recoil and it uses full moon clips. Two full moon clips fit into a large speed loader pouch, so one has 24 extra rounds, plus 6 in the revolver.

 

[Eralph]

NICE!
I dressed mine up with some maple Kim Ahrend's Retro Combats

I have so much fun shooting anything in .45 Colt. It's just a bonus, when it's a S&W.

 

[StrawHat]

…I consider the M625 MG in .45 ACP to be the best fighting revolver ever built. Most folks can handle the round butt N frame, it isn't overly heavy, the ACP round is powerful enough, but doesn't have that much recoil and it uses full moon clips. Two full moon clips fit into a large speed loader pouch, so one has 24 extra rounds, plus 6 in the revolver…

Miley Gil,

Your thoughts echo my own. The blued revolver I posted in my above thread is one I built in the 80s to carry on duty. Today, if I were crazy enough to wear a badge, I would still wear that ACP revolver, or the Mountain Gun or what I consider the finest fighting revolver ever built, the Model 22-4. Basically a fixed sight mountain gun. Truly a modern Combat Masterpiece!

Kevin

 

[LostintheOzone]

What's the major difference in a 625 MG and a 625-8? All I'm seeing is full shroud on a 625-8. 45 ACP for me would be a plus compared to 45 Colt because of the ammo prices and availability of brass if you reload. I find , or used to find, a few cases of 45 ACP in the brass bucket every range trip. Over the years I accumulated a few thousand 45 ACP cases to reload. I never purchased any brass. I never once found a 45 Colt case. But then there are no moon clips with 45 Colt which some prefer. Are we just talking about collectors here?

I have a 625-8 and shoot it often. I never knew that a 45 Colt Mountain gun existed. I thought 45 Colt was a Cowboy Action thing reserved for SAA revolvers and the like. Guess I was wrong.

 

[jack the toad]

I like your 617 MG post with pics, etc. Without me referencing SCSW, any idea how many are out there?

 

[Shark Bait]

This 629-3 made for the Alaska State Troopers academy staff may be a contender for the rarest in the MG configuration. They weren't marked as Mountain Guns though. There were 15 made with serial numbers AST0000 to AST0014.

 

[LostintheOzone]

This 629-3 made for the Alaska State Troopers academy staff may be a contender for the rarest in the MG configuration. They weren't marked as Mountain Guns though. There were 15 made with serial numbers AST0000 to AST0014.

That's what I'm talking about, N frame 44 Mag. Load it up or down to any level you desire.

I hope that one belongs to you because that's a very versatile revolver in 44 Mag if you reload. And even if you don't just buy some 44 spl ammo. Home run.

 

[Warren Sear]

I bought this 625-9 Mountain Gun in 2006 in celebration of breaking up with a total Bee. It was my first handgun in 45 Colt.
I have only shot handloads in it, and almost all of them have been with home cast bullets.

I changed out the original rubber grips for a set of Eagle (Heritage?) rosewood "Coke" reproduction grips. I do not care for round butt grips, but that's how they come.

I have several N-Frame holsters that I use with my N Frame guns, with no particular favorite.

 

[jack the toad]

I currently have 5 MG's (.45 Colt/ACP & 44/41/357 mag). I'm down to two .45 cal 625-6 MG's. One in ACP and other Colt.
I had a -7 MG in Colt (no lock MIM) which went to a buddy with plans to mod cylinder for moon clips but he ended up also buying my -4 MG in ACP.
I doubt he'd sell at almost any price. They shoot that good and carry as well as any N except maybe the PD's, NG's etc. Mine arent for sale either.

 

[bdGreen]

I like your 617 MG post with pics, etc. Without me referencing SCSW, any idea how many are out there?

Real data has been somewhat elusive.

I called and spoke to Customer Service at Smith and Wesson.
They implied that these guns were shipped to Lew Horton.

I called Lew Horton.

Earl, at Lew Horton, indicated that they received 42 of these guns in April of 2013. The three serial numbers I gave him verified that he had them in possession at one time.

The date on the 'fired cartridge' envelope says '11-12-2012' so that is about right.

Now, Earl did some digging and told me that they were all shipped back to Smith and Wesson.

He didn't have a date for me on that, but, they became available for sale in the April of 2016. I have a receipt for one from Sportsmans Outdoor Superstore, Hebron, Ohio, dated 04-17-2016.

The Customer Service guy at Smith and Wesson did tell me that they had two ship dates. Originally April, 2013, and, again April, 2016. That works properly into the overall summation.

All of this is leading up to a few questions, really. Ha

How many, in this Mountain Gun configuration, were actually ordered and built?

Who ordered them originally?

Why did Lew Horton send them back (42 pieces) to Smith and Wesson?

Why did Smith and Wesson shelve them until three years later before selling them?

Did Sportsmans Outdoor Superstore receive them all?

I called Sportsmans Outdoor Superstore and they said that they received "around 40 of them" April, 2016.
All that they received were sold from their business.

Any non speculatory additions to this paper trail would be greatly appreciated.

Knowing what I know, (keep your thoughts to yourself), I believe that there are truly only 42 samples of this Model 617-6 Mountain Gun.

bdGreen

Oh, and Roy had nothing to offer to add to this saga. Suggested I 'letter' them. We'll see.


Serial numbers:
CTR 6797
CTR 6635

 

[mag318]

Thanks for all the replies and photos, I had no idea there were so many variations on the Mountain Guns. That 617 MG would be something special to own and probably the hardest one to find.

 

[bananaman]

Very nice indeed, mag318. I have a 625-6 MG in .45 Colt. The original owner wasn't kind to it on the outside, but internally it's fine. Shoots great. I'm sure you're going to like yours.

View attachment 516590

I have seen many worse than that! To me, a little metal polish and you are good to go. I would be proud to own 1 as yours! It is a shooter. I have a 25-15, 6.5" in Colt. Really enjoy shooting that caliber. Also have a 625 JM in ACP. Bob