My first-ever S&W was my 625-7 MG in .45 Colt. My wife bought it for me prior to a vacation trip nine years ago. It started a trend! Afraid I would wear out my sentimental favorite, I ultimately traded a Ruger for a second 625MG in .45 Colt, actually, a 625-6 from '96 - with hammer mounted fp. It had a Rube Goldberg clipped return spring/rebent leaf - and resultant horrid trigger. A couple of Wolff springs and it was nearly as nice as my original.
A couple of things re the 625/629 MG's. First, they are bright finished SS. The obvious frequent move is to wipe them clean - and/or polish them. Sadly, the laser-etched barrel nomenclature fades with just normal cleaning - polishing fades it more quickly. Enjoy the '.45
COLT' on your S&W barrel while it's there. Roll-imprinting is likely difficult on a tapered barrel. Another weak point is the 'black on black' sights, but that may just be my tired eyes. A final observation is that some like a larger hammer or trigger - or both.
I had a 629MG - but carelessly distributed it into pieces it was not assembled from. S&W agreed - it was a stuck bullet. They sold me a new 629-6 in 4", as they still haven't made more 629 MG's, for a song - and I can't sing. I prefer it to the MG, even though it weighs 2 oz more. The majority of said weight is in the normal partially lugged barrel out front, keeping the muzzle down a bit better during recoil. It also has an orange ramp/white outline sight combo and both a larger hammer and trigger. Add to it the .500 Magnum Hogues I bought for the 629MG (All MG's I've seen are RB!), and you have a 'real' .44 Magnum that can be easily and repeatedly shot. Wood or Dymondwood, like the Combats on my 625-6 MG above, are perfect for my .45 Colt MG's and any load I will ever feed them. So - .44 Magnum - I'd go with a regular production 4"-er. >45 Colt - your choice recently is just the MG - which works fine - still a favorites. Of course, it shoots .45 Schofields fine, too.
Stainz
