Trying to remember?

[Vectorxw8]

Back in the mid to late 1980's I was living in Memphis, Tn. and went into the local gun shop to get a Smith & Wesson model 29. There were several in the case the one I took home was a 629. But I remember a very strange model 29 in the case it was a light weight, the cylinders were solid, it had adj rear sights and Hogue grips?? I am kicking myself for not getting it! Can anyone tell me what it was and how long did they make it? Thanks, Scott

 

[Kernel Crittenden]

They call that an "unfluted" cylinder. Hard to say exactly what you saw. There were many small runs of guns with those features put out by various distributors. Lew Horton sold a number, with an without unfluted cylinders. They had various names. The "Mountain Gun" was pretty popular. There also was a "Backpacker", "Alaska Backpacker", and "Alaskan Backpacker" sometimes followed by a Roman numeral.

 

[Vectorxw8]

This 44mag was made by Smith & Wesson. That was one thing I knew for sure, I wanted a S&W! Thanks Kernel I was not sure what the style of the cylinders were called and yes the Cylinders were Unfluted. I seem to remember reading it was only made for one year because it was NOT a popular model but, I can't be sure of that. Thanks Scott

 

[Kernel Crittenden]

.... it was only made for one year because it was NOT a popular model....

S&W is notorious for doing this -- introducing some really cool new variation, making it in small numbers, then pulling it from production precisely at the time buyers are lining up out the door and around the block to buy them.

The vast majority of these "Mountain Gun" type N-frames were made in stainless, but there's a few out there in blue. Keep a keen eye out and be prepared to pay something in the $1,000 +/- range when you find one.