Unfluted, how common?

[Hang-Fire Hank]

Picked up a 629-4 with a 3" barrel and an unfluted cylinder yesterday. How common/uncommon is the "unflutedness"? Is this a Lew Horton? DOB, please? Thank you, H-F Hank

USAF Vet
NRA Benefactor Life
13 Smiths & Counting

 

[Hang-Fire Hank]

Picked up a 629-4 with a 3" barrel and an unfluted cylinder yesterday. How common/uncommon is the "unflutedness"? Is this a Lew Horton? DOB, please? Thank you, H-F Hank

USAF Vet
NRA Benefactor Life
13 Smiths & Counting

 

[Hang-Fire Hank]

Please excuse me, it's a little late & I accidentally omitted the serial number. It's CBL49xx. Would also have included a photo, but I'm not digitally savvy yet. Respectfully, H-F Hank

 

[DC7]

H-F Hank: Your gun sounds like a Lew Horton "Classic Carry" made in late 1996. I bought one brand new in December of that year--a 629-4 with a 3" barrel, unfluted cylinder, beautiful rosewood combat grips, and a s/n similar to yours: CBL67xx. It also had an unusual 7-digit product code on the original label, something I haven't seen on any other S&W revolver (they're usually just 6 digits). A couple other people on the forum have mentioned owning guns from this run, and if I recall correctly, either S&W or Lew Horton confirmed that there were just 135 made. (FYI--S&W doesn't always follow s/n order when building guns, so even though our numbers are about 1800 apart, they are likely part of the same Lew Horton run.)

There were quite a few variations of the 629 made, however (so many that they aren't all listed in the Standard Catalog of S&W) and many had similar features and/or similar names, so it's probably not really as rare as a 1-of-135 gun might seem. I believe several variations of the 629 had unfluted cylinders.

Here's a link to an earlier discussion of these guns:
http://smith-wessonforum.com/e...143/m/4491078043/p/1
One of the guns is pictured in the first post, and a few posts below is a picture of the one I had as well. Even farther down, another post includes the text of a Lew Horton email giving details about this run.

 

[Revolver King]

As for the unfluted cylinders your 44 magnums have the most of them followed by the 357s.

 

[Gordo1]

I purchased a limited production Model 60 2 1/8" unfluted last year brand new.

 

[Hang-Fire Hank]

DC7: Thanks for your very informative reply & thread reference. My product code is only six digits (103600) & "Special Order 6277". Does the latter infer a LH special? Were they shipped in hard, blue plastic cases 13 years ago? Love the gun! Shot it this morning. Real weight out there with that unfluted cylinder.
Thanks all! H-F Hank

 

[DC7]

Originally posted by Hang-Fire Hank:
My product code is only six digits (103600) & "Special Order 6277". Does the latter infer a LH special? Were they shipped in hard, blue plastic cases 13 years ago?

H-F Hank: In most cases the Spec Ord number is actually the date of manufacture. The first digit indicates the year, while the next three digits indicate the day of the year, numbered 1-365...or, since '96 was a leap year, 1-366. Your gun was most likely built on 10/3/96--the 277th day of 1996.

The product code on mine was 1036001. Unfortunately I no longer have the gun so I don't know the Spec Ord date, but since I found it brand new at my local gun shop in December of '96, I'm pretty sure it was built around the same time as yours. And it did come in the blue plastic case that S&W started using around the mid-90's.

What kind of grips came with your 629? Mine shipped with some of the nicest rosewood combat grips I've ever seen.

 

[m657]

My very favorite revolver is an unfluted 610 in 3 7/8" (or whatever the fraction is).

 

[Hang-Fire Hank]

DC7: Don't know how to do the "Quote" posting, but yes, mine also have very nice Rosewood combat grips. Thought at first they were after-market, until I read your post.
Thanks again, H-F Hank

 

[VM]

These are probably my Favorite in my SS family.
Gotta love the unfluted cylinders and the Combats.
629-4 CCLxxxx 3"
629-2 BBHxxxx 6"

H-FH, to quote.........left click and drag mouse across words in posters thread that you want to quote, release click and press "reply"
It's easy.
AND, where's your PICTURES!??

 

[GF]

Mike I can never see the guns you post for the neon grips!

 

[VM]

Gail - have you ever gone to a Paint & Body automotive shop and the owners car is sitting out front with a caved in fender and a bad paint job?

 

[jeremyws1]

Hank, does you 629-4 have a full length ejector rod? That is the difference between the run of 135 and the rest of the non-PC 3" 629s.

 

[jeremyws1]

Here is an example:

 

[k in AR]

Have a 686 Classic Hunter, unfulted cyl, with a 6" barrel, in the BDR7XXX S/N range. Had to get her trigger restored because the previous owner allowed a back yard "gun smith" to grind on her sear. But she is Great shooter now.

 

[tom turner]

From late 1989, sitting on the tanned hide of a piebald buck I harvested with my trusty M29-5 . . .

Regrets? Passing up a 3" barrel 29-4 and a 6" barreled 29-4 in years gone by that had unfluted cylinders. You don't see 'em every day!

The one pictured came with the S&W four position adjustable front sight (currently removed) that was designed for silhouette matches. This one is a real tackdriver too in my favorite hunting load . . . the Federal "Castcore" 300 grain hard cast bullet (also pictured).

T.

 

[Old Navy]

The rare ones are probaly something like the 610 models in 10mm because of the small numbers made in that caliber compaired to say model 29 44 mag or 686 357 guns. Only one other caliber I can think of with possibly fewer made would be the 41 caliber guns.

 

[lunde]

Some M500 revolvers were made with unfluted cylinders:

 

[mwtdvm]

My very favorite revolver is an unfluted 610 in 3 7/8"

One of those "trivial" points that show you know what you are talking about. I have a friend, who among his many attributes is always being right... I mentioned that I had bought a 610, unfluted cyinder w/a 3 7/8" bbl and he immediately corrected me with "No, it's a 4" bbl, I have one". I persisted and he had to go measure his.. to his credit, he did admit it was 3 7/8".