[Johnny Guest]

I was shown a stls .44 mag yesterday - - - -
Marking is 6291 on frame beneath crane. No dash between the numerals 9 and 1. The inside of the crane itself is stamped 597 X 9. The s/n is N8985XX, indicating production in 1981--82. NOT pinned or recessed, four-inch barrel, Factory checked target stocks. It has been shot some but not abused in any way. The stainless finish makes it hard to tell but I'd say overall condition is 95% finish and very good to excellent mechanically. No box or papers. Owner says he's shot perhaps 300 rounds of mixed brand, magnum factory loads through it, and he doesn't know about the original owner.

The piece passes all the "Jim March Revolver Checkout" I could perform sitting in a truck. Didn't recall the whole list, but I've been buying and selling revolvers for over 40 years, and kinda have a feel for 'em anyway . . . ;)

The barrel has a vent or port on each side of the front sight, just below the rib. It is approx 9/16 wide at the top and 3/8 wide at the bottom. I didn't measure "height" or width of the slot--Perhaps 1/8". I've never noticed one of these on a rather plain stainless revolver before, and I find no mention of this feature in Standard Catalog of Smith & Wellon, vol 2.

Any thoughts on this gun? Owner wants $350 for it, which seems a bit high to me, but I've never owned a stainless .44.

Thanks in advance.
Johnny

[stans]

$350 for a Smith & Wesson 629 is a good price. In my area, it would be an outstanding price. I recently paid $375 for a nickel plated 29-2. The ports sound like Magna-Porting, probably the best pistol porting available. If the revolver passed all the tests, buy it!

[Gordon]

BUY, BUY, BUY at $350. That sounds like Magna port all right. Works great on 4" mod 29's!.

[Ledbetter]

That gun may be from a special limited run made up for Lew Horton or another distributer by the factory.

[Tamara]

Did it look sumpin' like this? If so, buy! It's a hoot to shoot.
http://www.thehighroad.org/attachment.php?s=&postid=332739

[Johnny Guest]

Yup, very similar, but for the 4" bbl and this one had the square butt frame. Slots looked identical. Is that a Mag-Na-Port job? After market or was it sold new that way? Have you ever shot a similar, unported, piece in direct comparison with that one? I just wonder if the muzzle flip reduction is worth the upward blast.

What kinda ammo do you use in your shorty? What is that barrel length, three inches? Is it the 629-1 Combat Magnum as listed on p. 200, col. 2?

Is that a Kramer holster? Does it hide pretty well?

Nice image, ma'am - - You raise a lotta questions in my mind.

Best,
Johnny

[Shmackey]

Tamara--

Nice stuff there. But you've got to remove those oversized CRKT thumb studs and leave a proper Spyderco hole behind. It's not often that you can do that!

[Standing Wolf]

Have you ever shot a similar, unported, piece in direct comparison with that one? I just wonder if the muzzle flip reduction is worth the upward blast.

Yes and yes. Virtually all my center fire revolvers have been sent to the good folks at http://www.magnaport.com for porting and barrel crowning, and and the stainless revolvers for bead blasting and hammer and trigger jewelling, too.

[Tamara]

On a pepper popper, in the dark, in the rain, at twentyish yards, I got three "clangs!" as it fell using Georgia Arms 240gr .44 Mag LSWC's. Rob and lendringser were there. I wasn't even blinded. :)

I've no doubt that there is no way I could replicate the feat with an unported 4" gun, much less a 3" piece. There's just no way I could keep the split times low enough, given how fast the first .44 Magnum round gets the popper falling.