S&W 629 3” convert to longer barrel?

I would give Smith & Wesson a call and see if they have any barrels available.

You might try EBay. I have seen barrels for sale there.
This one is only a 5” but you could contact the seller and ask about what you are looking for.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/SMITH-WESS...2349624.m46890.l49286&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0

It's a personal decision but I've always leaned to longer barrels for a number of reasons, mostly increased ballistic performance in magnum chamberings. A little over a year ago I shipped a 4" 686 back to Springfield and had them screw a 7" tube on it for me. I like it much better now with the additional 3 inches of bbl.

I have a 29-5 with a 8 3/8” barrel and it’s very accurate. With that barrel it’s heavy as it has a full under lug, but I think it balances well.

if I were to buy another 44 Mag I would try the 6” barrel even though most of my S&Ws have 3” barrels.

As others have said give S&W a call and see if they can do it. If not you will find one in one of the auction sites and any competent gunsmith can swap it for you.

It will be cheaper to sell the gun you have and buy the one you want. Barrel swaping isn't just a simple screw it off, screw the other on. The forcing cone will likely need to be recut and the shoulder set back to align the front sight at a minimum. The conversion won't be cheap.

I agree with burrhead. The economics of this project might not work out too well. I believe there is a real market out there for your 3" and would be easy to sell. Longer barrel pistols are not hard to come by. The 3" I think is harder to find. I believe selling what you don't want and buying what you do may just be the simplest way to your goal.

These guys are right the demand (and price) for a 3" 629 is going to be much higher than a 8 3/8".

If you don’t like it, sell it don’t alter it. If it’s in good shape the rare shorter 3” barrel 629 will probably bring in quite a bit more $$ than a 6” one will.

Stay safe.

Yeah. What everyone else said. If a 3" one is more valuable, this shouldn't cost you anything.

For instance, if a gunshop had a nice used one with a longer barrel, they would gladly trade you.

I traded something I didn't want for this one a couple of years ago.

I agree you would be better off selling or trading it for what you want

For the OP, I'm guessing that the current 629 isn't the same one you had previously?
Might be the gun, but our skills do degrade over time, and age. Don't bother asking me how I've come to know this...
A 3" .44 can't possibly be much fun with full house loads. What sort of loads are you using? What do you really want to do with this gun? Backwoods hiking? Target shooting?
Also, are you a reloader?
Best,
Moon

The dash 4 629s are worth more that the later models. That's the last gen of the non-MIM parts and trigger mounted firing pin 44 mags. Not sure about the lock. The 3" barrel will also bring a premium. You might get what you want AND make a profit.

...probably mentioned already, but to a collector a factory 3" 629 (w. box, prelock, etc.) can have at least double the value of a dime-a-dozen 6" 629. Do as you wish, it's yours... but i'd consider buying a longer barreled 629 before converting the 3". If you do convert it, think of the cost of the longer barrel plus the gunsmith fees, and how much the revolver will be devalued.

mope540 said:

...probably mentioned already, but to a collector a factory 3" 629 (w. box, prelock, etc.) can have at least double the value of a dime-a-dozen 6" 629. Do as you wish, it's yours... but i'd consider buying a longer barreled 629 before converting the 3". If you do convert it, think of the cost of the longer barrel plus the gunsmith fees, and how much the revolver will be devalued.

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Yep. Just go buy a smith with a longer barrel. don't destroy the value of that Lew Horton (?)

I'm not a fan of short .44's in general...by short, I mean less than 4". I have a pair of 3" .357 Smith M-60's that do nicely, but kick like a mule with full house loads...I can only imagine a .44 of either persuasion, Spl or Mag. Were it me, and I truly liked/loved the DA/SA trigger on the gun, I'd call Smith and see about a re-barrel....but see the below for length comments...8-3/8" is just too much of a good thing in my estimation.

In a heavy caliber revolver like the 629, I'd much prefer at least a 4" bbl. My current 629 sports a 5", full-lugged; a tube that I really like...but understand that's the absolute limit for belt carry...unless your mounted on a good cayuse. And even 5" pushes the gun up into my short ribs to some extent, with an OWB & when seated in a modern 4 wheel conveyance.

Beyond 4-5", I have to resort to a cross-chest or shoulder rig for comfort. And it does make better sense when carrying as back up for the rifle. Even with a pack board on, you still have access to the gun if need be....bear country comes to mind: e.g. when packing out quarters. For a range gun, if you can stand the muzzle heavy weight & balance, the longer, (6 or 8-3/8" barrels) do make sense... But in my use, here in KY, I always carry at the 4 o'clock position, OWB...were I young enough to again tramp the Colorado high country for elk, it'd be a cross chest tanker set up for sure.

Lastly, those long tubed revolvers, especially those with the full length lug...(my 5" has one & weighs 46 oz. unloaded!) ... sure increase the overall weight of the gun. Steady for really heavy recoiling loads for sure...but at a price. My 4-1/4" bbl'd, M-69 Smith, BTW, a .44 Magnum, 5-shot, weighs in at 38 oz... but will kick the heck out of your thumb web with full house loads. As a carry piece, I much prefer it, but....well you get the idea....

YMMv, Rod

I like my 629 Deluxe 3” quite a bit, fun to shoot. It gets mostly a .44 Special diet. Good grips and Magnums are controllable (blast obviously more than a longer barrel). But it’s mine, works for my needs. Your gun, it’s yours make it your own. Like those that have posted before a 3” will sell faster and for a bit more so it does make more sense to sell it and buy what you want. There are no shortages of 6 & 8 inch guns. Hopefully there is enough left over to buy nice leather and some ammo. Good luck.

As a side note: have your eyes changed, are you a bit more far sighted then you used to be?

I think the best balance is a 5-6" barrel. I had an 8 3/8", 41 Magnum and thought it nose heavy and begging to be shot from a rest or shooting stick. Once past 6", drawing from a conventional holster is quite a contortion or from a holster awkward to carry.

Sound advice so far. A general rule of thumb when it comes to modifications and custom guns, if you can buy it, buy it, don't build it. If the configuration you want was made by the factory, you're always money ahead to buy one in that configuration than to try to make one out of something else. I've had a bunch of custom revolvers done, so I'm not averse to chopping barrels and swapping parts. It just makes more sense economically to sell what you have and buy what you want. Hell, even if you wanted a 5" that has never been made by S&W, you're still better off selling yours and buying a 6" or 8 3/8" gun and chopping that than buying a longer barrel, having it fitted and chopped. Especially in this case when the 3" gun you have is more desirable on the used market than the 6" or longer that you want.

This is an easy one, (purely from an economics standpoint). Suppose you'd been given a Porterhouse steak but you prefer hamburger. Would you de-bone the steak and grind it up, or trade it for hamburger and a few bucks to boot?

I’d leave it alone and get one with a longer barrel. 3 inch 29’s are hard to find.

Riomouse911 said:

If you don’t like it, sell it don’t alter it. If it’s in good shape the rare shorter 3” barrel 629 will probably bring in quite a bit more $$ than a 6” one will.

Stay safe.

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Very sound advice!

If I am in your shoes, and like 6.5" underlug, I will look for 29/629 Classic DX, with firing pin on the hammer (no MIM parts). With DX, you will get factory tested revolver that makes 1.5" on 50 yards. It doesn't get better than that...

LaneP said:

I...A little over a year ago I shipped a 4" 686 back to Springfield and had them screw a 7" tube on it for me. I like it much better now with the additional 3 inches of bbl.

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Never heard about 7" barrel on any S&W. Did they cut down 8-3/8" barrel to 7"?

Mel Cajon said:

Hey all, new guy here. I have S&W 629-4 (3”)...

To make a short story long, I’m considering replacing the 3” barrel with a 6-1/2” or even 8-3/8” one. Should I be doing a barrel conversion, or should I keep the gun stock?

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Sell it and buy what you want.

3" barrel revolvers are things people seek out, thinking it's an ideal length.

Onty said:

Never heard about 7" barrel on any S&W. Did they cut down 8-3/8" barrel to 7"?

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I believe it was originally offered on the 686+ models. When I inquired, I wanted the longest barrel they had in stock, and 7" was it.