After S&W "Mountain Gun", 41 Magnum, 44 Magnum, 45 Colt, it's the time for the next level; "Outdoorsman" with slim 6.5" barrel

[Onty]

FASCINATING ARTICLE; "The Mountain Gun" https://revolverguy.com/the-mountain-gun/ , 41 Magnum, 44 Magnum, 45 Colt!

However, since S&W already made M25 in 45 Colt, with slim 6.5" barrel:

The only revolvers missing are same style N-frame revolvers in 41 Magnum and 44 Magnum. Also, stainless pleeease!

P.S. I am seriously considering getting 6.5" barrel from 624 and installing on 629. If there is somewhere one such barrel, please let me know, PM please. Thanks!

 

[jdc1244]

My M25’s cylinder is being worked on to accept .45 Auto.

My other N-frame is a 610; my son calls them real guns.

 

[bangswitch]

FASCINATING ARTICLE; "The Mountain Gun" https://revolverguy.com/the-mountain-gun/ , 41 Magnum, 44 Magnum, 45 Colt!

However, since S&W already made M25 in 45 Colt, with slim 6.5" barrel:

The only revolvers missing are same style N-frame revolvers in 41 Magnum and 44 Magnum. Also, stainless pleeease!

P.S. I am seriously considering getting 6.5" barrel from 624 and installing on 629. If there is somewhere one such barrel, please let me know, PM please. Thanks!

The revolver you show is actually what the M26 (Model of 1950) looked like in original production, except the original had a pinned barrel. The one above is a reintroduction, new version M25 that uses the tapered barrel design. The original M25's (Model of 1955), both .45 Auto and .45 Colt, used a heavy barrel. I like the looks of the tapered barrel and would love to have a Model of 1950 (original) in my collection of "over .40's", as well as a M629 no-dash. But I'm pretty happy with
the ones I have. My M25-5 is from 1980, the M29-2 from 1979, the M57 from 1968, and the M58 from 1967.

 

[Agsalaska]

I have all of those, but the 629 Mountain Gun is by far my favorite. It is one of the few guns I bought with an actual purpose other than fun. I moved to Alaska in 2005-2006 and while I liked guns a lot revolvers were a little out of my interest range. I knew about bears and saw a gun in the gun store called a 'mountain gun.' Figured that was what I needed so I bought it on the spot for I think $600. It wasn't til later that I realized all of the locals just carry bear spray.

It does have the hillary hole but I really don't care. It is one of my all time favorite guns and still sits loaded(with .44 Special) in my closet.

 

[Charlie98]

and the M58 from 1967.

I keep debating getting rid of my Model 58, it's a bit redundant with my 4" 57... but it sure makes a dandy field revolver that I don't have to worry about.

ETA... Reading that attached article... I've always been a big fan of Ross Seyfried. I've learned quite a bit reading his articles over the years.

 

[bangswitch]

I keep debating getting rid of my Model 58, it's a bit redundant with my 4" 57... but it sure makes a dandy field revolver that I don't have to worry about.

It's not redundant. Caliber might be the same as the M57, but it's a different model, and much more rare than the M57 especially if it is an original production (not a dash-1, which was a reintroduction years after the original was discontinued). Having a M57 and M58 is like having a M19 and a M13 or a M27 and a M520 (an even more rare model).

 

[CajunBass]

I really like Smith and Wesson's "Mountain" guns. I had one in 45 Colt at one time, a 25-13? I think it was. Really cool gun, and those big 45 cases looked like the old trash cans we had when I was in elementary school. They were impressive.

I wish I had held onto that gun. I had no reason for it of course. My idea of hiking in the mountains is getting out of the car and walking to the outhouses up on the Skyline Drive, but man it was a nice gun.

 

[Bullet Bob]

You could always look for one of the 2001-ish Heritage series model 29's or 24's, even though they were made in limited numbers they don't go for outrageous prices. Yet. They weren't made in stainless, but a few were nickle plated - I like the case-hardened frames myself. Designed before S&W's purchase by Saf-T-Hammer, they don't have the lock, and are much better finished than the somewhat similar Classic series of a few years later. My model 24 with Roy Fishpaw grips is at the bottom of this picture, along with a 1917 and model 15 from the same series. Mine and others I have read about are excellent shooters:

 

[Charlie98]

It's not redundant. Caliber might be the same as the M57, but it's a different model, and much more rare than the M57 especially if it is an original production

It is... it's the only S-prefix Smith I own. The way I use them, however, is about the same... with the exception of holster carry, I don't normally carry the 57.

 

[drobs]

I always liked that S&W 45 Colt Mountain Gun. I briefly owned a S&W 25-5 in 45 Colt. I bought it right at the end of when S&W revolvers could be had relatively cheaply - $500 or under. This was back when the AWB ended. A Vector Uzi called my name and I sold that S&W to a friend for around $700 in order to buy the UZI.

The Vector Uzi was fun but steel the bolt was made from was soft. Within a couple 1000rds the firing pin hole egged out and the firing broker. Vector replaced the bolt assembly for me. I took it to the range test fired it and let another shooter try it out. He offered me $1000 for it right on the spot - Sold!

During that time Cabella's & Bass Pro jacked up the price on all S&W revolvers via their Fine Gun Rooms. That S&W I sold for $700 went up to $1500 over night.

 

[WisBorn]

Keep your eyes open for a 657 41mag with a 7" barrel, great revolver

 

[Charlie98]

Keep your eyes open for a 657 41mag with a 7" barrel, great revolver

I don't know if I've ever seen a .41 Smith with a 7" barrel. Classic Hunters came in 6.5" or 7.5", and the other standard long length barrels were 6" or 8 3/8"... but not 7" Hmmm... am I missing something?

 

[Rodfac]

That .41 Magnum Mountain Gun may be my #1 Grail Gun (SS or Blue, either will do)....I haven't given up finding one at a price short of mortgaging the farm, but time's a running out! Best regards, Rod

 

[WisBorn]

I don't know if I've ever seen a .41 Smith with a 7" barrel. Classic Hunters came in 6.5" or 7.5", and the other standard long length barrels were 6" or 8 3/8"... but not 7" Hmmm... am I missing something?

Sorry it may have been 7 1/2". I remember that it was shorter than my 629 8 3/8".

 

[Onty]

Here is extract from article listed in the first post, that caught my attention:

"History​

They agreed that the aesthetics and light weight of the pre-war .44 Hand Ejectors were peerless. The term “.44 Hand Ejector” referred to the size of the frame, not necessarily the caliber. They were typically .44 Specials, but were also chambered in .44-40, .38-40, .45 Colt, and .455, among others. Regardless of the chambering, all the large frame guns wore tapered barrels up until 1955. This tapered “pencil” barrel kept the weight of the 6 ½” barreled guns around 38 ounces, with the rarer shorter barrels (4”, 5”, and 5.5”) even less."

To put statement above in perspective, seems to me that nobody makes DA revolver in 357 Magnum, with 6" barrel, that weighs less than 45 ounces.

IMO newer guns are better, more durable, but now, hitting soon 70, I much more admire old folks' wisdom, they knew what good revolver is. In that respect, these days I applaud S&W marketing and engineering folks, for providing us M24/624 and M25 as above. Hopefully, they will give us other calibers, 41 magnum, 44 Magnum and 45 ACP. And also, M586/686 as per https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...odel-686-7-shot-mountain-gun-6-barrel.922900/ and Ruger GP100 as per https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...would-you-like-to-see-it-manufactured.922767/ . Keeping my fingers crossed...

 

[Miami_JBT]

You could always look for one of the 2001-ish Heritage series model 29's or 24's, even though they were made in limited numbers they don't go for outrageous prices. Yet. They weren't made in stainless, but a few were nickle plated - I like the case-hardened frames myself. Designed before S&W's purchase by Saf-T-Hammer, they don't have the lock, and are much better finished than the somewhat similar Classic series of a few years later. My model 24 with Roy Fishpaw grips is at the bottom of this picture, along with a 1917 and model 15 from the same series. Mine and others I have read about are excellent shooters:

They only made 176 nickeled Model 29-9 Heritage Series guns. I have one.

 

[Pat Riot]

One of my favorite revolvers is my model 25-15. I bought it in 2021 in California when I lived there for a couple of years before retiring. The gun store only had 8 or 9 handguns on display and this bad boy was in a separate display case with a smattering of scopes and rail lights. Apparently they found two 25-15s in one of their storage lockers. I bought one of them for $925.
I have wanted a .45 Colt Mountain Gun for years. Now that I have this 25-15 my desire for a mountain gun is still there, it’s just not at the forefront of my revolver desires any longer.
I do still need to get a decent holster for it.

 

[unspellable]

They only made 176 nickeled Model 29-9 Heritage Series guns. I have one.

Ids this a 29-10? Only 176? I have one, didn't realize they were that thin on the ground. (Typed too fast, should have said 29-9)

 

[Miami_JBT]

Ids this a 29-10? Only 176? I have one, didn't realize they were that thin on the ground. (Typed too fast, should have said 29-9)

Yeah, only 176 were ever made. The number comes from the 4th edition of the S&W Collector Guide.

The 29-8 was the introduction of the lock. The 29-9 was the Heritage Series which was made without the lock. They did a run in nickel and a run in blue. I don't have my book in front of me at the moment, but I know they made a similar number in blue too. Neither went over 200 guns.

I paid $1,300 for mine this year. It was at a little gun shop that basically didn't know what they had. They treated it as a normal pre-lock Model 29.

 

[CraigC]

I really, really, really should've gotten one of the Heritage model 24's when they came out. Really.

A 29 with a 24 barrel would be sweet and a relatively easy conversion. Just have to shorten the barrel stub and recut the forcing cone.

 

[unspellable]

So what would a nickel 29-9 6.5 inch be worth today? Hard to price if there are only 176 in existence. I rather like mine. Only complaint is the round butt frame. The ball detent crane is a nice touch.

 

[Onty]

I really, really, really should've gotten one of the Heritage model 24's when they came out. Really.

A 29 with a 24 barrel would be sweet and a relatively easy conversion. Just have to shorten the barrel stub and recut the forcing cone.

Yup. Also, when barrel stub shortened, there is a great opportunity to cut forcing cone 11º as preferred for lead bullets (instead of factory 8º). And, as E. Keith personally "prescribed", lunching H&G #503 (MP 432-256 PB SOLID https://www.mp-molds.com/product/mp-432-256-pb-solid-4-cav/ , or similar from other mold makers), at 1100-1200 fps, it doesn't get more classy and better than that.

 

[Onty]

... a nickel 29-9 6.5 inch... The ball detent crane is a nice touch.

Does that mean no ejector rod locking plunger in lower side of the barrel, like on 460 and 500?

 

[PistoleroWadcutterGANG]

gigiddy lol (57-6)

 

[Riomouse911]

Does that mean no ejector rod locking plunger in lower side of the barrel, like on 460 and 500?

I think that one is like the L frame Model 69. It has the crane detent that does away with the underbarrel lock at the end of the ejector rod. Probably is less expensive to CNC the detent in place than machine out material on the barrel for the underbarrel lock and then hollow out the ejector rod for that part of the assembly.



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