S&W mod 629 opinions...

Status
Not open for further replies.
S

Stinkyshoe

Member
Joined
Jan 28, 2003
Messages
538
Location
Midwest
I saw one of these at a show, and got talking to the guy selling. Suddenly I became convinced that I needed it, even though I knew if would break my wrist (blued mountain gun 4" barrel). It left an impression, I still think it is now of my list....

What are they like? Are they accurate? What's a fair price?
Thanks!
Ss
 
It won't break your wrist, elbow, shoulder, or neck. If you're planning to buy all your ammunition, a model 629 may break your checking account.

If you load your own ammunition, you can tailor loads for accuracy, hunting, plinking, et cetera.

Like its parent, the .44 special, the .44 magnum is a wonderfully accurate cartridge.

I personally prefer blued to stainless, but will admit I've been carrying my three-inch 629 more and more often. I sent it to the good folks at http://www.magnaport.com for porting, bead blasting, barrel crowning, and hammer and trigger jeweling. The porting took a bite out of the recoil, which was noticeably stiffer than that of my 6.5-inch and 8.375-inch .44 magnums.

Stocks that fit your hand very well will do a great deal to tame recoil and enhance accuracy.

Best of success, eh?
 
They are some fine guns. Mine is a 629-4 Mountain Gun. Shoots good, but I haven't found that "great" load for it yet. Recoil can be brisk, due to it's light muzzle.
My thoughts, unless you have a need for a Mountain Gun (carry it a lot etc.) get a 629 with the standard weight 4" barrel. I had one of these that I traded in on the MG, and truthfully I'm kicking myself. It was a much more shootable gun. Just my opinion, FWIW. :)
 
(blued mountain gun 4" barrel).
Click to expand...
That would be the M29-8 not a M629 because the M629s are stainless steel. It was a limited run of those back in 2003 I think. They were made from left over frames of the Heritage series and have a 4 screw sideplate. If you like it then you might give it serious consideration as you won't see one everyday.
 
Thanks for all the replies. I guess I am confused because I thought sure I saw M629 somewhere on it and it was blued. :confused:

I guess I have this view that anything but a high speed low drag 1911 or glock isn't a viable weapon. I am beginning to think otherwise.

Hey if you were looking for a snubby 5 shot, would you get a 357 or 38? What are the size considerations?

What is a fair price for a new 629 blued 44 mag mountain gun?( sorry majic if that is the wrong name)
 
The model and revision will be on the inside of the crane. I have a 1st gen Mountain Revolver and I like them the best for their actions. The new actions don't compare.
 
Wow I missed it too. :banghead:

All Model 629s are Stainless Steel.

All Model 29s are blued or nickle plated.

So yes the blued Mountain Gun was the 29-8.

The last regular production Model 29 was the dash 7 version which was only made from August 1998 until January 1999.
 
S&W still has one 29 in production - a 6.5" half-lug, SKU 170253, produced from their Performance Center.

Additionally, the 629 MG, a SS version of the 29 MG you saw, is available to 'Stocking Dealers' again - expect a street price from just under $600 and up. My new favorite is 6 oz heavier than my 629 MG - and has a 2" longer half lugged barrel. It is also available - as a standard stock item, SKU 163606. It will be about the same as the 629 MG, cost-wise. Both of these will be a lot more 'user friendly' with real .44 Magnums if you swap the OEM open back Hogue grips for the excellent backstrap-enclosing Hogue .500 Magnum grips, available from S&W Accessories for $35 + S/H. I keep some rounded Ahrends cocobolo stocks on my 629 MG, relegating it to .44 Special and Russian loads. Neat guns - very wide range of power level ammo available - reasonably priced, if you reload!

Stainz
 
My wife has a 629 with 6.5" barrel and PowerPort. She loves it and shoots it quite often with factory 44mag ammo, since I got it for her for our anniversary. We are hoping to start reloadign for it, soon. She likes it better than my Colt Anaconda, but I prefer my Anaconda.
 
These are good guns -- my 4" half-lug 629 is rapidly emerging as my "go-to" gun for everything but CCW.

(T)hese will be a lot more 'user friendly' with real .44 Magnums if you swap the OEM open back Hogue grips for the excellent backstrap-enclosing Hogue .500 Magnum grips, available from S&W Accessories for $35 + S/H. I keep some rounded Ahrends cocobolo stocks on my 629 MG, relegating it to .44 Special and Russian loads.
Click to expand...
Yep. The standard open-back Hogue rubber grip is not bad with medium-level .44 Mag, 240 gr bullets and such, though you get lots of muzzle flip. I put a Hogue goncalo alves wood grip on my 629 because I like the handling. With that grip, I'm OK for about a cylinder of .44 Mag with high accuracy; then my thumb gets to bruisin' and peelin', and I start flinching. However, I think of the wood-gripped gun as more of a "heavy .44 Special," and with loads up to and including that level it is a treat to shoot.

Neat guns - very wide range of power level ammo available - reasonably priced, if you reload!
Click to expand...
Agreed. Which is why I need to start reloading.
 
I have a 4", 629-2, and I love it. It's my archery bear hunting backup. Highly accurate and no, with sane loads it will not snap your wrist. It doesn't even hurt. With hot loads, like most handguns, it will wake you up. I'd recommend it.
 
S&W 629 44 magnum

I owned the Model 29 44 magnum in blue but found that it chewed up my shooting hand and therefore sold it with the presentation case. I presently own at least 8 S&W 44 magnums, all in stainless some Peformance Center and love the 629. I shoot minimum 100 rounds of handloaded factory equivalent 44 magnum each week for the last 10 years with the various models. My hand no longer gets chewed up. My favorite is the 6.5 inch fully lugged revolver in stainless.
Good luck
44Caliber
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top