[DARKSHADOW]

Update post #76.

I'm Christmas shopping for my self, and I would like to get a S&W in .44 magnum, and the 629's have caught my eye.
I've been leaning towards the 629 competitor with a 6" barrel, or the Stealth Hunter with a 7.5" barrel.
I like the 629 V-comp, but not fond of the 4" barrel.

Also the Competitor and the Hunter look to have a weaver mount built into the gun, and this I like for mounting a reflex sight.

Anybody have any experience with any of these model's, and care to share your opinion?

[Zombie Steve]

I've owned a couple 629's in my day, but none of the exact models you're talking about...

What do you want it for? Longer barrels for hunting and silhouette, 4" if you ever think you'll want it on your hip.

A full underlug 6.5" Classic isn't bad to shoot at all. The 4" is obviously going to bark more... Still, I'm not crazy about the V-Comp.

[Gregg702]

My 629 is a 3" barrel, it kicks like a mule. I love it. Like Zombie Steve asked, what do you have planned for it?

[bac1023]

I have a 5" 629 Classic and love it.

I'd get an older model without the lock.

[DARKSHADOW]

This is going to be a range toy, so paper mostly. And probably won't be shot more than fifty yard's.

This will not be for carry.

[Eric2340]

Originally Posted by DARKSHADOW

This is going to be a range toy, so paper mostly. And probably won't be shot more than fifty yard's.

This will not be for carry.

Yeah, buy a used one and let someone else take all the "new car price" on it. :(

I had the same problem and did just this a few years ago. It was "just for a toy", never really shot it much, showed it off more than anything else, it quickly lost it's appeal. :( Not to mention feeding it was a fortune (note: I do not reload, so YES I do understand you can reload for the beast to cut costs).

In the end I sold it to a friend who "had to have it!!" too, and more than I did any longer. He's having fun w/ it now last time I check, and I got a new G21SF out of it in the end.

Buy used, have fun with it, but I'll bet in the end you don't keep if it's "just a toy", w/ no real use (hunting).



They're kind of like getting married, everyone ought to do it once to get it out of their system.

[gatorboy]

Originally Posted by AudiGregg

My 629 is a 3" barrel, it kicks like a mule. I love it. Like Zombie Steve asked, what do you have planned for it?

Got a fluted one of these, awsome, weighs less or very close to my 686+. It's a beast!

Originally Posted by bac1023

I have a 5" 629 Classic and love it.
I'd get an older model without the lock.

Got an unfluted full lug 5". Would go up to 6" half-lug if it were for hunting or range only.

I think 4-5" is a great woods gun but the 3" will do the job for SD against about anything and it's bad ass. I vote 4" fluted half-lug.

[Arc Angel]

I've owned 4 S&W Model 29 revolvers. (One was a 629) I absolutely love the 1/4 lugged, 8 3/8th's barrels on the early Model 29's! The most perfect overall balance I've ever felt in any handgun in my entire life comes from one of these early Model 29's! The gun club I was in at the time, 'Dirty Harry's gun' came out used to sponsor 150 yard steel target matches.

It was here that a senior club member took me, 'under his wing', so to speak, and taught me how to skillfully use a 44 Magnum revolver at distance. Man, I love my 44 Magnums! It's really quite a thrill to see (and hear) metal silhouette targets going down at 100 + yards! I've, now, sold off quite a few of my guns; but, I've still got a primo Model 29 sitting on a shelf at the back of the safe.

[barth]

38 oz of glass bead blasted satin stainless steel sweetness

[IvanVic]

I'd buy one of these in a heartbeat if I could shoot on my property.

[bdhawk]

i have a 629 classic, with a 5" barrel. in bought it in '92, so no pesky locks or anything of the sort. fun revolver, great shooter.

[Bruce M]

I think that an N frame with a five inch barrel is the perfect compromise between the ease of the four inch on the hip and the advantages of the six inch barrel.

[CajunBass]

I don't know about the 629, but I really like my 29-2. It's got a bit of a kick with Magnum ammo, so frankly, I shoot mostly 44 special ammo in it. With that it's an easy shooter.

[bmoore]

Originally Posted by CajunBass

I don't know about the 629, but I really like my 29-2. It's got a bit of a kick with Magnum ammo, so frankly, I shoot mostly 44 special ammo in it. With that it's an easy shooter.

Beauty

[bdhawk]

Originally Posted by Bruce M

I think that an N frame with a five inch barrel is the perfect compromise between the ease of the four inch on the hip and the advantages of the six inch barrel.

elmer keith once said he felt the 5" was the ideal barrel length for .44 mag., with the powder and bullet he used.

if memory serves his load was 22 gr of 2400 and a 250 gr. semiwadcutter bullet. double check me on this before you load any. i am relying on my feeble memory.

[DFin]

I wish S&W would make a 629 with a 5 inch barrel without the full lug.

[Unk]

629 no dash 6" and Classic 5"..shot 80-100 rounds of 240 gr through the 6", a friends re-barreled 4" and early model Ruger carbine. Hand is still sore, shoulder is better.

Got to let the big dogs roar..once a year or so...gonna shoot up some .44 special Cowboy Action loads next..enough full power loads can hurt you.

I carried the 6" crossdraw when deer rifle hunting...then decided I didn't want to hump the extra weight for the few handgun shot opportunities I was likely to come across.

I'm deciding on whether or not to put a 4" barrel on the no dash <$225 or so...my friends is a good shooter.

Get a 629, you'll enjoy it.

Best.

[K.Kiser]

The model 29 family of Smiths are certainly one of my all-time favorites... I have an 8.375" full underlug 29 Classic and I love it, but like Arc Angel mentioned the shorter lug pistols actually balance better - dang near perfect and unable to be improved upon IMO... The factory trigger pull will make alot of bolt action deer rifles jealous, and they are very accurate...

I typically shoot handloads with 265 Hornady's when hunting, but anything goes when goofing off.. I grew up with revolvers, but can't say that I've ever held a better feeling or better shooting smoke wagon than these mentioned in this thread... They are iconic in my world, and I'll blow fireballs from mine until my old bones can't handle it and then it will be passed down...

[Arc Angel]

Originally Posted by K.Kiser

The model 29 family of Smiths are certainly one of my all-time favorites... I have an 8.375" full underlug 29 Classic and I love it, but like Arc Angel mentioned the shorter lug pistols actually balance better - dang near perfect and unable to be improved upon IMO... The factory trigger pull will make alot of bolt action deer rifles jealous, and they are very accurate .......

Ain't that the damnedest thing! In a lifetime of pistol shooting I have never found a better balanced pistol than the S&W Model 29 with a 1/4 lugged 8 3/8's inch barrel. It points just like an extension of your arm! It's nice to find someone who, also, appreciates what Smith's older long barreled Model 29 is actually worth!

[Haldor]

Originally Posted by Arc Angel

Ain't that the damnedest thing! In a lifetime of pistol shooting I have never found a better balanced pistol than the S&W Model 29 with a 1/4 lugged 8 3/8's inch barrel. It points just like an extension of your arm! It's nice to find someone who, also, appreciates what Smith's older long barreled Model 29 is actually worth!

I have that exact same pistol (Model 29-4). Very nice shooting iron. It came with the nice wooden target stocks, but the rubber grips are much nicer for shooting.



I actually picked up a belt holster for it. What a dumb idea that was. Should have got a cross draw rig like this.

[NDCent]

I've owned a couple 3 inch, round butt, lew hortons, and a no dash 4 inch square butt for many years and love um. I wouldn't mind a 5 inch, but personally if I was going bigger than 5 inch I would buy a hog leg and scope it.

[bac1023]

Here's mine

[glock2740]

Originally Posted by bac1023

Here's mine

Love the full lug. If that had an unfluted cylinder...

[45caldan]

Originally Posted by bac1023

Here's mine

I would love to have this version! Would look great next to my 4" 686!

[rilkil23]

Originally Posted by barth

38 oz of glass bead blasted satin stainless steel sweetness

So you have four barrels for that one as well?


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