629-1 Info Needed

P

P-990

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In the on-going quest for a 21st birthday present, I had just about set myself on a 1911-type with two weeks of waiting left to go. While at one of my favorite "local" gunshops today I spotted the other contender on my list: A used Smith and Wesson 629. It wasn't exactly what I wanted; it had a 6" barrel, but it was a half-lug. Intrigued, I asked the clerk for a close look.

What I found was a Smith and Wesson 629-1, 6" barrel, SN AD(?)50XX. Barely fired and clean as a whistle. The trigger felt great, there was no endshake and the barrel-cylinder gap was perfect. Wow!! I don't think the grips were the originals, but I don't know. Price? $469 OTD. (No tax in NH.)

From a brief online check it seems this is a square-butt frame. It pre-dates the frame-mounted firing pin, so I am positive this was made before 1999(?). No internal locks, etc, etc. Just a functional double-action revolver.

Is there anything else I should know about this gun? I am just about willing to raid any of my savings accounts required to get it into my grubby little hands on it two weeks from Saturday. I hope it is still there when the calendar ticks, because I know used Smiths in this condition don't turn up for under $500 very often around here.

Comments welcome, please share whatever info you may have for me.
 
Ask for a box of 44 Special and BUY IT! I just missed one myself. I would guess it has a red ramp front sight and RWO? Rubber grips? The price is a good one.
 
Supica and Nahas put it as the first 629 that was not pinned and recessed. Introduced in 1982 and apparently running until the dash 2 came out in 1988.

Best bet is that it will prove extremely accurate and shootable as I have have examples of most of the 29 variations and have found them all accurate.

Getting on in near-new condition makes yours particularly desirable- its not that easy to find them any more.
 
The cleanliness and desirability are the issues tugging at me right now. The .44 I want with all of my heart is a 629 Mountain Gun or a 4" 29 with a half-lug. I don't want internal safety locks and am perfectly willing to wait for deals on used guns to turn up. This 629-1 is a 6", but the half-lug makes it more desirable to me than a full-lug 6" and even more desirable than a 4" with a full underlug. (Notice a theme here?) Just the fact that it can end up in my hands and is a relatively rare find gets me turning. I am no collector (yet) and yet...

So this model pre-dates S&Ws "endurance" package? Not that I enjoy firing full-house magnums routinely, but I would go through a box and a half a month when given the chance. Specials are more fun and easier on the gun and moderate magnums give almost as much pure excitement as full-house without the fastball on a baseball bat experience.

Just as I almost had myself convinced to hang onto the pair of 9mm Glocks my dad is letting me have for my birthday. But I can always buy another Glock later down the road. But do I really want a 6" revolver for packing around in the woods?

Oh, and Sir William, you've got it nailed to a T.
 
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I am holding out for the slightly mythical 4" myself. I just missed a duplicate to the one you are looking at. I decided to buy it and called the store to hold it for driving time. I drove to the store and they had sold it. "Let your finers do the walking". Yeah, whatever. LOL They had a full lug 629 Classic and two Taurus 44s. I am still holding out for up to 629-3 6" half lug and a 4". You will be well served by that 629-1. You can use 44 Russian, 44 Special and 44 Magnum loads in it.
 
It may not sit around for 2 weeks waiting on you, so talk to the dealer to see if you can lay it away until you are able to buy it.
 
If you really want a 4" half lug gun I have a 629-4 that I bought new, had tuned by Art Leckie, then put in the safe. Less than 50 rounds through it. I use my 6" 629 to hunt, and occaisionally carry one of my 3" 629s, so this one is sort of extraneous to me. I bought it originally because I was also looking for thr half-lug gun, but have since found I prefer the 3" to the 4" for hiking and such. If you're interested, let me know; I'd let it go for what I have in it.

629-4.jpg


The flash washed out the S&W logo just above the grips.
 
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