S&W 629-5 Comments

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cowboy77845

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Someone here posted comments about why they considered the S&W 629 Mountain gun the best of the breed. I would like to learn more. My LGS has one for 750. No box or papers. It does not appear to have been abused. I am considering it. What say you?
 
I see them going for more sometimes. The mountain gun has a sleeker barrel taken from the old .44 special n frame days, I BELIEVE they may be lighter but you'd want to verify, I never shot one but I never heard anything bad about them to steer me away, just treat it like any other n frame .44. Do not shoot crazy ass loads through it and it should last you your grand grand kids lifetimes.
 
I prefer the reg barrel.
Dunno what model rev where they did the endurance package.
Know a -3 Model 629 doesn't have it.
There's a 4" 629-1 at my LGS I can score for 750. No box/papers and Pachmayrs on it, not orig grips.
If it was a 6" I'd have bought it.

300grainers in a 629 suck. Broke my old -1 4" and Smith fixed it.
Have not shot over 240gr in my 6" and 8 3/8" guns (when I had them- currently own none).
 
I bought a "normal" 629 a month or so ago and it has been a lot of fun at the range. You can always shoot 44 special through it if magnum rounds are kind of spicy. 240 grain hunting loads were kind of spicy through mine, but it's a 6" with an underlug, so I survived.
 
I used to have a "Mountain Gun" in 45 Colt years ago. I forget the number now. I think it was a 25-13? I wish I still had it. Nice gun, great balance. Good shooter.

I'm sort of out of the 44 magnum business these days, but if one turned up...I've still got 44 Special brass and stuff....
 
The Mountain Gun by SN appears to be made in 2000/2001. I handled it and I really liked the feel. It will be carried more than shot. Want something to use as a back up when deer hunting. I used a 629-1 8 incher, DX Classic, last year and decided I needed a gun bearer. That sucker is heavy. I also like the feel of the 5.5" Ruger Redhawk. It does not seem to "fit" like the 629. I like the look of the 3" 629 but I'd probably have to have someone shoot it for me as I have arthritis in my hands. Huh. seem to be talking myself into a purchase.
 
Someone here posted comments about why they considered the S&W 629 Mountain gun the best of the breed. I would like to learn more. My LGS has one for 750. No box or papers. It does not appear to have been abused. I am considering it. What say you?

Sold one several years back and regretted it. It is the perfect size/weight for a general-use field revolver.
 
629-2 production starting in 1989 have the much hyped but not really much of anything Endurance Package.

A lot of people like the -5 because it is the last of the pre-locks and has the frame mounted firing pin which some folks like and some folks don’t. MIM parts were also introduced with the -5 which are once again, overhyped as being a problem but really aren’t. It was just a cost cutting measure that was not passed on to the consumer.

As to the Mountain Gun itself I think of it as being a 629 offered as more of a defensive weapon than a hunting revolver. Carry it a lot and don’t shoot it much type of thing. It’s just the barrel that is different though so it is the same N Frame 629 as all the others.
 
Well.........the LGS is closed.
Buddy doesn't work there til Tuesday.
Wonder if that 629-1 will be there then.
Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
 
I thought the "endurance package" started w the 629 classic.
Which is what revision? Think it after -3

The trigger pivot pin can break. That not uncommon when shooting heavy bullets cranked.
I bought a used -1 that had unknown round count (no flame cut but that doesn't mean much).
Buddy and I shot some 300's and that broke the pivot.

Bud called Jinx from work, said "sounds like warranty work".
Gun was sent in, 4 weeks later arrived all fixed up.
Cost me $5 back then.

I won't shoot anything over 240's in a non endurance gun.
The 300's were pretty nasty anyway LOL
 
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The "endurance" package started with the -4 N Frames. Look at the bolt notches in the cylinder and you will see that they are longer than Pre -4 revolvers including the dash 2. I have an original -2 Mountain Revolver from the first run back in 1989. I also have a 24-4 44 Special.
 
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Hmmm, maybe I should get a -4.
Think they had case hardened hammer/trigger though.
Thought -3 the last of the silver.
Think my last 6" was a -2. The 8 3/8" I traded for it, was a -3.
Great range toy the long one, but too long for field IMHO.
I shot one deer with it and went back to 6".
 
I've shot two deer with my 629 no dash that I got in 1982. I had a Leupold 2X EER mounted on it for many years. Shot it until the cylinder would ratchet backwards after a shot and then had it rebuilt. I shoot my 29-3, MR and model 69 mostly lately.
 
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FWIW I got a set of medallion Hogues for my old 4" -1 629.
New from gunshop a fair distance.
Got home and they were for the Classic, round but........were "conversion" grips.
Dangit, mine was square butt (they sold me wrong stuff).

So.....I made them fit. Had to cut/grind. Did a perfect job of it too.
What that meant was dished out like cylinder latch side....on both sides, w silver S&W medallions.
Kinda neat.

The big hump on non latch sides is kinda ugly.
 
Slapped a 130# dressed doe w a screamin 180gr JHP at about 25 yards from treestand.
Hit neck shoulder area going in, idea was to plow through off lung.
Head was fwd, down a bit (ambling through some vine stuff).
BOOM and her head flops onto her back, like on a loose gate hinge, buckled.
Dead right there.
Bullet hit spine/neck going in and fragmented.

LOL, I had 5 more to burn had she ran. Plus speedloader (can't remember if I had one or two LOL).
Was just trying to have fun w doe tag.
Already bucked out............with an 870.
Had an ext mag on 870 a week before...........and snuck up on a buck way out in CRP, shot him and he too was dead right there.

Lightbulb came on........2 shots, 2 deer........no tracking.
Was lugging a lot of ammo for nothing ;)

Hmmmm, nostalgia............maybe I should hold out for a 629-3 or even a -4 in six inch.
 
If the ODNR allowed 4" barrels for deer hunting, I'd have a mountain gun in a caliber that starts with "4".

In a perfect world it'd be a 45LC Mountain Gun cut for mooncliped 45acp. I've been well served in the past from my 629's and I'd be very happy with one in 44mag especially at that price.
 
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