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Ever seen one of these 629s before?

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G

Gator

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It is a 629-5 "Mountain Backpacker". I just bought it and all I have been able to find out about it (on the S&W forum) is that 500 were made. The interesting thing about it is that there is the faint remnant of some laser engraving on the right sideplate. Anybody know anything about this model?

P.S. It is not mentioned in the SCSW.

629MBsmall.jpg

629MB001small.jpg

629MB6small.jpg
 
629-5 would be the new improved round-butt frame. It appears to have the earlier cylinder stop notches and pre-MIM lockwork. Ya took nice coffee table photographs, but it's hard to make out some important points, like does it have the detested lock? I presume it has a 3" barrel, but I suppose it could be a mite longer. Red-ramp front sight, and again I presume a white outlined rear. Im sure it is one of the short runs for S&W dealers or a favored distributor. 500 sounds like a likely number.
 
I think it was a short term release some time back. Didn't sell well enough for the marketing types so they dropped it. The muzzle blast will be enormous with full factory magnum loads. Be tolerable with .44 Special loads though.
 
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Old Fluff,

The firing pin is mounted on the frame (darn), but it does NOT have the horrible lock. 3" (actually a tad shorter) barrel, and white outline rear sight.

Does the firing pin on the frame automatically mean MIM parts? It has a very nice trigger pull, and lock up is tight, so even with MIM parts I'm happy with it.
 
Gator,

...and you should be happy! This is a nice gun that I would also be happy to have.
 
Does the firing pin on the frame automatically mean MIM parts?
Click to expand...

No, but I believe that those revolvers that had frame-mounted firing pins also had MIM hammers. Triggers are another matter, as they seem to be mix & match. Look at the back of the trigger and see if it's hollowed out. If so, it's MIM, if not it isn't. I can't tell about the stop notches in the cylinder. They appear to be the old "short" style.

At the time I suspect your revolver was made S&W was in the process of using up older parts, even as they introduced new ones. Some strange combinations came out of Springfield. They also made a huge number of small, special runs of guns based on the model 629 platform.
 
Nice revolver. Too bad there's only 500 out there. Solid looking, that's for sure...like a brick sh#*house.
 
i saw one of these at the last gun show. no lock, no mim as far as i could tell, and i think the firring pin was on the hammer (i looked at a lot of guns that day so not 100% positive). they were only asking $450 (i think). i had planned on buying it but found a good deal on a 696 a couple tables over and bought it instead. if i had known only 500 629 backpackers were made at the time i would not have passed it up for the 696.

steve
 
Thanks Old Fluff!

srtboise,

I've been looking for a 696 for a long time, if I had the choice I'd definitely have taken the 696. There are a whole lot of 629s out there in all kinds of configurations, this one is neat, but I think Old Fluff is right about it being a "mixmaster".

If you ever want to trade, PM me ;)
 
I don't know that mixing lockwork was necessarily bad, but it drives people like me up the wall trying to "figger" out what is.... well what. :banghead:

That 500 number could be way off. It might pay to call Smith & Wesson's Customer Service and ask them. It must be in their computers.
 
Gator, i have no regrets about buying the 696. i had been wanting one for some time and resigned myself to never having one due to the high prices i have seen them going for. so, to find a no dash for 'only' $525 was a stroke of good fortune. i think i will hang on to it. :neener:

i know it sounds like i am contradicting myself but what's a guy gonna do? :p

steve
 
Metal Injection Molding. Powdered metal is injected into molds; the finished part needs less machining to get it to its final shape. This is a cheaper process, but the finished parts are not as strong as traditional forged parts. The MIM parts are probably good enough, but traditionalists (like me :) ) don't like them. Its the wave of the future though.....
 
Old Fuff is.......:confused:

Old Fuff!

I think, but then it's morning and I've only had one cup of coffee. Under those circumstances I'm never sure... :evil: :D
 
That's what I thought. I think 8 out of 10 people call you "Fluff"
Click to expand...

That's because they think I need to be buffed out a bit... Too many sharp edges.. :evil: :D

Actually it's a nickname hung on me many years ago by two 15 year-olds who must have though I was way, way... over the hill. They were probably right. ;)
 
Years ago I carried a 629/3" Backpacker. It said 1 of 500 on the bbl. But had no other markings. Had Blade Tech make me a Cross draw kidex custom holster for it and made it my woods gun.

When S&W went to England, I went to the gun shop and dumped about six of my Smith Snubbies. The only one I miss is the 649.

I replaced the Backpacker with a G-29 with some special loads and have never regretted it.

Also had a 625 too and they both shot paper plates at 75 yards just fine. Been a while;)
 
calzoom, that is a drastic thing to do just because of an ownership change at S&W :confused:

I haven't heard that the prices doubled at that time. Why did you sell, if not to make a big profit?

Bart Noir
 
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