#629

Welcome to TFB’s Wheelgun Wednesday, where we delve into all things revolvers. This week, we’ll take a look at the rare Smith & Wesson 629 Master Hunter, which was designed as an optics-only model from the factory in 1997 to 1999. Our friend, Cédric Armurier happened across a nice example of the 629 Master Hunter when a customer requested some work done on one. Cédric provided the photos you see here, and Smith & Wesson assisted with some background details about the Master Hunter model.

Another week has gone by with most of us in self-quarantine or others being deemed “essential” to continue punching the clock at our jobs like this is a form of the “Hunger Games.” While I joke with that statement, one thing I continually find myself doing in this odd predicament not only our country, but the entire world is combating with the Coronavirus-19 (COVID-19), is all of the hunting excursions I am going to go on in the future! With that optimism, it is great timing that we take a look at a very high-end hunting revolver with the Smith & Wesson Performance Center Model 629 Stealth Hunter .44 Magnum! That name is quite the mouthful, but this revolver has always caught my eye when going to firearm trade shows or visiting the Smith & Wesson website. It is dark, mysterious, sleek, and cool! But most of that could be for not if it cannot perform as a great companion while hunting. So, let’s dive in and see how it stacks up!

Magnums are fun because they inspire so many reactions from people and they are all unique. Some people conjure up thoughts of Dirty Harry while others only think of recoil. Some others yet, like me, start theorizing what big-game animals we could potentially hunt. Regardless of the camp you fall in, a good magnum revolver will put a smile on anybody’s face. Especially one that is light enough to carry all day, can hit its target at distance, can knock-down big-game, and is not terribly punishing to shoot. In my mind, one wheelgun I believed that could potentially check all of those boxes was the Smith & Wesson Performance Center 629 Competitor .44 Magnum, and in this TFB Review we will see if my hypothesis holds true.

Many pistol shooters of my generation grew up in a world with a wide variety of fantastic black plastic handguns that are as durable as a tank, have triggers ranging from “decent” to “awful”, run below six notes in price, and are uniformly ugly as sin. These are very practical weapons for self-defense, but for a lot of people they bring pistol shooting closer to a chore than recreation. For a while now, I’ve been looking for a handgun that could come with me on Pistol Day and add a little more fun to the experience, and maybe a touch of class, too. Unlike Alex C, I’m not made of money, and I couldn’t just go out and buy a Manhurin or a Python and be done with it, so instead I went looking for Smiths. Recently, I found one that I wanted at the right price: A “no dash” Model 686 in .357 Magnum, made in 1983.

Smith & Wesson have produced a Model 629 revolver to commemorate Alaska’s 50th anniversary of Statehood.