3" 629-5  Carry every day,on the farm on the 4whlr,on the tractor& walking the Dag. In an El Paso Saddlery Tom Threepersons crossdraw,no snap,,hammer thong. 629 is Lew Horton special..IIRC 1 of 5000 or so. Also carry 4 speedloaders so 30 rounds total. (wear in the ear hearing protection while carrying)

"Who carries an "N-Frame...?"


Me MotherFucker!

Hahaha, yeah, I've carried either my M24 "LHS" or my M629 "Mountain BackPacker"... Both 3" barreled they are... In some form or iteration over the past 5-6 years from Nightly Dog Walks to North Carolina Jeep 4x4 trips, Kayaking, Fishing, and Trail-Walking... They make for really nice Revolver's in ALL of those trips, tasks, and duties...


I've carried all of these the first one is a Lew Horton Special M24-3. (Ive carried this one the most, for walks, going to store, and Wood's Outdoors Duty loaded with Heavy 255gr Keiths.

The 2nd one is the 6.5" barreled M629. (Only bearable to carry for Woods in chest holster or a drop-leg rig.)

The 3rd one is an 3" barreled M629-5 and I've carried this on a LOT of wood occasions the Woods. I shoot Shilouette Matches with it and use 300grain Privi-Partizan ammo rated at 1,179fps for Silhouette Matches exclusively. She thumps with the 300 and 305gr ammo but is so very accurateand with the leather Shooting Gloves I figure we call it a truc. I was told by a member on another forum that if underneath the top strap "if" the serial number is present then it's a Performance Center Gun (mine does have the SN present (under the top strap) I know none of my other Smiths have it present so and but who knows to the validity of that last little tid bit? I knew nothing of it all until recently


And "IF" I or We are going to spend a significant amount of time in the woods 2-3 hours or more I shoulder strap this Ruger M44 Deer Slayer. It's a heck of a 200 Yard rifle even loaded with the 305gr Keith Hard Cast pills from Underwood Ammo. A couple of hot n' heavy .44Magnums pointed in anyone or anything's way will certainly garner that attention. Having 5 semi-auto shots of .44 Magnum Rifle with a 3x9x45 Scope that's doped in for my hunting round of choice the aforementioned 305gr Keith's (flat nosed & large a Me=Plate from Underwood that are rated at 1,350 FPS... And about 40fps extra per inch or is well within their understanding so and I like the beefier than norm pipe construction on the newer Rubicons. The Ruger Carbine is relatively light, hits extremely
well above it's Weight Class... From what I've seen going from Revolver with it's deleterious effects on velocity between the cylinder, chamber throat correctness, cylinder face to the distance of the barrels forcing cone will rob power. From a semi-auto there is no wasted gas pressure at the chamber to barrel position. I still love Revolvers and any pressure loss is more than made-up for by using more a potent load. Miracles to stop that problem.

Lastly, I enjoy having Ammo Commonality between the sidearms and longarms. So many weird things have happened at the family cabin the wife isn't seen outside without her M642 tucked into a pocket or on a nearby counter-top, coffee table or nightstand.

Oh now... That is just SICK! Do tell, the details, please!

@jmreagan

It’s a Pre 27 357 magnum 5 screw 3.5” that was refinished a while before I got it.  It’s obviously been around a bit….  Another forum member supplied me with the diamond magnas.  It’s a bit of a hog but it’s fun to shoot.  Usually I carry it in a DM Bullard bodyguard OWB holster.



I used it for some 357 hand load testing this past weekend along with my Henry X.  Unfortunately the last two times I’ve had it at the range I’ve noticed some timing issues.  I’m thinking it needs a new hand.  It’s going to my local smith this week for a look-see.

242 is an L frame bud

S&W 327PC, 3 o’clock carry position.

You are very well armed there
Within 150 or so yards, more with practice & effort.
I do the same with .44 Rem. Mag.

I was presented with a "need", several years ago, to carry more horsepower than my regular .357 mag and .45 acp guns could provide, so it's an N-frame (4" 329PD) all day every day for quite a while.
There's no issue hiding that gun if you have wardrobe flexibility. None.

If you work where clothing has to be what it has to be, it might be undoable or just not worth it. I'm self employed and dress how I want.
But, if you work where clothing excludes a big revolver,,, you probably have no use for a big revolver

Lot's of people happily carry N-frames both open and concealed.

Is your a key lock model? Have you kept the lock? Any issues with it?

Here's my parking lot I walk to every night

Small guy but there's a few bigger

Unfortunately it's a NPE. So I can't print. I can manage a N frame but only with certain shirts.

All 329's have the lock. Mine no longer is operative so of course, no issues . It takes about 15 minutes.

Cool

I get it that people work in NPE's, and have to adapt.
I also know guys who hunt black bears in several states every year, and they've dropped a lot with .357 mag, XTP's Kieth type, WFN's, so really, no N-frame needed there, a steely eyed gunfighter with a .357 J-frame has a pretty solid chance

I know nothing about Lew Horton personally, except that he commissioned some veeeery sexy double action revolvers, and his sense of a good looking revolver is exactly the same as mine

Same here.  The guy I got mine from no longer posts over on the S&W forum; I think he got sick and died.    I don't recall his name though; pretty good guy to deal with.  Back then, he was the Go-To guy for S&W revolver lock covers.

Original precision lock plug?

same thing but from tk customs.

https://tkcustom.com/collections/revolver-parts/products/s-w-internal-lock-plug-kit

Taking the Pre-27 back to the range today.  My local Smith gave it a look over and clean up.  Working well with snap caps.  I’ve got some Enforcer/158 SWC’s I’ll be testing.  Figured the N frame is darn near indestructible.

I’m also shooting some “midrange” 44 mags through the 3” 629.  This’ll be the test to see if it’s going to Magnaport……



Alas, the Pre-27 has to go back to the gunsmith.  It is still having some hand issues.  I believe the had and spring will probably have to be replaced.  The 629 was stout but manageable with my “midrange” 240 grain SWC magnums.  I believe I’m going to hold off on a Magnaport trip for the moment.

I can finally join in on this thread

629 in a JM custom holster

@compuvette

Very, very cool guns. Thanks for taking the time to explain them to me. I've only been into (shamefully) Revolvers the last 6-7 years. I've learned how to work on them quite well with the help of YouTube's Jerry Miculek video's and others. You learn something new everyday and again, thank you!

Same here! If one is lucky enough to obtain a Lew Horton Special most know they are getting a pretty awesome package. The tapered 3" barrel with almost full under-lug and the OEM Goncalo Alves grips and you have a very well balanced Revolver both in hand and when firing. I was blessed enough to source the Smith N' Wesson Branded Holster for my M24 LHS from a member here a few years back too.

Lastly, of course I would never ever do this on purpose... But virtually every single branded .44Mag Round I have been stocking up on will fit into this .44Special "N-Frame's" Cylinder's/Charging Holes. I've got pics of 305gr Underwood ammo and soffits flush with the end of the cylinder, the cylinder closes fully, and she rotates just fine pulling the trigger. So in all realness this M24 will operate with .44Magnum ammo up to 305 grains and most certainly the standard 240grain factory rounds. Now will it blow it apart? I don't wanna take that chance regularly. But maybe say someone or I put in a load of .44magnums... One cylinder probably wouldn't Pizza Huts then it correct: I mean, the metallurgy between the M24 and a newer M624 between Smith's Cylinder and barrels current now aren't Lemons by any means. For all we know we just may have yet another .44 Magnums in our pool stock.

I actually sold my M29 Lew Horton Special because I was informed NOT to shoot anything but Medium Sauce. Yeah, I was on my 3rd box of .44Magnums from Underwood and a "Blued" M29 were left there.

@Merlin

@JTMcC  


You aren't talking about James (can't quite remember his exact name) the owner/operator of "Original Precision" are you? He wasn't over 50 in good shape (ex-marine) and I hope it wasn't/isn't him. But come to think of it I haven't received a PM or a text or call from him in a couple years.

I bought 3 sets of Original Precision's "Lock Delete's"... The first installed in 30 minutes and matched the color and frame perfectly. The 2nd one took 15 minutes to install with the same results. The 3rd took maybe 10 minutes to install and those guns are still kicking to this day, no problems.

@jmreagan, no, I don't recall his name but I'd recognize it if I heard it again.  Keep in mind, I ordered my lock cover back when I bought my S&W 329PD, which was early 2011, so it's been a while.

Thank you Merlin... JD is still doing well as he came in here today posting "Likes" so he's still around!

I carry a 329PD a fair amount.

EDC a 325pd. like it's not even there.

badass

Thanks. I wish there were more revolver shooters so I can really see where I stack. Shooting against a field of autos is both encouraging and depression.

Very nice @chase45

Looks like the hand is fine on the pre-27.  The spring is weak.  I can’t get too upset, it’s probably 70 years old….  I ordered a hand spring and a Wilson spring kit..  might as well replace the mainspring and rebound while I’m at it.

That is a good-looking old Colt.

She's performed well the old girl. Treat her to a total spring kit from Wolff's... I did such to as a "Hammerless" model and wow, what a significance in smooth and crispness in regards to pull... As far as ignition, it touches off even hard primered "Wolf" steel case ammo...

Well, the pre-27 is going to a different smith.  It is going to need an oversized hand and Raymond doesn’t feel comfortable doing it.  I’ve got a good less local smith lined up to do the work.  I’ll get it down there probably this week.

Also, on the theme of the thread, I took my 3” 629 and Henry 44 all weather to the range today.  “Light” magnums aren’t too bad in the little guy.  Light being 240 grain coated SWC’s over 9 grains of Win244.  Most of my shooting out of the n frame was with 44 Special button nose wadcutters.  They were downright sedate.



Little warm today but it was better than being at the office.

Attached File


A recent GunBroker score.  25-5 4" in .45 Colt.  Holster inbound from JM Custom

That's a beautiful gun. And I have multiple kydex/other plastic holsters but it would hurt my heart, just a little bit, every time I snapped that blued gun into plastic

Attached File

Turns out the holster arrived yesterday and it was for my new Python!  Every day is like Christmas when you are old and senile.
My local gunsmith is giving the 25 a bit of attention and TLC so I haven’t shot it yet.  Might just get a leather holster after all.

I have a similar one wearing laser grips I got a little while ago. And a 25-15 that’s been carried a few times. The 25-15 feels unwieldy when its out of the holster.

I was introduced to a court baliff in Carson City that carried 2 N frames. He wore a tombstone looking suit with a star that had chains that ended with a rocker. He was called Bare Claws. Very large man.

This gentleman?

https://www.nevadaappeal.com/news/2013/jul/20/obituary-robert-bob-noble-stutsman-bear-claws/

That was the man. I was told he held some sort of speed record with those 44's at one time.

3in 629 Deluxe----deleted the wood for some Hogue rubber--no finger grooves----rides in some Galco leather---tucks up nice tight on my back---easy to sit down and hides with just a loose sweatshirt.

Double tap

Well the good thing (specially in a NPE) is that black bears don't require an N-frame size gun to deal with

I have misguided, misunderstood and slightly psycho (large) wild range bulls to deal with on occasion and within walking distance there are over 20 full grown tigers, a couple of ligers, about 10 African lion, leopards, jaguar, a pack of wolves, brown bears and a ton of black bears plus a very beligerant baboon
Hundreds of lessor, smaller threats. All living behind chain link put up by amateur crack/meth heads who consider themselves top shelf construction workers

ETA: before that, I happily carried 1911's in 45 acp and still do at times but a 44 mag is always present.

No, I'm not at least. I grind the locking lug/nub off so it "can't function even if it wants too.
I've never bought a plug.

If I owned a Model #58 I would carry it.  Decent ones are getting hard to find and expensive.

I'd buy a Lew just because it was available, as long as it was in good condition for the $ and locked up good

625-6 Mountain Gun, .45 colt.  I've been lugging it around since jacket weather started, really digging it so far.  

Those grips look fantastic

I have one of those. It wears an old school Tyler T-grip. S&W gave it the “M&P” designation for a reason: it’s a big, heavy, rugged, truly bad-ass combat magnum.

The original “city police load” (210-215grn lead slug @ 950-1000fps) is basically a .41 Special load. So it’s a pussycat to shoot and the fixed sights are dead-nutz on with it too. Very accurate. The somewhat hotter “Highway Patrol loading” (same weight slug or JSP @ or near 1200fps) isn’t bad as far as felt recoil but it requires you to hold a bit higher due to POI being different from the city-police load the fixed sight’s POA and 4” barrel are set up for.


Where the .41 Mag’s recoil gets noticeable in the 58 M&P is touching-off  the really hot and heavy 240-250grn “bear loads.” But that level of .41 Mag ammo is apparently the go-to woods loads for guys packing M57s and M58s in the Alaskan interior.