New to me 629-2e...... Did I do good?

IMHO it's a very desirable variant. I shot one just like it several years ago at an IALEFI conference in a stage sponsored by Second Chance body armor, You were hustled up to a table where Richard Davis had you shoot a Tokarev at one target and then you had to shoot a second target with his own personal 629. I wanted one ever since.

I eventually found a 629 Mountain Gun with a broken rear sight in a pawn shop that needed a home and it has taken up the spot in my carry rotation when Werewolf season rolls around. ;)

You can keep that little cannon and enjoy something that's not a Glock 19 like everyone else carries. Or you can sell if for twice what you paid and get a Roland Special. I'd vote keeping it and enjoying the expression on other shooter's faces when you touch off a Remington 180gr JHP load...

Pinned barrels and recessed cylinders were dropped by Smith before 1989, but that fact doesn't detract from your revolver. You have a fine gun in every respect. Yours was made recently enough to have benefitted from metallurgical advances making them better able to withstand a steady diet of magnum ammo. When I saw the price you paid, I was amazed. Current value of this Smith is at least $850 on the low side.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by PattonWasRight

This is my new favorite caliber discussion quote.

OP - The "dash" -2 version is worth more to hard core SW collectors than you may realize.

Yours has a pinned barrel and recessed cylinder, both of which are lustful for to a collector, in addition to hand fitted rather than MiM molded parts

Per wiki ... 29-2s were made in the 60s, aka SW's hayday https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smith_%26_Wesson_Model_29

While yours is a 29-2 E, it's bones are still 29-2, just some sort of special version of it as you note

Mechanical condition ... in addition to what you checked, when you cock the hammer back very slowly, do you hear a click (cylinder bolt locking) before the hammer is all the way back? No observable cracks in the forcing cone?

---

If his is a 629-2 it was manufactured in the 1980's. The stainless 629-1 was not introduced until 1978. It is still a nice gun.

Does have the E upgrade "endurance" mods for running stouter magnum loads. Unfluted cylinder, 3" barrel, and Magna-porting put the value plus box/papers puts the value well in the $2000 range or more and definitely a performance center custom shop model.

Here's another 629-2E but this one has the Hybra-porting rather than the Magna-porting yours has. They want $3K for this one even after they ruined it by polishing it.

$3K 629-2E.

http://www.gunbroker.com/item/664917655