Henry Rifle Forums

I got a call today from my LGS that a Smith .44 magnum came in today. This is the Lipsey's no lock model and comes in .44 mag 629 and also an L-Frame 7 shot 686. Lock up is very crisp and snug, trigger pull is very good and the barrel cylinder gap is over .003" but will not accept a .004" feeler gauge. I really like the grips with the palm swell. At this point I'm impressed. Hope to shoot it tomorrow.

I'm interested to hear your impressions. I'm glad you like it so far.

Nice looking revolver, and I like those grips too, very business-like.

A friend had a 629 that was tricked out by JD Jones and SSK. It had a short barrel, something like 3", a very slicked up action, the full MagnaPort treatment, and a front sight that was hot pink in color and made from some kind of polymer. He used to carry it when fishing in bear country. It was definitely a purpose built revolver, and pretty neat for what it was.

Yours has that same kinda vibe, hope it shoots well for you 5shot!

Nice Smith 5shot. I will be awaiting your recoil report with some big boomers

Great looking revolver. Lipsey’s does a great job with their exclusives particularly with the grips.

BigAl52 wrote: ↑

Fri Apr 11, 2025 10:22 am

Nice Smith 5shot. I will be awaiting your recoil report with some big boomers

Funny that you would mention recoil, because after over a half of a century of .44 mags one thing remains unchanged......a 4" N-frame .44 gets unpleasant when you approach full power loads. I took the chronograph along with a half dozen time tested handloads. Accuracy and funtion of the revolver were very good and the grip design is outstanding IMO.

I cast three different semi-wadcutter bullets in the 250 grain category, 245 RCBS, 250K RCBS and Lyman #429244 GC. Any of those bullets over 8.5 to 9 grains of Unique will put velocity in the 1000 to 1050 fps level. Accurate, powerful and still fun to shoot. Much beyond that and things go south in a hurry.

I'm pleased with this S&W and glad I got it. I'll probably take the nice wood grips off and put some rubber on it. It will ride in a Galco crossdraw and be sitting in the stand with me while deer hunting with the crossbow. If something wants to gnaw on my gnarly old carcass I should have enough horsepower to discourage it.


Edit to add....The brass bead on that front sight really does a good job.

They definitely do include some very nice grips/stocks on their offerings.

Strangely enough, a video about the Lipsey's Mountain Gun revolvers just popped up in my YouTube feed.
Here it is:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OWlSW2nJ5E&t=54s

rickhem wrote: ↑

Sat Apr 12, 2025 9:32 am

They definitely do include some very nice grips/stocks on their offerings.

Strangely enough, a video about the Lipsey's Mountain Gun revolvers just popped up in my YouTube feed.
Here it is:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OWlSW2nJ5E&t=54s

We have AI looking over shoulder at what we are doing and will steer related stuff to us.

Mags wrote: ↑

Sat Apr 12, 2025 12:51 pm

We have AI looking over shoulder at what we are doing and will steer related stuff to us.

Ain't that the truth!

rickhem It could be artificial intelligence or maybe it's a sign or omen or something like that. Maybe you're supposed to give in to temptation and pick up one of these?

I like the way you think 5shot!!!!!

I am definitely interested in the 357.

BigAl52 wrote: ↑

Fri Apr 11, 2025 10:22 am

Nice Smith 5shot. I will be awaiting your recoil report with some big boomers

They are 6 shot N-frames(the 629).........I have one from the first run many years ago.

The Happy Kaboomer wrote: ↑

Fri Apr 18, 2025 9:20 pm

BigAl52 wrote: ↑

Fri Apr 11, 2025 10:22 am

Nice Smith 5shot. I will be awaiting your recoil report with some big boomers

They are 6 shot N-frames(the 629).........I have one from the first run many years ago.

Yes thanks Im well aware of that model being a 629 6 shot. Its also lighter than the standard 4 inch N frame which like 5shot mentioned was not fun shooting with full house 44 mag loads. My comment was meant in fun at 5shot. Because of his recoil comment in another post

Confession time. I've hunted for years with .44's, .454's and the .475 Linebaugh in my avatar but this .44 magnum Mountain gun with full power loads is a little too much. I shot a few cast gas checked Lyman 255's over a full serving of 2400 and bloodied the knuckle on my signaling finger. It seems a shame to pull these beautiful Bobby Tyler "Bear Hug" grips but there will be a Houge "Tamer" grip going on here.

But all is well because according to Tim Sundles of Buffalo Bore the 255 gr. at 1000 fps will penetrate to the other side of most any critter. And....it's still fun to shoot at that level.

Maybe with the "Tamer" grip on I can rethink where the "Happy Place" is but I doubt if it will be 1300 fps.

5shot wrote: ↑

Sat Apr 19, 2025 11:32 pm

Confession time. I've hunted for years with .44's, .454's and the .475 Linebaugh in my avatar but this .44 magnum Mountain gun with full power loads is a little too much. I shot a few cast gas checked Lyman 255's over a full serving of 2400 and bloodied the knuckle on my signaling finger. It seems a shame to pull these beautiful Bobby Tyler "Bear Hug" grips but there will be a Houge "Tamer" grip going on here.

But all is well because according to Tim Sundles of Buffalo Bore the 255 gr. at 1000 fps will penetrate to the other side of most any critter. And....it's still fun to shoot at that level.

Maybe with the "Tamer" grip on I can rethink where the "Happy Place" is but I doubt if it will be 1300 fps.

.

Am I ok saying I got a good chuckle out of your confession post. Did the vocabulary take a turn for the worse afterwards.

Thanks for the honesty. I somewhat enjoy the recoil of a .357 magnum with good grips. I tolerate the recoil of a .44 magnum with good grips. I have no experience with any of the Mountain guns Smith has made. They are a nice carrying gun I've heard.
Your comments and discussion are very much appreciated.

BigAl52 wrote: ↑

Sun Apr 20, 2025 12:11 am

5shot wrote: ↑

Sat Apr 19, 2025 11:32 pm

Confession time. I've hunted for years with .44's, .454's and the .475 Linebaugh in my avatar but this .44 magnum Mountain gun with full power loads is a little too much. I shot a few cast gas checked Lyman 255's over a full serving of 2400 and bloodied the knuckle on my signaling finger. It seems a shame to pull these beautiful Bobby Tyler "Bear Hug" grips but there will be a Houge "Tamer" grip going on here.

But all is well because according to Tim Sundles of Buffalo Bore the 255 gr. at 1000 fps will penetrate to the other side of most any critter. And....it's still fun to shoot at that level.

Maybe with the "Tamer" grip on I can rethink where the "Happy Place" is but I doubt if it will be 1300 fps.

.

Am I ok saying I got a good chuckle out of your confession post. Did the vocabulary take a turn for the worse afterwards.

I may have mentioned the unedited version of son-of-a-gun. When I bought it I had no intentions of running this thing at full throttle but just like a kid doing a test drive I had to "Put the pedal to the metal and see what she's got"

I've removed the pretty but painful grips wood grips from the 629 and replaced them with an ugly but comfortable Pachmayr. I've settled on a load of an RCBS powder coated 245 SWC which drop from my mold at 253 grains. At 1050 fps that should be enough horsepower to get out of any trouble I'll encounter in Wisconsin and it's accurate and pleasant to shoot.

After reconciling with the .44 the LGS called that a .357 Mountain gun 686+ just came in.... I couldn't help myself....it seemed only right that the little sibling should join the family. The trigger seemed a little heavy at the shop but after shooting it a bit I realized it needed some attention. I have a buddy that's a machinist but could have been a watchmaker. We replaced the 18lb. trigger rebound spring with a Wolff 14 lb. and he spotted a burr just below the trigger/sear engagement surfaces. The man wears a jewelers loupe when he tinkers. I doubt I would have spotted that but it was enough to cause a little bit of creep. A few swipes with an extra fine stone solved the issue without messing with the critical sear engagement shelf. Trigger pull went from 5 1/2 lbs with some creep to a crisp and consistent 3 lbs.10oz pull which rivals the Smith triggers from the days of old.

I haven't settled on a woods load yet but she's sighted in right now with a full power 158gr XTP over H110. Took the pretty grips off and went with a Hogue. I've done a little shaping on the Hogue with a little more to come.

Nice. I was hoping they would bring one out in 45 colt..