S&W 44 Magnum Mountain Gun Returns & It’s Better Than Ever!

While Smith & Wesson introduced the Model 29, .44 Magnum revolver, around 1956, it took Dirty Harry Callahan to make it legendary. In the 1971 film, Clint Eastwood played a renegade San Francisco PD Inspector out to make a bad guy’s day! Now, almost 55 years later, the Smith & Wesson .44 Magnum is alive and well.

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Many shooters prefer the classic blued steel, while outdoorsmen and others recognize the advantages of a stainless steel working pistol. In 1979, Smith introduced the 629, a stainless version of the 29. In 1987, Smith introduced a lighter model of the 629, specifically designed for this market. The 629 Mountain Revolver featured a tapered barrel that reduced the overall weight and made it easier to carry. This was followed by the Mountain Revolver series. They were very popular, but like a lot of other models, they fell victim to market trends, and they were discontinued.

While the Mountain Gun was discontinued, the line of 629 models is alive and prospering. In looking at Smith & Wesson’s website, I counted nine different 629 variations. For those who prefer traditional blued revolvers, the company offers a 6 ½” and a 4” Model 29 as well as a machined, engraved model.

Last year, Lipsey’s introduced the wildly successful Smith & Wesson Ultimate Compact Centennial in both .38 Special and .32 H&R Magnum. The 2025 SHOT Show saw Lispey’s and Smith & Wesson hitting another home run. They have brought back the Smith & Wesson .44 Magnum Mountain Gun. The guns were an immediate success and, as a result, it took several months for us to get one for this review.         

The new Mountain Gun is based on the current production, round butt, N frame, stainless 629. However, it features a number of upgrades, making it a truly exceptional wheelgun. It has the classic  4” tapered one-piece barrel with a serrated rib and a half-lug ejector shroud. The front sight blade is a Patridge style, with a .125” wide front sight blade and a gold bead. The rear sight is the traditional Smith adjustable configuration with a .140” notch. A “black powder” bevel has been applied to the leading edge of the cylinder. This is both aesthetically pleasing and practical, as it reduces holster shaving. The entire pistol is nicely polished and void of any offending edges.

The hammer and trigger, while MIM construction, are flash chromed. The trigger has a smooth face with radiused edges. The double action, on our test pistol, broke cleanly, averaging 9 lb. 10 oz. The single action broke an even 4 lbs. I would be remiss not to mention and thank Smith & Wesson for deleting the contentious lock! This has been the source of angst for many years, and the deletion is appreciated by “Big Blue” fans.

 However, the pièce de résistance is the fancy walnut Bear Hug stocks from Tyler Gun Works. These are far superior to the standard N-frame stocks and give the new Mountain Gun a custom appeal. The original Bear Hug stocks were manufactured by Deacon Deason and gained popularity through the writings of Skeeter Skelton and others. The design fills the sinus behind the trigger guard, has a near-vertical front strap profile, and incorporates a palm swell. The stocks on our test pistol are faithful reproductions that were bookended, meaning both panels were cut from the same block, and the grain matches.

We hit the range with six loads, both .44 Special and .44 Magnum. Immediately, I concluded that the Bear Hug stocks are more suited for the .44 Special load. For most of the testing, I used Pachmayr Gripper stocks that are full coverage with a cushioned backstrap. For formal testing, I used the loads listed below. In my opinion, these are the most suitable loads for the Mountain Gun.

The accuracy groups were shot, at 25 yards, from a bench with a bag rest. I fired 5 rounds single action and 5 rounds double action. I then measured the best of 5 hits. Recoil was significant with the magnum loads, but due primarily to the Pachmayr stocks, it was not painful. With the special loads, the Mountain Gun was a lot of fun. Clanging steel at 50 yards.

While chambered in Magnum, the Mountain Gun really shines when using .44 Special Loads. The recoil of the Magnum loads results in significant recovery time. I particularly like the High Desert Cartridge loads. Their 200-grain flat point, jacketed round, averaged 785 fps and was very pleasant to shoot. The company also offers a jacketed hollow-point hunting load. This load features a 200-grain Hornady XTP projectile that provides the penetration needed to bring down large game.

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The MSRP of the Lipsey’s Model 629 is $1,199. This is exactly $100 more than the standard Smith & Wesson 629. Given the upgrades, to include the Tyler Bear Hug stocks, which retail for $249.00, what is not to like? Frankly, I’m not sure how Lipsey’s can sell it for that price. It is certainly one of the best values of the year. If you are not a fan of the .44 Magnum/Special, I highly recommend taking a look at their Model 686 Mountain Gun. It has all the same features, including the TGW stocks and the deleted lock, in a seven-shot .357 Magnum.

 As with previous articles on Lipsey’s exclusives, I would like to express my appreciation to Jason Cloessner at Lipsey’s and the great folks at Smith and Wesson. Finally, I want to thank those who provide the ammunition that makes these reviews possible.

For additional information, visit lipseys.com

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