Love my model 18 and 19.
Thinking of adding a .44 to the stable and wanted some feedback from the forum. Will use for range fun and home defense (specials) and occasional woods carry in bear country.

The nominees are:
Model 29 in beautiful bright blue ?
Model 629 in sexy stainless ?
and gasp dare I, cringe
The new Ruger Redhawk 4 inch ?

All inputs and Jeers welcome

Love my model 18 and 19.
Thinking of adding a .44 to the stable and wanted some feedback from the forum. Will use for range fun and home defense (specials) and occasional woods carry in bear country.

The nominees are:
Model 29 in beautiful bright blue ?
Model 629 in sexy stainless ?
and gasp dare I, cringe
The new Ruger Redhawk 4 inch ?

All inputs and Jeers welcome

You can't go wrong with any of those.
For woods carry, I'd pick the 629, Pre-Lock of course, in 4 inch.

If you can find a .44 special in a model 24-3 with a 4" barrel, that would be and is, my 1st choice. Next would be a .44 mag mountain gun, but I never had one.

Yep

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ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ

629 MG

I have one and love it.

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Semper FI

629 Classic w/ 5" barrel.
Not the lightest field gun around but, the full lug & 5" barrel gives it enuf weight that it's a real pleasure to shoot.
Here's a pic of mine - the top one.

Bruce

Model 629-6 Classic 5"

+1

First, here is what I now have as my .44 arsenal:



Now, I can only keep one - plinking and home defence with .44 Specials is likely. Right off the bat, the two L-frames on the left, the 296 & 696, go bye-bye. Then, the decision. The 6" 629 seems like a rifle at times, it shoots so flat. The 4" points maybe a tad better, due to the few ounces less it has out front. It trains more easily, too... shorter barrel may be a great aid defending the home, etc. Both are super, as gripped, with my wimpy .44 Magnums, wide range of Specials, and fun .44 Russians, while their .500 Magnum Hogue grips are in reserve for 'real' .44 Magnum use.

I guess I'd keep the 4" 629, which I actually replaced my 629MG with several years back. It has a larger hammer & trigger, red ramp front/wo rear sight, too - better, IMHO, than the blk/blk of the MGs. The standard sized short lug barrel, and the larger hammer & trigger, make it 2 oz heavier than the MG - and only 6 oz heavier than the 696! The 629 couldn't care less whether you load it with Russians, Specials, or Magnums - just clean those chambers when going from short cases to larger - and especially when going to hotter Magnums. The current 629s have all of the 'Endurance Enhancements', and should last a lifetime before service - with SAAMI spec'd ammo.

Stainz

PS I'll never own another Redhawk - one was enough! S&Ws spoil you, IMHO.

4" 629

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Centennial Every Day

4" 29-2 in .44 Magnum. They shoot Specials just fine, you have the Magnum option, and they're typically significantly cheaper than 6" or 8 3/8" guns, on account of the less than pleasant experience shooting hot Magnums in them (as the initial buyers always seem intent on doing).

Be leary of trying to do too much with one gun. A 4" 29 or 629 could be a good choice for range and (with specials) home defense. For bears the loads are usually a much heavier bullet and a stout load. These loads are hard to control in the lighter .44 magnums. You might consider a used Ruger Superblackhawk with a 7 1/2" bbl for bear loads. Whatever their other faults, Rugers are built strong and can handle heavier loads and for bear with a pistol, you need all you can get.

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Big bang, much smash'em.

Too heavy

629-4 Mountain Gun. Light on the hip, and all the endurance package enhancements, .429" - .430" cylinder throats, no MIM, no IL.

I totally agree with 44forever. I carry a stainless 4 5/8" Ruger Blackhawk 44 mag and it is anvil tough. It packs just fine. I also don't worry about hurting the finish on a high value Smith. If you're really worried about bears, carry a slug riot gun. Next would be a Blackhawk.

All are good choices. I would say 4-6 inches, pre-lock/pre-mim. The only reasons to go with the Ruger IMHO are:
1. You plan on using a lot of really heavy loads.
2. Do not have the time to look for a pre-lock/pre-mim S&W.

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Formerly know as Lucky Derby

You know, I would have probably bought a .44 Mountain gun at the Louisville gun show last weekend, but I did not see one single solitary one of any kind at the whole show...

I like my 329PD which is light enough for daily carry and it handles .44 specials very well. I have not tried to use .44 magnums yet but I am not too anxious either.

Prefer a 5" 629-3 or -4 myself. Pre lock, pre mim, with weight enough to handle the recoil of full loads. Not too heavy or long barreled for woods carry with a sturdy belt.

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Richard Gillespie
FBINA 102

Mountian Gun all the way. Use the Skeeter load for home defense and kick it up a notch for woods totin. Using a 240gr bullet and Unique powder will keep POI very close for the two loads.( Skeeter load: 7.5grs of Unique and a 240LSWC in a Special. In a Magnum case I use a tad more Unique and the same bullet.)

No hassling with the sights. That's one reason that I like the 44 over 357 is very little sight adjusting compared to different bullet weights in a 357.

The PC gun in 3" is a grat home-defense and carry gun...It is also not to unpleasant to shoot with full house loads....


but for hunting, the Hunter remains King in .44



Terry

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Terry
SWCA, SWHS, IWLA, NRA

Either a 24 or 624 with a 4-inch barrel, or a 29 or 629 4-inch barrel. You can't go wrong with any of them at all.

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Vaya con Dios

The 329PD is a nice choice. I have one. There great to carry and are light at 26oz. 44spl are not to bad to shoot, .44mag can be a little heavy, .44mag hunting load are what you use if you want to find out what the definition of muzzle flip and recoil is.

To walk around with a bit and shoot light loads, a 4-inch gun is OK, but a 24/624 does the same thing, and is considerably less weight.

If you are going to shoot magnums much at all, I would rather have a 6.5" gun with the standard barrel contour.

329PDs are tough to shoot well, and seem a little unnecessary, unless you are doing some serious hoofing around.

If I could only have one, far and away, it would be a 6.5" gun - either 29 or 629, if you prefer SS.

I bought the 329PD because I like .44 special and like to carry IWB, with shorts, often here in Florida. I also have a 296 which is even lighter.
Recently I went to the range and after 4 rounds with the 296 I was hurting. I then switched over to the 329PD and the recoil was much more tolerable.
I was using 200 grain in both revolvers. I then switched the grips over to the 500 X frame and it was better, but the 296 recoil still hurt.

I don't know what you consider a "stout load" to be but I checked my Speer Reloading manual for some ballistics. A 225gr. LSWC over 17gr. of AA9 will produce 1300 fps from a 7.5" barrel. In my book that is not a "stout load" and should be PLENTY of stopping power for any but the biggest black bears. That same bullet over 24gr. of H110 produces 1500+ fps from the same barrel and that'd be pretty "stout" for my old bones.

When hiking, I carry a 296, but there are no large, four-legged predators in my area. At home, my 6 1/2-inch 624 is a good defender--and a Thing of Beauty. But for flexibility everywhere with both Specials and Magnums, the 629 MG is king.

Tjpopkin, I think your short barreled PC .44 Mag is a slick, good looking gun. I think S&W could have priced it a little more competitively but what can I say? Don

I like the 629`s too. P&R.

Dick

Self explanatory.

Bruce

I have several 44's that I like.....
#1 is my 629-3 Classic DX in 5" bbl.
#2 is my 629-4 Mtn Gun with a Patridge front sight.
#3 is my 329PD with 225g 429244HP's and 18g 2400
#4 is my Ruger KS45N
I have many other Smiths and Rugers,all .44 mags but over the past 3 years, these are the ones I shoot the most, and I shoot nothing but cast in them all.

29 in blue to match your 18 and 19.

Here's a 629-4 (44Mag).
[IMG][/IMG]

Thanks to all for the feedback. If one thing is clear, the .44 is very versitile, especially if you reload. Anything is possible from a 180 grain special at 700 fps to a 240 grain at 1500 (ouch). For range, home, or truck carry weight is obviously not an issue. It seems like the 629 might be best to manage recoil (my right wrist gets a bit numb if abused, so weight is a good thing. For woods carry I guessing the 6.5 inch would be a bit awkward at times and the 4 inch a better bet. The 329 might be best to carry in the woods for emergencies, but is known to be seriosly painful shoot and probably slow to acquire a second shot if needed.
I know this is the S&W forum (all that I own in a revolver), but I still look from time to time to see what's out there. At the risk of Blastphamy I would like to introduce to other possibities and collect feedback from this forum that has first hand knowledge of S&W oferings to compare. First the Taurus tracker 44. Gunblasst Tracker 44. This seems to do it all light while managing recoil.
Steping down to 44 specials only, the Charter Pug 44 seems really easy to carry Gunblast pug 44.
Again no disrespect to the forum or S&W. If I follow my heart I would get a M29, but I'm trying to take the emotion part our of my choice.

4" 29-2. That's my primary home defense gun with CCI 200gr. Blazer Gold Dot .44 Specials. I might CCW it in the winter time as well.