629 vs 29 - moving to alaska

[dla]

The 329pd is anodized aluminum and Titanium - nothing to rust.

 

[delcrossv]

Form Follows Function. You're buying a functional piece to arguably save your life in an environment that is often rainy and harsh. Leave the pretty blue revolver at home and pack a 629. As noted above, there's non-stainless parts inside so keep the interior parts well oiled with a water displacing lubricant.

I'd be tempted to up-the-ante to a 460V.

 

[BearBio]

Make sure the bear attacks from down wind if you're going to spray.

Same old BS being spread around. Go with what you like==Nothing wrong with honest wear and tear on a blued pistol==gives it class!

BTW: Bear spray comes out at 30+ mph==won't blow back unless the wind is 30++ mph==however, Alaska does have "Horizontal rain" (Been there done that!)

 

[shocker]

All this bear talk made me get the Glock 29 out of the lockbox. Whatever you think of Glock, they shoot where you point them.
180 gr cast bullet, max load of AA 7, 11 yds, offhand.

 

[One Holer]

I also lived in Alaska from 1991 to 1995 while stationed at Elmendorf AFB. A few months after getting there I bought a 629 no dash from a guy for $300. He had sent it to the S&W Performance Center for a trigger and action job. After replacing the original factory wood grips with some Hogue rubber finger grooves I carried that gun everywhere while hiking, hunting and fishing. I used to go to an indoor range in Wasilla every Friday night with a couple other guys and the range owner would shut the range down and shoot with us until late into the night. That 629 was very accurate too routinely printing cloverleaf groups with 5 out of 6 cylinders. I marked the one cylinder that would throw the flyer. I moved back to Ohio in 1995 and couldn't use it for deer hunting due to its 4" barrel not meeting the statewide minimum of 5". I moved to Minnesota in 1996 and ran into the same rule. Foolishly, I sold it. I sure do regret that decision and miss that gun. Probably my favorite revolver ever.

 

[Paul105]

I Was curious, so I bought some 305gr Buffalo Bore and Underwood ammo – here are chrono results.

Buffalo Bore, 305 LBT LFN HC rated 1,325 fps
Underwood, 305 LFNGC Plated (HiTech?) rated 1,325 fps
LabRadar muzzle velocity at 33 deg F

S&W M69 2.75" ===> BB 1,195 fps ===> Under 1,147fps
S&W M69 4.25" ===> BB 1,276 fps ===> Under 1,248 fps
Ruger SRH 7.5" ===> BB 1,395 fps ===> Under 1,315 fps

 

[RoyM52]

@one Holer
Here in Wisconsin, Barrel length {for hunting purposes} is measured from the firing pin with the action closed. So includes the length of the cylinder and that would make the 4 inch legal for hunting. I would hope that you didn't sell because of a misunderstanding.

 

[junglefighter]

I think that a 5" 629 Classic is a good choice,but when you get tired of carrying all that weight,buy a 69 w/4.25" bbl.and walk all day with out all the weight and I think you will appreciate the size better.

 

[t4terrific]

Same old BS being spread around. Go with what you like==Nothing wrong with honest wear and tear on a blued pistol==gives it class!

BTW: Bear spray comes out at 30+ mph==won't blow back unless the wind is 30++ mph==however, Alaska does have "Horizontal rain" (Been there done that!)

Have you sprayed bear spray into the wind?

Your 30 for 30 claim is ridiculous. What is the wind resistance rating of bear spray?

It loses velocity immediately, spreads out, and just like pepper spray, or a fire hose, wind will blow spray back at you. Some of the spray actually drips from the nozzle itself as you spray.

Bottom line is that it is a possible weapon, but it's best suited for situations where a bear is not attacking, but is too close, and it helps to comfort people that are afraid of guns, are against guns, or aren't allowed to carry guns.

 

[Green Frog]

Edit: I will preemptively say I plan to wear jingle bells and bring spray on hikes. Overall the gun is more of a want than a need because I'm a city dweller, but living there I feel I could justify it.

Do you know how to determine brown bear scat? It has little bells in it and smells of pepper (spray.)

One advantage of the 629 is that other than the wood grips and the internal springs it is pretty much impervious to a bear's digestive juices. Get a big gun... travel with friends with big guns. This is the best answer to bear safety.

Froggie

 

[llowry61]

When they say big they mean BIG. I would go stainless since it is less maintenance than the blued. I have duck hunted for years and always had a hard time keeping the blued auto loader clean and rust free. Always make sure that the gun is dry dry dry when stored even overnight. If lots of moisture (par for the course in AK) the wood stocks will swell and then crack if the temp drops suddenlybefore they dry. Stainless is the route to go for me. Here are a couple of pics to give you an idea of the size of these things. A friend shot this on Kodiak.

BTW - My buddy is 6 ft tall and about 235. He is a big guy.

 

[One Holer]

RoyM52, no, at that time (1996), MN definetely had a minimum barrel length of 5". Doesn't make sense that they would label it barrel length if it included more than the barrel. I've never read anything about measuring to the firing pin, and I read the hunting regs carefully. They've since changed the law and no longer list a minimum barrel length. Recently picked-up a 629-2 Mountain Gun and am in the market for a replacement 629 no dash 4".

 

[Groo01]

Groo here
If you are looking for a lighter 4in gun that wont rust.....
Look at the M-325 Thunder Ranch 45acp.
4 oz lighter than an M-69, 6 shots not 5.
And [Big Secret ] can shoot 45 super all day[if you can]
Standard 45acp good for SD of people [230gr at 800+ fps]
But loaded with 45 super , 450SMC or heavy auto rim.
Will work well.

 

[LoneStarWings]

I function tested my 629 today at the range for the first time; it performed flawlessly of course.

I fired 156 rounds total: 75 .44 magnum rounds (50x Sellier & Bellot 240 gr, 25x Underwood 305 gr) and 81 .44 special rounds (50x Blazer 200gr Gold Dots, 25x Hornady 180gr XTP, 6x Sig Sauer V-Crown 200gr)

I have to admit, the Underwood 305's were intense. I did not think the 629 would recoil as hard as the 14 oz Scandium .357 mag J-frames, but with this ammo it did, maybe 10-20% harder! Once I got my revolver grip sorted, the 240gr S&B's weren't bad.....I definitely need to have my support hand thumb over the wrist of my strong hand. It's a real pussicat with .44 specials, could shoot those all day of course, a lot of fun. I was shooting at 15 yards and the POI between the underwood 305gr and the Horandy 180gr specials was pretty significant! The Hornadys were about 3-4" lower in POI, even at that relatviely close distance. The sights seemed pretty much dead on from the factory for the 240gr S&B magnums.

Really pleased so far! Looking forward to putting a lot more downrange with the 629 and getting faster on draws and 6 reload 6 drills!

 

[Mike_Fontenot]

[...]
I have to admit, the Underwood 305's were intense.
[...]

I've never shot the 305gr ammo, so I can't speak to that. I have shot lots of 240gr Underwood's, though, and they aren't bad at all. I DO use an usually relaxed grip (with flexed and relaxed elbows), and that might part of the reason that the recoil doesn't feel bad at all to me.

If you haven't already done it, you should put the X500 grips on it ... soaks up recoil much better than the stock grips.

 

[waffles]

Ruger!

Oh wait that wasn't an option. 629 out of the two.

 

[reach147]

Of course I have flirted with the idea of a .460 or .500. I had a chance to shoot a .460 x-frame and found it pretty fun, recoil downright pleasant compared to say my Model 340 scandium with .357 mag!

The issue is I want my wife to be able to shoot the thing and there is the ammo availability factor.....am I wrong in thinking that .44 magnum will be super common in stores in AK whereas .500/.460 could be hit or miss?

Then again, whenever ammo shortage hit, it seems that the "common" calibers are first to sell out....9mm, 5.56, .38 special, .308, .45 acp, etc

When I was there fishing the 500 Smiths were commonplace as the bears can get huge. Ammunition is sold everywhere including hardware stores. 45 automatics are also common and nothing below 357 Mag is practical although a homeowner outside Anchorage killed a bear one night in his house with a 40 caliber Glock. He went downstairs thinking it was a burglar, shot it and ran upstairs locking himself and family in one bedroom. They called the police who had the joy of responding to a wounded bear in a house call. The bear was dead on the kitchen floor. I bought a 4 inch 29 and a 10mm Glock for when I go back again. The last time I was there on the Kenai, there was a bear attack the week before I got there and one the week after I left.


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[LoneStarWings]

When I was there fishing the 500 Smiths were commonplace as the bears can get huge. Ammunition is sold everywhere including hardware stores. 45 automatics are also common and nothing below 357 Mag is practical although a homeowner outside Anchorage killed a bear one night in his house with a 40 caliber Glock. He went downstairs thinking it was a burglar, shot it and ran upstairs locking himself and family in one bedroom. They called the police who had the joy of responding to a wounded bear in a house call. The bear was dead on the kitchen floor. I bought a 4 inch 29 and a 10mm Glock for when I go back again. The last time I was there on the Kenai, there was a bear attack the week before I got there and one the week after I left.


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Yeah, not to mention the fishing guide that took down a big grizz with a S&W 3953 9mm using buffalo bore 9mm +p hard cast 147's.


Despite the "file the front sight" jokes, any firearm is better than a sharp stick imho, I just felt the 629 would be better than a 500 for general purposes (target shooting fun with specials, personal/home defense, in addition to outdoor animal protection), since I have limited funds at the moment and only have this one pistol for now.

I'm not sure how the .500's recoil compares to full house .44 mags in the 629, but based on the soreness in the web of my strong hand today, I don't think I'll want to do any .44 magnum shooting more than once a week. Grip options probably need to be explored, as mentioned earlier. I know in my 340 with .357's I preferred the thinner pachmayer grips to the stock ones or thicker hogues. If had the budget for a full arsenal, I would probably have a 500 in the stable though! I have shot the .460 once and found it pretty docile, although I can't recall what sort of ammunition was being used.

 

[HamHands]

If S&W made an M&P in 10mm I probably would've gotten that instead. I am a much better marskman with a semi auto, and the volume of fire you can put out with an auto is undeniably better.

However, there is a certain romance to revolvers for me....they're just fun. If movng to Alaska isn't an excuse to get one in .44 or bigger, I don't know what is. I want to use this opportunity to increase my revolver skills. I've probably only fired 1000 or so rounds through revolvers in my lifetime, vs 50,000 or so through SA's. I'll be trying to even that out over the next few years.

For now the 629 is the only firearm I have in my posession, I could not bring my others with me yet. I'm carrying it in town with .44 special 200gr blazer gold dots and keeping a speedloader reload available with the underwood 305's. Obviously when we go on adventures outside of town it'll all be the magnum stuff.

Also I already ordered a plug for the lock I plan to remove, as I did with my 327 and 340.

Smart move man... If my M625 shooting Buffalo Bore .45Supers was enough to partially engage the lock/retard the action after just 2 cylinders of recoil then those 305grain Underwood .44Magnums are easily, almost twice the Muzzle Energy comparatively.