Who shoots a 44 mag with a 3" barrel or less...feedback on a good model please...

[1BadSmith]

Who shoots a 44 mag with a 3" barrel or less...feedback on a good model please...

I've had a Ruger Super Redhawk Alaskan sitting in the safe for quite a while. I pulled it out yesterday, and decided it's just too damn big and bulky. I have at least ten 44 mag revolvers, but all of them are 4" or longer. I know Smith has several PC models and a 629 with a 3" barrel. Anybody have experience shooting any of these models? What is a good version? I want it for all around fun/maybe woods carry every great once and a while. Mainly I like the way they look. I have plenty of 44 spcl to utilize as well. Any thoughts/questions/comments are appreciated!

 

[Tom Kent]

I have a 629-1 with a 3" bbl and round butt that has become my everglades gun. I do not find the recoil excessive and I find that the POI is the same for factory magnum rounds as it is for 1000fps hand loads. I do not shoot it past 25 yards. I have read all the accounts of excessive recoil but I do not find it. If you have one, try it. I think you will be pleased.

 

[CH4]

Another endorsement for the 629-1 and later 3" 44 mags.
I use both mine for CCW and backpacking.

 

[Claymore33]

I am go ing to stick with 4" on my .44 and .41 magnums. You must have wrists of steel. I need a little more weight at the end of the barrel for muzzle control.

 

[tajada]

They are nice weapons, but I think that the magnum ammunition works best with a longer barrel. With a 6 1/2 or 8 3/8" bbl you get the better performance. With the 3", a louder boom and an impressive flame. They are also butt heavy, as Rusty said.

 

[Nightowl]

I never had much use for a 3 inch .44 Magnum....until I bought one! I have a 4 inch that I have had since the early 70s that I have not fired in at least 30 years. Just before Covid hit, I saw an 8 3/8 629 and a 3 inch (a dash 3, I think) for sale by the same person. Having neither, I negotiated a slight reduction to purchase both. I shot some factory magnum ammo out of both to ensure proper functioning, the 3 inch was no worse than the 8 3/8 it seemed. However, I really like the 3 inch balance and handling and shoot it a bunch with my cowboy rifle loads in mag cases, 6.1 grains of TrailBoss.
I think you will like a 3 inch with the Special loads.

 

[Dave Lively]

Since you already have ten 44s and they are all large my recommendation would be to go to the other side of the size spectrum and get a S&W 69 with a 2.75 inch barrel.

My 69 has a 4.25 inch barrel but they make a 2.75 inch version too. As I get older I like recoil less and less so I rarely shoot it with full power magnums but its a good shooter. I put Hogue grips on mine and a lighter recoil spring but even with everything stock the DA trigger is very smooth and the stock grips are fine with 44 Special and mild 44 Magnum ammo.

 

[junglefighter]

I have a Ruger Alaskan and a 629-6 Deluxe 3" bbl. They are my favorite revolvers and I have found no problems shooting either.I changed the grips on th 629 to Hogue #19022 even though I like the look of the factory better and they are fine with Spl. but the Hogue are better with Mags. If you look up velocity/energy tables, the short bbls. do not loose that much. I just like the balance and look of short bbls.

 

[Rodan]

I owned a 3" 629 back in the late 80's that I had Mag-na-ported, and currently have 29-2 in 4" and 6.5" and a 4" 629-1.

The 3" 629 with full house loads was probably the most abusive handgun to shoot I've ever owned. One cylinder full would clear out the indoor range. Some of that had to do with the increased muzzle blast due to the porting. With moderate loads it wasn't nearly as unpleasant.

IMHO the 4" is no harder to carry in a belt rig, and gives enough benefit in increased sight radius, muzzle velocity, and decreased muzzle blast to be worthwhile. 4" guns are also more common than 3" guns, and less expensive.

I do like the RB grip, however. Gives a lot more options in the grip department.

 

[smithman]

Heresy, I know, but the Taurus Tracker in 2.5" is a pleasure to shoot. It fits my hand perfectly, so I shoot it as well as much larger N frames.

 

[Mark8]

I shot the 629 UDR (2 5/8") quite a bit, but with full 3-finger grips. You're losing about 20 percent of muzzle energy compared to a 6" and get more bang and flash in return, but handling is no problem at all, at least with full grips. Accuracy was good at 11 yards. I never really tried to shoot at greater distances with this revolver, so I can't comment on that. I like both the 629 and the 627 UDR a lot. Short-barreled revolvers are so handy, they just feel right, even if they are on the heavy side.

 

[BillBro]

Seems to be a double standard in this board or at least selective enforcement and application of the nannying.
I get nastygrams and warnings for using anything resembling a curseword, even using symbols and or letters in place of.

If I were the OP I would look at the shorter m69. Use the specials most of the time and carry the mags when needed.

 

[Paul105]

I have three S&Ws 3" and less. A current 3" 629, a 2.5" 329 Alaska Backpacker, and a 2.75" M69.

The 2.75" M69 is my favorite and I shoot it a couple of times a week.
.

.

.

.
Here are some chrono results with Buffalo Bore and Underwood 305gr .44 mag loads in different guns/barrel lengths (the 2.5" 329 usually chronos a bit faster than the 2.75" M69):
,
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

Did I say how much I enjoy the 2.75" M69
.
Paul

"

 

[tgmr05]

The 69 2.75 is what you may be looking for. It is an L frame 5 shot, but handles and carries very well. It is great for loading 1000-1100fps 240 gr bullets. With factory loads, it is an excellent 44 special shooter, and while magnum loads are stout, it is manageable, especially if you use hogue 500 grips - a member paul105 has a few posts showing some mods he did to a couple 500 grips to make them a little smaller, which is not necessarily needed, but does make it look/feel better. I use the hogue bantam grips, as I prefer the exposed backstrap, but I do not shoot thousands of full power magnums regularly.

Edit: see paul105 post above for the grips

 

[Rammer Jammer]

Sounds like a Mod 69 would be different from the rest of your 44 collection. Mine has served me well so far.

 

[pharman]

My 2 cents...

I have a model 29-4 3" unfluted cylinder TT, TH that I absolutely like shooting...it originally came with Pachmayr combat rubber grips...it is manageable with 44 magnum, however I prefer shooting 44 specials...these 29-4 3" revolvers are fairly pricey right now so I would have to agree with a few posters above that the Model 69 snub may be just the ticket for you and a whole lot cheaper...in fact I am seriously thinking about buying one of the 69 snubs...just my 2 cents worth...Roger

 

[75Vette]

Seems to be a double standard in this board or at least selective enforcement and application of the nannying.
I get nastygrams and warnings for using anything resembling a curseword, even using symbols and or letters in place of.

You noticed that too.

 

[RoyM52]

Ruger has long been known to be a bulkier carry than a Smith. If carry is what you want to optimize on and still stay with a 44, then the best made is the M69 2 3/4 inch. I have both the M69 2 3/4 and the 629 3 inch. On a chronograph, using the same loads, there is only 20 fps difference. However both carry weight and bulk is noticeable between the two.

 

[dave1918a2]

Any three inch Smith will work. Just pick which one fits Your hand the best. This is mine. I actually won a couple of 100 meter Magnum Matches with this one.

 

[RoyM52]

I carry my 629 3 inch in a chest holster by Diamond D, or in a Kramer paddle holster, but with the M69 I am able to carry IWB in a Milt Sparks VM2. The slightly smaller size of the L frame is just enough and still have a 44. The M69 makes a better discrete carry option, while the extra shot and the extra size is fine when going to a chest holster or OWB.