My wife and I went to the range today, it's been awhile since we've had a chance to get out so we made a day of it. On the way home were talking about how much fun we had and just talking about the things we like and dislike about each gun we brought. She didn't like my model 36 with the stock grips because she felt like she couldn't get a good grip while I Love it. I don't like to shoot her 637 because I don't like how light weight it is while she loves it. We both like shooting the Beretta (you gotta have at least one auto), but I think she likes it a little more than I do. My favorite is my 686+, I brought 200 rounds of 38 special mainly because I can shoot it in all three wheel guns. I only brought a few .357 mag shells and I had saved them for last. I don't really enjoy shooting .38 special from the 686 like I do the 36, but I absolutely LOVE to shoot the Magnum loads. My home defense round is Speer GDHP 125gr and I shot seven of them that had been in there for the last year, I still can't get the smile off my face. I just love to shoot Magnum loads, so now I'm thinking...Is it time to get a .44 magnum? If so, which one? I like the round butt, stainless, and a 4" barrel like I have in the 686, does that mean I should start saving for a 629?

You'll never regret buying a 4" 629. Great balance and the recoil you obviously hanker for. I got one to replace a 5" 629-4 Classic that I sold during a brief period of insanity. Nothing balances like that 5" 629, but the 4" is close.

(And please don't worry about my insanity... I've been MUCH better since the accident...)

There are only two more rungs on the defensive revolver ladder that are potentially higher than the .357, the .41 and .44 magnums. IMO you might as well jump to the top rung.

Assuming you want the thing as a defensive handgun, I can tell you what I did. I found a used 629-1 6" (square butt, I don't get understand people's fascination with round butt guns) that needed it's timing and endshake addressed. Not liking the whippy feeling of the half-lug barrel (I carried L frames prior to switching to the 629) I had S&W put a 5" classic barrel on it and install an overtravel stop on the trigger while fixing it's other issues. On the way back to me it made a stop at Mag-na-port for dual porting. I then put service size stocks on it. With practice I learned to control it with full power .44 magnum ammo. As far as factory loads go, I would recommend the Federal 180 gr. JHP, for defense. It packs over 900 fpe. from my 5" gun, expands to over .85" and isn't an overpenetrator.

The extra inch of barrel that a 5er" offers and a full underlug will go a long way toward making a full power .44 mag. controllable. If you're not going to use full power ammo, you might as well stick to your .357.

It has to do with hand size. It is almost impossible to get a square-butt N frame to fit my hand, whereas a round-butt N frame is as easy as a round-butt K frame, which is about perfect, at least with Magna grips and a Tyler. However, I have no problem understanding that some folks like square butts - they simply have larger hands.

Actually I have small hands. I constantly hear people talk about the enhanced concealability of round butt guns and there's not a bit of difference on a belt gun IMO. J frames are where RB makes sense as they are a little shorter for pocket carry. I like the way SB puts my finger at a more natural angle to slip into the trigger guard and sits the front sight a little prouder so that I can pick it up faster. I would rather drop the front sight a little onto target than raise it just to see it in the first place. I recon I could change all that up by playing around with different stocks, which really cuts to the heart of the matter. I'm cheap.

I probably should have said hand size and shape, rather than just hand size. BTW, I understand RB on a J for concealment, but I generally prefer SB on a J, because it fits my hand so much better.

As the Romans used to say, "De gustibus non disputandum est," which is Latin for "Don't spit on your goose." Doesn't make much sense, but I hear they said it a lot, anyway.

A 4-inch 44 Magnum may change your mind about that. But you should get one anyway.

The gun you describe was current production, last time I saw an S&W catalog, and I think any model stamped 629-4 or later will be a round-butt. A few -4s went out with square-butt frames, but I see a lot more the other way.

I totally agree, I have to get a 629. I would prefer the 5" full-lug barrel as opposed the the 4" half-lug, and maybe even a mag-na-port.


I agree, I prefer the round butt to the square butt only because I have a smaller hand.

I LOVE firing my friend's 629. What's deterred me from buying one is the cost of ammo. I don't reload and I just can't justify paying $30+ for a box of 50 rounds of factory .44 magnums.

you cant go wronge with the 629's i have a few and want more.

Get a 44 Magnum........then immediately start to reload. It becomes the most versatile handgun cartridge available, is remarkably cheap when components are purchased in bulk, and is easy to do.

A 4" 29/629 with Keith type 429421 hard cast lead bullets, 9 grains of Unique in mag cases, 7.5 grains in special cases, will do most anything anyone requires done, with modest recoil, almost no muzzle blast, and they are a 'blast' to shoot. You will soon forget your 357 (heavy muzzle blast with even mid-range rounds in a 4") and be a 44 fan forever. Just my very bias opinion.

I really like my current production 4" & 6" 629s - but I reload, and my 629s can be shot much more frugally than one owned by someone who diesn't reload. I shoot .44 Russians, Specials, and my wimpy Magnums as I wish. Commercial ammo is just cost prohibitive. If I wanted an affordable to shoot big bore, I'd look at a .45 ACP, like the 625JM. Wally World and Academy both still sell - when the horders don't grab them up - 250 count boxes of UMC 230gr FMJ ball ammo for <$85. Even the range store carries MagTech, etc, ammo at ~$21/box - you can get a lot of fun out of a box of .45 ACPs. Reloading is fast, that's for sure.



The beauty of the moonclipped .45 ACPs, especially using FMJ round-nosed bullets - although they will take any bullet form, is you can have lots of ammo 'ready'. The blued steel moonclips, like the ones that S&W sources and are shown above, are $34/100 delivered (Ranch Products). You, too, can be ready for attacks by flesh-eating life-impaired humanoids (Zombies). Seriously, a fun shooter.

The 625 with ball ammo recoils a bit more than a 1911 - and, the big bore/heavy round is sub-sonic - expect a loud 'Boom!' as opposed to an ear splitting 'Crack!' from a Magnum. The recoil is more of a push than a slap, too. Fun - really fun.

Stainz

and dont overlook the 41 mag.its a great and often times overlooked caliber!
i also have the 625jm model 45 revolver...yet another tack driver