629 Mountain Gun .44 mag or .45 colt?

[guskody]

Looking at two 629 Mountain Guns...one is a .45 colt and the other a .44 magnum...both 4 inch barrels.

Both guns are pre-lock and appear to be in similar very good to excellent condition.

Which would you buy and why?

Thanks.

 

[TAROMAN]

Easy. The 44.
No such thing as a 629 anything in 45 Colt.
Why? Simple. I have 1000s of 44 cases and bullets as well as 6 other 44 revolvers, magnum and special.

 

[BCDWYO]

Just to correct/clarify...the 45 Colt MG should be a model 625...the only 629 MG is 44 mag.

I have both, and don't think you can go wrong with either. It depends on a lot of factors...do you already reload or have ammo for either (as Taroman pointed out)? What do intend to use it for? For typical factory loads, I find the 45 Colt a little more comfortable to shoot in the relatively light-framed MG. Obviously 45 Colt can be loaded pretty hot too, but 44 mag will really buck at the hotter loads. The 629 has the advantage of being able to shoot 44 specials if so inclined (though those are not cheap to buy if you are not reloading them). I wouldn't want to part with either, but if forced to pick just one it would probably be the 625 45 Colt, since I have other 44 mags that are a little heavier and easier to shoot.
Brad

 

[Kinman]

I have to echo the previous author, I chose a .44 due to the fact that I already have one with dies, brass, bullets, etc. for that caliber. I've fired .45 LC model 25's and wasn't all that impressed over the vast range that .44 has. I almost traded into a 625 Mountain Gun that came with dies, brass, etc. and a couple hundred pre-loaded rounds, his price was too high but it had everything I was looking for. I lucked into my present 629-2 from a friend of mine and after a few tweaks am very happy with it. I really like .44 special rounds for plinking and general all around good fun, very accurate when worked out for your particular pistol, the 4" barrel doesn't hinder accuracy all that much at ranges under 20yds. My vote is for .44, all around better round.

 

[CWH44300]

I'd go with the 44 but that's just me, if you reload then both can work (you can warm up the 45 a little), if you don't then stick to the 44, cause you have way more choices of factory loads .

 

[guskody]

Thanks guys for the good ideas. Sounds pretty unanimous for the .44.

At this time, I don't reload. The only .45 Colt I shoot is occasionally in my Governor, and don't have a lot of .45 Colt on hand, so I would pretty much be starting from scratch with either one.

Will narrow my search to the .44. thanks again.

 

[WFR]

.45 Colt here.
For where I live in the Southeast it's all I'll ever need.
I can't afford to shoot "factory" anything right now so reloading is on my horizon.
Wouldn't turn down a 629-4 Mtn Gun if one came my way though.

 

[tkosiba]

Boy, although I admire the .44 magnum, it's not the answer for all platforms. And there is a world of difference between "usable power" versus too much blast report, poor second shot response time, etc.

The .45 Colt in the Mountain Gun platform is probably the best combo ever. Low end, yet highly effective magnum performance, best snake shot capacity, and the fastest response for multiple shots, with a big bore, heavy weight bullet. What's not to like on a lightweight barrel frame?

And for those who go for "option B" .44 Special, the .45 Colt, with low pressure recoil, faster second shot response speed, and a bigger, more effective bullet, will win in this combo every time. Just ask the dead bear .

Oh, BTW, I'm a shooter, not a collector.

 

[Sprefix]

The previous two posters have said all I could.

 

[Allen-frame]

Somewhere along the way I found more 45s than I did 44s.
Don't know how it happened it just did.

I just turned my last 44 magnum into a 45 Colt revolver.

http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-re...-completed-5-27-sights-thumbpiece-stocks.html

When I load 45 Colt a bit hotter it is a 260 gr. semi wadcutter at about
1000 f.p.s. and it still kicks me less than any 44 magnum.

Shoot the 45 Colt mountain gun and you'll see what we mean.

Keep and collect brass and get yourself a nice single stage press.
You can handload a couple hundred rounds in a casual afternoon
and save tons of money.

Good luck
Allen

 

[Sebago Son]

For some reason, neither of the .44 Mountains I've owned shot as well as 29-2's or -3's. I sold them both. The .45 Colts however are a pure pleasure and they are my favorite in the Mountain Gun format.

 

[Smee78]

I have both guns and love both but I would pick up the 45LC. I say this because I enjoy the push of the 45 rather than the kick of the 44, but being that you dont reload you can use this as an excuse to start so you can feed you Gov & MG or you can just stay with your 44 setup. You really can go wrong wither way.

P.S. what were the prices?

 

[guskody]

Don't laugh (I only say that since many forum members go off on the Governor), but how much more might I enjoy shooting the .45 Colt Mountain Gun compared to my Governor?

I really enjoy shooting the Gov with the.45 Colt, as much as I enjoy my 686+ 4 inch.

 

[guskody]

Smee78,

the .44's are still on GB auction currently mid $500's, but still plenty of time left to go higher. The .45 is LGS and perhaps never fired (which won't last if I buy it). Low $600's.

So about how many dollars do I need to invest in loading equipment, and about how much can I save per loaded round vs factory? I am currently spending approx .70 per .45LC factory round.

 

[Engine49guy]

The advantage of the .45 MG is you can shoot the ammo in your Governor too.

The advantage of the .44 Magnum MG is the power of the cartridge and availability of ammo .
Also if you ever intend to use it in the field with a partner rifle there is probably a larger selection of rifles chambered in .44 than .45.
Maybe Im wrong, its just my opinion.

 

[arjay]

You can get started reloading for a couple hundred dollars on up.Rounds cost about .15 using cast bullets and your old brass.

 

[Broker50]

I have both, just can't warm up to the 44, would prefer the standard 629. There's just something about the 625 45 Colt I really like. It's funny, I like a 44 Mag, & have a couple, but the 45 Colt ctg seems ideal in a Mountain Gun. My opinion, FWIW.

 

[catcus-jack]

The 629 Mountain gun,it will do anything the 45 can and more.

 

[Stainz]

My S&W experience started with a new 625-7 MG in .45 Colt - a gift from my wife ($529 then - new.) 9/02. My second S&W was later that month - a 4" 625-8 in .45 ACP (My first with an IL!). My third S&W was a 629MG, it followed my entry into reloading - for .45 Colt. Both MGs were gripped with Ahrends grips, the 629MG getting it's own .500 Magnum grips several years later - when it finally graduated to 'real' Magnums. I replaced it 4/06 with a standard new current production 4" 629-6 and have been much happier. Days later, I swapped a Ruger for another MG - a 625-6 MG - in .45 Colt.

I prefer the standard production 629 to the 629 MG for several reasons. It's OR front and white outline rear sight beat the MG's black/black, according to my 'mature' peepers. Then there is the larger hammer and trigger - I just like them better. The nearly two additional ounces of mass in the production 4" 629 is mostly at the muzzle due to it's non-tapered barrel. The muzzle seems to stay down better - but I never A-B'ed it and the 629MG at the same session. I would prefer a similar stock 625 in .45 Colt - if such existed. It doesn't. I had an opportunity to trade for a used LN 625-6 MG - in .45 Colt - within days of acquiring the production 629 - and did so happily. I love the 625MG in .45 Colt... obviously! It would be my choice in MGs. If I decided that I needed a .44 Magnum 4"-er, however, it'd be a standard production model - easier to find used and available new.

Stainz

 

[CajunBass]

Keep and collect brass and get yourself a nice single stage press.
You can handload a couple hundred rounds in a casual afternoon
and save tons of money.

Good luck
Allen

I don't have any of the "6" guns, but I just bought a 25-13 Mountain Gun in 45 Colt. I probably wouldn't have looked at it seriously if it had been a 44 Magnun. Now that's because I already have a 4", Model 29, I admit.

But I've got a simple Lee Hand Press and a set of Lee 45 Colt dies. So I'm set to load 45 Colt ammo. With a couple hundred rounds of brass, and a box of cast bullets, I'm good to go. The Lee dies come with a little powder dipper that gives a known load from a list of powders. No special powder handling stuff needed unless you want more variety in your loads. I've always been happy with the dipper myself. Even buying a few other little simple hand tools, I'm into reloading about a hundred bucks for one caliber, about the cost of a couple of boxes of factory 45 Colt ammo, and it all fits in a cardboard box when not being used. I spend a couple of hours one night working the brass, and a couple hours the next night recharging the cases.

A little slow I suppose, but plenty fast enough for me.