629 vs 29 - moving to alaska

Finally settled on this:

629.jpeg
 
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Hole I personally detest stainless, in this case it is the right answer. Alaska is very tough on guns. My Niece lived there for some time and between the near constant rain snow humidity etc stainless would be better. She carried a 629 berry picking
 
Out of curiosity, what's wrong with a Buffalo Bore 180 gr 357 or 220 gr 10 mm for large animal defense?
Would I be seriously undergunned with a K-frame or Glock 29?
 
A 44 mag in grizzly country? I was thinking a 480ruger. Redhawk in stainless.
 
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I'd choose the one with the "Endurance Package" for an Alaskan move for sure... You're going to want to use the toasty hard cast Keith's for sure pushing over 1150fps with the Big Brown Uglies (Moose & Bear) around... and you are going to need to get comfortable with practicing with both aforementioned loads and your particular Revolver. I carry Hard Cast Keith's with hot .44Specials in Appalachia but they would be Hot .44Mags in Alaska.
 
LoneStarWings said:
Finally settled on this:

629.jpeg
Click to expand...

You'll be fine with that little baby. It has the "EP" and will stand up to a lifetime of those lovely warm Underwood Loads. I've shot my share of them and purchase them 5 boxes at a time when I do buy them. Last time I bought them I had to special request them to load those 305's @ 1325fps pressure. I see they are conveniently NOT SHOWN in their product line-up currently. They will run close to their advertised velocity out of that 5" barrel too! I like their hard cast full wad cutters too @ 1300fps that are nasty when they hit bone, sinew, and heavy pelt!

ETA: The Underwood 305's are back in their lineup...
 
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mod29 said:
Good decision. Stainless is a no-brainer for packing around outdoors.

Is that a 4" or 5" barrel?
What is the dash number?
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It's an SKU 163636, my understanding is that it's a 629-6. The barrel is a 5" full lug.

The store I was shopping at didn't have the 4", plus I realized that I already had holster for my 5" N Frame Model 327, so it kind of made sense to stick with that barrel length.
 
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Glock 20.
16 rounds of 10mm.

Don't hate me

Edit:
My favorite kind of firearm is the revolver
My fave kind of revolver is S&W
My fave kind of S&W is the 29

So needless to say, my favorite firearm in the planet, is a s&w 29.

But......

If I were in your situation where I might encounter bears, I would carry a g20 with a reload. 31 rounds of
(.357 ballistics) hardcast buffalo bore or Underwood ammo in a package that's smaller, lighter, easier to carry, and who cares if it gets beat up.
 
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Even though Elmer Keith did kill every North American game with the 357, 41, & 44 mag makes me wonder what caliber his backup guy had? I hunted Blackbear for decades the hunt was more fun than the kill. I'm just too old for the excitement now.
 
ShadyDrifter said:
Glock 20.
16 rounds of 10mm.

Don't hate me

Edit:
My favorite kind of firearm is the revolver
My fave kind of revolver is S&W
My fave kind of S&W is the 29

So needless to say, my favorite firearm in the planet, is a s&w 29.

But......

If I were in your situation where I might encounter bears, I would carry a g20 with a reload. 31 rounds of
(.357 ballistics) hardcast buffalo bore or Underwood ammo in a package that's smaller, lighter, easier to carry, and who cares if it gets beat up.
Click to expand...

Of the two dozen brownie attacks I've read of... nobody got off more than 4-5 shots. YMMV...
 
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.
 
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Since you already settled on a gun, my answer is somewhat superfluous, but I recently picked up a 629-1 4 inch in a trade. It had been bubba-ized by cutting the square butt into a round butt configuration. Although I cleaned up many of the tool marks, there were some gouges that just couldn't be made to look any better. I decided to have the gun re-finished in matte black Ceracote to match the finish on my 329. I don't have it back yet, but I anticipate that it will turn out great, based on previous experience with this shop. In my case, I get the best of both worlds, a black gun with the durability of stainless.
 
The 329pd is anodized aluminum and Titanium - nothing to rust.
 
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. :cool:
 
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t4terrific said:
Make sure the bear attacks from down wind if you're going to spray.
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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!)
 
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.
 

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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.
 
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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
 
@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.
 
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.
 
BearBio said:
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!)
Click to expand...



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

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. :rolleyes:

Froggie
 
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