is the weight difference worth it?

[681ismyfavorite]

with a 6" bbl in a 629 44 mag, does the full underlug weight of about 3 oz. make that much difference in shooting pleasure compared to the classic or traditional 3/4 underlug?

what's your take on it?

 

[fishcreekrim]

It is certainly worth it to some, others stand in
line to buy 4" Mountain Guns.

 

[Scorpion520AZ]

For "shooting pleasure" in .44 Magnum, every ounce of weight is your friend.

 

[Lou_the_welder]

I noticed a difference.
My 629 44 magnum 6" half lug weighs 45.1oz. And my 6.5" 629 full lug weighs 48.5oz. My back isn't what it used to be so I take weight very seriously.
The full lug is easier on the magnum loads and noticeable with just 3oz. More muzzle flip on the half lug- but controllable. They are both fun.
The 686's shoot good with a full lug also. A 45oz. Gp-100 will soak up more recoil. It's all about the weight. And how much fatigue you can take to hold standing upright.

I can shoot only 200 mixed 44 magnums and specials at a time before my back gets real sore. I can shoot 38s all day almost. I never shoot from a rest.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

 

[oysterer]

I had a 29-5 full underlug and it was too front heavy for me, not as nicely balanced. The 629 is anyway heavy. Blued guns weigh less. The blue standard 29 is what I like best. I like the look and feel of the classic 1/2 underlug.

 

[681ismyfavorite]

For "shooting pleasure" in .44 Magnum, every ounce of weight is your friend.

I understand that, but in this gun and caliber is it noticeable enough to warrant going away from the stylish look of the 3/4 underlug?

 

[H Richard]

That is an individual decision that only you can make. Everyone's tolerance to recoil is different. A 250 lb man gets more perceived recoil than a 150 lb man, as the lighter man moves back with the recoil easier than the heavier man as there is more mass to move back. Some cannot shoot a 357 and some have no problem with a 460.

 

[Scorpion520AZ]

I understand that, but in this gun and caliber is it noticeable enough to warrant going away from the stylish look of the 3/4 underlug?

If you prefer the "stylish look" of the 3/4 underlug then I'd say go for it. It isn't "noticeable enough" for you not to get the one you really like.

 

[Rpg]

The underlug weight makes a noticeable difference at the range and carrying: nice at the range, miserable to carry.

Depends on what you intend to do with it.

If it's a range toy, the extra weight is nice.

If you're going to carry it, you'll regret it.

 

[LPD256]

If you are going to occasionally carry a gun as protection from wild things while hunting, either would be great. If you are going to carry one for personal protection frequently get a 329 Night Guard that weighs 24 Oz unloaded. You will not want to shoot it a lot at a range day, but your back will thank you if you carry it enough.

 

[diyj98]

It's all about individual preferences. I find any extra weight a plus on 44 magnums. Especially with extended shooting.

A full underlug L frame 357 magnum becomes a ***** cat with the extra weight compared to a light K frame.

 

[dr. mordo]

Like others have said, it really depends on:

A) How many magnum rounds you plan to shoot in one session.
B) Whether you handload.

Factory magnum rounds tend to be hot enough to be be very rough to shoot in large quantities. Any additional weight will help. If you only plan to carry it as a woods gun and shoot very little, you'll be ok with the lighter gun.

If you reload, you can dial the magnum rounds back until they are not so brutal to shoot. Actually, with 44 magnum you can load powder puff rounds that have almost no recoil at all in a long barrel gun, or you can load fire breathing magnums that you will instantly regret. Reloading gives you enough flexibility that a lighter gun will be still a lot of fun at the range.

Personally, I reload and have the half lug barrel.

 

[681ismyfavorite]

I have a 629-1 6" with the partial underlug. I was toying with the idea of trading it for a full underlug.

 

[681ismyfavorite]

of course there always is the Jerry Miculek option of magna-porting it.

 

[Abbynormal]

I've shot 4" MG's & std 3/4 lug, 6" std and full lug, 7-1/2 3/4 lug w/ Magna Port and 8-3/8" full lug and the full underlug does reduce recoil by a bit.

But I did notice I was more accurate with a full lug shooting bullseye, but tracking game or playing shooting games, the lighter 3/4 lugs were easier to follow the target, but didn't tend to tire me as fast as the full lugs.

 

[grip frame]

I have 29's and 629's of all fashions.

To me my 629 6" was not any more pleasant to shoot than my 4" of the same so down the road the 6" went.

My 5" full lug are a little more pleasant.

My 6.5" full lug are even more so.

The more weight you add to the end of the barrel the better.

Another factor just as important in mitigating recoil and violence to the shooting hand is grip selection. I like the non checkered smooth Hogue wood grips as they are wide and distribute the recoil over a larger area of the hand. They also completely fill in behind the trigger guard so thie prevents knuckle busting. The smooth wood lets the gun move in your hand a little instead of grabbing and tearing at the skin like a rubber grip. I avoid grips like the Ahrends, hogue rubber and other thin wood grips in the .44 mag.

Another option is to wear shooting gloves.

 

[Gearhead Jim]

When the gun recoils, it goes backward and the muzzle flips up.

When it comes to the backward component of recoil, weight anywhere on the gun has the same effect.

But when it comes to the muzzle flip that pounds the backstrap into the web of your hand, weight near the muzzle is more helpful because the recoil must make that muzzle weight travel a greater distance than upward that the same amount of weight back in the grip area. That's why most people find a 6" Mag less punishing than a 4"- not just the extra couple of ounces, but their position out on the end of the barrel.

 

[rockquarry]

Until recently when I stopped shooting all magnum handgun loads, I had been shooting .44 magnum S&Ws since I bought my first 4" 29 in 1973. I've owned the 6" and the 6 1/2" versions as well. With magnum loads, they all kick hard; can't see how someone could argue that point. Maybe three ounces makes a difference to some, but I doubt it's much.

 

[CH4]

The underlug weight makes a noticeable difference at the range and carrying: nice at the range, miserable to carry.

Depends on what you intend to do with it.

If it's a range toy, the extra weight is nice.

If you're going to carry it, you'll regret it.

^^^^^^^^

It's all about what you're going to do with it, how well you shoot it and personal preference.

 

[mike campbell]

The math and physics don't lie ... the heavier gun will recoil only 5-10% less with the same load.

As others have said, depends on the usage.
Some people seem to like a gun that "balances" a certain way. Me, I'd prefer a nose-heavy gun if the utmost precision were required for longrange shooting ... but it seldom is. Shooting a revolver DA is usually a "speed" thing with accuracy that is "good enough." That's why a steel challenge 625 is a 4 or 5" gun and a silhouette revolver for offhand shooting at 220 yards was/is 7.5 to 10".