New member. New Performance Center 629 owner... Couple questions

[Panhandler80]

Good evening all. New member here. Trolled quite a bit the past week or so researching .44 mag hunting handguns.

Settled on the 629. SKU#170334... This is the 8.38" stainless barrel and wood grips. This guy....

Super excited! I've never done any handgun hunting (other than some squirrel with my .22lr Browning Buckmark, and some snake dispatching) but have always wanted to. Figured I'd buy myself a nice Christmas present.

Have quite a bit of experience with an S&W .357 short barrel gun on paper. I think I should be okay with this next step up. Kinda liked the idea of the PC "Hunter" version, but man that thing is ugly. LIke they say, beauty is skin deep, but ugly is down to the bone. Also wasn't sure about the sight that came with it, and muzzle flash in low light conditions deer hunting didn't sound all that great to me. ANYWAY, settled on the one I ordered today.

Anybody have one?

I'm looking for good optics recommendations. I know that you should always buy a sight as good as the gun, otherwise the quality of gun goes to waste, but I can't spend $700 on a handgun red dot right now. Any budget brand / models out there that you can vouch for? Low light deer conditions, and shots w/in 80 yards. I'm guessing 3moa dot would be appropriate size? Life long rifle guy with quality rifle glass and reticle... no idea how big of a dot I want if I was to get comfortable out to, say, 100 yards. Also not sure if I even want red dot. 3 or 5x scope with reticle might be nice. I like target acquisition aspect of red dot while on foot, or moving deer. ZERO experience with magnification on a handgun here. Would hate to be miserable with that, but I'm sure it gets to be second nature once muscle memory kicks in after some practice. Anyway, just looking for some suggestions for what to put on top of this beauty.

What hunting rounds does this gun like? I've found a few articles that mention some likely suspects, but I'd love to hear from actual owners of this gun.

Thanks folks! I look forward to participating going forward. Looks like yet ANOTHER hobby has been born! After a successful handgun deer harvest, my only options left will be recurve, long bow and a spear. ;-)

PH80

 

[CDR_Glock]

I acquired one. I reload the ammo, also.

For my sights I have the Aimpoint H1. Great sight. I'm still working on my accuracy. So far I'm working on consistency at 75 yards with it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[BornToLooze]

This year I used my dad's M57 with a Leupold (2x I believe) scope.

While the accuracy with the scope is really good, the only way I would hunt with a scoped revolver is from a stand. I don't know about with a shoulder holster, but using a regular belt holster the barrel hangs down almost to my knee, plus all the bulk and weight added by the scope.

Personally, I would leave it with regular sights and just shoot it a lot at different ranges so you'll know hold up this much sight for 70 yards, this much for 100 yards, ect.

 

[jaymoore]

No more magnified optics on revolvers that I use to deer hunt from the ground! Have had too many times that things were too quick and close to get well on target.

I've used Holosights, EOTechs, and Trijicon RMRs for quite a while with little drama. Iron sights have been good enough with one 629, but it is a particularly easy to shoot revolver.

Aimpoints I have used on rifles, should be good as well.

 

[old 1911 fan]

That .44 will take anything you point it at in North America. I like scoped handguns. I have a Rem. XP-100 .221, a Contender with .30 Herrett, .44 Mag and .45/70 barrels and a S&W 500. All have Leupold 2X scopes. Some of the scopes are 20 or 30 years old. All bought new. I have never had a problem with any! If the 500 or 45/70 hasn't broken one nothing will.

old 1911 fan

 

[Panhandler80]

No more magnified optics on revolvemagnification rs that I use to deer hunt from the ground! Have had too many times that things were too quick and close to get well on target.

I've used Holosights, EOTechs, and Trijicon RMRs for quite a while with little drama. Iron sights have beengood enough with one 629, but it is a particularly easy to shoot revolver.

Aimpoints I have used on rifles, should be good as well.

You saying hard time with target acquisition and wobble with magnification an arms length away from eye? 99% of my hunting will be from elevated stand, but none with an IDEAL handgun rest. I have some ideas involving shooting sticks, existing rifle rail. We'll see. Inside 80 is my goal. thinking evening hunts and doe to begin with so they are over food source and still... not slipping through woods heading back to bedding areea. as such, it seems like scope might be good. close range cursing buck I'd much prefer red dot or even iron sites.

with red dot, what's good size dot for inside 80, maybe out to 100 after practice?

decisions, decisions.

Good off the shelf rounds for small Florida deer? Maybe an Alabama deer at 190#?

 

[Panhandler80]

Reading some pretty good things on Ultradot 30mm.

Can't go aimpoint right now.

Looks like Fast Fire III is also respectable at modest price point.

????

 

[Panhandler80]

think I've just about settled on ultradot's Matchdot II.

 

[686-380]

Welcome to the forum! I have a question for you...will you adopt me? I'm almost house broken

I own a M69 and am too lazy to hunt. That is a BEAUTIFUL gun

 

[75Vette]

I hope you're not talking about the PC 44 Magnum Hunter being ugly....We'd have to go to war!! Here's another suggestion for a red dot. It's a $35 UTG that came with the gun from the factory. No problems outta this one. I'm not blasting factory rounds through it but so far so good. Ugly my foot!

 

[Panhandler80]

that's the gun I was talking about. Don't get me wrong, I like it. Just not my style when it comes to look. really don't want war to commence.

thanks for suggestion on site. I'll look into it. the last time I messed around with a cheap red dot was on a turkey gun and I was ready to pull my hair out. I'll look into this one, though.

It's hard to research all this stuff from a dumb phone. Work computer has just about every website blocks for weapons

 

[Snowwolfe]

Hard to beat a Fast Fire. They are super small and dont look out of place on a handgun. I plan on installing the 8 MOA model on my 69 soon.

 

[grayrat]

Ultra Dot

I have the 30mm Ultra Dot that I'm very happy with. So far it is holding up to the 44mag recoil.

 

[Fishinfool]

Nice gun, Panhandler80. I believe both the Ultra Dot or the Fastfire would be good choices for what you intend to do. I have both mounted on handguns, and they work well. Dot size? Three or four inch will work well for hunting.

A 2x scope will also work well, but remember with scopes, you magnify your shakes, loose field of view, and eye position becomes more critical as power increases. For what its worth, on my deer / bear hunting handguns, most now wear some form of red dot, or open sights. Most of my magnified optics are now on small game handguns, or my Contenders.

Factory ammo for deer? Some like hard cast (think Buffalo Bore, Federal Cast Core, Double Tap, etc.) They work well, and penetrate deep, but I believe a good expanding bullet works as well, and kills a little quicker, especially on deer sized game. Just avoid "Texas heart shots". For my money, you would have a hard time topping the Hornady 240 grain XTP bullet / factory load. I have killed dozens of deer with this bullet, and have complete faith in it for any reasonable shot.

As I'm sure you know, lots and lots of practice, and use of field rests / support will give you the accuracy and confidence you need to make good hits. My personal standard is how far I can keep them reliably on a paper dinner plate. For carrying that long tom, I would probably use a cross draw or a shoulder / across the chest holster.

Larry

 

[75Vette]

that's the gun I was talking about. Don't get me wrong, I like it. Just not my style when it comes to look. really don't want war to commence.

thanks for suggestion on site. I'll look into it. the last time I messed around with a cheap red dot was on a turkey gun and I was ready to pull my hair out. I'll look into this one, though.

It's hard to research all this stuff from a dumb phone. Work computer has just about every website blocks for weapons

No wars, to each his own. I also have the FFlll on a 629-4 PowerPort that does a great job as long as I do my part.

 

[Panhandler80]

Nice gun, Panhandler80. I believe both the Ultra Dot or the Fastfire would be good choices for what you intend to do. I have both mounted on handguns, and they work well. Dot size? Three or four inch will work well for hunting.

A 2x scope will also work well, but remember with scopes, you magnify your shakes, loose field of view, and eye position becomes more critical as power increases. For what its worth, on my deer / bear hunting handguns, most now wear some form of red dot, or open sights. Most of my magnified optics are now on small game handguns, or my Contenders.

Factory ammo for deer? Some like hard cast (think Buffalo Bore, Federal Cast Core, Double Tap, etc.) They work well, and penetrate deep, but I believe a good expanding bullet works as well, and kills a little quicker, especially on deer sized game. Just avoid "Texas heart shots". For my money, you would have a hard time topping the Hornady 240 grain XTP bullet / factory load. I have killed dozens of deer with this bullet, and have complete faith in it for any reasonable shot.

Larry

Thank you, and EVERYBODY else.

I'm DEFINITELY leaning red dot at this point. Trying to decide if I want tubed, or the low-pro FFIII type deal. I like the protectin of the tube. I hunt primarily from a stand, and usually on private property. As such, the risk of messing up a heads up display deal is minimal, but it still exists. I also really like the idea of the Matchdot II so that I can take it down to MOA after some practice and really try to dial in longer shots.

I'm done with idea of scope. If there was a good 1.5x out there I might consider it. My rifle dials down to 3 and at last / first light it sometimes takes me a few seconds to get even THAT on target... can't imagine a handgun.

Definitely down to:

Ultradot 30
Matchdot II
Fastfire III
(sure with the Matchdot II came in a silver matte to match the gun. Wood grip, SS and black has a lot of visual conflict. Some synthetic black grips would help with the Matchdot II. Funny, I can't put on a matching outfit according to my wife, but I'm worried about it when it comes to a gun)

Thanks for the recs on the OTC factory rounds. Hope to have everything dialed in (myself included) out to 50 or 60 yards by next Saturday or Sunday at the latest. Doe-days, and I'm COVERED up in them. Wouldn't even be fair with rifle, and I don't take archery shots past 35, so.... hopefully this will be something fun. Plus a REALLY NEAT piece to add to collection.

I'm excited... if y'all can't tell! ;-)

 

[Panhandler80]

No wars, to each his own. I also have the FFlll on a 629-4 PowerPort that does a great job as long as I do my part.

Nice! Great looking gun!

 

[Panhandler80]

Went with Matchdot II.

We'll see. Spoke on the phone with Burris ad Ultradot. Reviews and praise for both units at this price point were equal. I was unsure about pros and cons of tube.

Pretty much same price.

Live person on Ultradot main line who knew every product and when/where to use them sold me.

Hope it works out.

I've got a bad-arse gun that'll last generations the way I plan to use it. If tubed red dot turns out no good, there will be plenty of time to change.

PH80

 

[Fishinfool]

Good choice with the Ultra Dot, especially at its price point. I have had the one inch version mounted on this Redhawk since the 1980's, and it has been nothing but reliable. Just change the battery every season.

Good luck on filling your freezer.

Larry

 

[hkcavalier]

Very good optic choice! I have an Ultradot 30mm, but on a rifle.

They are a hidden gem, made in Japan but unfortunately all the cheapo Chinese manufacturers straight copied the look. If you don't need a combat optic they are terrific.