Newbie 629 owner

[TDC]

The pictures below have also been added to another thread discussion on the forum right now. I believe it's important people recognize the bone structure of a bear and understand the difficulty of stopping a fast charging bear... with any caliber.

The thickness of the skull and the angular shape renders a head shot almost ineffective unless perfectly placed. Those attempted head shots commonly ricochet giving the rapidly charging bear a severe headache and an even angrier demeanor...

Remembering this could save your hide someday....

Just sayin'

 

[jspick]

team sidewinder,

I think your choice maybe a little stiff for the 629, in my opinion-whatever that is worth LOL, but I wouldn't think they would hurt it either.

TDC--that is so correct on your last post!

John

 

[NE450No2]

team sidewinder

Since you state you are not going to reload, then I would suggest the following:

For your fun high volume shooting practice load I would try to find a reputable reloader, local if possible and have him load you some 240gr lead Semi wadcutters at @ 800 to 850fps, in 44 Mag brass.

For Urban defense try the Speer 200gr 44 Mag Short barreled load.

For a factory 240gr jacketed load, that you want to expand, try the Remington 240gr SJHP.

If you want a 240gr Jacketed load that kicks less get the Magsafe 240gr SP.

For a Penetration load for deer wild pigs, and black bear get the Buffalo Bore 255gr Low Recoil load. I would not be aftaid to use this load in Big bear coluntry either.

But if you want a heavier load for BIG bear country, get some Federal 300gr Cast Core, or the Garrett hard cast loads he recomends as safe for the S&W's.

I have shot all the above loads in my 4" and 6 1/2" 44 Mags and they well do the job they are intended for.

If I could only pick 3 loads, and I spend a lot of time in wild pig, black bear, and BIG bear country's I would take the following:

A 240 cast SWC at 850fps.

The Speer Short barreled 200gr HP, for city use.

The Buffalo Bore "Low Recoil" load.

Well actually change that to 4 loads as I NEVER go anywhere without a bunch of the Speer 44 Mag Shotshells.

I have killed a lot of small game and stakes with them.
I consider them a Must Have.

The Buffalo Bore "Low Recoil" load is only called Low Recoil as compared to some of their other loads, it has "less" recoil, that they do.
It is not a Light load.

It is a full power hard cast bullet load, and a good one.

 

[team sidewinder]

TDC : I can certianly see your point TDC on the angle of the bear skull. A bullet will ricochet off water at a angle like that let alone the skull plate of a bear coming at you with his/her mouth open. I only hope I never have to find out. Thanks for the pics as they are very impressive.

jspixk : I haven't shot the Federal 300 cast bullets yet ( mainly because I haven't recieved them from Midway yet ) but will have to see how much recoil they produce. They look very close in ballistics to the Garrett Defender 310 loads which seem to be highly recommended and are the lower recoil ( velocity and muzzle energy ) producers made by Garrett which still qualify for bear. Randy Garrett does have some sound ideas which make sense on a 44 mag bear defense load. As long as you think it is ok for the gun that is good enough for me I will give them a shot. LOL.

jitterbug & NE450No2 : Thanks for the load selections and information you have mentioned and the Federal 300 cast bullets is the direction I am leaning so far.

These are decisions I will have to live or may die with if the need ever should arise but the hope is always the need never arises. And I guess I should mention that in my 50 years in the outdoors there has never been a need. Maybe I have a great Guardian Angel. ( Like your son John ).

I have shot some Blazer 240 gr through the gun so far and have some Speer 240 gr Gold Dot yet to shoot but probably not going to use any HP ammo for bear defense carry. I have recently shot a fellow's so called bear load in a S&W at the local gun range and I didn't even ask what his load was but they had a brutal recoil which can't be good for the gun. This was all before I bought my new 629 classic and I don't know even what model S&W pistol he was using but I know if I get that kind of recoil from anything I try I will be going with something a little lighter no matter what.

Thanks again guys for all your valuable input.
Lee

 

[NE450No2]

Lee, I find the recoil of the 300gr Federal Cast Core to be less "painful", that the recoil fo the standard Federal, Winchester, and Remingron standard 240gr 44 mag loads, not only in a mountain gun but in a 329 4" as well.

A little story, a True story.

A buddy of mine called me one day. We have beed shooting buddies for over 30 years. He had bought a 329, and when he called me he said "This gun hurts me Bad, Bad.
He ws shooting standard full power 44 Mag loads. I tole hom to try the 370 Speer and the 300 gr Cast Core...

Wekk te thought I was setting him up so whrn he shot the loads I recommended his arm would be ripped off...

A few weeks we ran into each other at the gun store we both do business with. I asked hiom if he had tried the loads I recommended...

He said, NOW WAY...

So I went behind the counter [I have behind the counter privileges there} and got him one box of Speer 270gr, and one box of Federal 300gr Cast Core, and handed them to him.
I said I am going to pay for these, and I want you to shoot them, then call shot them in his 329me... If I am right you can buy my lunch, IF I am wrong I will buy your lunch.

So he shot them and gave me a call... He has bought me more than one lunch...

Later, when we were pig hunting together, at a lunch break, I shot them in his 329 along with full power 240gr loads, and just like in my Mountian Gun there is definately a difference in recoil. The heavier bullets are more comfortable to shoot.

They do not "slap" your hand/wrist near as bad, IMHO.

 

[NE450No2]

Now recoil is a subjective thing.
I judge it by a "Pain Factor".

I can say this a S&W 329 with full power 240gr factory ammo is more painful to shoot, to ME, than my 475 Linebaugh Freedom Arms 6" revolver, sjhooting the Buffalo Bore 475 loads.

The Physics would show that the 475 kicks More, but for sure, the 329 is More Painful with the 240gr loads...

However, if an animal was charging you, you would never feel the recoil, never hear the shot...

Just be sure you do not have a built in flinch.

You can practice a lot with 65, to 75% recoil loads, and carry 100% recoil loads, and in the crisis, you will not notice the difference...

Same is true for rifles as well.

 

[NE450No2]

team sidewinder

If a person could have only one handgun, for ALL seasons, ALL reasons a 4" to a 6 1/2" S&W 44 Mag Revolver would be the best choice, IMHO of course.

 

[team sidewinder]

Looked and looked for a holster for my 5" 629 and thought for sure I was going to have to settle for a holster that fit several model pistols but fit none really well. I found the Bianchi 5BHL holster made just for this model and it fits better than I could have ever imagined. I mean a S&W 629 5" is a little different and just different enough from the 4'+ barrels that I am suprised that any company made a holster for just that one pistol. I R A happy camper with this holster.

 

[jspick]

Glad you got a holster that works for you. I have one of those holsters too! They are nice.

John

 

[C J]

You should try to find a holster for a 8 3/8" 629. It took me a long time to find one I wanted and even longer to actually get it after I ordered it. I got an El Paso Saddlery 1942 Tanker holster eventually but it was well worth the wait. It's a lifetime of the gun type holster and is perfect for ATV riding. A hip holster just won't work well on an ATV. You can't get access to it quickly because of the way you sit plus you absolutely must have it tied down so it won't bounce out on you. I can essentially use the 1942 as a cross draw holster which is perfect for an ATV. Things come up on you quick when you're riding around at 30 mph and if you can't get to your pistol quick you might as well not have one. They're great for being ready for bears too. I guess you can claim to be loaded for bear with a 629 and a holster like that with Buffalo Bore "reduced recoil" ammo. I still pick up my 12 ga. first though if I get a bear around the house.

They work for 5.5" pistols too. Of course they make them special for the gun you're buying it for. I guess they're a little pricey but they're worth it considering what you're getting. There's a lot more leather involved in a shoulder holster. Heck they even fitted the strap for my body size. That company has been around long enough to have made a holster for John Wesley Hardin. If you don't know who that is watch the movie "Unforgiven". A lot of the stuff they said Eastwood's character did was actually stuff Hardin did. He was the baddest man in the real old west. He wasn't as bad as the movie of course but he was pretty freaking bad.

 

[team sidewinder]

CJ: Ya I haven't rode the atv with this 5" 629 yet but I am sure my wife won't like it as she already complains about my Sig 229R 9mm poking her in the leg. We ride a 2up atv and there is a seat for the passenger but any pistol will poke her in the leg. No problems riding without the wife though.

 

[C J]

A good shoulder holster should fix your problem team sidewinder. I find it's much easier to get access to your gun while riding if I'm using a shoulder rig. Plus I can keep the gun under a sweatshirt or something and protect it from all that flying mud.

 

[team sidewinder]

What nice friend you are to buy your friend 44mag ammo to try. Not many friends like that around these days.

I have now shot the Federal 300gr castcore ammo and you are right on about the recoil. I think though I will use the Federal 300gr castcore for practice and start to carry Garrett 310gr Defender ammo while I am in the woods. Randy Garrett has put in the R&D to make me a believer in his 44mag ammo. The Garrett ammo isn't cheap but who worries about the price of ammo if your life might depend on it. Money well spent IMHO.

Lee, I find the recoil of the 300gr Federal Cast Core to be less "painful", that the recoil fo the standard Federal, Winchester, and Remingron standard 240gr 44 mag loads, not only in a mountain gun but in a 329 4" as well.

A little story, a True story.

A buddy of mine called me one day. We have beed shooting buddies for over 30 years. He had bought a 329, and when he called me he said "This gun hurts me Bad, Bad.
He ws shooting standard full power 44 Mag loads. I tole hom to try the 370 Speer and the 300 gr Cast Core...

Wekk te thought I was setting him up so whrn he shot the loads I recommended his arm would be ripped off...

A few weeks we ran into each other at the gun store we both do business with. I asked hiom if he had tried the loads I recommended...

He said, NOW WAY...

So I went behind the counter [I have behind the counter privileges there} and got him one box of Speer 270gr, and one box of Federal 300gr Cast Core, and handed them to him.
I said I am going to pay for these, and I want you to shoot them, then call shot them in his 329me... If I am right you can buy my lunch, IF I am wrong I will buy your lunch.

So he shot them and gave me a call... He has bought me more than one lunch...

Later, when we were pig hunting together, at a lunch break, I shot them in his 329 along with full power 240gr loads, and just like in my Mountian Gun there is definately a difference in recoil. The heavier bullets are more comfortable to shoot.

They do not "slap" your hand/wrist near as bad, IMHO.

 

[jspick]

This is what a grizzly can do to your garage door if you lock it!

John

 

[Jitterbug]

John

Looks like Mama and the kids have made themselves right at home up there, I don't doubt you are but, be careful man.

 

[team sidewinder]

Team sidewinder, If it hasn't already been mentioned, I'd probably choose this load if it were me and I didn't reload.

Garrets 310 grain Defender load.

Garrett Cartridges Inc.

Thanks Jitterbug. Took your advice and the Garrett Defender Hammerhead is the ammo I went with for packin the wild outdoors. Will practice with the Federal 300 grain corecast ammo. The Garrett 310 defender is a little spendy but well worth it if I ever really need it. This 629-6 should hold up to this ammo as it is well within SAAMI industry guidelines for this gun. This the lower recoil ammo Garrett makes in the 44 mag 310gr.
Thanks again
Lee