My love/hate relationship...

[SaxonPig]

With the 44 Magnum. I confess that in a handgun I find it too much of a good thing. The 6.5" M29-2 kills my hand and the 4" absolutely destroys it. Now the carbine is not only tolerable, but makes a very handy package. I load 240 JHPs to to a clocked 1980 FPS from the Winchester's 16" barrel and this seems potent enough for most things I might need to shoot.

 

[MErl]

I'll always remember at a public range, 100yd, I' m shooting a rifle (FAL). Early fall, hunting sight in time.

Old man sets up next to me with a 44 handgun, much like your top one. Puts out a 4x6x1' piece of scrap lumber for a target.

first shot knocks over the block. I didn't keep track after that, the first shot was good enough.

I gained a good respect for that handgun that day. That 6.5 may hurt, so only shoot enough to stay good enough to hit a 4x6 at 100yd.

 

[jbkebert]

All three are beautiful.

I find myself shooting my Super RedHawk much more often than my S&W 29 8 3/8" no dash. The extra weight of the Ruger just makes it a lot more comfortable. The Smith is sure pretty though in comparison.

 

[Fishslayer]

My grail gun is a 4" 629 no dash. Sometimes too much is just about right.

 

[Grassman]

I'm gaining a new love affair with the lever gun. Don't know why?

 

[Hardtarget]

A long time ago...late seventies...I shot a friends mod. 29 much like Saxon's first pic. I have wanted one since that day. That gun just looks perfect to my eye. And now here you come along with annother vew of a 29...just to make me drool.

I'll probably dream about it tonight!

Mark

 

[Texan Scott]

A Winnie 44 was my first centerfire rifle ... I miss it. Not new tech, but it'll do just about anything I really NEED in a rifle.

 

[StrawHat]

SaxonPig, your experience with the S&W mirrors mine. I used a 6.5" M29-2 for deer hunting for a couple of years. Loaded it like I was Elmers twin brother and while I got deer, it was not a lot of fun. Eventually went with the 45 long Colt and found how much fun hunting with a revolver really is. I no longer have the 29-2.

 

[robert garner]

Saxonpig, you indicate that you reload,get some cast lead 240's and load to 1100fps,
I think you will find that you are as accurate as may be, and that it hits hard enuff for any pistol work you need,unless you intend to take Elk or Moose.Beautiful pistols,Good Luck.
robert

 

[Plan2Live]

I fired my first Model 29 yesterday. It was a 629 with a 4 inch barrel to be exact. Lots of muzzle flip but not a lot of straight back recoil. The 45-70 revovler I shot a while back was much more pleasant and the 44 Mountain Revolver I shot recently was nicer to shoot also. Dirty Harry can keep his magnum.

 

[Akita1]

Been looking for a good Model 94; handgun's just too much for me - .357 is as large as I'll go in a revolver. My .45 autos, are another story of course!

 

[BSA1]

Try Mag-na-port on the 6.5".

For reasons I have never been able to understand some shooters bash porting on the barrel. But these same shooters feel any S&W regardless of the number produced in any condition lose their "collector value" if refinished or modified in any way to

I have a Mag-na-ported 6" Model 29 that I use for hunting. I love it. It totally changed the behavior of the beast with full magnum loads. I once shot a deer with it using one hand while the other hand was holding onto a tree to keep me from falling out of the stand.

And the Model 29 is capable of very good accuarcy at 100 yds. if you practice enough.

 

[Al Thompson]

I've got one of the original Mountain Revolvers - 4 inch 629. I found that the grips that S&W sells for the .500s fits a round butt N frame. The layer of soft rubber that goes across the backstrap of the grip really sucks the sting out of the recoil.

My usual load though is a 240 grain LSWC at (nominal) 1,000 FPS.

 

[mookiie]

I have been hankering for a wheel gun in .44 magnum, ever since someone had one at the pistol range in the next lane and you could the pressure change every time a round was fired!

 

[Liberty1776]

I have to admit my Tracker .44 (yes, sorry, it's a Taurus) with a 4" bbl and porting is just too much to shoot more than a couple of cylinder fulls at a time. My 8" M 29 is a blast to shoot. I'm considering a 6" and 4" M 29 to round out the group, but don't know about the 4" to be honest...

 

[Iggy]

I bought a model 58 .41mag M&P for a duty sidearm back in 1966. I sed this here's big enuff!!
I carried it for 13 years and still have it.
Never have fired a .44 mag and don't have a hankerin' to do so.

 

[BBQJOE]

There is no rule that says you have to shoot mag loads to enjoy a .44!
I love my 629's!

Generally, I only feed them cast 240gr SWC on top of 6.1gr of unique.
It's a very accurate and effective load, and I could shoot it all day long with zero suffering of any kind.
Try it, you'll like it!

 

[Manny]

A different set of grips might go a long way towards alieviating the sting of the .44 mag. I personally hate the Magna grips and think they're the absolute worst grip a factory every put on a gun. There are an incredible number of better options out there, try one and I think you'd be well pleased. Also, as listed elsewhere, backing off the max loads makes shooting the .44's a much more pleasant experiance. My favorite all around load when I was shooting .44's was Winchester's 210gr Silvertip. While it wouldn't be my first choice for truely big game such as elk etc.. for deer and varmints of all sorts, be they four legged or two, it's as good a load as can be found IMO. I always found it accurate, and comfortable to shoot even in short barreled, light weight guns.

 

[critter]

I have a S&W pre-29 .44 Mag with an 8 3/8" barrel AND a Ruger stainless blackhawk hunter model in .44. The Ruger is my deer hunter. I've taken several deer and hogs with it. Love to handgun hunt and the .44 mag is VERY effective.

I use 240 Rem JHP reloads in it. They WORK. I have also used a .45 Colt with hard cast 255 SWC's. They work too, but in a somewhat different way.

 

[itsa pain]

the 44 mags power is somewhat hard to understand for me. a 30 30 win with the new pointed bullets has as much energy at 300 yds then most loads for the 44 have at the muzzle. elmer keith who would hunt T-rex with a 44 mag would tell you that a 30-06 was not enough gun for a 150 lb mule deer

 

[HKGuns]

With 300gr magnum loads this pistol is a real butt kicker, but it is a hoot at the same time. It certainly doesn't want for attention when you're firing it at the range. If you ever want to sell that 6.5" Saxon send me a PM, those are real nice revolvers. I already have a blued 4" 29-2 with case and tools. That 6.5"er would look very nice in my safe!

 

[CountryUgly]

The first and only time I've ever shot a .44 mag was when I was 7 years old. My uncle carried a 629 with an 8 3/8 barrel. he and my dad were out back shooting and of course I tagged along. My dad asked if I wanted to shoot and I was all over it. My uncle loaded it up with some light loads (if there is such a thing in .44 mag). I took aim at a can probably 25 feet or so away that was on top of a concrete block. The gun roared and the recoil sent it nearly over my head. I missed the can low by a few inches and the block just exploded. I was excited to say the least. I've never shot a .44 again for the simple fact it was one of the most amazing feelings I've ever felt and honestly shooting one now would just sour the memory.

 

[buck460XVR]

Saxon.....I'm sure you're well aware that part of the reason your .44 handguns are so hard on you is the grips. While I admit they are beautiful on your guns, I also know that they aren't the most pleasant to shoot big boomer mag loads with. While I'm not the handgun expert many are here, I have been shooting them long and often enough to realize when it comes to Big-Bores, shooting legitimate Big-Bore loads, if they are real pretty or compact, they generally ain't much fun to shoot. .44 mag is one of my favorite calibers to reload for and shoot at the range. My guns ain't that pretty, but are enjoyable to shoot, even with near max loads. I have a 6.5'' full lug 629 and a 7.5'' Lew Horton P.C. 629 Magnum Hunter for handguns and a Ruger 44/77 and a Marlin 1894 Lever for long guns. Both the 629s have the Dual Compound X-Frame Tamer grips that cover the backstrap. I would highly recommend them to anyone with a 629. The Lew Horton came with pretty custom wood grips that quickly were removed and put away. While they ain't the prettiest things to shoot, they sure are a pleasure, even with legitimate .44 mag hunting loads, and all are very accurate. But those are MY priorities. I know other folk's priorities are different...and I respect that. To me they are just tools to use at the range and in the woods. They are not for CWC, nor are they works of art. Only hate I have for them is the addiction to them I have.

 

[SaxonPig]

I have tried all sorts of different grips and stocks. The rubber type do cushion a bit but I hate them. I hate the feel and I hate the smell on my hands for the next three days.

I also hate to use "downloaded" ammo or shoot 44 Specials (I have revolvers in 44 Special if I want to shoot 44 Specials) but that 4" 29-2 is too much. I fired 12 rounds through it the day I bought it (last December, it had gone since 1976 without being fired but I don't keep pristine guns) and quit. Couldn't take even one more. Will have to put together some 44 Special +Ps for it if I want to shoot it.

 

[351 WINCHESTER]

Too many full house magnums will give you aches and pains later on in life. S & W's are especially bad with recoil as they don't twist in your hand as a single action does. They recoil straight back and it hurts.