Please tell me about the S&W 629

tyr_shadowblade

tyr_shadowblade

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Hi.

Lately I've been thinking of getting a long barreled magnum revolver and a fellow offered to sell me a 629 for a fair price. This is a stainless 44 magnum with an 8.5" barrel, unported, adjustable sight, wood & Hogue grips, and the dreaded trigger lock. No-one has messed with the action. About 100 rounds down the pipe, he wants 600 for it.

I still haven't seen the gun, and I've never actually even held a 29 in my hands so I'm not sure how the grips will fit my hand (Colt Trooper grips are a bit too big for me).

I was wondering what y'all think of this particular model and if there is anything I need to consider about this one.

Thanks.
 
Large & heavy gun in a relatively unpopular barrel length.
Not much fun for range use, heavy & bulky for field use.
Harder to re-sell with that barrel if you decide you don't like it.
Denis
 
It really depends on how you want to use it. I am by no means and expert on the subject. Much of what Denis said above is probably true. I had a Ruger Red Hawk in about the same size for a long time and a friend had the 629 as you described. Neither of us hunt nor carried the guns in the field so it was pretty much all shooting at the range. For me it was fun. I enjoyed the kick (literally and figuratively) of shooting it. Mostly just range "plinking". It also got me into reloading. The 629 grip style was much more comfortable for me to hold and shoot. I have not looked a prices lately so I could not help you there. If you've never shot a .44 magnum, you might see if this fellow will go to the range with you for a test run. I don't know your level of experience, so I'll just say that .44 magnum ammo is expensive so you might offer to pay for the stuff you use for a test run. Some people enjoy shooting them, and I know people that have shot them once and won't do it again. Also know that you can get different loadings so you don't always have to deal with the maximum kick if you don't want to. I don't have one now, but I would probably get just what you describe if/when I get another. .357 magnums are a bit lighter and don't kick as much and can be quite a bit of fun also. Hope this helps. Mike
 
It's very expensive to shoot unless you reload. I'd recommend a .357 unless you're going to go hunting with it.
 
My M29 has seen many a metallic silhouette match which is excellent practice .It's also taken a number of deer. 6.5" ,I use no scope no porting. If you're new to a 44 mag start with 44 specials or better handload 700 fps then gradually boost that to full loads.
 
about the grips... my experience with the Smith "N" frames is with a M25 in .45acp for bowling pins... Bill Rogers used to make a much more user friendly grip than the Magna grip....you could cut a factory set into a Fuzzy Farrant style and get rid of the palm swell at the butt end
 
I shot a pre-stainless M29 extensively years ago, albeit with the 6" barrel. With proper loads, a superbly accurate piece and not unpleasant to shoot. With full-house loads and the factory grips...Brutal.
Dealing with that long tube will depend on what you intend it for.
 
I shot a 41 and 44 mag for a quite a few years at a range. At one point I had 3 41's and a couple of 44's at the same time. I've reloaded for about 30 years.
I started out with a Ruger .22 single six revovler for $149 in '79 and worked my way up to a a 44 mag.
If I was starting over I'd probably do the same thing except I wouldn't by so Many hand guns. I lost count at about 30.
I would definately start out with a .38/.357 and work my way up to a .44.
Ammo is quite expensive if you dont reload...I Wouldnt let a friend reload for me! I have heard of several bad experiences I've heard about and had 2 happen to myself.
A 44 mag is Not pleasant to shoot if you haven't done it before and started out with a Smaller caliber first.
 
That's a big, heavy gun, in a heavy caliber. If that's what you're looking for then cool. As others mentioned, that particular gun would only be useful for handgun hunting and target shooting. Not much use as a trail/ bear gun, it's long and not very handy. Not much use as a HD gun either, unless you live alone out in the middle of nowhere, because if you shoot a bad guy, you're gonna shoot him all the way through, and probably through a couple walls and beyond. It's also too long to be a handy HD gun anyway.

That said, I've never met a Smith I didn't like. If a big, monster, .44 magnum appeals to you, then go for it! :D
 
Well, I suppose I'm pretty much just getting it for the cool factor, and because I'd like to try something new.

I have never shot a .44 magnum before, but I've fired plenty of 357, including a DW 357 Maximum Supermag of similar size. I'm figuring that the rubber grip and full underlug will keep the recoil down, and I was told to keep bullet weight below 300 gr to preserve the life of the gun since apparently the 29 isn't as durable as a Ruger.

Not intended to be carried, even out in the field. I'm looking for a compact SHTF gun for HD and have spent the past couple years deciding what I DON'T want (AR, AK, M1 carbine, Hakim, match grade 1911, etc). Figured maybe I'd give this a try. Want something that is powerful enough for a potential one stop drop, with reasonable accuracy at close (1 block) range. My eyes really aren't good enough for long range shooting and I hate optics.
 
Sounds like that 629 would be a good fit. They are fun to shoot, and the recoil really isn't that bad. It's not much worse than heavy .357 out of a K frame. .357 out of a J frame is much, much worse. For me, the best part of shooting .44 mag is the sound. BOOM! :D With a long barrel, you won't have quite the noise and muzzle blast you get from a shorter barrel, but it will still make a lovely sound, and startle newbies at the range. :thumbup:
 
What moonwilson said is true, of the caliber. I have a Ruger SBH, that my wife bought me back in '98. Every time I go to the range, and shoot the heavier loads in it, all the guys with the current cool autos end up at our stall, wondering what we've blown up. :D And shooting the lower weight bullets will make sure you can still hold a fork & eat your dinner later that night. :)

There wasn't a S&W available from the gun shop at the time, which is why I got the Ruger. No regrets, but that S&W will definitely fit the bill for a 'try something new' toy.

Also, as others have said, I'd recommend learning to handload, if you don't already. Keeps the costs down, and that new S&W will really shine with the right loads. (You'll enjoy it a lot more when you're "punching clovers" in the target.)

~Chris
 
i have a dx version with 6" bbl. i prefer the wood grips, but mine came with the hogues as well.

you can also shoot .44 specials, which might save you a bit of money.
 
i was training with some fbi l.a. swat guys, and we had a day where everyone brought their stuff to shoot.

we had a full auto thompson, and a few other toys from the fbi vault.

i brought my 629 and let them shoot my remaining magnum loads. they all got a "kick" out of it.
 
It's your money, but I'd consider it a poor choice for HD.
Recoil will slow down recovery time between shots (even with a heavier barrel), muzzle blast will be a disorienting problem indoors, the gun's too unwieldy in that barrel length to be at all dynamic in moving it around in a hurry, and you give a potential attacker lots of room to grab onto the gun if one should happen to get close enough.

At the very least, try a .44 Mag with full-bore loads before you buy one. You may not like it.

And, it's not so much the bullet weight as it is velocity & pressures. But, you're right on the Smith not being as durable over the long run as a Ruger .44 Mag.

If you want a toy, it can be fun.
I had a cousin who bought that long version for hunting several years ago, it didn't last very long.
I have a 9.5-inch Ruger Redhawk here, can't imagine toting it around on the ground for long.

But, different preferences. :)
Denis
 
Those long barrelled handguns can be tough to shoot. My friend's Dad (RIP) had a Ruger with a long barrel topped with a 2X scope. We used to laugh when we would try to shoot it offhand. Between the weight and the scope, the best that we could hope for was firing when the wobble more or less took us past the bullseye.
 
I'm making a rig for one similar to this...not something you wear on your belt...

newrig.jpg
 
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