.44 Mag - Ruger Redhawk or S&W 629
- Thread starter Prof
- Start date
I went 629 over Redhawk in December. When I purchased there was a used Redhawk and a used 629-1 side-by-side in the case. The Smith was $80 more. Both were in unfired LNIB condition. The Ruger was a 5.5" Stainless, the 629 was 6" and stainless (duh! 
), both half-lug. Both had perfectly serviceable triggers, the edge going to the Smith. The deal-breaker? The Smith fit me better, felt lighter in my hands and balanced better for me. Plus, I don't feel the need for nuclear-strength .44 loads (I was originally looking for a nice 4" GP-100 or K-frame .357).
I am in college, so the $80 is not chicken feed and I reload, so that extra $80 could have gone into a fair supply of ammunition. Yet in the end, I am glad I went Smith. (BTW, one of my coworkers and friends bought the Redhawk for one of his sons!
)
), both half-lug. Both had perfectly serviceable triggers, the edge going to the Smith. The deal-breaker? The Smith fit me better, felt lighter in my hands and balanced better for me. Plus, I don't feel the need for nuclear-strength .44 loads (I was originally looking for a nice 4" GP-100 or K-frame .357). I am in college, so the $80 is not chicken feed and I reload, so that extra $80 could have gone into a fair supply of ammunition. Yet in the end, I am glad I went Smith. (BTW, one of my coworkers and friends bought the Redhawk for one of his sons!
)BusGunner007
New member
To answer the queston directly: neither one, and here's why...
I had a Redhawk 5.5" and gave it to my buddy in a trade for a couple of reasons.
One is that I'll be getting a Desert Eagle .44 as part of the trade!
Two is that I prefer Hogue grips on my firearms and they don't cover the backstrap, so the web of my hand gets POUNDED, causing my Bus Driver's arthritically challenged hands a LOT of PAIN! No kidding.
I have arthritis in both hands that just wasn't taking what the Redhawk dishes out. My hands are smaller than average, so switching to a Pachmayr Decelerator grip wasn't a good option...it made the trigger reach too long.
Therefore, I've committed myself to getting a Ruger SuperRedhawk in .44 until my buddy comes through with the DE44.
The SuperRedhawk has the totally covered grip peg and will provide much needed cushion for my hands.
I don't have any SmiffenWessins - YET.
I have a Hogue grip for a K/L Frame that will need a home someday.
Come to think of it, I have a Hogue grip for a 1911, too...hmmmmm.
Better get that DE44 Hogue grip NOW!
I had a Redhawk 5.5" and gave it to my buddy in a trade for a couple of reasons.
One is that I'll be getting a Desert Eagle .44 as part of the trade!
Two is that I prefer Hogue grips on my firearms and they don't cover the backstrap, so the web of my hand gets POUNDED, causing my Bus Driver's arthritically challenged hands a LOT of PAIN! No kidding.
I have arthritis in both hands that just wasn't taking what the Redhawk dishes out. My hands are smaller than average, so switching to a Pachmayr Decelerator grip wasn't a good option...it made the trigger reach too long.
Therefore, I've committed myself to getting a Ruger SuperRedhawk in .44 until my buddy comes through with the DE44.
The SuperRedhawk has the totally covered grip peg and will provide much needed cushion for my hands.
I don't have any SmiffenWessins - YET.
I have a Hogue grip for a K/L Frame that will need a home someday.
Come to think of it, I have a Hogue grip for a 1911, too...hmmmmm.
Better get that DE44 Hogue grip NOW!
44mag@ucnsb.net
New member
BusGunner007,
I hope your friend is getting you the Israeli model .44, it has the smaller grip frame and very comfortable to shoot. The American .44's are built on the same frame as the .50 AE, fat grips. Good luck. As a side note, these guns require specific handloading, they have an interesting ability to throw brass in a different location as you change your loads.
.44mag
I hope your friend is getting you the Israeli model .44, it has the smaller grip frame and very comfortable to shoot. The American .44's are built on the same frame as the .50 AE, fat grips. Good luck. As a side note, these guns require specific handloading, they have an interesting ability to throw brass in a different location as you change your loads.
.44mag
BusGunner007
New member
Thanks. I don't want to hijack a thread here, but I did tell him I wanted the MkVII that has the skinny slide without the scopemount.
It'll save him money to find one of those in basic black...and if it's the Isreali job, good for me!
I just read somewhere that the SuperRedhawk has a shorter trigger reach than the regular Redhawk. Guess this is all great information on this thread for my smaller hands!
Thanks, Gentlemen.
It'll save him money to find one of those in basic black...and if it's the Isreali job, good for me!
I just read somewhere that the SuperRedhawk has a shorter trigger reach than the regular Redhawk. Guess this is all great information on this thread for my smaller hands!
Thanks, Gentlemen.
44mag@ucnsb.net
New member
BusGunner007,
Sounds like the Israeli to me. I had the opportunity to shoot one a few years back and have been wanting one ever since. I just keep finding other deals to spend my money on, I am sure you know how that goes. My best friend has the American .50 AE and it has such a large grip on it. Good luck with both guns, great choices.
.44mag
Sounds like the Israeli to me. I had the opportunity to shoot one a few years back and have been wanting one ever since. I just keep finding other deals to spend my money on, I am sure you know how that goes.
My best friend has the American .50 AE and it has such a large grip on it. Good luck with both guns, great choices. .44mag
Sa-mokin hot! I used a 24/240/2400 load years ago in my Virginian Dragoon that I forgot all about until I read that. I never had the moxie to push anything near that hot through my model 29.I stick with 2400 even for the plinkers. My Unique loads didn't seem to work as well.
BTW - I'd go 629 or even 329PD over the Ruger in .44. Above .44, no contest. Ruger all the way.
Unique is a finicky powder to use sometimes...ive always had good luck with it in 44 mag, while at the same time, most other pistol rounds required mass amounts of tweaking to even get acceptable results. Really though, that particular load isnt all that hot and hasnt done my 629 a bit of harm despite the thousands of rounds of this load that ive put through it...it does make you back up a bit and kinda make you say wow, but pressure wise, it runs fairly low compared to some other loads. Its a most impressive fireball when fired at dusk or early in the morning...took a deer at dawn last year with that load...the muzzle flash probably killed it more than the bullet! I wouldnt run anything hotter than that in most 44 mags except maybe a blackhawk...Old Elmer Keith used to run quite a bit more 2400 with the same bullet...but then he also blew alot of guns up. Ive gotten alot more velocity with a slower powder like H110 or Lil Gun and runs at even lower pressures, but its kind of a wasteful powder to get good velocities...anything under 23 grains just doesnt perform. Ive loaded up to 28 of the H110 in my redhawk with a slightly lighter bullet...the muzzle blast is plain horrific and the recoil is quite painful to say the least.
44mag@ucnsb.net
New member
You should keep in mind that Elmer Keith was using Smiths and Colts when he was handloading. The original Keith bullet was also a 250 grain .44, Lyman has used the basic design create to a "keith type" bullet in numerous sizes and calibers. Also if it weren't for those blown up guns, we most likely wouldn't be shooting the .44 magnum today.
.44mag
.44mag