44 MAGNUM S&W 29 SHOULD I BUY IT?GOOD FOR DEFENSE?

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1911guy

Inactive
Hello guys i was lokking at a S&W 29 44 mag at my gun shop today with a 6 in barrel i belive good finish for $425 should i buy it? Always wanted one of these for any "punks that feel lucky". How is the recoil? Also can it be used for defense?I know a guy who carried a custom short barreled mod 29 3in i think for over 25 years.I think he used magnum loads in it too i can't say for sure.Are there any kind of defense rounds for these guns?JHP JSP something along those lines? How do these guns hold up? I am seriosly thinking about moving to vermont in the near future so concealment won't be a problem. Are there any rounds that will not overpenitrate a two legged animal,but still dump it's energy in the target?Pepole carry 10mm guns for ccw aren't some of those 10mm rounds pretty potent themselves?How loud is a 44 magnum?In a home defense situation would i be permanently deaf?Or would adreniline save my ears? Freians of mine were in nam and had mortars and ak-47 fire around them constantly they can still hear some say they never really heard any shots or that they sounded far away even though they wern't. Is any of this stuff true? It's all confusing sometime.
Thanks for any help'1911guy
 
For that price??? I drive a toyota pickup extra cab that gets me from point A to B. Then I get into having guys with tricked out Z-71 4X4's trying to race me down the freeway. They don't get too far ahead of me, but, boy they think they do. What the hell you say. I'll hit my target at 25 yards and kill you just the same with my my .357 sig as you will with your M-29. No difference, just a matter of macho vs. capability. ie; you can have an M-60 and not hit squat and I can have a .22 and drop you from afar, get a reasonable weapon not a placebo for.... your....
 
Thats too damn much for a used 29. way too damn much. A stainless and just like new, if you just have to have it.
 
It`s all about what makes you sleep well at night, don`t let ANYBODY tell you what you "need" or "don`t need" because in the end, when the guns are all gone, you`ll wish you had gotten those ones that you had no "need" for, but really wanted...
Only my opinion.
Some guns I own are only in my collection because I "really wanted one of those". They sit way more than others, but I feel good knowing that they`re mine, no regrets.
Follow your heart, as you know guns are very personal things that fill very personal needs...
I`m getting sentimental now, but according to my wife I don`t "need" alot of my guns, but Thank God I Have Them! ;)

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SHOOT,COMMUNICATE AND MOVE OUT !
 
Thats kind of expensive for a used 29. I use a S&W 66 loaded with federal FBI .38's for my house gun. I would not shoot a .44 in the
house.
 
I just picked up a brand new 629 for that price, might be a bit high. This gun is loud and it sends a shock wave through your body, I wear ear plugs and ear muffs shooting outside, could not imagine shooting inside, as far a defence I would not want to be looking at the end of its barrel, whether the bad guy is behind a wall or car, it a bad day if you come up against 44 mag.
 
I have a 629 SS 8 3/8 barrel and I paid about $429. for it new back in the 80s. Still have it and will never part with it. It's a great piece. It was accurate as hell right out of the box. They are loud and do pack a punch. Had to change the grips on mine because the original diamond grips were sharp enough and cutting my hand from the recoil,so I changed them to smooth factory grips. Anyway if you have to have it go for it. But unless that is ANIB condition that does seem a little much for one used.
Hope this helps :) Let us know what you do ;)

Happy Shooting :)

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We preserve our freedoms by using four boxes: soap,ballot,jury, and cartridge.
Anonymous

[This message has been edited by loknload (edited June 09, 2000).]
 
I agree the price seems a little high for a used 29 but if you want it, go for it. Just because it's a 44 Mag. you don't have to shoot 44 Mags in it. For home defense I'd get some 44 Spcl Silver Tips and never look back. If a .45 ACP is a good defense cartridge then a 44 Spcl. is too. regards, birdman
 
For a point of reference, that gun new here in the PRK is about $600 in stainless and the local range has a used (rental) for sale for $399.

[This message has been edited by bullseye (edited June 09, 2000).]
 
1911 be cool. I have the 'Dirty Harry Special', stainless 7 3/4" barrel and I love it! It is in no way a self defence gun especially with .44mag ammo. After 3 rapid succession rounds the barrel heats up and accuracy is out the window. It will drop a whitetail like a bad habit and 150 yard shots are not fish stories. You will enjoy it immensely but not in a self-defence role.
PS - The grips on the s&W have a problem with wearing loose and the aftermarket soft rubber grips are too thin and kill the palm of your hand. I am currently looking into some laminate aftermarket grips.
 
1911guy,

That price sounds about right for a fully lugged 629 with a 6 inch barrel. Twenty-five bucks less would be perfect. Don't know about 44 Magnum for defense though, it is a bit overpowering. A 44 Magnum has twice the power of a 10mm. Unless you have other intentions for this firearm, hunting lets say, you would be better served with a .357 Magnum. There are all kinds of defensive ammunitions available and much more pleasant to shoot targets with. Another problem that you will encounter with such a large firearm is concealability and weight. Forty-four is not any louder than any other centerfire, but recoil is stout.

Robert
 
This has been debated alot, I don't think firing a 44mag indoors without ear protection would make one go deaf necessarily- but I would suspect that the sudden burst could cause some internal damage
(I know someone who got caught with their ear protection off in an indoor range)- a guy cracked off a round of 357mag and his ears were ringing for "hours"- it eventually went away, but you have to know that this wasn't a good thing and there very well could have been some damage done (heard that he went to see an Audiologist, but don't know what the outcome was).


Personally, I would not fire a 44mag in a house- just for the fact that its so damn powerful.
 
I can say when we were in and out of gun shops last week looking for my Taurus we ran across several used S&W 29 6" barrel and they were going for about $325-$350 and these had very little wear on them.

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WHEN IT COMES TO FRIENDS THE SKY IS NOT THE LIMIT
TFL End of Summer Meet, August 12th & 13th, 2000
 
I have an Anaconda .44 Magnum with a 6 inch barrel. I carried it concealed no more than 5 times in a nylon Uncle Mike's shoulder holster.

Contrary to Git_Some.45's advice, I'm going to tell you what you need. If you carry a Model 29 for self defense, you will need a good chiropractor. Those things are heavy! If you're looking for a revolver to carry, you would be much better served with a .357.
 
I do carry a 629, both 3" and 4". Yes, they are heavy, even with a good holster/belt combo. I usually carry Winchester Silvertips in .44 Special. It depends on what you desire in the way of a holster and your size is on whether it is a good carry peice for concealment. I prefer it because i shoot it better than any other weapon. The seems pretty high. Most here in S. Texas for used go from around $325 average. The holsters
I use for my guns are made by Kramer and M/D Enterprises. Good luck on your decision.
 
I don't know about the price being too high. It depends on your location. Area "A" might call that a really cheap price, and Area "B" might think it way out of line. I'd make a counter offer, ay $50 below what he'a asking. If he says "No.", offer to split the difference. Usually works for me (99% of the time anyway).
As a defensive gun? I would not feel ill armed with my 629, even with full power loads. Do I feel it is the best way to go? No, I don't. But if it was all I had, I still would not feel ill armed.
Anyway. I think every man should own a good .44 Mag. :)
All I shoot in mine are full power 240/250 gr. and 300 gr. cast bullet loads. If I want to shoot .44 Spl., I use an S&W pre-agreement 624. BTW. The last 29 I looked at was minty, literally unfired and was $450 firm. I'm still kicking myself for not buying it, but the guy absolutely would not talk down. :(
When the .44 Mag. came out, Elmer Keith loved it. Julian Hatcher felt you HAD to wear a glove to shoot it, and Charlie Askins hated it. Well, We all know how Elmer thinks, Hatcher was a wimp, and for a gun he hated so much, why did Askins use it to shoot a VC in Nam? BTW. I have the report on the .44 Mag. By Hatcher in an old copy of the American Rifleman. I had one of the first Model 29's to reach San Francisco, sometime back in 1956 or 57. Came by it in a roundabout way, albeit legal. Was at my favorite gunshop when a guy came in and bought the 29 that had just come in. He traded an early pre-war .357 Mag. (pre model # with certificaste, original box and all paperwork) on It. Shop owner gave him $65 for the .357. Sold it to me for the same $65. Well, the next weekend at the range, here's the guy with the new .44. Fired two or three shots, and put it down. Didn.t like the gun at all. I asked if I could try it. It kicked, but was tolerable. Guy saw I had his old pistol, and asked if I would trade for the new .44? I did. Never looked back. Sure wish I still had it, but when the prices skyrocketed due to the black market, I just could not resist. Another self-administered kick to backside, if you please.
Get the .44. You'll love it.
Paul B.
 
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