.44 Magnums

S

Species1951

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I,m soon to be in the market for a "woods gun" and as I don't reload the 4" 44mag looks real good.It seems to do it all with the right ammunition.
As for the *&* revolvers model 29,629,and Mountain Gun what is
the difference between them other than blue and stainless ?
I'm looking at Taurus(M44) and Ruger(RH) but wanted to sort out the Smiths first.
Best
John
 
Weight, mostly. I don't know the specs but the Mountain Gun is very light and made for carrying while the 29 and 629 are a handful. Four inch 29s seem to be hard to find these days, so I don't know that I'd want to abuse one in the woods. Newer models like the 629 Classic series are said to be more robust than the older 29s, but somebody else can tell you if that's true or not. I bought my old man a 5-inch 629 classic a few years ago and it's a delight. Very accurate, fun to shoot, and the 5-inch barrel seems perfect. It also a little on the heavy side for something that's just going to be a trail gun.

Can't tell you anything about Taurus. I bought a 7-inch Ruger Super Blackhawk a few years ago, great gun. Only thing I don't like is that the squared trigger guard on mine can dig into your fingers when using hot loads and a two handed hold.
 
I've ownd a regular 629, 4" for 6 years. It is a great gun. I carry it hunting, tracking and have it handy when chsing off poachers. Weight has never been an issue. With full power loads it can really wear on you. I like the concept of the mountain gun but prefer having more weight and metal. I did replace the rubber grips with wood. The rubber would rub a large blister in the palm on my hand. I recently had the trigger worked and am contemplating using it in action pistol with 44spcl. In the off season it is my nightstand gun stoked with Georgia Arms 200g Speer Gold Dot 44spcls. If I could only have one pistol, it would be this one.

Smith has new American owners. It might be time to revisit them????

tjg
 
Welcome aboard, John.

Seems like I just posted this on another thread.

There are ergonomic reasons to get a single action rather than a double action. The single action spreads the shock of the kick onto your whole hand while the double tends to concentrate it more to the thumb web and thubm pad area.

Best to go to the range and rent one of each before you decide which is right for you. A '44 magnum has a pretty good kick.
 
The Mountain Gun has a tapered barrel with no underlug to cut down on weight (the front of the cylinder is also lightly beveled). The 629 Classic/Classic DX have the full underlug. Any 629-2 or later will have the "endurance package" to help it stand up to heavy loads without the cylinder counterrotating. The 629-5 marks the introduction of the cheesy, bargain-basement MIM parts and the frame-mounted firing pin.

Here's my Mag-Na-Ported 629-1 3" RB (has full-profile barrel, and is therefore pretty much as heavy as the Mountain Gun despite having a shorter tube)

629snub1.jpg
 
weight

The Mountain weighs 4 oz less than the 4 inch M29/629 and it's all in the barrel. I have numerous configurations and if you plan on plinking a'bit I'd go with a 4 or 5 inch , although the Mountain is my favorite. Superb balance. A modern Classic by many people's standard. Best...dewey
 
It's the weight as those above have pointed out. Me, I like the extra weight, but I'm a sensitive man of the new century.

Watch those ported barrels too. Test fire different ammo (remember your lab coat) and SEE what is best. Where did all this purple come from [blink, blink]?
 
I've handled the Taurus, and it's really nice.

IIRC, the Taurus is ported, so expect to lose a bit of velocity to the vents.
 
44 gold dot spcls, sounds like the right defensive round too me, after a healthy session with magnum and special rounds the other day with my factory gripped redhawk, i can see no better solution for home defense than this gun with that round
 
The "Classic"

Cast my vote for a 5" Smith & Wesson 629-5 .44 magnum.
Mine has a "buttery smooth" double action. Should make
an excellent wild boar gun; if you stoke it with the right
loads.

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member
 
I always thought it was pretty cheeky of them to continue referring to the dash-5 as the "Classic". It's more like the "New Coke". ;)
 
Why don't you reload? You must start, you know. You will save money, shoot more and become a better marksman, and you can create the exact load for every situation.
 
Good point Tamara. The last "Classic" 44 I saw had a 5" barrel with a full length underlug. I don't think either of those two features were regularly offered before on the Model 29.

Maybe the marketing types were trying to create a new "classic" as they were discontinuing the original (blue steel Model 29s with 4", 6.5" or 8 3/8" barrels).
 
Classic

Could be wrong as my memory isn't what it was but I seem to recall when the Classics and DX's first come out there were blue ones with underlug barrel albeit not for long.
 
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