Any opinions of the S&W "Trail Boss" 44 magnum?

B

Bennett Richards

New member
Just wondering if anyone out there had an opinion of the S&W "Trail Boss" 44 Mag revolver?

Do they come in different barrel lengths?
Accurate?

My last Smith was a M29 that I owned 25 years ago... Loved it.. Never should have sold it. Thinking the Trail Boss looked nice.

Is it?

Thanks,

Ben
 
I can't add a whole bunch, but a local shop sold a slightly used one a couple of weeks ago. I looked at it, but did not shoot it.

Had a 3" Magna-Ported barrel and the words "Trail Boss" laser etched on the left side plate. Other than that, it was a fairly standard 629.

Dealer said he thought it was a special run for Lew Horton or maybe RSR.

Asking price was $585. Not shure what it sold for...

Joe


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Go NRA
 
I had a Trailboss but I sold it. Wish I had it back. Mine had an action job from the performance center.

Accuracy was very good (excellent more like it). I carried it for a couple of years when I wandered around the grizzly bear management areas.

I shot a lot of 300 grain "bear loads" though the gun and I can tell you the recoil with stout loads is rather abusive. The porting helps, but once again, with heavy loads the thing kicks like a mule.
 
The Trail Boss is a 629 with 3" heavy barrel only. If you want a 4" light barrel, get the "Mountain Gun" version. 629's with the 4" heavy barrels are still fairly easy to find, and the 6" and 8" are available from S&W if you are still willing to buy from them.
The S&W heavy barrels are fairly straight sided and have a full length extractor rod lug; the light barrels have sharp taper just in front of the frame and the lug ends just past the end of the extractor rod.
Warning - you should fire a shart barreled .44 magnum gun before you buy it, the recoil can get pretty fierce. I need a shooting glove to handle my 657 (.41 Magnum) Lew Horton with a 3" heavy barrel. The short barrel comes up really fast and twists the gun in my hand. Without the shooting glove the rubber Hogue grips tend to scrape off layers of skin - you need a FIRM grip when you fire one of these. The hammering that the web of your hand gets isn't too pleasant either. My 6" barrel Hunter Classic is much more fun to shoot; the difference is the extra weight of the 6" full lug barrel hanging out in front reducing and slowing the muzzle rise.
 
I posted a thread a while back just as you have when I saw one of these guns at a dealer to get opinions. Needless to say, I bought it and will never look back. It has had an action job as by someone (smooth and light) and has fast become one of my favorite pistols.

It has wooden grips which I prefer as it allows the gun to roll back in your hand when fired instead of punching your palm as with rubber grips. Plus they look awesome on this very handsome pistol. The porting does a nice job keeping the barrel from flipping up also.

It is amazingly accurate for a 3" barrel, and is a blast (literally) to shoot. It is the most theraputic weapon I own, and I highly recommend it! Recoil is stiff, but managable. Not for the timid, but so what. Isn't recoil what livin's really all about?!?

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"When evil wins in the world, it is only by the default of the good. That is why one man of reason and moral stature is more important actually and potentially, than a million fools". -Ayn Rand
 
One more FWIW opinion: The greatest appeal of the Trail Boss and the other 2.5 to 3-inch 44's and 41 mags is their appearance which never fails to attract a fair following. As many have already noted, you'll find hitting your target much easier with a four inch standard barrel. Even the light barrelled Mountain Guns are more than many of us can handle with heavy loads--witness the light loads and lighter calibres which seem to be so popular now in that configuration.

The snub barrels on large frames are also a bear to holster properly. Hard to get the leverage on that short barrel to push that fat cylinder and grip into the body. Presents a problem in an IWB holster as well and the piece tries to ooze out of the belt. 3-inch barrels on a K-frame are handy and make a significant diffence over the 2.5 inch barrels, but in the N-Frame, there's just too much frame, grip, cylinder mass. Might be interesting to try a 3.5 inch and see if it's as handy as the old 27.

Found mine accurate as one could want in SA fire but a serious handful in trying to fire rapid DA fire which is really the only way such a piece should be fired. Serious problem to holster well--and I have a fair holster wardrobe--and ultimately, because I didn't carry them, sold it and several like pieces and opted for the 4-inch 29-2's and earlier.
 
I enjoy shooting my 3" Lew Horton, which is unported, but has the extra weight of an unfluted cylinder. With comparable loads, it seems to recoil less than a Mountain Gun.

A key to enjoying the gun is not shooting hot, heavy bullet loads. I tend to load 180 grain bullets around an estimated 1100-1200 fps. These, up to 240 grain bullets at similar velocities, aren't too bad.

Regarding the holster question, DeSantis has a couple of reasonably priced options.
 
I have an unported Lew Horton 3" 629. As far as I'm concerned, it is a top choice as a wilderness companion in bear/mountain lion country. True, the short barrel limits accuracy, and the recoil is fierce (but FUN-trust me) but it rides easily on the hip in a Desantis holster. This gun was made for the off-trail, wilderness area EXPLORER!
 
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