Standing Wolf
Member in memoriam
I recommend http://www.magnaport.com
Snubbie .44 Magnum: a viable option?
- Thread starter krept
- Start date
I own a S&W Model 629 with a 3" barrel.
I bought it as a sidearm to carry while big game hunting. I wanted the short barrel so it wouldn't poke into the seat of my pickup or into the dirt or rocks when I am sitting.
I carry it loaded with full house loads using 240 grain LBT cast bullets in an El Paso Saddlery holster.
I never tried to get my split times with it. It serves it's purpose well and that is all I care about.
As was mentioned previously: the recoil is highly exagerated.
I bought it as a sidearm to carry while big game hunting. I wanted the short barrel so it wouldn't poke into the seat of my pickup or into the dirt or rocks when I am sitting.
I carry it loaded with full house loads using 240 grain LBT cast bullets in an El Paso Saddlery holster.
I never tried to get my split times with it. It serves it's purpose well and that is all I care about.
As was mentioned previously: the recoil is highly exagerated.
)retiredsquid
New member
S&W 329PD. Enuff said. 
Rich
Rich
retiredsquid,
The gent who bought our first 329 (who is also, coincidentally, a retired squid!) actually shot a cylinder of 280gr Cor-Bons through it. He knew it was a mistake after the first one, but decided to tough it out through the rest of the cylinder. He says he had difficulty writing and picking up small objects for the next few days...
The gent who bought our first 329 (who is also, coincidentally, a retired squid!) actually shot a cylinder of 280gr Cor-Bons through it. He knew it was a mistake after the first one, but decided to tough it out through the rest of the cylinder. He says he had difficulty writing and picking up small objects for the next few days...
retiredsquid
New member
Tamara,
Mine does not get small tactical nukes fired from it. I've also got a set of S&W 500 recoil absorbing grips on it and it is quite comfortable with my handloads.
Rich
Mine does not get small tactical nukes fired from it.
I've also got a set of S&W 500 recoil absorbing grips on it and it is quite comfortable with my handloads.Rich
Kamicosmos
New member
My local gunstore apparently bought someone's S&W .44 collection. Among the other pieces were two little snubbies, one a 629, the other a beautiful blued with non fluted cylinder! Price was A-OK, but I'm currently unemployed, so I walked away from them. 
A friend tried to cheer me up by saying 'Remember how those H110 158 grain loads felt in the SP101? Imagine your Crowd Pleasers in one of those snubbies!" It helped a bit, but I still want a .44 Snub...
A friend tried to cheer me up by saying 'Remember how those H110 158 grain loads felt in the SP101? Imagine your Crowd Pleasers in one of those snubbies!" It helped a bit, but I still want a .44 Snub...
dairycreek
New member
kalibear45
New member
warhammer357
Moderator
I sometimes carry and shoot a 3 inch 629 with full lug under the barrel and an unfluted cylinder. Because of the extra weight it shoots about as easily as a standard 4 inch model. I use full power ammo too.
I have not fired the Trail Boss, so I cant comment on it. I can say that the John Jovino Terminator .44 mags from back in the late 80s were snubbies and I fired one that was not too harsh with full power ammo. A lot of the bitching about .44 recoil is really more about muzzle blast than recoil. Lets be honest. a hot load in a .44 mountain revolver still kicks less than a standard 12 guage.
I have not fired the Trail Boss, so I cant comment on it. I can say that the John Jovino Terminator .44 mags from back in the late 80s were snubbies and I fired one that was not too harsh with full power ammo. A lot of the bitching about .44 recoil is really more about muzzle blast than recoil. Lets be honest. a hot load in a .44 mountain revolver still kicks less than a standard 12 guage.
Isn't it nice to see this place open again.
Good subject and timely, for me.
I had been looking for a 610 under 4" bbl - I like 10MM - but decided to stop looking when I had an opportunity to buy a 629 3" bbl for under $400. I couldn't say no. It was in excellent shape. Using 240 gn. jacketed lfp, I do not have a control problem with double taps - assuming that hitting 8x10 COM at 7-10 yards rapid fire is good control. As a carry gun, I think this is acceptable, so I decided to go with it - not as my primary carry weapon but as an option.
I have heard that there are some police tactical loads that are supposed to be low recoil and highly effective defensive rounds - I don't have access to my data now but I believe that they were 200 gn. @ 1050 fps with something like a gold dot bullet. That would be like the FBI light load in 180 gn for 10MM. Taking the comparison further, I found the .44Mag 240 gn. "range ammo" and 240 gn. hydrashoks to have the equivalent perceived recoil as a 175 gn Win Silvertips in 10 MM, which sealed it for me as a viable CCW option.
I think that in order to make a good concealed carry option, it has to be reliable (no problem at all), allow for rapid and accurate combat fire (room for improvement) actionable from a decent holsterm (doesn't seem to be any barrier at all) and it has to meet other criteria, such as having as few snag points as possible.
I decided to get a few holsters, a shoulder rig and a paddle, from Andrews Leather, along with some speed load carriers. The next wteps I want to take are getting better grips - I am looking at the Pachyderm "shcok absorbing" grips -and doing something with the sights. I would like to replace the front sight with some form of a lower profile, more snag free night sight and the rear sights with a snag free option, something like the Novaks I have on my Smith 1076.
How have you all solved the CCW aspects - or do you see the necessity?
El L
Good subject and timely, for me.
I had been looking for a 610 under 4" bbl - I like 10MM - but decided to stop looking when I had an opportunity to buy a 629 3" bbl for under $400. I couldn't say no. It was in excellent shape. Using 240 gn. jacketed lfp, I do not have a control problem with double taps - assuming that hitting 8x10 COM at 7-10 yards rapid fire is good control. As a carry gun, I think this is acceptable, so I decided to go with it - not as my primary carry weapon but as an option.
I have heard that there are some police tactical loads that are supposed to be low recoil and highly effective defensive rounds - I don't have access to my data now but I believe that they were 200 gn. @ 1050 fps with something like a gold dot bullet. That would be like the FBI light load in 180 gn for 10MM. Taking the comparison further, I found the .44Mag 240 gn. "range ammo" and 240 gn. hydrashoks to have the equivalent perceived recoil as a 175 gn Win Silvertips in 10 MM, which sealed it for me as a viable CCW option.
I think that in order to make a good concealed carry option, it has to be reliable (no problem at all), allow for rapid and accurate combat fire (room for improvement) actionable from a decent holsterm (doesn't seem to be any barrier at all) and it has to meet other criteria, such as having as few snag points as possible.
I decided to get a few holsters, a shoulder rig and a paddle, from Andrews Leather, along with some speed load carriers. The next wteps I want to take are getting better grips - I am looking at the Pachyderm "shcok absorbing" grips -and doing something with the sights. I would like to replace the front sight with some form of a lower profile, more snag free night sight and the rear sights with a snag free option, something like the Novaks I have on my Smith 1076.
How have you all solved the CCW aspects - or do you see the necessity?
El L
I had a 3" Lew Horton I carried as ccw and as hiking gun in Colorado some years back. I used a Remington (?) 240g SWC midrange (1000 fps) load and my only complaint was leading. Shot great, very controllable, and looked to do whatever job it was called on to do, short of big bear. Some studies (not trying to start a fight) say that the Silvertip is a great defensive round. It makes sense to me that it would be. I wish I had tried some "back then." Maybe next time...
I forgot to add, I want to reduce the snaggability of the hammer as well. Something rounded with a little grooving/beveling whatever you call it.
I know a bit more that squat about .44 Mag ammo - isn't the Silvertip a 210 gn in .44 Mag? In 10 MM it is pretty decent, again, since they supposedly added some 50 to 100 fps to it. Not like the Corbons or other "you know, like it was meant to be Norma etc.", but it has a very clean burn and seems to have one of the lesser flashes, important for that little téte à téte en soirée.
El L
I know a bit more that squat about .44 Mag ammo - isn't the Silvertip a 210 gn in .44 Mag? In 10 MM it is pretty decent, again, since they supposedly added some 50 to 100 fps to it. Not like the Corbons or other "you know, like it was meant to be Norma etc.", but it has a very clean burn and seems to have one of the lesser flashes, important for that little téte à téte en soirée.
El L
Jbar4Ranch
New member
Like several others above, I also have a 3" blued M29 w/unfluted cylinder. Using slightly faster powders, such as AA#5, AA#7, or even as slow as Blue Dot, works better with the short barrel than conventional magnum powders like H110 or W296.
I also have a pancake holster and a shoulder rig. I remember someone once saying that they went IWB with a 629, but I thought it might be too much.
I am really concerned with the sights and hammer snagging on things like vests and the latter being a print problem source. Mine has this big target hammer.
Have you ever done a re-sighting job and had the hammer "bobbed"? The latter is pretty vague territory for me. My 1076 has a very bobbed hammer, a bit too much I think. Something with a bit more profile, but still rounded and with those little grippy things would be better.
Or?
I am really concerned with the sights and hammer snagging on things like vests and the latter being a print problem source. Mine has this big target hammer.
Have you ever done a re-sighting job and had the hammer "bobbed"? The latter is pretty vague territory for me. My 1076 has a very bobbed hammer, a bit too much I think. Something with a bit more profile, but still rounded and with those little grippy things would be better.
Or?
If the firing pin is hammer-mounted, you may want to post here or at the S&W Forum that you'd like to trade it for a combat-width one, or a bobbed one plus some cash. Older, un-altered, S&W hammers and triggers are dwindling in supply and starting to command silly prices.
The rear sight blade can be handily de-snagged with some light stoning and a touchup of cold blue, or you could go with the Cylinder & Slide "Extreme Duty" replacement fixed sights.
The Comp-Tac Gurkha I have rides such that the cylinder is right above my beltline, which is the only thing that makes toting these beasts IWB possible for me.
warhammer357
Moderator
>> am really concerned with the sights and hammer snagging on things like vests and the latter being a print problem source. Mine has this big target hammer.
<<<
THis goes against the grain of thinking, but my experience (and I carried these hoglegs for years, concealed) is that the wide rounded Target hammers are a lot less prone to snagging than the narrow "Combat" hammers.
Think for a second and then go try it for yourself. The narrow hammer has a smaller profile making it easier to snag in a fold or wrinkle of cloth. The wide hammers are not so prone to snagging.
I like the hammer on my 3 inch 629 as it is as wide as a Colt python hammer.
<<<
THis goes against the grain of thinking, but my experience (and I carried these hoglegs for years, concealed) is that the wide rounded Target hammers are a lot less prone to snagging than the narrow "Combat" hammers.
Think for a second and then go try it for yourself. The narrow hammer has a smaller profile making it easier to snag in a fold or wrinkle of cloth. The wide hammers are not so prone to snagging.
I like the hammer on my 3 inch 629 as it is as wide as a Colt python hammer.