Thanks for the advice on buying my first revolver( i have a few questions)

S

Sharp

Inactive
I went with the S&W 629 with the 4 barrel over the Ruger redhawk. My home security right now is a Remington marine magnum 12ga. But I would like to use the 629 for my nightstand piece and need some ideas for loads to use. I have a concern
of over penetration. A friend said to use magsafe or glasers.
Questions:
1)Loads for home defense?
2)Is it safe to dry fire with out snap caps?
3)What kind of accuracy should i expect with the 4 barrel
out to 25 yards?

Thanks for any advice.
 
Right, you have two basic options:

1) Frangibles (Magsafe or Glaser) work GREAT in a .44Mag!!! Don't get .44Spl versions, get the full-tilt magnums. Frangibles always work better the faster they go, and they're actually safer - at high speed, they'll shatter on sheetrock versus make it through in one partially deformed clump at lower speeds. Recoil will be manageable, because the slugs are so light.

If you have thin apartment walls going on, I would recommend the "blue tip" Glasers. Smaller shot size means less damage done on the other side of walls if you miss the target.

If your neighbors aren't quite so close, or if you're dealing with cold weather and a home invader that might be heavily dressed, switch to the "silver tip" Glasers with larger lead pellets for a deeper punch.

2) A lot of companies make good "combat light load JHPs" for the .44Magnum. Most such rounds try to duplicate the performance of very healthy .45ACP/.45ACP+P loads. ProLoad has a 200grain Speer Gold Dot JHP rated at 1,050 from a 4" tube:
http://www.proload.com/specifications.htm

Cor-Bon's version of the same concept uses a 165grain JHP at 1,300fps in their "self defense line":
http://www.cor-bon.com/ammo.html

There are many other examples of this sort of "shoot hot-rod .45ACP from a .44Magnum case" concept. Power levels are WAY down from full-house hunting levels - compare the muzzle energy of Cor-Bon's .44Mag defense load above (619ft/lbs) with the *mildest* of their hunting loads:
http://www.cor-bon.com/huntammo.html (but note that these are measured in a 7.5" tube versus 4" for their defense load - knock about 150fps from the hunting loads to compare and they're still way hotter)

Lots of others sell "self defense load" .44Magnums, and the vast majority will work great. I'd pick the Pro-load myself, based on the rep of the Gold Dot projectile...but once Cor-Bon converts their entire product line to the Pow'R'Ball concept, that will probably be the one to beat.

----------------

If it was me: in an apartment with thin walls between me and a neighbor, Glaser Blues. General street carry: two Glaser Blues followed by four of that Proload 200gr and the Proloads in speedloaders. Unless the Cor-Bon grouped better, which I would seriously doubt. Cold Weather: substitute blues for silvers, or maybe just run the Proloads.
 
Federal makes a Hydra-Shok for the .44 mag.

It's a 240 gr @ 1180 fps out of a 6 1/2 inch tube. Out of the 4 inch, it should be around 1000 fps.

This puts it just ahead of the excellent and highly thought of Federal Hydra-Shok for the .45acp, which is a 230 gr @ 850 fps.

Federal, Cor-Bon, Proload,,,all good choices.

Federal also has a .44Special which is a 200 gr lead hp @ 900 fps out of a 6 1/2 in barrel.



-dry fire--
Follow all the safety rules and have at it. Snap caps aren't a requirement. Some use em. most don't. I never have in my Model 29-2 and have never had any problems. YYMV.

--accuracy--
Do your part, the Smith should do it's. I've never specifcly fired mine for accuracy so I can't give you an idea of group sizes. Generally, the slugs hit within a caliber or 2 of what I'm aiming at ut to 25 yards. Out of a machine rest a good 29 or 629 should give one hole at 25 yards. I may be a bit biased because te .44 is my favorite caliber, but I personally feel the .44 family is the most accruate production caliber made today. Whatever the reason, the .44 Special family has always had a very good reputation for acuracy from the get go.
 
Ya, I forgot to mention that: with JHPs, you can go with .44Spls which will generally be a bit milder than the "detuned combat .44mag" loads.

I wouldn't, unless the "44mag combat loads" are too much recoil for you (not too likely, as they're way below the max the gun can handle).

Avoid .44Spl frangibles, not .44Spl per se :).
 
Congartulations, you have an excellent revolver.
Questions:

1)Loads for home defense?

Avoid pre fragmmented ammunition. Its performace is unpredictable. In your situation I would ude a 200 grain .44 Special JHP load. It would be a good idea to have a loaded speed loader with your revolver and a good flashlight.

2)Is it safe to dry fire with out snap caps?

Yes

3)What kind of accuracy should i expect with the 4 barrel
out to 25 yards?

With an identical pistol I get outstanding accuracy. With practice and good ammunition I get 2 to 5 inch groups depending on the type of ammunition used.
 
A lot of people make generalized statements about frangibles, and in lesser calibers many of them are warranted.

But in full-house .44Mag, frangibles just plain ROCK. Of all the handgun rounds you could possibly fling MY way, those would be the #1 round I wouldn't wanna get nailed by.
 
I also recommend the frangibles from the .44 magnum, their simply devastating. Avoid frangibles in any intermediate handgun caliber.
 
Another "frangible" to consider is RBCD's 110 gr. loading rated at 2400 fps (or download to their 44 Spl 110 gr at 2100 fps!). Either of these two (albeit expensive) rounds ought to work well out of a 4-in barrel for home defense.
 
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