Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns S&W 629 44 mag ---stout?

There is no "may be a little stronger" the RedHawks is a LOT stronger. I have re chambered 2 RedHawks to 454, try that in a S&W and let me know how it goes.

As Dan Chambelin posted the m-29 has nice lines. No question.

For a .44Spl. And for the record, a 240gr at 1200fps is not a .44Mag load. It is a heavy, 26,000psi .44Spl load. The .44Mag will sling a bullet 115gr heavier, 150fps faster.

There is no doubt that the Redhawk is significantly stronger. Brian Pearce provides us with 50,000psi data that the Redhawk/Super Redhawk thrives on but would take an N-frame apart. Same for the .45Colt version, whereas the S&W should be kept at 21-22,000psi, or less than HALF the pressure.

However, that does not mean N-frames are useless. Which is why I have four of them but my lone Ruger DA is a .480. The N-frame is a beautifully designed and proportioned sixgun that is a joy to own and to shoot with appropriate loads. It's just not as strong as the big Rugers. With loads no hotter than Keith's 1200fps .44Spl load, they will last a very long time.

For a 44 mag the Smith is barely strong enough and the Ruger is more than strong enough. It doesn't matter what ones emotional attachment is to a Smith or how much one disdains Ruger, that is the fact of the matter. And for the price difference between them you can pay for a trigger job on the ruger

my mom bought me a 629 for my 18th birthday. I loaded the thing to the nuts for years. I am 40 now. I don't hot rod it near as much as before, but suffice it to say it has been around the block a time or two. I own a 329 and a SRH and I do not feel at all handicapped with a smith. I loaded 24grs of 296 under a 240 for an easy 16 pounds of powder before I settled down.

I don't know how many rounds it takes to shoot one loose.....but it will be expensive to get there.

I loaded 23 grains of 296 behind a 327 grain bullet in the RedHawks for years, try that in the S&W and lets us know how that works out. Hint don't do it the Smith won't take it.

629s UBER ALLES!!!

Luckily I have no reason to do that.

That sounds like a good load...for the Marlin carbine.

And how did that eject shells?.....with a drift?

I've owned the pistol for the recoil junkies, a 19oz 45lc+p rated 450ti snubbie. Anymore a reasonable stout load of 296 in the smith allows me to hit apples at 75 paces with good regularity.

I load my 629 4" @ 1200 fps with a hard cast 255 gr. I really have no desire to shoot 300 gr bullets. I don't think I will ever buy Redhawks they are heavy and ugly. I don't find women or handguns attractive when they are like that.
Will a hard cast 255 gr bullet bounce off any flesh and bone in North America?
whelennut

very true

Marlins 1 in 38 twist isn't good with heavy long bullets.

Cases fell out of the RedHawk.

lol

Forrest Gump's mother said it right: "Pretty is as pretty does". Over the years I have come to liking Redhawks pretty well. Don't get me wrong, I like Smiths too. But if I'm gonna really get after it I'll take the Redhawk. Just one guy's opinion.

That load killed moose rather well.

I don't doubt it, but I have no need for it because my God was bright enough to invent rifles.

Handguns for me should be handy. Once I'm lugging around 5 pound scoped handgun in enough leather to take 2 cows to make, I should just as well have a rifle.

A RedHawk isn't that large. I loaded the ammo and the shooter was packing moose meat that his hunting partner had killed therefore was only packing the pistol as bear protection when his opportunity came.

Makes a lot of sense in this case.

Good Lord, a 5½" Redhawk .44 weighs a whopping 2oz more than a 6" model 29. Even a 7½" Ruger SRH .480 only weighs 5oz more. Perception is everything.

My pal bought a 5.5 in. Redhawk .44.. If he sells I get first chance.. I like my Smiths, but that is a nice pistol.. I seldom shoot heavy loads so that is not an issue..

It's great that 29/629 fans are happy with 44 so loads, but the op specifically asked about heavy loads. Again there is a stark difference in strength between the two guns.