Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns The best 44 mag revolver ever? ??

Is which one and why? I am not referring to custom guns but generally commercially produced.

The first one.

The 3" nickel S+W 29 I HAD! Miss that baby.

a 4 inch Nickel model 29.

Colt, of course.

I assume you meant 1970's to 80's vintage?

For me a 629. The Ruger might take a bit more, but needs some help to match the Smith. Colt's are rarified air now, in the realm of collectables. Money lost if one really shoots them.

4 inch 629 is a thing of beauty.

Freedom Arms FA-83.

Best of the best would have to be the Mountain Gun.

A 629 Classic. Pre-lock, pre-MIM Upgraded materials and heat treat, CNC precision, but before they started making silly decisions. Pick your favorite barrel length. Mine is 5", though this 6½ isn't going anywhere...



The DX models came with extra accessories, and were hand-selected for accuracy. Factory test target included.

Honorable mention to the original pre-29's, a handful of which were made in a 5" barrel

Its not really difficult to "clean up" an all stainless gun and the very first Smiths are a lot more rarified than the Colt runs.

Personally, I don't find any problem with shooting any of them.

"Best" is subjective.

If I wanted a DA to be shot with controllable (for most) DA loads, it would be a Smith.
If I wanted to load a stomper, it would be a FA or Ruger Redhawk or Bisley.

The one gun that does the best for the "middle ground" I'd pick the Colt. The DA can be tuned very easily to do the light stuff and its built not unlike the Redhawk.

If DA isn't in the equation or long range silhouette is the game, again, entirely subjective...

This un...

Had a Mountain Gun for a while, much prefer this 5"er.

Yep. I am pleased to have one, even a matching Bianchi holster. There were a handful of 5" DX models, which is darn near 629 Nirvana

I've had Super Blackhawks, Redhawks and several Model 29's and a 629 or two. Prettiest was this old 29-2.



Best shooter of the bunch was a Redhawk that had trigger work and an overtravel stop installed.

The Model 629 is the best 44 mag pistol period.

I have more than a few but, for me, this Improved #5 that Bill Grover was commercially building. He built mine for me in 1993 after a visit to his shop.

I'm partial to my 629 4 inch. Love this trusty Smith!

Smith&Wesson 629-3 or 629-4 Classic DX

Full endurance package(take more shooting than earlier Smith .44 mags). Pre lock/pre MIM, Forged parts. Factory accuracy tested and held to higher standard than non DX Classics or standard 629's. Stainless to stay looking better with use.

The 5" was very limited but nothing wrong with the 6.5 or 8 3/8" depending on your need/use.

Ruger Redhawk, although if I'd owned and shot a .44 Anaconda it might best it. The only Anaconda I can remember owning was in 45 Colt, so no direct experience.

I think Ed makes a pretty good case for a specific model 629, but taken as a whole, the 629's just aren't as robust.

Dan Wesson made a good one, but they are not commonly encountered. I owned one for awhile but don't remember enough about it to put it in the running.

I'd throw out all single actions because everything considered, double action is better.