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Have a S&W 629 6" , I'm considering using it for scoped distance shooting.
Before I blow $300 ( or more ) on scope and mount, I would like to know
just how much distance this thing is capable of. Has anybody here used
this gun for distance shooting ?
"Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much" Teddy Roosevelt
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Campfire Tracker
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I have seen an unscoped 629 hit balloons at 100 yards. So I'm guessing with a good scope it will do small groups at mighty long ranges.
"Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much" Teddy Roosevelt
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
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I witnessed a shooter hitting a rifle gong at 500 meters about 50% or more with an open sighted 6" M-29. The distance is determined by the shooters ability more than any other factor IMHO
I got banned on another web site for a debate that happened on this site. That's a first
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I hit. 12x12 plate at 200 YDS once with my 8 3/8" barrel model 29. Lots of fun
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Hot', everyone's definition of "distance" varies. I've got preconceived notions of what Maryland looks like (having never been there) and it doesn't lend itself to the wide-open, target laden artillery ranges like the desert West has.........refer to Mackay's posts for photos of such places. Anyway, assuming you're maybe restricted to a 200-300yd public range, I would forego a scope for now. If you've got truly poor eyesight then do what you have to do however.
IMO a 6" M29 is a mighty handy revolver, and mounting a scope on it will fug that up a lot. Spend the $300 on ammo or components to build ammo, and work on your distance skills. I think you'll be happier in the long run. My .02c.
Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery.
--Winston Churchill
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
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Are you talking about hunting at long range, or long range target shooting?
Mechanincally a good 44 mag can be expected to produce 2 moa accuracy. If you really want to know what a good sixgun can do, work up loads from a solid rest off the bench and then practice at extended ranges.
While I personally don't care for how a scoped sixgun looks nor do I have any desire to pack one, I do know that I've always been able to shoot much better groups with a scoped sixgun than an iron sighted sixgun. Having the magnification to give you feedback on how unsteady your grip is and the added weight to settle the gun and absorb some of the recoil will more often than not improve your ability to hit at extended ranges.
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The main limitation, as I see it, is that the .44 mag is NOT a long range cartridge, even in a rifle. Making hits at 200 - 300 yards (or more) would involve a heck of a lot of "Kentucky Windage", and the bullet would not have a lot of energy at those ranges. The .44 mag is a wonderful "close range" round, which as a pistol round, is what it was designed for. I shoot sub sonic loads with 335gr Hard Cast, ,and they are both accurate and deadly - out to about 75 yards. Full power loads, because of the limits of the cartridge and the blunt bullets, don't add a whole lot to that. Years ago, I used to hit 2 liter plastic "Coke" bottles at 75 yards with an open sighted Contender 10" barrel .44 mag fairly well - that is sorta "long range" for a .44 mag to me.
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Campfire Tracker
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Have a S&W 629 6" , I'm considering using it for scoped distance shooting.
Before I blow $300 ( or more ) on scope and mount, I would like to know
just how much distance this thing is capable of. Has anybody here used
this gun for distance shooting ? Everyone is giving you advice, so I'll just talk to your original question. Some years back I had a pair of identical 629s. One had a Leopold 2.5 and one had open sights. The scoped revolver was sighted in at 75 yards. The open sighted revolver was sighted in at 50. The range I shot at had metal plates, 8" in diameter at distances from 75 yards, 100 yards, 150 yards and 200 yards. The plate diameter didn't change. With the scoped revolver, after learning my bullet drop, I could easily make repeated shots easily out to 150 yards with nary a miss, and I considered this to be my max distance on whitetails, standing still on a windless day with a good, steady rest! Keep in mind, the drop was enough that I never actually tried it on a real live animal, because of the variance in body size being used to determine distance. With a range finder, I might have done it. With the open sighted revolver, my hit ratio at 150 was considerably less. Even though the drop was the same, that 8" plate was mighty small. However, when I missed, the misses were pretty close - if you know what I mean. The funny thing was, with the open sighted revolver, I could knock over bowling pins standing off hand at 75 yards 5 out of 6 times! Those 6" N Frames point like lasers and the single action let-off is wonderful. Distance shooting is a lot of fun. A place I used to shoot had an old VW Beetle hood lid propped up against a tree at 300 yards. I found making 100% hits on it with my 1911A1 was easy if I aimed for a fork in the tree about 10 feet above it.
"It's a source of great pride, that when I google my name, I find book titles and not mug shots." Daniel C. Chamberlain
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I have a 2-6X on mine and shoot 2-3" 100 yard groups off a rest. I believe I could easily kill whitetails at 150 yards, if I had a rest. Have shot one at 75 or so yards.
NRA Patron
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I hit. 12x12 plate at 200 YDS once with my 8 3/8" barrel model 29. Lots of fun
I am talking about 200yd target shooting. It is a 629-3 and came from S&W already drilled and tapped. Mostly I want a fun new toy. 
"Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much" Teddy Roosevelt
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Campfire Regular
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the 44 mag silhouette with adjustable front site and 10 5/8" barrel ![[Linked Image]](http://www.grumpysperformance.com/293ss&w.jpg) ![[Linked Image]](http://www.grumpysperformance.com/swfront.jpg) ![[Linked Image]](http://www.grumpysperformance.com/swfront1.jpg) ![[Linked Image]](http://www.grumpysperformance.com/swfront2.jpg) it may not be popular but its incredibly accurate and I know a few dozen deer and hogs and an a couple elk regretted its introduction the front sites got four independently adjustable heights allowing you to accurately zero the pistol at four different ranges each of the 4 front site positions on the 10 5/8" barrel S&W is INDIVIDUALLY adjustable and the front site height can be almost instantly swapped by spinning a selector wheel in the site base Ive got mine set on 50 yards 100 yards 150 yards 200 yards once you site in, its dead on at the range selected, I generally leave it set at 100 yards, its close enough to be used in 90% of my shots set like that btw you can get really close by sighting in to hit 1.5" high at 25 yards =100 yard zero you can get really close by sighting in to hit 3.2" high at 25 yards =150 yard zero you can get really close by sighting in to hit 5.3" high at 25 yards =200 yard zero making a 300 yard shot off a good solid sitting positions not that difficult on a gallon paint can watch this video if you think a properly loaded 44 mag won,t kill game http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sKTeEmNUkjw my most effective load at long range is 20 grains of H-110 under a lyman 300 grain hard cast bullet sized .431 cast from 95% wheel weights and 5% tin by weight. http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item.asp?sku=000152660650
Last edited by 340mag; 09/19/13.
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I have a 10 1/2 inch barreled 44 mag Super Blackhawk and with target loads shooting off sand bags I can consistently hit a five gallon can at 100 yards. I used to shoot metallic silhouette and could hit ram sized targets at least half the time at 200 meters.
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Campfire Ranger
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The main limitation, as I see it, is that the .44 mag is NOT a long range cartridge, even in a rifle. Making hits at 200 - 300 yards (or more) would involve a heck of a lot of "Kentucky Windage", and the bullet would not have a lot of energy at those ranges. The .44 mag is a wonderful "close range" round, which as a pistol round, is what it was designed for. I shoot sub sonic loads with 335gr Hard Cast, ,and they are both accurate and deadly - out to about 75 yards. Full power loads, because of the limits of the cartridge and the blunt bullets, don't add a whole lot to that. Years ago, I used to hit 2 liter plastic "Coke" bottles at 75 yards with an open sighted Contender 10" barrel .44 mag fairly well - that is sorta "long range" for a .44 mag to me. Most people underestimate what a good sixgun is capable of. I won't recomend using one for long range big game hunting. Bt if have a good sixgun, work up a good load, and practice at extended ranges, you'd be suprised how accurate the gun can be. If 1 1/2 moa for 3 shots is considered hunting rifle accuracy, a good sixgun is capable of such accuracy. One does need to learn about bullet drop, but once you learn wear to hold, hitting targets at extended range can be achieved repeatedly. The nice thing about the 44 is it kicks up enough dust to let you know where your misses land.
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Just buy a QUALITY handgun optic/mount and have a blast!!!!
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The main limitation, as I see it, is that the .44 mag is NOT a long range cartridge, even in a rifle. Making hits at 200 - 300 yards (or more) would involve a heck of a lot of "Kentucky Windage", and the bullet would not have a lot of energy at those ranges. The .44 mag is a wonderful "close range" round, which as a pistol round, is what it was designed for. I shoot sub sonic loads with 335gr Hard Cast, ,and they are both accurate and deadly - out to about 75 yards. Full power loads, because of the limits of the cartridge and the blunt bullets, don't add a whole lot to that. Years ago, I used to hit 2 liter plastic "Coke" bottles at 75 yards with an open sighted Contender 10" barrel .44 mag fairly well - that is sorta "long range" for a .44 mag to me. Most people underestimate what a good sixgun is capable of. I won't recomend using one for long range big game hunting. Bt if have a good sixgun, work up a good load, and practice at extended ranges, you'd be suprised how accurate the gun can be. If 1 1/2 moa for 3 shots is considered hunting rifle accuracy, a good sixgun is capable of such accuracy. One does need to learn about bullet drop, but once you learn wear to hold, hitting targets at extended range can be achieved repeatedly. The nice thing about the 44 is it kicks up enough dust to let you know where your misses land. +1
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The main limitation, as I see it, is that the .44 mag is NOT a long range cartridge, even in a rifle. Making hits at 200 - 300 yards (or more) would involve a heck of a lot of "Kentucky Windage", and the bullet would not have a lot of energy at those ranges. The .44 mag is a wonderful "close range" round, which as a pistol round, is what it was designed for. I shoot sub sonic loads with 335gr Hard Cast, ,and they are both accurate and deadly - out to about 75 yards. Full power loads, because of the limits of the cartridge and the blunt bullets, don't add a whole lot to that. Years ago, I used to hit 2 liter plastic "Coke" bottles at 75 yards with an open sighted Contender 10" barrel .44 mag fairly well - that is sorta "long range" for a .44 mag to me. Mike, I am taking by what you have posted that you have not done much longer range shooting with big bore handguns. Longer range in this case being 100,200,3,4,500 yards. The statement that "the bullet would not have a lot of energy at those ranges" was a pretty good indicator of lack of practical experience. That is ok and I am not trying to make fun of you or be impolite. 44 mag and 45 colt projectiles driven at typical velocities will penetrate one hell of a lot deeper than you would think.quite frankly, 200 yard shots require no "Kentucky windage" at all, just knowing the right amount of front sight to raise over the traditional sight picture. I was just watching RJM make pretty consistent hits at double that distance last week, with his 4" gun. 200 yards is just a matter of practice. Now with that said, you don't have to take a single word I have to say about the subject as gospel. Long before I was born, Elmer Keith was shooting his big bore sixguns at long distances and taking note of the deep penetration of the heavy projectiles. As I recall in one of his books he talked about shooting up an old cabin and the projectiles went clean through the cabin walls. Ed Mcgivern was another early long range shooter that documented much of his work. The punch line is that a 44 or 45 driven at moderate speeds will kill stuff dead as a doornail at long ranges. The real issue is having the skills to precisely place the projectiles where they need to go. Like anything else, those skills can be acquired by methodical handloading and diligent practice. Long range shooting is a hoot. I don't do it often enough and I don't shoot at animals at extended distances beyond my ability. Rocks and steel targets are what I normally have my sights lined up on. Cheers!
THE CHAIR IS AGAINST THE WALL. The Tikka T3 in .308 Winchester is the Glock 19 of the rifle world. The website is up and running!www.lostriverammocompany.com
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Shooting steel at 375 yards with the SBH. 240gr cast at about 1100 fps via Unique. Lots of fun. ![[Linked Image]](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v461/montanamarine/handguns/Ruger%20Super%20Blackhawk/Copyof2009-07-0711-55-05.jpg) I've pushed it out to 600+ yards or so with satisfying plinking accuracy. Easy to spot splashes in dry conditions, shooting toward the afternoon sun. Just a matter of figuring out how much to elevate that front sight. The shorter barreled revolvers might have somewhat of an advantage over the long barrels since the shorter sight radius gives more upward angle per amount of front sight elevation. You know your getting out there when you have the bottom of the base of the front sight level with the top of the rear sight....grin
Last edited by MontanaMarine; 09/19/13.
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Anyone who doubts the possibility of consistent, long range accuracy with a revolver need only visit a revolver silhouette match. The accuracy of the competitors on the 200 meter targets will eliminate most doubts.
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The main limitation, as I see it, is that the .44 mag is NOT a long range cartridge, even in a rifle. Making hits at 200 - 300 yards (or more) would involve a heck of a lot of "Kentucky Windage", and the bullet would not have a lot of energy at those ranges. The .44 mag is a wonderful "close range" round, which as a pistol round, is what it was designed for. I shoot sub sonic loads with 335gr Hard Cast, ,and they are both accurate and deadly - out to about 75 yards. Full power loads, because of the limits of the cartridge and the blunt bullets, don't add a whole lot to that. Years ago, I used to hit 2 liter plastic "Coke" bottles at 75 yards with an open sighted Contender 10" barrel .44 mag fairly well - that is sorta "long range" for a .44 mag to me. Mike, I am taking by what you have posted that you have not done much longer range shooting with big bore handguns. Longer range in this case being 100,200,3,4,500 yards. The statement that "the bullet would not have a lot of energy at those ranges" was a pretty good indicator of lack of practical experience. That is ok and I am not trying to make fun of you or be impolite. 44 mag and 45 colt projectiles driven at typical velocities will penetrate one hell of a lot deeper than you would think.quite frankly, 200 yard shots require no "Kentucky windage" at all, just knowing the right amount of front sight to raise over the traditional sight picture. I was just watching RJM make pretty consistent hits at double that distance last week, with his 4" gun. 200 yards is just a matter of practice. Now with that said, you don't have to take a single word I have to say about the subject as gospel. Long before I was born, Elmer Keith was shooting his big bore sixguns at long distances and taking note of the deep penetration of the heavy projectiles. As I recall in one of his books he talked about shooting up an old cabin and the projectiles went clean through the cabin walls. Ed Mcgivern was another early long range shooter that documented much of his work. The punch line is that a 44 or 45 driven at moderate speeds will kill stuff dead as a doornail at long ranges. The real issue is having the skills to precisely place the projectiles where they need to go. Like anything else, those skills can be acquired by methodical handloading and diligent practice. Long range shooting is a hoot. I don't do it often enough and I don't shoot at animals at extended distances beyond my ability. Rocks and steel targets are what I normally have my sights lined up on. Cheers! Well said, you beat me to it.
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