Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Model 629-6 strength?

With the -6 series have they worked out all the quirks? Is it safe to feed this 44 mag a steady diet of say 300 gr at 1100 fps (20gr H110)

What say you?

Hodgdon's say 19 gr of H110 is max for the 300 gr XTP running 39k CUP and 1300+ fps. What bullet and where are you getting your data and velocity from? You need to be very careful on data used and the specific bullet for the specific load. Use a heavier, say 320 or 330 grs, cast LFN or WFN that is designed to have less bullet in the case and 19 gr of H110 would be well below maximum and one your gun could shoot forever assuming the load will fit in the cylinder.

What do you mean by safe? Safe for you yes, safe fro the gun? The gun will not blow up, but it will wear premature and eventually become loose with end-shake and timing problems if you run too many through it.

The Model 29/629 is a wonderfully designed revolver that has been internally re-designed a few times over the years, hence the dash markings. The -6 has all the changes and should hold up well to normal factory equivalent loadings. However, it was not designed to use heavy 300 and up maximum loads. It will take a while, but such use will eventually loosen the gun. Just my opinion........

The "Endurance Package" came out in the early 1990's, and began with the 629-3 package. If you're running 300's at 1100 fps I expect it will last a long time.

As long as it's a safe load, I don't have a problem with a man wearing out a S&W revolver.

My 629 came to me in 1993 as a graduation gift. I have pumped an easy 5-8k rounds through it and not many if any of them were light loads...mine is a fuzz looser than my newest one, but the last time I shot it I made money shooting apples at 100yds without timing issues. I would enjoy the pistol.

Not as strong as the Rugers and Colt Snakes maybe, but a strong action. Pay attention to people who know what they are talking about like Garrett. Each model of revolver has recommended limits for loads that won't hurt it.

Use the 250 GR Keith and 20 gr of 2400 , CCI 300 Primers and shoot it , it will last for years and then if needed, Smith can tune it up in no time .

Safe for the gun. That is what I meant John.
So basically even though she is a -6 it is still not a redhawk huh?


My load is 300 gr cast with 20 gr H110. About 1200 fps or so. IIRC.

That's "warmish"

If you do shoot it "loose" or wear it out due to two many "hot loads" just send it back to S&W for a rebuild.... I doubt they would charge you much if anything.

I remember when I worked for Sportsmans Warehouse, we always got in older gentlemen who always spouted off "the Ruger is a better gun than the Smith, the Smith won't stand up to MY handloads"! I'd just be quiet and think "yep, and one day your Ruger won't either". I never understood why they didn't move up to the 454, 460 or 500 if they were so manly.

It's a fact that even with the endurance package, the Smith won't stand up to the level of abuse a Redhawk can just shrug off. I own both and like them both, but there is comfort in knowing that aside from a bout of complete brain-dead stupidity, one would be hard pressed to hurt a Redhawk.

If you sight in with your 300 grain load and use it a a hunting or back up and not shoot hundreds per week it will do a fine job for a long time. When someone says a "steady diet" I think hundreds per week and for that a Redhawk would be a be a better choice for longevity.

I like S&W N-frame revolvers, just need to understand their strengths and weaknesses is all.

S&W compared to a Redhawk

Here is my 629-6
Talo model

That is a great looking set of grips on your 629. I like them both.

Here's John Taffin's article on the changes to the 29 series over the years. The newer ones tend to be a little tougher than the older ones were, he thinks. The older 29 I had back in the 1970s was capable of shooting all the full-bore loads I was interested in shooting.

Folks seem to be missing it...