How much can a new S&W 29 handle? (looking for a new big bore)

[maf]

Originally Posted by SW686man

Hello everyone,




..... But then I keep looking at the 4" blued s&w, but am put off by the fact I couldn't shoot really hot loads, which is what I'd like to do. But I question.... is the model 29 as weak as the internet makes it seem?

Back when I was younger, I rented a four inch Model 629 at a local in-door range. Be advised that a four inch, .44 Magnum with full-power loads is pretty vicious. The noise, muzzle blast, and muzzle flash is something to behold...

[Pythonman]

A model 29 is a nice gun for light 44magnum use. Same as a model 19 is a nice gun for light .357 use. The model 29 is a sweetheart with 44special loads and will shoot them all day. A model 19 is a sweetheart with 38 spl loads and will shoot them all day. Think of the Model 29 as the Model 19 of 44magnums and you'll get the picture.

[USMM guy]

How quick do I want to wear this gun out.

[Taroman]

Just buy a S&W 460 and get on with it.

[SW686man]

Well all of this naysay against the model 29 with hot loads is pushing me toward a ruger single action.

[USMM guy]

Originally Posted by SW686man

Well all of this naysay against the model 29 with hot loads is pushing me toward a ruger single action.

And more importantly why? I will take a model 29 over any Ruger any day of the week. If you do not go to red line loads you can shoot a modern model 29 for a long time.

[Neumann]

I think either an SW629 or Ruger Blackhawk would work for plinking, blowing up pumpkins or possibly hunting. However, you stand a better chance of making a quick followup shot with the Smith. A SA revolver is going to rock back a lot further than the Smith, due to the shape of its grip and high bore line. That's a good thing if you can't handle the jolt of a hot load, but honestly, the 629 is not that hard to handle with a 3" barrel and boot grip, much less one 6" or longer. My suggestion is, lock your hands, but not your elbows. A full isosceles stance causes the recoil to travel up you arms like grabbing a hot wire.

At a buck a round (unless you reload), you'll spend a lot more on ammunition wearing out your revolver than you shucked out buying it in the first place.

[BruceM]

Anybody who wants to junk out their used M29's and M629's, please send me a PM as I will take that weak, useless trash off your hands. Smith & Wesson never could do anything right.



Bruce

[executivetimemgnt]

get a super redhawk in 454 casull. doesn't have the light show of the 44 mag but they are a tank.

[NRAJIM]

I love shooting my .44mag, however it is a Ruger Super Blackhawk. I have seen several post about shooting hot .44 mag loads, The reason I bought my .44mag was so I could hunt with it and knowing I can shoot CorBons 305 or 320 Hard cast loads out if it and not worry about it harming my firearm. I didn't buy a .44mag so I could shoot .44 special rounds, I would have bought a .44 special. I know people can be intimidated by the mighty .44 magnum, but when using Decelerator grips I can go to the range and fire as much heavy magnum rounds as I can afford. I like the fact I can take my Ruger into the woods anywhere in North America and take any game that presents itself. (and is legal). I don't feel undergunned with my pistol, and cannot justify spending 3 to 4 times more for a heavier caliber handgun that does the same thing my Ruger does. I know a gentleman at the club I belong to that had to have a S&W 500, he has fired 5 rounds out of it and it now sits in his safe because the recoil was too intense for him.

[TRSOtto]

Originally Posted by SW686man

Well all of this naysay against the model 29 with hot loads is pushing me toward a ruger single action.

Originally Posted by USMM guy

And more importantly why? I will take a model 29 over any Ruger any day of the week. If you do not go to red line loads you can shoot a modern model 29 for a long time.

It's actually a pretty easy decision.

If you're going to shoot alot....like a couple of thousand rounds /yr....even plain jane factory loads, nothing hotter than that....buy a Ruger.

If you are going to shoot fairly hot reloads, regardless of the qty....buy a Ruger.

If you are only going to shoot a couple boxes a year of factory 44's, or even high volume shooting using 44 spl's, then the Smith will do fine.

Yes....the Smith has a lifetime warranty but the hassle of sending it back to be repaired every year after I run a couple thousand rounds through it just ain't worth it for me.

[Capt. Methane]

Originally Posted by SW686man

Well all of this naysay against the model 29 with hot loads is pushing me toward a ruger single action.

Just curious, what are you doing that you feel the need to exceed the SAMMI specs for a .44 Mag-that the regular factory loads in .44 Rem Mag isn't enough?

If you are going after elephants you need to get a bigger gun!

[Neumann]

The Ruger is heaver because it is cast, not forged like the Smith. Forging beats down any internal imperfections, reduces the crystal structure and aligns the grain of the metal parallel to the surface for optimum strength. The grain in a casting runs perpendicular to the surface, and requires heavier sections for proper flow and cooling in the mold. Ruger castings are very good, but if there are any inclusions or voids, there is no subsequent process to reduce them and the metal will be weakened.

[NRAJIM]

Originally Posted by Capt. Methane

Just curious, what are you doing that you feel the need to exceed the SAMMI specs for a .44 Mag-that the regular factory loads in .44 Rem Mag isn't enough?

If you are going after elephants you need to get a bigger gun!

Regular factory loads shot out of a S&W will loosen the pistol after a few hundred rounds. I like to hunt with my .44mag, no not elephant but I do hunt boar and bear yearly and a heavy hunter/ hardcast load is used to ensure a humane kill instead of using factory hollow points which may or may not cause the animal to bleed out over a period of time. A heavy hardcast load will do significant damage to tissue, bone and organs insuring a faster kill on the animal. At least those are the results I have had in over 30 years of handgun hunting. Ruger's Super Blackhawk/Redhawk will eat those loads all day long, try 100 rounds out of a S&W and see how it holds up.

[SW686man]

Originally Posted by NRAJIM

Regular factory loads shot out of a S&W will loosen the pistol after a few hundred rounds. I like to hunt with my .44mag, no not elephant but I do hunt boar and bear yearly and a heavy hunter/ hardcast load is used to ensure a humane kill instead of using factory hollow points which may or may not cause the animal to bleed out over a period of time. A heavy hardcast load will do significant damage to tissue, bone and organs insuring a faster kill on the animal. At least those are the results I have had in over 30 years of handgun hunting. Ruger's Super Blackhawk/Redhawk will eat those loads all day long, try 100 rounds out of a S&W and see how it holds up.

It is posts like the above that are shying me away from the M29. I don't need to shoot "super hot" .44 magnums, but there have been a few posts so far that claim even factor .44 mag will wear out the M29/629. The most I will use it for backpacking out west, and plinking.

This is a bummer, since I am truly an s&w fan at heart and really don't want to like the Rugers.

[NRAJIM]

SW686man I feel your pain, I too am a S&W man, I feel they make one of the nicest and accurate revolvers out there. I own many, plus several S&W 1911s and a couple of their M&P 15 ARs. However you have to know the limitations of the firearm you are using, thus the reason I own a Ruger. My Super Blackhawk is S.S. with a 4 5/8" barrel and it is an excellent woods gun and a great hunting gun. Another thing I like about the Rugers are, they weigh more than the S&W which makes recoil much more manageable. I love my Dirty Harry gun, and I shoot it a couple of times a year with either .44 specials or lighter mag loads, My Ruger is the tool that get the job done.

[Capt. Methane]

Originally Posted by NRAJIM

Regular factory loads shot out of a S&W will loosen the pistol after a few hundred rounds.

If that is the case then S&W should be doing a bunch of warranty work!

Guess my Smith in 41 Mag was up to the task then, I was in my 20's and thought that faster is better...course I only pushed the max book loads in it, never went over max and normally couple of tenths under.

I'd never argue against a heavy cast bullet, they work very well...I do question pushing the rated pressures of the cartridge.

[TRSOtto]

Originally Posted by Capt. Methane

If that is the case then S&W should be doing a bunch of warranty work!.

When silhouette shooting took off in the 80's, S&W was doing quite a bit of warranty work. Once we all figured out that the M29 wouldn't stand up to the continued pounding of thousands of shots, we all went and bought Ruger's.

Then S&W got smart and took some slow mo video of their revolvers and determined they were unlocking under recoil. The lock was redesigned to incorporate an inertia block to prevent the gun from unlocking during recoil. But by then the die was cast and folks who were going to shoot a lot of 44's just went and bought a Ruger. Then along came the Smiths who were converting Ruger SA's to big monster calibers.

I suspect that the reason S&W doesn't continue to do a lot of warranty work is that most folks who buy a M29 shoot less than a thousand rounds through the gun in their lifetime. The gun will stand up to that now that the inertia block keeps the gun from beating itself to death. Those who do shoot high volumes have studied up on the subject and have gone to silhouette shoots where everyone on the line is shooting a Ruger or a Freedom Arms or some other gun that will stand up to the pounding. Those guys are buying something other than a M29.

[SW686man]

Originally Posted by NRAJIM

SW686man I feel your pain, I too am a S&W man, I feel they make one of the nicest and accurate revolvers out there. I own many, plus several S&W 1911s and a couple of their M&P 15 ARs. However you have to know the limitations of the firearm you are using, thus the reason I own a Ruger. My Super Blackhawk is S.S. with a 4 5/8" barrel and it is an excellent woods gun and a great hunting gun. Another thing I like about the Rugers are, they weigh more than the S&W which makes recoil much more manageable. I love my Dirty Harry gun, and I shoot it a couple of times a year with either .44 specials or lighter mag loads, My Ruger is the tool that get the job done.

Wow, that's the exact model I was looking at today. How does it pack, and how do you carry it? Do you find the 45oz. excessive ever?

What are your thoughts on a single action for woods defense?

[JBnTX]

deleted

[NRAJIM]

Originally Posted by SW686man

Wow, that's the exact model I was looking at today. How does it pack, and how do you carry it? Do you find the 45oz. excessive ever?

What are your thoughts on a single action for woods defense?

The weight does not bother me, it is on the heavy size but quite manageable to carry. When I am hunting I have a nice owb leather holster that is very comfortable to wear and as far as a S.A. for woods defense I suggest practice, practice, and practice some more at the range to get the feel of lifting the pistol and drawing the hammer back so it becomes muscle memory. I have been hunting boar, bear, and more than my share of dear with this pistol and it is very accurate. Man has been defending himself with a single action for far longer than a double action. If you have not shot a .44mag before, you can become flinch sensitive which will cause you to anticipate the shot which throws accuracy out the window. To over come this I load 4 chambers randomly and start shooting, when you pull the trigger and not flinch when the gun does not go boom you have it right.

[BillD]

If it's going to be for backpacking and plinking, why the need for hot magnums?
If you like recoil, there are plenty of other guns that will give you recoil.

Try a hot .357 in one of the short tubed scandium models....

[SW686man]

Originally Posted by BillD

If it's going to be for backpacking and plinking, why the need for hot magnums?
If you like recoil, there are plenty of other guns that will give you recoil.

Try a hot .357 in one of the short tubed scandium models....

I go out to Washington, western states, up north MI, etc.

That's why.