44 magnum shooters?

[Old School 611]

I've owned my S&W Model 29 with 8 3/8" tube since November of 1979! That's 32 years--longer than some of you have been on the planet, lol! I use it at OBR&PC Indoor Action League (USPSA) with .44 specials Magtech Cowboy 240 gr. LFN and it makes Major and then some! Only have to use the front sight, lol!

 

I've shot it strong-hand, weak-hand only, etc., etc., with both Magnums & specials. VERY accurate!

 

FEEL Lucky PUNK??? Even have the Bianchi X-15 XL Shoulder Holster for the thing.

 

Dave

 

 

If I remember correctly in 1979 Mod 29's were being sold for over MSRP because of "Dirty Harry"

[Pizza Bob 1,488]

If I remember correctly in 1979 Mod 29's were being sold for over MSRP because of "Dirty Harry"

 

 

Unless you knew where to buy them and were willing to wait. Bought my 29 and 25 in the mid-70's and both were discounted off MSRP. Store no longer exists, but it was in NE PA and was called Sugerman's Eynon Drug. Had a great gun department.

 

Adios,

 

Pizza Bob

[DTtuner 21]

Anyone ever fired a .44 single-action?

 

Those old style cowboy grips look painful for a .44 !

[Parker 213]

If I remember correctly in 1979 Mod 29's were being sold for over MSRP because of "Dirty Harry"

My '79 was $385. Picked it up at Meltzer's. Took me two weeks to decide between the 6.5" bbl. or the 8 3/8" bbl. That decision was a tough one for me for some reason. (Yeah, and back then you could buy a brand new S&W M41 for less than $300. I want to buy a time machine now.)

[Pew Pew Plates 358]

Anyone ever fired a .44 single-action?

 

Those old style cowboy grips look painful for a .44 !

 

Not really painfull but for me the gun slides upward in recoil. kinda annoying.

[Pizza Bob 1,488]

Anyone ever fired a .44 single-action?

 

Those old style cowboy grips look painful for a .44 !

 

 

Used to shoot a Ruger SBH for silhouette. The only thing painful with that gun was due to the squared rear of the trigger guard. That was fixed by installing a set of Pachmayr grips that filled the space behind the trigger guard. The plow-share grips tend to roll in your hand, absorbing much of the recoil, but slowing subsequent shots.

 

If I were to get one today, I'd get it with a round trigger guard and the Bisley grip configuration.

 

Better yet - unless you intend to hunt or shoot silhouette with it, just get a .44 Spl or load your .44 Mag with specials.

 

Adios,

 

Pizza Bob

[Parker 213]

Anyone ever fired a .44 single-action?

 

Those old style cowboy grips look painful for a .44 !

I thought they were nice to shoot when loaded with .44 Spcl. power loads, although somewhat unbalanced. (I think the standard Blackhawks in .357 Mag. & .41 Mag. balance better in the hand and is a fun shooter in .357 Mag.) I never liked my .44 with heavy loads. As Bob mentioned, I tried the Pachmayr grip on my SBH but it tended to still roll in my hand and that nice grippy rubber would simply tear at my palm. My hands/fingers are small so the squared trigger guard never gave me a problem on recoil.

[djg0770 481]

I tried the Pachmayr grip on my SBH but it tended to still roll in my hand and that nice grippy rubber would simply tear at my palm.

 

+1 I actually prefer the wood grips because of this.

[M4BGRINGO 139]

I'd say post a picture of all your wheelguns but I don't want to get my drool all over my keyboard.

 

Ha, maybe I should post some and see what happens.

 

I finally got a chance to take my 629 for a spin today. It is a 6" barrel so I was expecting a decent kick, but nope.

 

While it does have more kick than my 686 with .357 Magnum, it isn't what I thought it would be.

 

The recoil did not bother me a bit. The price of ammo does........ And so did the grips. It has rubber grips on it which were fine, but the metal along the backside comes-though and the bottom of that metal was whacking my palm. I was told the S&W 500 grips will fit the gun and cover that piece of metal. My 686's have the same metal there, but the metal is below the grips so we never feel it.

 

Anyway, looks like I'll have to get some more permits so I can get a .460 now.

[Pew Pew Plates 358]

Go big or go home, get the 500

[Pizza Bob 1,488]

I was told the S&W 500 grips will fit the gun and cover that piece of metal. My 686's have the same metal there, but the metal is below the grips so we never feel it.

 

 

Incorrect. The X-Frame (.460/.500) uses the K/L grip frame. Your 629 is an N-Frame. Sounds like your 686 is a round butt while your 629 is a square butt.

 

I have some .44 magnum loads that will make you sit-up and take notice. If you dampen the powder a little bit, you can then tamp it down better and get a smidge more in the case

 

Adios,

 

Pizza Bob

 

NOTE: For you new reloaders, the above was a joke......just thought I better add this disclaimer before the hate mail starts rolling in.

[M4BGRINGO 139]

Bob, here is a picture of some of the S&W's, I guess I have both types of frames, round and square butts.

 

 

Now, the middle gun is the 629. What do you think of the wood grips with the larger finger grooves? I was tempted to try a set to see what they are like. There are SO many companies out there making grips. I don't feel like buying a bunch of sets to see what is good/bad, but I guess it is certainly a personal opinion on what we like. Anything you can recommend to look at and what to stay away from?

 

My wife doesn't mind shooting the .357 Magnum round in the shorter 686, but she does have to wear a glove. That backstrap bothers her hand, well, the whole gun kicking bothers her hand. I know she won't like the .44 Magnum, but it doesn't matter, she is addicted to .38 Wadcutters anyway!

[Pizza Bob 1,488]

Today was a great example of, "You're never too old to learn." There was a fellow shooting a revolver today at Shongum (quite proficiently, I might add). It was a model 625. He had orange rubber Hogue grips, that covered the backstrap, on it. Now, I knew that S&W had used grips like that on their "Emergency Pack" guns that were built on the X-frame. But, to my knowledge, Hogue never made anything like that for the N-frame guns. So I asked him where he found them and he told me that they were indeed the grips from the X-frame guns. Seems that if the N-frame is a round butt, the X-frame (which also fit K/L-frames) Hogue grips will fit it fine. Square butt guns are a no go however.

 

In your photo, the two guns on the left are round butts, the three on the right (which includes your 629) are square butts. The only rubber grips that I know of that will cover the backstrap of an N-frame square butt are Pachmayr's. Both their Signature grips (which used to come in two sizes - don't know if that is still the case), and their gripper grips, which are finger groove type. You may want to check out Trausch grips - I really don't know anything about them, but they may be another alternative.

 

I currently have wooden Hogues (with an exposed backstrap) on my 29-2, and it is punishing to shoot. At least with synthetic grips you don't have a pile of dough wrapped up in them.

 

Adios,

 

Pizza Bob

[M4BGRINGO 139]

Thanks for the info Bob. The wifey keeps asking me what I want for Christmas. I told her a .460 XVR and some different grips for our other revolvers. Pretty sure the .460 is a no-go, but I tried.

 

I'll check around and start looking at different grips. I can always wear one of my racing gloves, but that kinda defeats the purpose of those hot rounds.

[siderman 1,140]

My bro-in law just picked up the Taurus Tracker 44- 4" with a ported barrel.Hopefully we're meeting up over Xmas tim to use it. I was able to handle it this wekend but the underside of the trigger guard was very snug on the bone of my knuckle so not looking forward to the outcome. I've shot a lot of 357mag but never 44mag, Any clue how the recoil compares to 357 out of my GP100 4"? The gun seemed a little small/lightweight for the round IMO.

[M4BGRINGO 139]

_{I have not shot any Rugers so I can't awnswer that one for you. I have never shot .357 from a 4" barrel either, only 6" and 8 3/8". The .357 Magnum did have less recoil than the .44 Magnum. I didn't think there was a huge difference between the two round though. There certainly is a HUGE difference between .38 Wadcutters and .357 Magnums though!}