I am interested in getting the opinion of people you have shot the Smith and Wesson Model 629 revolver in different barrel lengths. I have shot the 6" barrel and it was doable. S&W has it available now in 2 5/8", 4", 5", 6", and 6 1/2" barrels. The longer barrels are heavier guns so that probably makes them easier to shoot.. Are the shorter barrels difficult to shoot (feel, recoil, etc)? I am interested in hearing about shooting .44 Magnum cartridge.(I know that the .44 special cartridge is a different animal and easier to shoot).

Longer barrels give better velocity and reduce felt recoil.

 

Shorter barrels are easier to maneuver in tight spaces and are more concealable.

 

Get one of each if you can.  

I started shooting 44mag a year ago. The cartridge i moved up from was 41 Magnum. 

 

I bought the 629 4inch and also shot the 6inch one. I didn't notice much difference in recoil. I was shooting Freedom Ammo FMJ 44mag which is not a full 44 load.

 

The 4inch is more maneuverable and i find it pretty good to handle and shoot.  I ve shot full power loads with it and 44 mag with full recoil is hard. 

 

I m sure others will chime in with more experience......

I am interested in getting the opinion of people you have shot the Smith and Wesson Model 629 revolver in different barrel lengths. I have shot the 6" barrel and it was doable. S&W has it available now in 2 5/8", 4", 5", 6", and 6 1/2" barrels. The longer barrels are heavier guns so that probably makes them easier to shoot.. Are the shorter barrels difficult to shoot (feel, recoil, etc)? I am interested in hearing about shooting .44 Magnum cartridge.(I know that the .44 special cartridge is a different animal and easier to shoot).

I'm an expert on the .44 Magnum Smith and Wesson.  I bought my Model #29 over 36 years ago.  I've shot every barrel length they ever made and own a 8 3/8" w/o the underlug.  I can answer ANY question you can come up with, but I need a little more info from YOU:  What EXACTLY is the gun going to be used FOR?  Alaskan Bear protection while fishing?  Long range target shooting (with or w/o a scope?)?  Expensive plinking?  Hog Hunting in PA?  Executive protection a-la Secret Service from the last century?  Holster or no holster (is conceal-ability a factor?)?  What can you now hit with a good hand gun at 50 and 100 yards?  Once I know WHAT the intended purpose IS, then I can make suggestions as to barrel length, porting jobs, holsters, ammo, etc.

At this point my use would be plinking. OWB holster (not concealable). The ability to stop a predator (bear or human) if the need ever arises. I have a permit and it looks like a nice gun to own. My concern is that the smaller barrels will be not so much fun to shoot accurately.

At this point my use would be plinking. OWB holster (not concealable). The ability to stop a predator (bear or human) if the need ever arises. I have a permit and it looks like a nice gun to own. My concern is that the smaller barrels will be not so much fun to shoot accurately.

OK, so since you've already admitted that you're "recoil sensitive", I'd stay away from scandium frame w/ titanium cylinder since you're NOT going to carry this for a 12 hour shift and only shoot it to qualify with twice a year.  I'd go for the longest, heaviest model currently available (if buying NEW that would mean 629, 629 Classic, 629 Hunter).  I personally can carry my 8 3/8" model 29 all day w/o any fatigue, having recently done so on a Hog Hunting excursion last April on an island in the middle of the Susquehanna River near Harrisburg, PA.  In fact I've used that gun for USPSA w/ .44 Specials.

 

The trick to taming the recoil is getting rid of the fancy wooden grips (especially checkered ones---OUCH!) and finding some Pachmayr rubber grips to slap on it.  The difference is like Night and Day, and will enable you to develop confidence in your hand gun abilities so as to enable you to start to shoot as accurately as the hand gun is capable of .   My 36 year old ugly-ass Pachmayr's let me shoot full-house Magnum rounds weak-hand only (which should always be practiced should the need arise to use the hand gun in a defensive situation IF your strong hand is out of the fight).

 

If you're serious about buying a .44 Mag, I can guest you into Old Bridge so you can "take a ride" on the "Ol' Warhorse" (YOU supply the factory ammo).  I'll just have to let you LOOK at the Bianchi X-15 Cross-Draw rig I got for it (since NO Cross-Draw rigs are allowed at the Club).  By the time I'm done with ya, I'll have ya doin' B-27 silhouettes at 100 yards .

 

Lemme know,

Rosey

I have a stainless classic 6.5" 629.  It's has way less recoil than my 629 V-comp perf center.  

I have shot the 8 3/8 barrel, 6 inch barrel and a custom 3 inch barrel smith (6)29 model. All have manageable recoil. The longer barrel helps a lot for longer range shooting .

The longer barrel also allows the powder charge to burn inside the barrel, where it can do some good, and not out in front of the barrel, where it produces a spectacular but useless fireball.

I love my 6" 629-1... but it really comes down to personal preference. To me, I connect a lot easier with it than the 4" 686 that I originally shot (wasn't a bad gun, I just feel the .357 is not that good of a job from .38, especially when you compare .44 Magnum to Special). My father bought the two revolvers, but cut himself on the 629. Wanted to sell it, but I started shooting it instead (around 12 or so).

 

When I got old enough to get pistol permits, he gave it to me. One of those guns that I will NEVER let go.

At this point my use would be plinking. OWB holster (not concealable). The ability to stop a predator (bear or human) if the need ever arises. I have a permit and it looks like a nice gun to own. My concern is that the smaller barrels will be not so much fun to shoot accurately.

GROUND CONTROL TO MAJOR TOM................................Is the OP out there?

I got one of these .500 magnum thingies they make. With a 4" barrel. It's a lot like a .22 but bigger.

 

^^^^Ever shoot that "Thingy" at dusk & see a 2 foot tall ball of FLAME come out those ports, lol?

^^^^Ever shoot that "Thingy" at dusk & see a 2 foot tall ball of FLAME come out those ports, lol?

Only ever shot it indoors.

Only ever shot it indoors.

Well then you probably saw the FLASH, lol!  I need to get you outside with that "Thingy" so we can see what it does do plastic milk jugs filled with water AFTER it goes thru some wood panels .  Before it gets too cold to play with water....

Well then you probably saw the FLASH, lol! I need to get you outside with that "Thingy" so we can see what it does do plastic milk jugs filled with water AFTER it goes thru some wood panels . Before it gets too cold to play with water....

I'm down with that. It does make a hell of a fireball. The only downside is it costs about $70 to pull the trigger 20 times hahh..

 

The most fun part about this gun, isn't shooting it. It's handing it to a buddy that's never shot one before, and watching it be shot.

The M29 Classic with 5" bbl. is a nice handling, well balanced revolver, as is the original M29 with either 6 1/2" bbl. or 8 3/8" bbl.  I prefer the 8 3/8" and think it's a nice shooter. (Off-topic: I also think Ruger's Redhawk with 7 1/2" bbl. is a nice blend of weight and useful barrel length.) 

^^^^Ever shoot that "Thingy" at dusk & see a 2 foot tall ball of FLAME come out those ports, lol?

 

Like this?

 

 

With thanks to GlennP

 

Adios,

 

Pizza Bob

My 8 3/8" Model 29 is 36 years old.  I used it for USPSA practice matches years ago when .44 Spls. wear cheap.  Very soft-shooting gun that makes IPSC major power factor AND THEN SOME!  Back "in the day", from a surrender start, I was able to get 5 shots on a USPSA target (3-Alpha's, 2-Charlie's and a Delta) in 2.68 seconds, drawing that 8 3/8" barrel out of a codura nylon Uncle Mike's OWB strong-side holster.  So I don't consider a longer barrel a "limitation", just something that requires practice to be proficient on the draw .  Brought it with me to a Hog Hunt last April (I was running the Hunt, not harvesting that trip).

Thanks everyone for the info. I ended up going with the 6" barrel. When I shot it at an indoor range it definitely gets the attention of people near you.