Considerations on a 44 magnum.

[WayneWong]

I'm seeing that he S&W 500 may take a toll on the hands and wrists of people who aren't pro westlers after 4 or 5 shots. It's more than I can justifiably pay anyway.

I'm looking for a revolver to take camping and hiking. Mostly open carry in NH or Maine. Would be for protection against 4 legged predators.

I'm not looking for cheapest. I want something that will hold up. 6 shot preferably.

I May be getting a Bass Pro Shop Gift card, so will be going there if I do.

What brands should I stick to? What should I avoid? How does Taurus stack up against S&W and Ruger quality wise?

 

[Boston-Irish]

I am in the same boat. I have the S&W500 which will get any job done, the trade off is weight. The gun is just plain heavy.
I also looked at the Ruger Super Redhawk Alaskan in 454 casul/.45 long colt. This is an excellent 6 shot revolver in a smaller package than the S&W 500. I will say the Ruger had more recoil to me than the S&W 500. I would have gone for the Ruger, but I had it on order for 6 weeks and got impatient.
I also rely heavily on the Glock 20 10mm. With "full load" original 10mm loads like "Double Tap" (200gr) you will have no problem with penetration on black bears or anything that chooses to do you harm in the woods. I have some 15 round preban mags that pack nicely.
I use a blackhawk drop leg med pouch and my glock and holster conceal nicely and allows me to carry a full size expedition pack.

Summary:
Anywhere in New England I trust my life, the life of my clients and the life of my family to the Glock. When the wife wants to carry in the woods she takes the glock and I take the 500.

When I am out west or in "bear territiry" it is almost always the 500.

If you are ever out to north central mass send me a PM and you can try them both.
Good luck!

 

[b79holmes]

mountain gun

I bought the S&W M29 Mountain Gun for that very reason. Fun to shoot with specials. I plan to get a glove for magnums. I don't think you'd want such a light gun for every day range shooting but it's quite light for hiking.

Bill

 

[WayneWong]

Thank you for your advice. I am surprised that the Ruger has more recoil than the S&W 500. I saw you tube videos with big guys actually in pain/discomfort after a few .500 shots.

Does Ruger have a traditionally long wait? I know Smith and Wesson is usually available in a week or less if not in stock? I don't mind waiting the extra time for a Ruger if its a better value. I won't be heading out til April anyway.

I've heard S&W .44 locks up for some people, and Taurus has poor fit and finish. My guess is the problems (if they actually exist) with the S&W are ammo related.

Lastly, I have a semi-auto, I'd like to get a revolver just as a personal preference.

 

[Boston-Irish]

I saw a Ruger at The Gun Room in Shrewsbury. I honestly like the Ruger... it was just bad timing for me.
The compensator on the 500 really reduces recoil. Felt recoil is subjective anyway.
The Ruger is a nice gun and is way more packable than the 500. If I had the cash I would get one.

 

[RKG]

Any handgun is a compromise for woods use: while obviously more portable (and thus less likely to be out of reach when you need it), all are potentially underpowered.

I have three .44s: an 8-3/8" and a 4" M29 and a 2-1/2" M24. The long barrel is a joy to shoot with virtually any load, but obviously not a carry gun. The 4" is OK with full-house Magnums, but only for the first shot; you'll spend a while trying to find the gun for follow ups. The snubby is surprisingly easy to handle with full factory .44 special handloads, using 240-gr hard cast Keith-shaped SWCL slugs.

My choice for a woods jaunt would be the 4" loaded with Specials and three speedloaders: two would have more specials and 1 would have factory 240-gr Magnum JSPs. But then I'd also have a carbine of some sort handy.

 

[Rockrivr1]

Thank you for your advice. I am surprised that the Ruger has more recoil than the S&W 500. I saw you tube videos with big guys actually in pain/discomfort after a few .500 shots.

Jeff, shooting the 500 doesn't have to be that way. What you are seeing is these guys shooting full 400-500 grain bullets with the casing fully stuffed with powder. Those bullet weights will hurt after just a few rounds. I'm sure that EddieCoyle will be posting shortly about his loads. You can easily handle the 325gr JSP rounds. They still have plenty of power to take down anthing that will cross your path, but will not split the webing on you hand. I stay away from shooting those hand thumpers on my 500 unless I'm camping. For practice or just plinking, I use the 325s and you can shoot the 500 a lot longer using them.

 

[WayneWong]

Jeff, shooting the 500 doesn't have to be that way. What you are seeing is these guys shooting full 400-500 grain bullets with the casing fully stuffed with powder. Those bullet weights will hurt after just a few rounds. I'm sure that EddieCoyle will be posting shortly about his loads. You can easily handle the 325gr JSP rounds. They still have plenty of power to take down anthing that will cross your path, but will not split the webing on you hand. I stay away from shooting those hand thumpers on my 500 unless I'm camping. For practice or just plinking, I use the 325s and you can shoot the 500 a lot longer using them.

I did not consider that, thanks!

 

[WayneWong]

Any handgun is a compromise for woods use: while obviously more portable (and thus less likely to be out of reach when you need it), all are potentially underpowered.

I have three .44s: an 8-3/8" and a 4" M29 and a 2-1/2" M24. The long barrel is a joy to shoot with virtually any load, but obviously not a carry gun. The 4" is OK with full-house Magnums, but only for the first shot; you'll spend a while trying to find the gun for follow ups. The snubby is surprisingly easy to handle with full factory .44 special handloads, using 240-gr hard cast Keith-shaped SWCL slugs.

My choice for a woods jaunt would be the 4" loaded with Specials and three speedloaders: two would have more specials and 1 would have factory 240-gr Magnum JSPs. But then I'd also have a carbine of some sort handy.

I see now its the gun/ammo combination. I have something to work with now. I hope Mrs Wong doesn't get too upset when I come home with something next week.

 

[jhrosier]

When the question about "packing pistols" comes up on most of the other forums that I frequent, the answer is almost always a large bore Ruger single action with the Bisley gripframe. A .45 Colt, .454 Casul, or .475 Linebaugh, with a heavy bullet, seems to be among the prefered calibers. The several top custom pistolsmiths all strongly suggest the Bisley gripframe to help control recoil.

I have fired the .44 Mag in both single action and double action revolvers and find the single actions to be much more comfortable to shoot. With the practice that is necessary to learn to handle any handgun, you will find that follow-up shots are just as fast with the single action and the first shot will be faster.

For about the same price as a S&W X frame, you could buy a Ruger Bisley and have the barrel shortened and the action tuned to perfection.

Jack

 

[EddieCoyle]

Wayne,

Do you reload? If not, go for the .44 Mag. Have you seen the prices for factory .500 ammo?

I love big bore guns. My .500s and .460 are my favorite revolvers to shoot and are my favorite calibers to handload. If you do reload, Rockrivr1 nailed it: you can make some pretty light loads for the .500. My son started shooting it when he was 11 with my "plinking" loads (and by "shooting" I mean that he'd put 100 rounds downrange in an afternoon).

If you haven't shot a .500, come to the next shoot and find me. I always have a variety of loads, and you can try as many as you want. Just for the record, I don't find the recoil to be that bad even with the heavy stuff. Here's what a light load does to a pumpkin:

As far as carrying goes, you'd be better off with a .44 Mag. Now that dinosaurs are extinct, the .44 Magnum is more than enough to put down any living thing you'll find in New England, and it's easier to carry than a .500. I just picked up a Colt Anaconda and I'm still looking for a 3" S&W Model 29 or 629.

It's too bad you don't like autos. I'm with BostonIrish on the G20. The 10mm is a great round and the G20 is a great gun. My carry gun is a Glock 29 (also a 10mm) and I wouldn't feel under-handgunned in any situation.

I own or have owned S&W, Colt, Ruger, and Taurus revolvers. I'd rank them as follows:

1. Smith and Wesson
2. Colt
3. Ruger
4. Taurus

The top three on that list are pretty close, but I've had miserable luck with Taurus. I'm not saying that they're bad guns, but I've owned three, was never happy with them, and will never buy another.

 

[jamz]

My ideal is a S&W Mountain gun in .44 mag, but the one I could find was a 629 Classic in 6". I love it, but I'd love a shorter barrel a bit more. I reload, and powder puff loads though it are lots of fun, as are angrier ones.

 

[Pilgrim]

SW 44 mag 629 will do whatever you want. Look for one that is more than a cuppla years old, without the lock. They are around and pretty reasonably priced.

I got this one - a 629-1- a year or so ago for $400. You might not be quite that lucky but they are not outrageously priced... and they carry reasonably well compared to an X frame revolver.

Don't forget the SW guarantee. You don't get that with any other mfg.

 

[dwarven1]

Normally, I'd be the first one to jump on bandwagon and dis the Taurus revolvers, but at the Pumpkin Shoot I fired Fooped's 8" Taurus Raging Bull in .44 Mag. What an awesome gun!!!

The trigger was smooth and light, the sights were VERY usable, and point of aim was dead nuts on - I hit a pumpkin with every shot. SMALL pumpkins, too. Fooped, if you're ever looking to get rid of that, let me know... I'd buy it in a heartbeat.

 

[Jose]

SW 44 mag 629 will do whatever you want. Look for one that is more than a cuppla years old, without the lock. They are around and pretty reasonably priced.

I got this one - a 629-1- a year or so ago for $400. You might not be quite that lucky but they are not outrageously priced... and they carry reasonably well compared to an X frame revolver.

Don't forget the SW guarantee. You don't get that with any other mfg.

+1

Except that I don't let the lock be an issue. If anything, they may cost less. If the lock makes you nervous, either buy a copy of Kunhausen's book of S&W revolvers or have someone show you how to remove the hammer and get it back on. Once the hammer is out, simply remove the locking flag. Replace hammer, hammer block, mainspring, and stocks. No worries about the lock ever coming on when it shouldn't.

 

[WayneWong]

This is all very good advice, and thank you very much.

 

[PatMcD]

When it comes to .44 Magnums, nobody does it better than S&W or Ruger. I would buy whichever you can get a better deal on (preferably used). Personally, I like the old Redhawk. Strongest revolver made and for me, less felt recoil. S&W always had a sharper smack in the web of my hand when used with full loads.

 

[WayneWong]

It's final. I picked up a S&W 629 (stainless) with a 2.5" barrel. The 500 IRL was just too big for me and about $300 more, plus the ammo cost...just couldn't justify it. If I bought the 500 I woulda hadda stock up on .500 rounds. That's just me.

My new 629 has the key lock, which no, I don't like, but I'm going to do a little research to see if it is even remotely possible to engage it accidentally. I don't plan to even take the keys out of the box.

 

[matt]

I just saw a 629 4" barrel at Manchester Firing Line tonight for $369 less 5% and thought of this thread. I imagine it had a bit of abuse as I assume it was a rental gun.

 

[WayneWong]

I just saw a 629 4" barrel at Manchester Firing Line tonight for $369 less 5% and thought of this thread. I imagine it had a bit of abuse as I assume it was a rental gun.

It's a good price - I wonder how much it would cost to get it checked out and/or refurbished.

629 is solid.

 

[Mikey]

Congrats Wayne, I think my next gun will be a .44 mag. I am trying to decide which barrel length to get, I wish the newer rugers were on "the list".

 

[Patriot]

ten_characters

 

[ccm75]

Having spent a great deal of time in the woods in the northeastern US, I would think that unless you are hunting black bears or hiking in an area where you would come into contact with a sow and her cub, the threat from black bears is nominal. So, why the need to hump a heavy .500 hand gun? a .44 mag with the proper load packs a punch that will deter any beast that I can think of, and a .357 may be more managable and accurate for most shooters. What kind of "four legged predator" in the north east requires a sw 500 other than a wounded black bear or some other rare circumstance??

 

[EddieCoyle]

When it comes to .44 Magnums, nobody does it better than S&W or Ruger.

Except Colt. You've got to try out the Anaconda I picked up. It really opened my eyes.

My new 629 has the key lock, which no, I don't like, but I'm going to do a little research to see if it is even remotely possible to engage it accidentally.

Don't bother. You'll find some guy, that knew a guy, that was related to a guy, that had a buddy that had a lock fail. Big deal. EVERY part on any gun has failed at one time or another. The lock should be way down your list of priorities.

 

[Mikey]

Is there any truth to the belief that the S&W revolvers won't stand up to punishment like the Rugers? Double Tap and other make some pretty good stuff (at least that is what they say) but will the S&W N frames be okay with it, especially the Mountain Guns?

 

[jamz]

Wayne, now you need to start reloading.

 

[Jose]

My new 629 has the key lock, which no, I don't like, but I'm going to do a little research to see if it is even remotely possible to engage it accidentally. I don't plan to even take the keys out of the box.

Yes, they have engaged accicdentally on other peoples' guns. Plenty of first hand accounts here. Yes, it is a very remote chance it will happen but it has happened.

Since both my revolvers are carried for defensive purposes, I decided to eliminate the chance of an accidental lock up by removing the locking flag out of the gun. It is very easy to do once you remove the mainspring and hammer. It can then be replaced later if you ever want to sell the gun.

And no, I am not worried about "liability" for doing so.

 

[Jose]

Is there any truth to the belief that the S&W revolvers won't stand up to punishment like the Rugers?

There is a lot of opinion on the subject, but little to no evidence to back them up.

Double Tap and other make some pretty good stuff (at least that is what they say) but will the S&W N frames be okay with it, especially the Mountain Guns?

Your hand will cry uncle long before a S&W N frame does. The difference between a 4" Model 29 Mountain Gun and 4" Model 29 is a slightly lighter barrel profile and 4 ounces.

 

[Mikey]

There is a lot of opinion on the subject, but little to no evidence to back them up.

That is what I figured; I would assume nobody has done a side by side, shot for shot test. I always thought that S&W used better steel then Ruger and the debate only had merit b/c Rugers tend to be thick and heavy.

Your hand will cry uncle long before a S&W N frame does. The difference between a 4" Model 29 Mountain Gun and 4" Model 29 is a slightly lighter barrel profile and 4 ounces.

Sounds like fun!

 

[Patriot]

Is there any truth to the belief that the S&W revolvers won't stand up to punishment like the Rugers? Double Tap and other make some pretty good stuff (at least that is what they say) but will the S&W N frames be okay with it, especially the Mountain Guns?

Yes, this is true but if you want to get the most rugged S&W29 or S&W629 you should go
for the dash number that has the changes to beef up them. It is the -5 for the 29 and
the -3 for the 629.

Read this before you make you decision:

http://www.sixguns.com/range/SmithWesson44Mag.htm