Eureka! I've Found it!! S&W 629PP

[g_gunter]

I have finally found my 50 yds. woods gun for deer. I just picked up a S&W 629PP (6.5" barrell w/compensator) and just got back from the range. This thing is shooting 1" groups at 40 yds. open sights (POI = POA + .5"). It blew me away. I love the patridge front sight too. The balance is great and the felt recoil is noticably less than my previous 629-3 with 6" barrell. Of course its 9 ounces heavier too. Lockup is tight with no movement whatsoever and the action is remarkably smooth for being just out of the box with a little lube.

The story on this gun is that I decided to trade my 629-3 on a Ruger Redhawk for the heavy stuff. My plan was to buy a 629DX later. Well, the Redhawk ended up having a turned barrell. The dealer sent it off to Ruger and ordered me another new Redhawk. However, its been over a week and its still not here and I went to the dealer to find out that their distributor made a mistake and sent in .45 LC Redhawk. Well, I just happend to see this 629PP in the glass case and asked to have a look at it and well......the rest is history. I let them keep the Redhawk and went back to the Smith. I couldn't stand being away from it. I'll never do that again.

g_gunter

 

[fedlaw]

Amen. When I got my 629PP, it was pretty accurate, but not quite up to yours. After a year or so (1500 rds), the timing went out and it started spitting lead. I sent it to Smith for repair under warranty and while it was there, I had them run it through the Performance Center with directions to get it as accurate as possible.
After getting it back, (6 weeks later, but with a one hole proof target), I took it to our nearest outdoor range. Shooting off of a rest at 50 yds., I was getting very small groups, smaller in fact than the long guns at the other benches. That was when I decided to stand up and try it off hand. Wow! Very similar results to yours. In fact, I no longer shoot it indoors. 25 yds, just isn't far enough to keep from getting bored. (The 'bored' comment was from ChuckB who watched me drawing happy faces and figure eights the last time I shot it indoors.)
I asked the head of our league if I could shoot it in the bullseye competition, figuring that with an Ultradot I would be hard to beat. No compensated barrels he said. Oh well, at least we know how great the 629PP really is.
Steve

 

[g_gunter]

fedlaw,

What type of loads do you shoot through it?

g_gunter

 

[fedlaw]

g_gunter,

Because of a severe injury to my arms, I rarely run magnums through it anymore. I shoot .44 specials as follows:
Blazers-because of the price;
Speer Gold-Dots & Win. Silver tips for SD practice;
and my favorite: Federal Classic SWC-HP

The Blazers aren't bad in terms of accuracy, the SD ammo is better, but the Federal Classics are for evoking envy from the guys at the other lanes.

Steve

 

[g_gunter]

Well, I got back to the range today. My best group was 3/4" (bottom left in photo) at 40 yds. resting on knee. You may notice a flyer when I first got started? Just don't any attention to it.

Now I've got to work it back to 50 yds.

By the way, the practice rounds are Magtech 240 gr. (240 gr. @ 1180 fps). I've been impressed with Magtech in all my guns so far.

g_gunter