I am looking at purchasing a S&W Model 29

[Confirmedkill]

I am looking at purchasing a Model 29 revolver. The only other revolver I ever shot was a Taurus .38 special snub nose model. How violent is the recoil when shooting full power .44 Magnum loads? I am looking at the 6.5 inch model. Will this tame the recoil much better than the 3 inch model? Thank you in advance.

P.S.

I have shot 9mm, .40S&W, and .45 ACP no problems with felt recoil.

 

[ravencon]

Recoil perception can be remarkably subjective. If at all possible, try before you buy--if not with that particular gun at least with something substantially like it.

Also, you can gradually get used to full power loads by starting with mild cowboy action .44 specials and work you way up the power food chain. Who knows? It might motivate you to start reloading. Good luck!

 

[harmonic]

Don't take my word for it. I've only been shooting and collecting Smiths for about 30 years. But here's my take.

Shooting full charge loads in a 29 will considerably shorten it's life. It's just not as massive a frame as, say, the Ruger Super Redhawk.

Yes, a 6 1/2 inch barrel is considerably tamer to shoot than one with a 3 inch barrel.

I remember when the 29 craze hit. It was during the "Dirty Harry" movies. You almost couldn't find one with a 6 1/2 inch barrel. So, people were buying 29s with a four inch barrel. Then you saw a rash of used Model 29s with a four inch barrel for sale, all with about a half box of shells.

The 6 1/2 is even better than a four inch.

Personally, I shoot only reloads, reloaded to 44 special velocities. Easier on the gun and the shooter.

With 44 special velocities, the recoil will be no worse than the 45 ACP you've already shot.

 

[Walkalong]

It is a big step up, but it is quite enjoyable to many folks. You can always shoot .44 Spls out of it or download it.

 

[Snapping Twig]

What most people didn't realize when they bought all these 29's back in the day was the importance of a proper grip fit to their hand.

I like smooth wood Hogue's, but Ahrends, Spiegel's or some other top end grip will make the recoil much more acceptable. Of course, this leads to better accuracy.

You can down load to 900fps and have a round similar to a .45LC in accuracy and terminal performance, or download further for a cream puff load with bite.

A .44mag is a really good all around revolver.

 

[Deanimator]

It depends upon two things:

1. Ammunition. The most powerful factory handgun ammunition of ANY kind I've ever shot was the Winchester White Box 240gr. .44 Magnums. Out of my 4" 29-2, it's brutal. Out of my 6" 29-2 it's only uncomfortable. There are a LOT of factory .44 Magnum loads. Try different ones to see which you prefer. I mostly handload .44 Specials for my guns. With them, the 4" is pleasant to shoot, with no more recoil than an M1911.

2. Grips. I bought my 4" back from a friend after around ten years. When I got it back, it had S&W magna grips on it. I needed to test it with Winchester White Box while a forcing cone problem was being worked on. I didn't even TRY to shoot it until after the magnas had been replaced with targets. Even with the targets is was brutal. I managed to get a set of Pachmayr Signatures. It still hurts with those. I put Pachmayr Grippers on my 6" and it's reasonable to shoot with White Box. Not fun, but endurable for hunting.

 

[Deanimator]

I remember when the 29 craze hit. It was during the "Dirty Harry" movies. You almost couldn't find one with a 6 1/2 inch barrel. So, people were buying 29s with a four inch barrel. Then you saw a rash of used Model 29s with a four inch barrel for sale, all with about a half box of shells.

I got a hell of a deal on my 4" 29-2 that way. Of course by that time, I think somebody bought it after watching "48 Hours".

 

[SaxonPig]

I readily admit to finding the 44 Magnum downright uncomfortable. I have a beautiful 6.5" 29-2 that has had MAYBE 200 rounds through it in the past 20 years.

I own it because I feel like I should have one, not because I enjoy shooting it.

I know, that's kooky.

 

[Biggums]

29-2

Try to find a nice 29-2 as they were the first production models built in the 70s with the recessed cylinders and pinned barrel. They have a beautiful blue finish and are more collectable.

As far as recoil goes wear a good shooting glove and you will have a literal blast and fun with this gun.

Now if your talking about the S&W 500 these also are fun but a totally different ball game.

 

[Evyl Robot]

I love my 29. Sometimes, my wife gets jealous of it. (J/K)

--Michael

 

[def4pos8]

--nothing wrong with a 29. . .especially for zombie killin'.

You might try working up through the Model 21, Model 24/624 or Model 25/625 before swingin' a big bat.

On the other hand, my first handgun was a Ruger Redhawk in 44. It was just fine with magnums but was truly sweet with specials.

Ya pays yer money and takes yer chances. . . .

 

[SaxonPig]

Biggums- The 44 Magnum came out in 1956, became the Model 29 in 1957 when model numbers were started, a few 29-1s were made around 1961-62, and the 29-2 came on line in 1962 and ALL were pinned and recessed. These features didn't start in the 1970s.

 

[Smaug]

If you're used to 38 Special recoil, a full-house 44 Magnum load will rock your world. My 29 was a 8-3/8" barrel, which I'm sure is gentle compared to a 6-1/2" or 4" barrel. But it still kicked pretty darned hard.

If you shoot it with your joints locked, you'll have a sore shoulder after about 3 cylinders.

My 29 was shooting loose a lot. I had to continually check the frame screws when shooting mangum loads.

I eventually sold it. I wanted another 44 Magnum revolver, and bought a Redhawk this time. I'm not a big of guns shooting loose, so I bought one that could take the heat.

Ironically, the barrel broke off & flew downrange on the first shot due to a manufacturing defect. But that is the exception, not the norm with Rugers.

Personally, if I didn't handload, there's no way I would buy a 44 Magnum. Even factory 44 Special ammo is too expensive. As a handloader though I can load powderpuff loads that feel lighter than 38 Special with deadly accuracy, or full-house magnum loads, which I still like to shoot occasionally. I load them all in 44 Mag cases, to avoid scoring the chambers.

If you don't handload, 357 is a better bet.

One last thing, the sound of the blast from a 44 Magnum is much more pleasing to my ears. 357s are more high pitched and abrupt, whereas 44s are much more bassy.

 

[Evyl Robot]

Ironically, the barrel broke off & flew downrange on the first shot due to a manufacturing defect. But that is the exception, not the norm with Rugers.

...investment casting...



*ducks to avoid thrown objects*

--Michael

 

[Smaug]

Evyl Robot - What caused it was Ruger techs putting on the barrel thread lube, then the quitting bell sounds and they go home for the day. When they came back the next morning, the lube had dried up. Then, they torque the barrels on to the specified torque. But since the lube was dried up, the barrel was weakened. Kind of like when you just start to twist the head off of a screw...

This was apparently a problem Ruger had in the early 80s when they switched barrel lubes.

 

[pinkymingeo]

Hot 44mag loads are, to me, unpleasant in handguns, period. The cartridge is so versatile, though, that it'll do most anything you want without a lot of drama and misery. Loading subsonic makes a huge difference. My hunting load is a 270gr at a little over 1100fps, and it's pleasant to shoot in my 6" 629. It'll easily kill anything I'm gonna shoot with a handgun. I can push that bullet well over 1300, but why? It won't kill my target any deader, and then it's not at all fun to shoot.

 

[Pure Kustom]

I am looking at purchasing a Model 29 revolver. The only other revolver I ever shot was a Taurus .38 special snub nose model. How violent is the recoil when shooting full power .44 Magnum loads? I am looking at the 6.5 inch model. Will this tame the recoil much better than the 3 inch model? Thank you in advance.

Yes I have 3" 4" 6" 61/2" and a 8"

The 3" is fun to shoot. Major fireballs, good kick. With hot loads.
4" hurts like hell with the same loads 25 rounds I am hurting for a week.
6" has a good kick but nothing like the 4"
61/2" is a little easyer than the 6"
I haven't shot the 8" yet

 

[win308]

Smith and Wesson will sell you rubber grips from their 500 mag pistol. I bought some and installed on my 629 (4 inch barrel) Mountain Gun, and it tamed the recoil very nicely. Slightly oversize, but they fill my hands just fine, (I have average hands....not small). On a 6 inch gun, I would think you would really appreciate how much the recoil is dampened.

 

[Pure Kustom]

Smith and Wesson will sell you rubber grips from their 500 mag pistol. I bought some and installed on my 629 (4 inch barrel) Mountain Gun, and it tamed the recoil very nicely. Slightly oversize, but they fill my hands just fine, (I have average hands....not small). On a 6 inch gun, I would think you would really appreciate how much the recoil is dampened.

Thanks yeah I have heard that they fit. The only one I had a problem with was the 4" I was hurting for a week. They were D.E.rounds 1500 to 1700 fps 240swc My friend uses them in his Desert Eagle.

 

[Majic]

The only other revolver I ever shot was a Taurus .38 special snub nose model. How violent is the recoil when shooting full power .44 Magnum loads?

You are stepping from the little league to the majors.

 

[ERIC M.]

I use Double Tap 320gr WFN Hardcast bullets with my Model 29-2 with a 4" barrel for big game hunting.

For the Range, I reload using 6.5gr of W-231 powder and 240gr RNFP cast bullets.
This load is very accurate and the recoil, like the guys already said, is no worse than my 1911 45ACPs.

Don't let anybody scare you away from buying the Model 29 if you can find one.

Recoil is only in a guy's head, and the 29 is one of my favorite pistols in my collection.
I shoot it all of the time at the Range.

Eric

 

[saturno_v]

This is my 29-2 with 8 3/8 barrel (pinned and recessed) I got last spring, all original.
I like to look at it once in a while and hold it in my hands to admire the finishing and the fine manufacturing.
I rarely take it to the range, ammo is very expensive and I do not reload.
When I shoot it i use the Pachmayr rubber presentation grips.

 

[dbriannelson]

Visited my sister, bro-in-law and their two kids in Minnesota a few months back. The kids hadn't really shot a handgun, ever. I had a couple along on the road trip, and the b-i-l had a 9mm.

We sorta worked from the low power stuff and eventually got to this .44 Magnum 629-1. The 15-yr-old nephew got a huge grin shooting it. The big surprise was seeing my 12-yr-old niece giggling like mad and shooting up all my ammo.

Maybe they didn't know it was supposed to hurt.

That said, I'm not sure these kids are normal. They work hard, raise horses, put in fence, do other chores and have tough hands. Neither knew they were supposed to flinch at loud noises. I flinch.

Recoil is 90% in the mind. Unless you have a bad fit on the grips or a particularly weak or soft hand, it won't make you bleed or bruise. If you bleed or bruise up, change the grips around until you don't.

The hardest part of course, is forgetting it's supposed to hurt. I haven't quite gotten there yet.

-Don

P.S. The stuff we shot up was the classic Keith load of 22 grains of 2400 under a 250-grain Keith cast bullet. That load is under the maximum for older loading manuals, but over the max shown in some newer ones. It's not a squib.

 

[AlPackin]

I love my 29-2. With the long barrel and 185gr wadcutters on top of 4gr of Titegroup in mag brass it's incredibly accurate and has virtually no recoil so you can shoot all day. The target load is easy on the gun and easy on me. I shoot the hot stuff through my SRH.

 

[krs]

I had a 6" version of AlPackin's gun, same grip, same beautiful firearm. I liked looking at it and shooting .44 special was OK, but forget about me and magnum loads out of that one!

Now I have this:

and even with a 1" shorter 5" barrel magnum factory loads are a whole bunch better to shoot although I've only fired it five rounds to try it.. I'm sure that the difference is the grips. Those Hogues supplied by Smith & Wesson are the only way to be able to keep from developing the world's worst flinch.

BTW - gun's for sale...