Stephen A. Camp
Moderator In Memoriam
- Joined
- Dec 24, 2002
- Messages
- 2,430
Hello. A short time back, I found a used, but "clean" S&W Model 629-1 at a fair price. I don't really care for stainless steel, but do see some practicality in it for field use. In the past, I foolishly got rid of my older, blued 6 1/2" Model 29s and I'd found the .44 Magnum to be an extremely accurate round in both factory loads as well as handloaded.
I bought it.
Last hunting season, I was able to take Texas whitetails cleanly with 9mm, .45 ACP, and .45 Colt, all using handloaded ammunition, but I thought this might be a bit easier to make hits with.
That was what I told myself, anyway. Now, that I "needed" it, I felt better!
I was really surprised at how much the longer barrel reduced muzzle flip over the 6 1/2" barrel S&Ws I'd owned in the past.
Ammunition: This is a short-coming in this report; there are no handloads listed; I have not had time. Yet, this round, like .45 Colt and .44 Special holds extreme potential for handloaders. Sorry.
Four factory loads were tried. They were:
Winchester 210-grain Silvertip Hollow Point
PMC 240-grain JHP
Magtech 240-grain JSP
CCI Blazer 240-grain JHP
There were significant velocity differences between these factory loads, but extreme spreads and standard deviations were very acceptable.
To save bandwidth, you'll find the average velocity, extreme spread, and standard deviation for each load printed on the picture of the 10-shot 25 yard group shown for each load. The figures are based on 10-shot strings fired about 10' from the chronograph screens.
Shooting: This is primarily a handgun for the field, range, or for shooting metal rams and such. Therefore, no defensive, "practical" shooting was done with it. In fact, all shots were fired single-action. Nothing's closer than 25 yards and a couple were fired at 50 yards. All groups were fired seated and a two-hand hold was used with my wrists on a rest.
The PMC shot surprisingly well, better than I'd expected!
The 210-grain STHP also shot well for me and recoil was noticably less than with some of the others.
None of the ammunition tested was inaccurate; my shooting didn't do any of it justice.
The CCI Blazer was had the lowest velocity of any of the ammo shot today. It was very managable, as was the 210-grain. The other two are getting toward the top end of my recoil tolerance level as I've not shot anything hotter than a .45 Colt with a 250-grain bullet at about 950 ft/sec in years other than a round or two now and again from a .454 Casull that belongs to a friend.
At 50 yards, the groups spread out some and I did pull some in anticipation of recoil.
The two loads that were fired at 50 yards were the ones that probably would have been chosen for hunting of the four used today and that's why they were picked.
Continued....
I bought it.
Last hunting season, I was able to take Texas whitetails cleanly with 9mm, .45 ACP, and .45 Colt, all using handloaded ammunition, but I thought this might be a bit easier to make hits with.
That was what I told myself, anyway. Now, that I "needed" it, I felt better!
I was really surprised at how much the longer barrel reduced muzzle flip over the 6 1/2" barrel S&Ws I'd owned in the past.
Ammunition: This is a short-coming in this report; there are no handloads listed; I have not had time. Yet, this round, like .45 Colt and .44 Special holds extreme potential for handloaders. Sorry.
Four factory loads were tried. They were:
Winchester 210-grain Silvertip Hollow Point
PMC 240-grain JHP
Magtech 240-grain JSP
CCI Blazer 240-grain JHP
There were significant velocity differences between these factory loads, but extreme spreads and standard deviations were very acceptable.
To save bandwidth, you'll find the average velocity, extreme spread, and standard deviation for each load printed on the picture of the 10-shot 25 yard group shown for each load. The figures are based on 10-shot strings fired about 10' from the chronograph screens.
Shooting: This is primarily a handgun for the field, range, or for shooting metal rams and such. Therefore, no defensive, "practical" shooting was done with it. In fact, all shots were fired single-action. Nothing's closer than 25 yards and a couple were fired at 50 yards. All groups were fired seated and a two-hand hold was used with my wrists on a rest.
The PMC shot surprisingly well, better than I'd expected!
The 210-grain STHP also shot well for me and recoil was noticably less than with some of the others.
None of the ammunition tested was inaccurate; my shooting didn't do any of it justice.
The CCI Blazer was had the lowest velocity of any of the ammo shot today. It was very managable, as was the 210-grain. The other two are getting toward the top end of my recoil tolerance level as I've not shot anything hotter than a .45 Colt with a 250-grain bullet at about 950 ft/sec in years other than a round or two now and again from a .454 Casull that belongs to a friend.
At 50 yards, the groups spread out some and I did pull some in anticipation of recoil.
The two loads that were fired at 50 yards were the ones that probably would have been chosen for hunting of the four used today and that's why they were picked.
Continued....