S&W Mountain Gun

[Roger Williams]

Let me start off by saying that I'm really unfamiliar with Smith & Wesson model names, numbers, etc... The only Smith I have ever owned is a 686 .357 mag.

I went to a gun show recenty and saw a Smith that I really, really liked. The guy at the table told me it was their "Mountain Gun" model and that it was light so it could be carried all day, but chambered for .44 mag to take care of any bears that want to interrupt your salmon fishing trip!

Anyway, I REALLY liked the looks of the gun, but.... I really don't want or need a .44 mag that is lightweight! Does S&W make anything like the mountain gun that is heavier to better handle that .44 mag recoil?

I really liked the tapering tube, short lug, and great lines of the gun.

Thanks in advance gentlemen.

 

[P95Carry]

I think the mod 29 would please you greatly ... the ''Dirty Harry'' magnum!! Or if you want stainless the 629 ..... this is the wonderful Smith ''N'' Frame ... a large and tough bruiser of a gun .... tho in truth ... IMO ..... not as tough as say, the Ruger Redhawk.

It does exhibit tho the classic aspects of Smith design .. I still want one.

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To add ... just scale up the proportions of the 686 a bit ... which is ''L'' frame .. and you'll be getting close .. tho not a full underlug. It is truly .........''something to get hold of''!

 

[Mannlicher]

The 'fearsome recoil' of the .44 mag is, to me, mostly a myth. My 629-3 Mountain gun is a pleasure to shoot, and it totes easily all day in its Sam Andrews holster.

 

[Dr.Who]

You can also get a Mountain Gun in 45 Colt, 45 ACP, and 10 mm. I currently shoot a 625 PC 45ACP in IDPA. Nice, and recoil is very controlable. Have not shot a 44 mag in that frame, so to tell you the difference I will not be much assistance.

 

[Wildalaska]

I have one...recoil is manly, yet managable, and its nice to carry...

Now of course, I think one of those Scandiums would be a lot nicer...


Wild44Alaska

 

[Stainz]

I swore off of .44 Magnums over a quarter century ago due to the blistering and web splitting of my hand after three homebrew rounds through my friend's 29. My first DA revolver was a SRH in .454 Casull - so it would handle my favorite .45 Colts. I had to try .454 Casulls... I know the recoil energy is greater - but the ergonomics are as well... it is comfortable to shoot fully stoked with .454's. My next DA revolver was a gift from my wife - a .45 Colt 625 Mountain Gun - my first ever S&W. That started my S&W addiction...

My next purchase was a 629MG, destined to shoot .44 Specials & .44 Russians - or so I thought. I love the MG lines - but they improve drastically with the round-square conversion S&W wood grips (#21991). Now I had to try .44 Magnums... they still hurt, but they are not offensive at all with the rubber grips, more so with the wood checkering, those wood grips closely resembling my friend's old 29's grips... it was the wood grips that hurt me then! Keep the rubber for full power loads. For PD, you just can't beat the CCI Blazer 200gr Gold Dot's in .44 Special - chrono-ed at ~870fps from my 629MG (Speer insists they open up by 800fps.). For thick-skinned creatures, you may just need some maggies... good to know it will handle them. BTW, I called S&W Customer Service regarding ammo for both my MG's - they said anything commercial was fine... the limit was my ability to withstand the recoil. I'd avoid anything really 'hot' - especially anything intended only for a Thompson Contender, Ruger, etc. I shoot wimpy 240gr 660fps .44 Russians, too, in my 629MG - indeed, a fun firearm.

Stainz

 

[JNewell]

I am wondering if what you saw was a 329? This has a scandium alloy frame and a titanium cylinder. If the revolver you saw was black and gray, that's it. Very light...very, umm, distinctive recoil profile.

If what you saw was all stainless steel, then it was the 629 Mountain Gun. S&W does make the 629 with a standard, straight profile barrel. The 629 Mountain Gun doesn't differ a whole lot from the 4" 629. The difference is the tapered profile of the MG versus the straight profile barrel of the standard version, which is worth something like 3 to 5 ounces. IMO this does not make a lot of difference either in weight carried on the belt or in recoil and muzzle flip -- some, yes, but not dramatic. YMMV and if you read old posts here and at TFL you will find that some people think the MGs do recoil very differently.

 

[tech]

I find my mountain gun with the regular rubber grips to be a pleasure to shoot compared to a 629 with the target grips. Methinks the grips are the key.

Mike

 

[Roger Williams]

Thanks to everybody who replied!

It seems like they told me wrong at the gun show. I looked up the stats on the MG and it doesn't seem all THAT light. I think I will give one a try. After all, if I don't like it, I'm sure I can sell it or trade it at the next gun show.

Thanks for all the input guys! Now, to find that MG....

 

[Majic]

You can also get a Mountain Gun in 45 Colt, 45 ACP, and 10 mm.

I don't know about that 10mm pardner, but you left out the .357mag and the .41mag.

 

[JNewell]

I'm sure I can sell it or trade it at the next gun show

\

That would certainly be true here. I am surprised by how fast the .44MGs move. The .45ACP is close behind it. The .45LC for some reason lingers forever...months, even at what would be a fair price. If you buy the .44Mag and change your mind, I'm sure you will easily find a buyer.

 

[tech]

JNewell, If you see a 45colt lingering at a fair price let me know. I have been looking for a while now.

Mike

 

[Richard]

Let me start by saying I find S&W 44 Mags with heavy loads to be unpleasant for a days shooting. Now let me back this up with this story:

I am no stranger when comes to large caliber handguns and so I thought my, then new, 8 3/8" S&W M29-3 would be a pussycat.

I figured the longer barrel and added weight of the barrel would tame the beast. I forgot one part of the equation. What was that? A 44 Mag will burn powder to the end of the 8 3/8 " barrel and there was no reduction in recoil. I had a trigger job done and it was slick.

I let loose with the first shot and I was so shook up by the recoil that I double tapped the revolver. After the double tap my middle finger hurt so bad I thought I had broken it. This digit had been slammed by the trigger guard. The palm of my hand could have passed for a Scotsman's kilt as it had the imprint of the checkering embedded in it.

Regards,

Richard