S&W 629 Performance Center 2.625 Inch Barrel

[Art in Colorado]

Saw this on consignment and I can't stop thinking about. Just to use for 44 Special. I know it is not pratical. At 2 5/8 inch I not sure what it is good for. But still has me wondering.

[Paul105]

Not practical? I guess we have a different definition of practical. I love short barreled 44 mags. Here are a few of mine.

3" M629



2 1/2" 329 Alaska Backpacker



2 3/4" M69



I say go for it -- you only live once.

Paul

[Art in Colorado]

Very nice six guns. Maybe I will have to jump on board.

[PbHurler]

DO IT! I'll post pics after work. I've got one, darned fun gun!, you'll LOVE it....

[Drm50]

I have never owned a 44mg snubby. I did have a 4” m29 back in early 70s and a Ruger SBH that had been pruned to end of ejector tube. Muzzle blast and flash I could do without. I just sold a 4” 29-2 NIB in presentation case that I’ve had for years. I went about magnums backwards. When I started buying I got longest barrel made. When in my 30s I finally realized I could shoot the 6-6.5” guns just as well. I still have a set of 83/8” N frames but no longer went out of my way to get them.

[Outpost75]

I would be interested to know what loads you fellows are using in your .44 Mag snubbies. I frequently carry a 4-inch S&W Model 29-2 and I seldom use full-charge magnum loads, but trend towards medium-velocity .44 Magnum rounds of about 1000 fps with 230-260 grain bullets from the 4-inch barrel, usually with 7-8 grains of Bullseye or 452AA, or 16 grains of Alliant #2400.

Attachment 265142

[JoeG52]

When a good friend of mine passed his family gave me a bunch of his loading supplies. Among them is a lot of cast, sized, lubed 44 swc that weigh right at 230gr. He always used pure linotype and H&G molds. I have been loading those with 8.5gr unique and get 1000fps from my S&W 69. It certainly is not a maximum load but has plenty of punch from the L frame.

Edit to add that my S&W 69 is a 4.25" barrel

[Paul105]

I don't shoot many low end or moderate loads, but here are a couple I developed for my M69s.

7.7gr Univ, 265gr SWCGC (Matts 429244) deep seated in .44 mag acases and crimped over front drive band. Haven't chronographed but probably 850-900 fps from 2 3/4" bbl.



5.0gr Win Super Target (WST), 250gr Keith (429421) deep seated in .44 mag cases and crimped over front drive band. Not chroned, but probably in the 750-800 fps in 2 3/4" M69



17.5gr A2400, 265gr SWCgC (429244) deep seated in .44 Mag cases and crimped over front drive band. These chrono right at 1,100 fps from 2 3/4" M69



Only shot these in 4 1/4" M69 - for some reason never in the 2 3/4" gun.

6.5gr HP38, 240gr SWCBB (generic commercial cast) deep seated in .44 mag cases and crimped over front drive band. Chrono right at 870 fps from the 4 1/4" M69

Lower right group



Last One 2 3/4" M69

260gr WFNGC 23.0gr H110 seated to and crimped in crimp grove. Chronos right at 1,110 fps from the 2 3/4" M69.
50 yard group fired over my range bag and verified on a different day.




Here are some chrono results for Buff Bore and Underwood 305gr ammo

Bore, 305 LBT LFN HC rated 1,325 fps
Underwood, 305 LFNGC Plated (HiTech?) rated 1,325 fps
LabRadar muzzle velocity at 33 deg F Buffalo

S&W M69 2.75" ===> BB 1,195 fps ===> Under 1,147fps
S&W M69 4.25" ===> BB 1,276 fps ===> Under 1,248 fps
Ruger SRH 7.5" ===> BB 1,395 fps ===> Under 1,315 fps

[murf205]

I'll bet that H110 load from a 2 3/4" barrel has enough flash and blast to cook a t-bone steak!

[44MAG#1]

The S&W M69 2.75 inch gun is a nice gun. A very nice gun.

[Paul105]

I'll bet that H110 load from a 2 3/4" barrel has enough flash and blast to cook a t-bone steak!

A friend shooting my M69 2 3/4" - 240gr JSP 24.0 gr H110 - slightly overcast -- funny thing, I can't remember seeing the muzzle flash and I've shot it a bunch with that load. Never shot it before sunrise or after sunset however.



Paul

[murf205]

A friend shooting my M69 2 3/4" - 240gr JSP 24.0 gr H110 - slightly overcast -- funny thing, I can't remember seeing the muzzle flash and I've shot it a bunch with that load. Never shot it before sunrise or after sunset however.



Paul

YaHoo! That's the H110 that we know and love. I read an article in Handloader about Accurate 11FS that is supposed to be the same as H110 with a flash suppressant (that's what the FS is for) and it worked for the author of the review. I have not tried it.

[PbHurler]

Nice fireball! I HAD to touch off a few JHP's in mine (ok flame me ) 180 gr Sierra JHC in front of 27.0 Gr. H110, CCI 350 primer. It'll get your attention!


(don't know why these rotated)

The load in the speed loader is this NOE boolit in front of 6.7Gr. IMR SR7625, Fed 150 primer


Figured it'd be a good "defense" load around the house, never chronographed it though in this gun.

[DHDeal]

A friend shooting my M69 2 3/4" - 240gr JSP 24.0 gr H110 - slightly overcast -- funny thing, I can't remember seeing the muzzle flash and I've shot it a bunch with that load. Never shot it before sunrise or after sunset however.



Paul

Yeah, that's a good one. I've mentioned before on other threads that my little Model 60 357 Magnum can make a fantastic fireball that you notice in the sunlight. Not too much fun to shoot as it bites from both ends with 357 Magnum loads.

Having shot some stout 44 Magnum loads out of SBH's and my FA83, I doubt shooting those same (or slightly downloaded) loads out of one of the short barrel 29's would be no fun at all. I do know the OP was about the short 29's and 44 Special loads.

As far as "practical" goes, I think your intended use is quite practical and if you want one, get it. It would be a baby doll with 44 Special loads.

[Don Purcell]

Love my short barreled Smith N frames (4 inch) but may take a look at the Model 69.

[Don Purcell]

PbHurler, are those grips from Eagle by any chance?

[PbHurler]

Don,

Those are Hogue Ultra Compact Bantam, in Pau Ferro wood

[Paul105]

YaHoo! That's the H110 that we know and love. I read an article in Handloader about Accurate 11FS that is supposed to be the same as H110 with a flash suppressant (that's what the FS is for) and it worked for the author of the review. I have not tried it.

23.0gr 11FS, 240 JSP -- same day, same gun, same shooter -- my Iphone SE doesn't capture full blast of either 11fs or H110 (limited frames/sec I guess).


.

[Der Gebirgsjager]

Hi Art -- I've got the twin brother of Paul105's revolver as shown in his first photo, the nice stainless one. Only one difference, mine is Magna-ported. I got it from Lew Horton about 17 or 18 years ago. Story is that a neighbor had called and reported seeing a mountain lion near our gate on two different occasions. It was about 1/4 mile walk to the gate where the mail box was located, and I made the walk daily, so decided some protection might be in order. The 629 snubbie seemed like the ticket, more convenient than a rifle, when balancing having to carry something vs. the odds of meeting the critter. Besides, who in their right mind would pass up a chance to buy another handgun? So I bought it, carried it, but never shot it until one day myself and a couple of other old codger friends decided to head into the hills and shoot guns we'd acquired. I took the S&W and a box of Winchester factory 240 gr. JHP ammo. I loaded her up and fired off the very first shot ever, except maybe S&W fired a couple. I stuck it out there in my best one-handed bullseye shooting stance, got a good sight picture, and squeezed it off. Well, Sir, Magna-port notwithstanding, the revolver was jerked violently upward so as to be pointing at the sky. There was a fireball as shown in Paul105's photos, and a concussion that made me think my nose was going to bleed. The only other time I've encountered concussion like that was with a Ruger .30 Carbine revolver shooting old WW II ammo-- but that's another story. Anyway, I had to pick up my cowboy had off the ground as it flipped backward off my head. It certainly got the attention of my shooting companions. Buddy #1 remarked, "You almost hit the target!" I fired it a second time with exactly the same results. I handed the S&W to Buddy #1 who held it out two handed in an rigid two-handed hold and fired it, with largely the same results. He handed it to Buddy #2 who looked it over and handed it back to me. That was a total of three shots, and that's where the total remains to this day. When I got home I cleaned it and put it back in its blue plastic case with a label on the box that says, "The Beast". If you were local I'd be happy to sell it to you, no test firing! I guess, like Dirty Harry said, "A man's got to know his limitations." I found mine, and it has a lot to do with barrel length for caliber. A 5 1/2" Colt .45, or a 1911 .45 ACP is just about my comfortable limitation. Of course, as so many here say, "YMMV". All I'm saying here is that you are wise to have your doubts and to approach a purchase with caution!


DG

[Art in Colorado]

Nice fireball! I HAD to touch off a few JHP's in mine (ok flame me ) 180 gr Sierra JHC in front of 27.0 Gr. H110, CCI 350 primer. It'll get your attention!


(don't know why these rotated)

The load in the speed loader is this NOE boolit in front of 6.7Gr. IMR SR7625, Fed 150 primer


Figured it'd be a good "defense" load around the house, never chronographed it though in this gun.

That is a twin brother of the one I am looking at. The revolvers on consignment like this one are moving slow. All the new gun buyers want autos. I am going to make a lower offer and see if I can get it. Thanks for the input. By the way back in my Air Force days at Shepard AFB my roomate was from Tulsa. We would go up to his parents house often on weekends. It was a wonderful town. Sadly he passed this past fall. Texas and Oklhoma are still my favorite states.