Which S&W 629 length barrel should I get?

[Mark in GA]

Hey guys. I've been looking around at used 629's recently and thinking about picking one up. I don't usually care for the overly heavy full underlug style barrels, so I am looking at the 4" and standard barreled 6" models.

It would be used for woods bumming, plinking at the range, or as a backup to my rifle during hunting season. Just a general all around sixgun carried in a belt holster. Which barrel length would you guys recommend and why?

I already have a 3" Model 63 J-frame and a 4" 686+ Mountain Gun L-frame, so this would be their big brother so to speak.

For loads I am thinking of something less than full power Mag loads. Probably a 250 gr Lyman 429667 or 429421 over enough HS-6 to get 1100 fps or so.

Which would you get a 4" or a 6"?

Thanks,
Mark in GA

[MtGun44]

4" carries a LOT easier in a holster - UNLESS you are using a crossdraw, in which case there
is little difference. Personally, I'm partial to the S&W 629 Mountain Gun. Surprise. ;-)

10 gr of Unique under a 429421 is a really good 1050 fps load that seems to work VERY
well in around 80+% of .44 mags.

Bill

[DrB]

4" carries a LOT easier in a holster - UNLESS you are using a crossdraw, in which case there
is little difference. Personally, I'm partial to the S&W 629 Mountain Gun. Surprise. ;-)

10 gr of Unique under a 429421 is a really good 1050 fps load that seems to work VERY
well in around 80+% of .44 mags.

Bill

Would you guys mind mentioning what you think fair used prices are these days for guns in good condition? I've been thinking about a 44 magnum in s&w629 or ruger redhawk.. Haven't done much price research yet, though.

[Lloyd Smale]

4 inch are hands down my favorite n frames. Id say you should be able to find a decent used one for around 500-600 if you shop around.

[RKJ]

I'd go with the 4" also. I've got a 6" that I got for $625.00 18 months ago (we don't see many used ones around here and it was in good shape with combat grips, anyway that was my rationale for getting it) :) I find the 6" is awkward to carry in a hip holster as it pushes up into my side whenever I sit down.

[bobthenailer]

Over the years ive had 2- 8 3/8 , 1- 6" , i currently have a 6 1/2 " and a 5" S&W 44 mags , IMO I would probley go for the 5 " from what you have described .

[MtGun44]

Getting much under $600 would be a deal, assuming the gun is 'right'.

I'd never buy a revolver anymore unless it is such a huge bargain that I could turn it without
financial loss without checking the throats with pin gages. Too small is a
relatively simple fix, but too big is a giant PITA, and life is too short to buy
revolvers that are unlikely to shoot well with std diameter boolits.

For .44 mag, I'd accept .429 or .430 diameter throats (pin gaged, not calipers) and
MAYBE .431, but not larger.

Bill

[GabbyM]

My Colt is a 6" and I'd not change that. Don't like the muzzle blast of the 4" 44's.
Don't like giving up the velocity for a short barrel. Never found the length to be awkward. Weight is and the big gun makes you look lopsided. May not go well with your Fedora hat and LL bean pants. The guys I Prairie dog shoot with have teased me a bit about my hog leg. But that’s OK as they’ll find something anyway. You just need the right comeback joke. You already have the 4” 686. Take that out with full charge on a moonless night. After twenty minutes to allow your eyes to adjust. Fire one off from that flame thrower and enjoy the stars and light blotches floating in front of you for thirty seconds. That’s what I don’t like about short barrels. One reason I bought a 44 magnum was to chase wounded animals down after dark. Top that off with my personal perceptions. I don’t for instance consider a six inch revolver to be a long barrel revolver. 8 ¾ inch is a long barrel. Four inch is a short barrel and then you have snubbies.

[subsonic]

4" is a handfull, but great to have on your hip. I have a round butt 4" standard barrel 629-4. I prefer the standard barrel to the Mountain gun's skinny barrel for a tad more recoil control. 5" is good if you can find one. I wouldn't go for a 6" for what you're doing, I would just back down the load a bit in a 4" - I shoot 18-20gr of 2400 or AA9 behind a 44-250-KT. Haven't decided which is most accurate yet, but 18gr of 2400 is only going about 1100fps - is pleasant to shoot.

[redneckdan]

I would go for a 4". I have a 4" round butt that used to be my every day carry until I got a 4 5/8" bisley. I paid 750 for mine lightly used a couple years ago. I didn't get a deal but it was exactly what I needed at the time and was tired of farting around. The guy threw in a nice S&W hard case and a bunch of brass so I came out okay in the end.

[MJR007]

I have the Airlite with a 4" tube. I really like it.

[Shuz]

4" carries a LOT easier in a holster - UNLESS you are using a crossdraw, in which case there
is little difference. Personally, I'm partial to the S&W 629 Mountain Gun. Surprise. ;-)

10 gr of Unique under a 429421 is a really good 1050 fps load that seems to work VERY
well in around 80+% of .44 mags.

Bill

Bill is "right on". Of all my 44's, I prefer the Mtn Gun due to it's ease of carry. I'd add that 8.5g of Green Dot and the 429421 is another good 1050fps load.

[exile]

If you are shooting mild loads I would go with the 4" Mountain Gun. I have one and love it, but then again my preferred load is a 200 grain RNFP boolit over 6.7 grains of Unique in a .44 Special case. I have never fired a .44 magnum load out of it yet.

As far as balance is concerned, I have a 5" 686 and it is the most well-balanced revolver I have ever handled. On par with a friends 5" 629. If I could find a 5" 629 that is the gun I would go with. But, good luck with that, I have never seen one for sale in a gun shop. Those that have them must keep them.

By the way, you are lucky to have a 686 Mountain Gun, that is a pretty rare item.

exile

[WARD O]

If I had to pick only one.... it would be my 5" Classic with the full underlug. It balances the best and I shoot it well. It has enough weight so the infrequent full power loads don't really bother. It is short and light enough that a good high ride Three Persons holster doesn't feel uncomfortable nor drag your pants down. It seems to be a great choice for one all around 44 magnum. But...... I don't have to pick only one. So I have several to chose from, including a 4" 329PD, the 5" Classic and the 6.5" Classic DX. It is my favorite caliber and one just can't have too many! (I like blue better so most of mine are 29's.)

Ward

[HDS]

I've always been partial to 6" myself. I've got no problems carrying my light 6" M17-2, for my fully underlugged 6.5" 629 classic though I am looking at a Lou Alessi fieldmaster holster, but a crossdraw is working fine until that.

[subsonic]

Oh, and you probably will not find one worth owning for less than $500. $600 is more like it around here, with $700+ not being unusual. I gave $529 for mine 4 years ago or so, USED.

[Dframe]

I got over my infatuation with long barrels a long time ago after I had to carry one in the field. I would go with the 4 inch as it is a lot handier to carry around and loses little in velocity. But I should confess My favorite is a 3 inch model 29 that I love.

[OuchHot!]

I can wear 3", 4" or 5" N frame on the belt and still get into and out of a car. I cannot do that with my 6" (6.5"?? can't recall) without gibblet poking and such (I am 6'1" with long torso). I can really tell a difference when my 60yo eyeballs try to hunker down on a low contrast target. The 5" site radius shoots much better for me than my 4" (M27) and 3" N frames. How do your eyes handle the 4inch bbl site radius? Prices in my area are $650nUP for nice N frames.

[GP100man]

Here`s a question for your question.

How does GA. stand on handgun hunting ???? Caliber, barrel lengths & power factor ????

My vote is for a 51/2" Redhawk, Your talking `bout a BIG handgun !!!

Size & weight demand good leather & Belt to be comfortable !!!

You have other revolvers for other reasons s/d & h/d , so I`d go with the 6" it`ll fill the bill better for what reasons stated.

Used 629 s (if ya find 1) run 600-750 in my area & visited gunshows.

[Mark in GA]

I actually had 5.5 Redhawk many years ago and it was stolen. It was VERY heavy. Too heavy for carry to me.

Mark in GA

[longranger]

You will appreciate a 4" much more than 6" when holstered and and hunting.Red Hawks are huge and just not on par with a S&W for carrying.

[Heavy lead]

I've got two 5" full underlug, bought the first for 650 used, but can't tell how, it appeared brand new, complete with Crimson Trace laser grips, which are not used on it.
Bought another a month ago with a package deal with a Kimber Gold Match, 22 conversion kit for it 1300 bucks for the works, so I'm figuring 1000 bucks for the Kimber and 22 converson and 300 bucks for the 629-2, it is very very accurate. The deals are out there if you hop on them when they are presented.
MtGun has got the load right IMO, 10 grains of Unique under anything between 250 and 265 works great in all my 44's and doesn't punish you, yet has good power.

[Dark Helmet]

+1 on the 5" Classic with Pachmayr Compacs. Loved mine,tell me again why I sold it?

[GabbyM]

The best place to put weight on a gun is on the barrel. Not on the forearm grip with eight rails. I’ve my opinions and here is one of them. Any 44 magnum with less than a six inch barrel is just a piece of fireworks best suited for display. If you don’t like a six inch or longer barrel get a 44 Special.

[9.3X62AL]

You will appreciate a 4" much more than 6" when holstered and and hunting.Red Hawks are huge and just not on par with a S&W for carrying.

Few truer words have ever graced this site. I have a 5.5" Redhawk, and it shoots WONDERFULLY.......but I wonder whether a sling strap would be a better carry mode than a holster.

The Beast (its pet nomenclature) really shines with the 1400 FPS+ 240 grainers. That was its raison d'etre. A 4" Model 29-series WHEN FED ELMER KEITH LEVEL LOADS--240s at 1200 FPS or less--is a delight to carry and not bad to fire. I had a shot at a 4" and a 5" example a while back, and meant to buy one of them. Their wide throats (.433" or more) splashed cold water on the matter.

I seem to have a real affinity for 5" revolvers over the past few years. I have 4 of them presently, and had another (M-27/no-dash) until a divorce fire sale required its movement. The only real difficulty with the 5" is the lack of ready-made holsters for the things.

If a 4" 29-series steps up at the right price & dimensions, I'll grab it. Same goes for a decent lever rifle in this caliber.

[exile]

Interesting that so many like five-inch Smith and Wesson's and yet they make so few of them. I have never understood that kind of logic on the part of companies who (theoretically) wish to sell firearms. Same thing with Ruger. Why did it take them so long to make a .44 Special on a .357 size flattop frame?

Go figure.

[subsonic]

The real problem with the .44spl is that nobody makes cheap plentiful ammo for it and it's not a magnum. I know where there's a screaming deal on a NEW 4 3/4" flat-top .44spl ruger and nobody wants it because of those reasons! If I had the cash.... $399!

Also a TALO 5.5" Bisley .44spl next to it for $449!!!

[9.3X62AL]

Magnumitis is pretty infectious, and the classic calibers don't get many gunrag props. Nuts like us appreciate them, but the gun companies aren't marketing the classics with much vigor. The Glory Holes and other lawyer-proofing gambits aren't helpful, either.

[Dale53]

In my home state of Ohio, the deer hunting requirement is minimum barrel length of 5". That would guide my opinion to a certain extent.

Frankly, I only shoot full .44 Magnum loads in my .44 Magnums. The 4" has noticeably more recoil and barrel rise than my longer barreled ones. The difference is substantial.

I cast my own bullets and reload, so I'm talking about a 250 gr Keith with 23.0 grs of H110 for my practice loads and 24.0 grs hunting load in .44 Magnum cases in my Model 29's, 629, and Ruger Red Hawk. I carry my long barreled 29 (8 3/8") and Red Hawk (7½") in a cross chest carry (Bianchi Hush System).

Dale53

[bobthenailer]

I really like the 5" S&W revolvers i have a 625, 2- 627s and a 629

[Mal Paso]

6" Half Lug. Bianchi Cyclone 111 Holster can be warn crossdraw but I wear it strongside and with that holster it's not a problem sitting. I'm wearing it now though I had to remove a Mag Holder to make room. It's easy to pick a weapon, Accessorizing is the real dilemma.

[jwp475]

If you can find a 5" snatch it up. 5's are the cats meow for a S&W N-frame