Looking to pick up a revolver help me decide.

[razerok1]

looking at either a 627 from the performance center or a 629 from the performance center.

I think I'm leaning towards the 627 cause brass is more available and reloading cost is cheaper but I have always wanted a 44 mag.

what to do?

[Southpaw 72]

Both :Fire:

[HiVelocity]

If you're looking at cheaper reloading costs, why not a 357?

HV

[razerok1]

Both :Fire: well, I wish I could but I'm not to fond of sleeping on the couch.


If you're looking at cheaper reloading costs, why not a 357?

HV
the only thing thats holding me back on the 357 is I think i would like to use the revolver to hunt and The 44mag is more appealing in that area.

[Oreo]

What do you have for semiautos?

See, I have a 10mm which is basically the equivalent of the 357mag. That made the 629 an easy choice. I also picked up a 22lr revolver for plinking. Thus the overall capabilities of my collection were expanded.

[gmsharps]

I believe you have answered your own question. Get what you want or it will always bug you and you will soon trade of the 357 and still get the 44 or just get the 44 to begin with. You do not have to shoot full bore loads just load what is confortable and load up when you hunt.

gmsharps

[Lefty Red]

Get what you really want! No sense in acting like a reaponsible adult if we can get what we want now and then.

But I disagree about the 357 mag not being up to par for hunting medium size game. In fact, I am looking at a 357mag to replace my 44mag for deer hunting. But still keeping my SBH because its an awesome weapon and fun to shoot! But just like the 357mag for cheaper reloads and ease of finding brass and bullets locally. Seems like its 38/357 or 500 S&W around here! Getting tired of odering everything online!

And the 10mm is equal to the 357mag? That is cute! :)

Lefty

[bobthenailer]

Get what you really want ! dont use logic or cost to shoot.
personaly i only like choices on how many i can have , currently 2-627s & 3-629s
I really enjoy shooting the 44 mag with loads in the 900 to 1000 fps range .
I bought the 627s for speed shooting matches one for stock class the other for unlimited class with comp & optics ,
For a all around shooting with the 357 mag i prefer a 686 over the 627s or 28 that ive owned because the 627/28 larger size & weight & shorter cyl length than the 686, i have 2-686s as well as 2-66s

[btroj]

A 357 is just so versatile. It can shoot mags or specials. They are easy to load for, cheap to shoot, and a great gun for teaching new shooters.

I own both but shoot the 357 far more than I shoot the 44.

[Bucking the Tiger]

The .44! It can be downloaded to plink with or cranked up for hunting. With a 245-250 grain Keith bullet, it will cover a lot of ground. Not a thing wrong with either choice. Have owned both for years and shoot them a lot.

[bhn22]

You sound like a candidate for a .41 magnum. If I could only have one revolver to fit my lifestyle, it would be a .41. I can cast and handload to keep it fed, just like I'm already doing for the 44s & 357s. If I had to rely on factory ammo, I'd go with the .44 because it's versatile enough to load both down for fun, and heavy enough for any game animal I'm likely to encounter.

That said, I have no qualms about using a 357 for medium game.

[Southpaw 72]

You sound like a candidate for a .41 magnum. If I could only have one revolver to fit my lifestyle, it would be a .41. I can cast and handload to keep it fed, just like I'm already doing for the 44s & 357s. If I had to rely on factory ammo, I'd go with the .44 because it's versatile enough to load both down for fun, and heavy enough for any game animal I'm likely to encounter.

That said, I have no qualms about using a 357 for medium game.

.41 mag is a great round. Better performance than the 357 without the snap and recoil of heavy 44 rounds.

[Mohillbilly]

.45 Colt and don't look back....

[DaveCampbell]

Like Southpaw72, I'd opt for both, but I understand holding the family together thin. I, too, prefer the .44 for hunting, but I would remind you that when the .357 Magnum was introduced in 1935 Doug Wesson went all over North America with a .357 killing everything from whitetails to walrus with a .357. Put a good bullet (relatively heavy-for-caliber) bullet (I prefer SWCs) in the proper place, and I'll guarantee you that critter will be so busy dying that he won't have the opportunity to sniff in disdain at the caliber you hit him with.

-----------------------------------------------------

Since Washington has been ignoring the Constitution for quite some time, isn't about time we put Washington on "ignore?"

[detox]

The m686 or m629 would be my choice, but overall favorite would be the m686 357mag.

[gwpercle]

" I have always wanted a 44 magnum" life is short...make a dream come true. While you are enjoying the 44 save up for the 357, now you got both.

Gary

[RED333]

One of these and be done with it
http://i896.photobucket.com/albums/ac165/redintn/pistols/SuperBlackHawk44Mag_zpsd6a77d52.jpg (http://s896.photobucket.com/user/redintn/media/pistols/SuperBlackHawk44Mag_zpsd6a77d52.jpg.html)
Super Balckhawk

[RKJ]

If just one, the 629. I bet you could pick up a used 629 and either a 66 or 686 for not much more than a PC gun would cost you.

[22 rifle]

if you really want to hunt with it get the 44.it can shoot 44 special and 44 mag and all the ones i've owned are very accurate.can shoot boolits from 180gr to 340gr and velocity from 600fps to 1600fps.i've had both.used to shoot at a country dump and the 357 would make a few cans jump but the 44 seemed like it moved the whole pile and the cast swc's would go 2-3 feet into the mud with just midrange loads.serious difference in hitting power.besides you can always save up and get a 357 later,you probably will anyway!

[pmer]

84027

Ruger, the other white meat! Lord willing this one will be laying on a deer in November.

If you're set up to shoot 44 I'd go 44.

[357mags]

Stick with the 357mag. Better cartridge, and more versatile than 44mag.

[birch]

I am with mohillbilly,

Go with the .45 Colt. That cartridge taught me so much about handloading it isnt even funny. you can load it down for some fun all afternoon shooting, or if you get a nice ruger, you can load it up to near .44mag velocities. I think it is a perfect round. However, the .357 is a fine cartridge as well.

If you are thinking .44mag, I would stay away from the Smith and Wesson 29 or 629. They are relatively weak firearms. If you do a google search, type 29 and 629 problems--The frames stretch something horrible. They are so bad, they make a shim kit to take up the end shake that WILL result if you shoot full power loads in any quantity--. The Ruger Super Redhawk is one nearly indestructible firearm. Also, the Ruger GP100 is one of the most accurate and well built revolvers on the market.

[John Allen]

i have a 629 performance center that is about 10 years old. It has the smoothest trigger of all my guns.

[Petrol & Powder]

I went through my phase with 44 and 45 caliber revolvers and they are good tools but I really prefer the .35 caliber handguns. The .357 magnum can do a lot of things very well. In terms of powder/lead, it can be a little better on the wallet than the big bores. The ammo is also smaller/lighter, which may give an advantage if you need to pack extra ammo with you. The big bullets start a little slower but they don't shed velocity as quickly and may have slightly better penetration in some cases but the .357 is no slouch! Sometimes I think people think the 35 caliber is somehow inferior simply because there's something bigger available. As others have pointed out, this will be a decision based more on personal "wants" than actual performance. In the FWIW category, If I feel like a .357 is inadequate for the task at hand, It's time to get a long gun!

[Petrol & Powder]

........ the Ruger GP100 is one of the most accurate and well built revolvers on the market.

/\ :goodpost:

[1Shirt]

I agree w/btroj, I also own both but shoot the 357 mostly with 38S most of the time. Much cheaper, and punches paper well!
1Shirt1

[roysha]

.41 mag is a great round. Better performance than the 357 without the snap and recoil of heavy 44 rounds.

Bull Snot! I love it when you 41 mag guys try to repeal the laws of physics. Better performance than a 357 perhaps, but without the snap and recoil of heavy 44 rounds, with all things but bullet diameter being equal, is pure NONSENSE!!!

[Oreo]

...And the 10mm is equal to the 357mag? That is cute! :)

Lefty

I'm not one of those ridiculous 10mm phanbois. All cartridges have their strengths and limitations. There is enough overlap of the 10mm capability with the 357mag capability that for me a 44mag made more sense. A 44 expands the utility of my collection more then the 357 would have.

[BCRider]

Since this is "Cast Boolits" I'm sort of assuming that you may be casting your own loads. If so then the cost for .44Mag over .357 is minimal. And more likely a case of time spent sifting lead from sand or some other activity over actual coin of the Realm.

On the other hand if you BUY your cast boolits and shoot frequently there is some cost saving to going with .357 over .44. And for hunting there's the option of the somewhat heavier 180 gn boolits to work towards bridging the gap.

What about instead of some new Performance Center offerings you split the difference and go with something like an older but good condition Model 28 Highway Patrolman or a Model 19 classic in .357Mag and get a Ruger Super Blackhawk in .44 for hunting? By buying used you could well end up with two very nice guns instead of one very nice gun.

[Groo]

Groo here
If you reload [you should] the cost difference is almost a moot point.
Buy 500 brass , get bullets in bulk and the same powders work in all.
There is not a deer that can stand up to a 357 in the correct place, the bigger ones just more of same.
The one thing I can say is that to get performance ,the 357 needs to run flat out.
Where as the 41 and 44 can be loaded down and be effective.
New shooters shoot 357 and 9mm, advanced shooters shoot 44 and 45acp, shooters with lots of time under there belt [and other stuff over it]
shoot 10mm and 41mag.
There are the newest of the bunch and I have not found one that was a dog.
They have enough with out having to much.
And like the 44spec you will be in a special club....

[Southpaw 72]

Bull Snot! I love it when you 41 mag guys try to repeal the laws of physics. Better performance than a 357 perhaps, but without the snap and recoil of heavy 44 rounds, with all things but bullet diameter being equal, is pure NONSENSE!!!

I never said the .41 mag was an equal to the .44. I simply said it was an improvement in performance over the .357. I have owned and shot all three. Heavy .44 rounds produce more recoil than the .41. More powder capacity in the .44 is going to produce more recoil. You are the one trying to repeal physics.

[tdoor4570]

Here is the best answer of all buy what you want and can afford and to h*** with what any one else thinks. Its your handgun and you have to shoot and like it. I shoot an old 357 by JP Sauer and a rugar Blackhawk 41 mag love both of them and shoot them well

[paul h]

The older I get, the more I enjoy my 357. I sold my 44 mag to get a 480 which I personally prefer to the 44, or 45.

If you want a gun to shoot alot, and that will teach you to master the revolver, go with the .357. It's recoil is mild enough that it won't be an issue, and it has enough power for deer or hogs at closer ranges. You mentioned you might go hunting with the gun which leads me to believe that punching paper is the primary purpose.

If you've already mastered the 357, then the 44 makes the next logical step for a hunting handgun. I tried to go straight to the 44 mag as my hunting and training handgun and I developed some bad habbits that I'm still fighting almost 20 years later. Something to consider.