Who likes 3" 44 mag revolvers

[glockky]

I am a very big fan of the 44 magnum. I currently have a marlin 1894 and a ruger super blackhawk hunter bisley.
Here lately I have been planning on adding a couple more to the safe and the S&W 629 3" talo has really got caught my eye.http://www.gunsamerica.com/948845451/Smith-and-Wesson-629-3-44-Magnum-Wood-grips-NEW.htm.

Who here likes 3" 44 magnums? I plan to shoot midrange 44 mags and 44 specials in this revolver and use it for something to carry around the farm with me.

I know there is going to be those who say the barrel is to short but I have a long barreled heavy revolver to hunt with and shoot the 300+gr. bullets.

Tell me your experiences? Holster recommendations?

[crabo]

I have been shooting a friends, and I want a little more sight radius. I am going to get a 69. (4 inch barrel) I have a PC gun with 7.5" barrel for hunting, but I want a packing gun.

I like shooting clay targets at 50 yards. I am going to get one of the chest holsters for it.

[glockky]

The 69 is second on my list. I plan to get the 3" first then when the gun fund recoups pick up a 69.

[Bullwolf]

I like 3 inch 44 revolvers, like my Smith 3 inch 629 Backpacker.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=53321&d=1332378305

Packs nicely on my hip around the ranch.

A 3 inch revolver is real nice for me when working around the farm, and getting in and out of the truck, tractor often.

Holsters are a more of a personal choice. I like something leather usually, or nylon for harsher conditions. When outdoors I prefer OWB carry with a solid belt to keep the revolver both secure and protected. Someone who is just walking around will have different requirements, than say someone who does more vigorous physical activity.

If you shoot full power loads lots, the recoil from a shorter barrel can wear you out. If you wear the revolver often and shoot little, or shoot milder loads (44 special, or mild Unique 44 Magnum loads) it's a great compromise - Which is what most handguns are anyways, a compromise. It makes a nice companion to my 44 Mag lever as well, which is more fun to shoot heavier loads through, and has a longer sight radius.


- Bullwolf

[Airman Basic]

This one's been a lot of fun. Usually use a 4.5 holster 'cause I've already got them. Still shopping for a custom holster to fit, since there don't seem to be any ready mades.

[bobthenailer]

I have a 3" S&W 629 carry classic , tried narrowing the front sight to give me more light on either side of the rear sight but still would not work for these old eyes . had to put on a Burris FF-3 now it shoots as well as my longer barreld 44's.

As for recoil full loads are ok for about 25 rounds , i usually shoot cast around 900 to 1,000 fps with all of my 44 mags.

[Petrol & Powder]

I'm a big fan of 3" tubes on 38/.357 guns and it would be OK for a 44 Special. Shooting full power 44 magnum loads in a 3" barrel may be getting into the, "why do that?" category.

Now, the OP said he wanted to shoot "mid-range" 44 magnums and 44 Specials. Assuming he's talking about 900-1000fps, I think a 3' barrel would be fine.
As for the S&W model 69, that's an option but I really wish Ruger would make a 5 shot GP-100 in 44 Special !!

[Groo]

Groo here
I have a 44mag Trailboss 3in magnaported.
The short barrel will not poke seats etc like a longer one and the weight allows the shooting of heaver loads.
Make sure you have a grip that fits your hand.
Mine all wear Pachmayr thin type as the wood hurts.
Also the shorter sight radius can help people with glasses. [ old time target shooters went from long barrels to shorter ones as they aged see M-41 22lr 7 1/2 to 5 1/2 barrel]

[Petrol & Powder]

By the way, I was forced to abandon my quest for a 4" DA 44 Special. My compromise was a 4" 44 mag Mountain Gun. The tapered barrel and 1/2 lug brings the weight down to an acceptable level. Just like Bullwolf mentioned, my preferred load is a mild Unique charge in a 44 Mag casing. A 250gr SWC travelling at 900-1000fps is not only very accurate but also extremely versatile. I would venture a guess that something similar in a 3" barrel would be equally as useful.
Long barreled revolvers are a PITA to carry. A 4" barrel is as long as I want in a carry gun and sometimes 3" is even better, in my opinion. The small loss in velocity and sight radius is an acceptable trade when you consider how much easier a 3" barrel is carried. A 3" barrel give you a full length ejector rod, decent muzzle velocity and decent sight radius. For lack of a better term, it's very "packable".

[John Allen]

I have a 3" one it is nice but the one I really like is my 4" mountain gun by Smith it is a 4" version with a tapered barrel.

[Deep Six]

I was looking at the same one but ended up going with the current 4" 629. I then special ordered the talo grip from Altamont (S&W's supplier). So now I have a 4" version of the talo edition. I like it alot - carries easy with the smooth wood round butt grips but still has enough barrel to be effective with full magnum loads. Specials shoot like a dream too. The web of my hand does get sore pretty quick though with 250 Keiths over a case full of 2400.

[Three44s]

I'd say go for the three incher!

Like some other recent posts, I am a very statisfied MG owner.

I have shot the 329 Smith as well with heavy powder/heavy bullet loads and found it just fine .... not entertaining ........ but very happy with the prospect of defending one's self from whatever with it.

A three inch steel gun should be no great shakes.

With my Mountain Gun, I have loaded and tested extensively and what I have found is that I like Hodgdon's HS-6 powder about as well as ALL the other powders combined!

Folks can and do load Unique up into the 1000 fps category ..... not knowing that the shorter dwell time is making for a sharper recoil impulse than what I believe HS-6 can offer at it's mid-range.

I believe Skeeter Skelton perceived Unique right in the .44 special and .44 mag.

He advocated a 7.5 gr powder/250 gr. lead load for the specials ...........

.......... and an 8.5 gr. powder/250 gr. lead for the maggies!

When you crank up Unique to a tight fiddle string, you are over driving a cast bullet unneccessarily ........... say at 1000 fps ......... better to switch upto HS-6 (and a magnum primer) and drive the velocity up without unduly raising pressures.

My load runs 11.8 gr. of HS-6 behind the RCBS 250K and lit by the Federal 155 (mag.) primer.

My four inch MG runs at 1066 fps with a mere 7 fps standard deviation and recoil and accuracy to get giddy about!

It's my best upper field packin' load going.

If I had a three inch steel or a 329 Smith, I couldn't wait to try it in them.

Best regards

Three 44s

[44man]

3" is fine but I don't think they are best for full hunting loads since you might not burn a case full of 296 and reach stability.
Great for the lighter loads and carry.
Personally I want at least 6". 7-1/2" better for what I do.

[Dframe]

I love three inch guns. It's by far my favorite barrel length. I have a 3 inch 29 that I wouldn't trade for anything.

[OuchHot!]

I do not have the .44m but do have a 3" .41m. I find that I run out of front sight when I go to heavy cast boolits. Does the 629 talo have a replaceable front sight? From my point of view, the 3" N frame is almost spherical and I do not think that another inch of barrel would be any harder to carry but would give a lot more versatility.

[boatswainsmate]

I like this one! I'm usually bleeding after shooting but it's worth it!

http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn271/ericlee1971/img_0620.jpg (http://s306.photobucket.com/user/ericlee1971/media/img_0620.jpg.html)

[Mohillbilly]

I got a Ruger Super Blackhawk 4 5/8 that is my pillow gun . loaded for bear , long with 300 gr XTP and a case of 296 . It has quite a bit of flip and needs an extra hard crimp to keep the bullets from jumping . That little gun gets the same load as my SRH . Lotta power for a little gun and benched , shoots as good as a SRH

[mattw]

Oh, I do, I do. Have a 3" Lew Horton from the pre-clinton days! Really wakes them up at the range! :veryconfu

[GLL]

http://www.fototime.com/371E08CC9F4984F/standard.jpg

http://www.fototime.com/508EFDC4D2534D5/standard.jpg

http://www.fototime.com/7C553576DF28CA3/standard.jpg

El Paso Threepersons holsters are a favorite.

Jerry

[rintinglen]

The least enjoyable experience I ever had was firing some hot 44 loads out of a 3 inch Lew Horton gun. I'd rather hit my palm with a ball peen hammer than shoot it again. As far as I'm concerned, the 44 magnum starts at 4 inches, gets decent at 6 and comes into its own when barrels get up around 7.5 to 8 3/8".
Now on the other hand, there are about 5,000 3 inch 624's floating around, and one of those could easily find a home in my gun safe, but they only seem to be for sale when I have no money in the gun fund.

[Hickok]

I would like to have one, but I would probably load a 250 Boolit to about 900 fps for a carry load. Like Dirty Harry said "A man's got to know his limitations!":bigsmyl2: