S&W 629-6 Vers Ruger Super RedHawk

[6bg6ga]

I absolutely never thought I would break down and buy both a SuPer Redhawk and a 629-6 44magnum. Well, took them both out for a test try Saturday. The results were as follows ....the Ruger actually had a better trigger pull than the 629. The 629 however did better grouping than the Super did. Both shot 215gr SWC with 9.3 gr of WW231 and both shot a plated 240 gr flat point bullet with 10.9 gr of CFE. The Ruger seemed to group about the same with both loads. Having said this the Ruger doesn't have a Hogue grip like the 629-6 does but it is on its way. The Ruger is fitted with the Highrez green front sight and the 629-6 will soon have the same sight. The ruger's hogue grip was installed last night in the hope of being able to take both girls out sunday morning for another shoot.

I am very disappointed with the S&W trigger on the 629-6. My 686 S&W has a trigger you would die to have. Not being used to shooting a revolver I did end up with skin on my hand that was kinda dry that splip open making shooting a little less fun after 60+ rounds thru the two guns.

[Sasquatch-1]

I think after you fire a few hundred round through the Smith, the trigger will start coming in. I have a Redhawk, SRH(9.5" Bbl), 29-3, and a late model 629. The Redhawk is my favorite shooter. Both Smiths are the 6" variant. The Redhawk is 7.5".

[DougGuy]

Check the throats in the SRH. See what boolit will side through with finger pressure and which won't.. It may be able to group much better if the cylinder could be improved.

[Shuz]

The trigger on the 629 will prolly smooth up some after firing a few hunnert rounds, but if the weight of pull is what you are referring to, that can easily be rectified by replacing the rebound slide spring. However, this work should be done by someone who is familiar with working on Smith revolvers.

[TCLouis]

9.3 231 and 215 SWC used to be very accurate out of my Original Contender, in fact most accurate load it ever used.

[FlyfishermanMike]

How did you like the CFE? I've considered trying it in 44 Magnum.

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[6bg6ga]

How did you like the CFE? I've considered trying it in 44 Magnum.

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The CFE worked fine.

[Silver Jack Hammer]

I'll bet if you jack up boolit weight to around 300 grains and have a full day of shooting you'll appreciate the Ruger.

[6bg6ga]

I'll bet if you jack up boolit weight to around 300 grains and have a full day of shooting you'll appreciate the Ruger.

I didn't buy the thing to punish myself. If I wanted to do that I would have purchased a S&W 500.

[Three44s]

You can't have too many "44's"!

I have both a Smith MG (a dash 4) and a 7.5" SS Redhawks and I like them both.

I used to have a 9.5" Super Redhawk in 44 but a trade with a friend a few years ago turned that one into a 480 Super Redhawk 7.5".

In my opinion I like to limit most of my heavy boolit shooting at full steam to my Rugers. Sure, the Smiths are rated for all SAMMI loads but I saw my use of 300 grainers as abusive to the platform. Not so with the Rugers.

I am not referring to limited use but rather high round counts. I wanted my Mountain Gun to be there when I really needed it, I would be better served by trimming my expectations about long term usage of heavy bullet, full house loads with it.

With the Ruger DA guns it was more about abusing me, not the guns.

Enjoy those 44's ..... I sure have enjoyed mine!

Three44s

[Three44s]

My favorite fodder for my Mountain Gun:

Hands down I like a well cast RCBS 250K pushed by 11.8 gr. of HS 6 powder and lit by the Federal old school 155 primer.

Folks seem to fall into two distinct camps as to loading bigger bores but I like a upper level medium load. I do a lot of loading at the light end and a fair amount of heavy stuff as to pressures and weights to be sure.

A lot of the folks who do work the middle ground just crank up Unique powder but I much prefer to switch to the HS powder and save my Unique for where it's really appreciated ... in Skeeter loads!

I tested a lot of medium burn powders and got a pretty fair idea on recoil impulse, accuracy and extraction. I took competing powders and loaded three of one staggered with three of another load. When the smoke cleared, HS6 won.

I get 1066 fps with just 7 fps standard deviation with my pet load of HS6 out of the 4" MG Smith and 15 fps standard deviation out of my 7.5" Redhawk at 1176 fps.

If you study what Elmer wanted out of his 44 Special magnum load he asked for it was 1200 fps out of a six inch barreled 44 Special.

If Elmer was happy with that performance, I am happy with it as well.

I found out about HS6 from the Hodgdon's #26 manual and they list the pressure for my load at around 24,000 psi for a 250 gr. Lead boolit. That is right in the wheel house with Richard Lee's findings on the sweet spot for working lead in cast shooting pressures.

Later editions of the Hodgdon's books have drifted to heavier loads and pressures with the powder but at least for lead I suggest sticking around the lower to mid twenty K pressure range.

Enjoy!

Three44s

[Silver Jack Hammer]

I shot the Ruger SRH 7 1/2" in IHMSA with 300 grain boolits, matchs were 80 rounds and that Ruger SRH was extremely pleasant. I used some 296 but mostly Blue Dot, both powders were winners. I'd pick up that Ruger SRH to fire the string of the day and be amazed how comfortable it was.

[Three44s]

The load I referred to in my second post is from the Hodgdon's #26 manual and at 12 gr. they list the pressure at 24,000 psi. I think that my load at .2 gr. less is right in there.

How is this guessing?

Three44s

[waco]

204593
Yup. Sometimes ya just need both.....

[9.3X62AL]

Comparing a Super Redhawk to a 629 is like comparing a Stratocaster to a Stradivarius. Both are 44 Magnum revolvers/stringed instruments, but past that point their roads fork radically.

[waco]

Comparing a Super Redhawk to a 629 is like comparing a Stratocaster to a Stradivarius. Both are 44 Magnum revolvers/stringed instruments, but past that point their roads fork radically.

I agree. I pretty much baby my 29. 429421 with 8gr Unique
The SRH gets the heavy stuff.
The Smith is a much classier revolver. Better trigger, feel, and balance.
The Rugers are just BUTT TOUGH!!

[6bg6ga]

The Rugers are also ugly.

[6bg6ga]

Comparing a Super Redhawk to a 629 is like comparing a Stratocaster to a Stradivarius. Both are 44 Magnum revolvers/stringed instruments, but past that point their roads fork radically.

The 629 is like a Cadillac and the Ruger is like a Pinto.

[9.3X62AL]

The 629 is like a Cadillac and the Ruger is like a Pinto.

I would say "Cadillac" and "F-350". I have a Redhawk and a 629, and enjoy both--but their utility differs.

[Three44s]

I also agree with Caddy and F350!

Three44s

[Silver Jack Hammer]

The 629 is like a Cadillac and the Ruger is like a Pinto.
Pintos blew up. A failing common to that model. If you blow up a Ruger it's bad on you, not the Ruger.

[6bg6ga]

I have both too. The Ruger is crude like a Pinto and it is bulky however.

[9.3X62AL]

I have both too. The Ruger is crude like a Pinto and it is bulky however.

I can appreciate aesthetics, certainly. I think the Ruger LCR was inspired by Glock. The first LCR I saw REALLY put me off--I was raised on S&W K-frames and Colt I-frames as the archetype, and Browning Hi-Power or Colt-Browning 1903/1908 for autopistol design references. The LCR and the Glock were (and ARE) breathtakingly & profoundly UGLY to my eyes. At first. I gave both a test-drive, and have come away impressed with their utility. But beautiful? Not so much.

[6bg6ga]

Added a Hogue grip in place of the stock grip and my accuracy increased a tad but still not the shooter the 629-6 is in my opinion. The group size I can manage with the ruger is at best about 3" and with the S&W its half that size. Same loads with both.

[Three-Fifty-Seven]

t ...

[6bg6ga]

Very possible that each gun will have their own favorite load, to make them shoot at their best ...

Its possible I guess. However, Lyman's reloading manual states that the load I was using which was a 215gr SCW with 9.3 gr of WW231 is listed as a most accurate load. It shot very well in the 629 and so so in the Ruger. I just don't think the accuracy is there in the Ruger but I will try to come up with something it will like.

[osteodoc08]

Its possible I guess. However, Lyman's reloading manual states that the load I was using which was a 215gr SCW with 9.3 gr of WW231 is listed as a most accurate load. It shot very well in the 629 and so so in the Ruger. I just don't think the accuracy is there in the Ruger but I will try to come up with something it will like.


I do t think I've ever had a book accurate load be the most accurate in any firearm I own. It'll give a starting point for sure but I've never found it to be most accurate.

Each firearm is like a child. They will all have their own personality, preferences and quirks but you love them the same

[Three-Fifty-Seven]

.....

[DougGuy]

Very possible that each gun will have their own favorite load, to make them shoot at their best ...

A lot of this is because of variations in cylinders, groove diameter in the barrels being very close to the same..

[6bg6ga]

My experience is the loads in bold print are generally the most accurate in the firearms I have owned. Nothing however is an absolute and what may be accurate in one gun may not do as well in another. I personally don't expect all that much from the Ruger Super Redhawk that I purchased.

[dmize]

Sounds like you bought it just to bash it.

[tazman]

It doesn't matter. The arthritis in my wrists won't let me shoot either one with anything heavier than a light 44 special load. All I can do is sit here looking at the pictures and drool.

[Three44s]

Sounds like you bought it just to bash it.


+10!

Three44s

[6bg6ga]

Sounds like you bought it just to bash it.

Not really worth my time to reply but it wouldn't be logical to waste money just to bash it. Just stating that so far I'm not impressed with it other than its husky pinto like build. Excuse me... F350 build. I bought it so I will be the one to figure out if I can come up with a load to make it accurate. I actually enjoy shooting it and I would enjoy it more if it were more accurate.

[Love Life]

3 inch groups at 25 yards really isn't that bad for a non tailored load. I bet a little tinkering will cut those groups down.

Good luck and have fun with it!


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[dmize]

204767
My "pinto" does pretty good.

[Love Life]

That's still a mighty fine 50 yd group even with the flyer.


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[dmize]

That is the only load that will do that.
I cant get the Lee 310 to do that good.
The flyer is why a person should not have their son standing behind them with binoculars.
Also that was shot from a dead solid rest and I aint about to claim to be able to do that on demand

[6bg6ga]

Gave the old Pinto another go yesterday. Two different loads and she did fine. I'm figuring she doesn't like 231 in any flavor. Did some Red Dot loads and well as some Unique and she grouped tight. So far I'm of the opinion she absolutely doesn't like WW231 in any load I've tried so far.

The 629 with the same loads was a bit tighter but that might just be that I'm not used to the extra barrel weight of the Ruger.