7.5 INCH Blued SBH here. The pic wont upload.
7.5 INCH Blued SBH here. The pic wont upload.
One round at a time.
Member of the NRA,GOA and FAOC. Gun clubs Zerby rod and gun club. Keystone Fish and Game Association.
In 1967 I was working for RCA at Cape Canaveral. I applied for a transfer to Alaska and "needed" a big handgun for up there.
I lusted for a neighbor's barely used 6" M29 and would have bought it IF the transfer had come through; alas, it didn't because the Cape wouldn't turn me loose. But, my darling young wife got her first real job soon afterwards and surprised me when the first thing she bought on her own was "my" big .44! Still love her, still love my big Smith -- and both still live within my arms reach.
I have fired several 3" 100 yd full power groups with it while using factory sights and Lyman's Keith bullets seated over a case full of Hercule's 2400. (Off bags of course.)
I have no digital photo; it's still beautiful but if you've seen one Royal Blue 6" M29 you've seen them all.
Here are mine...
An 8 3/4” factory ported Anaconda and a titanium 329NG. Picked up the Colt to replace the twin to it that was stollen about three weeks after Colt announced they weren't being sold anymore Nib at the LGS for $499. The S&W NG I picked up used for $450 the same year they came out. Wish I could buy a truckload more of each for the same price.
My eyes must have changed over the years. The first day I took the S&W out I drilled two 12 oz water bottles with three shots free handed at 25 yards. I took it out last year and was shooting a foot high. I shimmed the rear sight with some aluminum shims I cut off a beer can and placed them under my rear sight. She’s on the money again. I put about a 100 rounds through it twice in two shooting sessions adjusting the shimms . Make sure to wear gloves! My hands shook after shooting for a good 20 min each day after each session. It definitely will teach you how to get over recoil sensitivity. Both triggers are around 2 pounds 6 oz.
Last edited by Tripplebeards; 08-01-2020 at 08:52 AM.
I bought a Ruger SBH back in 60s that a Bubba cut off to about 5.5” with a hacksaw and quit the project. I ended up taking it down to almost ejector tube by the time I had muzzle squared from Bubba Cut. Having limited tools at the time I silver soldered a Williams Shorty ramp and put a Marbles Patridge blade for front sight. This gun was excellent shooter but muzzle blast was terrible and my McGivered front sight stuck up high enough to use for a gut hook. I didn’t give this much thought at the time. I had ( and still have ) SBH and back then was tuned for 100yds, 22.5gr 2400 and 240gr bullet. Sometime in 80s I wanted to tune SBH to 40yds for local deer hunting. This is not possible with SBH. Front sight is not high enough and you run out of travel with rear. I use to make fun of Herters Power Mag revolvers because of shark fin front sight. I guess old George Herter knew what he was doing.
IT AINT what ya shoot--its how ya shoot it. NONE of us are as smart as ALL of us!
murf205,
The 2 Super Blackhawk pistols started out as the 10 1/2" Silhouette model, with the barrel shortened just enough to remove the front sight screw hole.
The Super Redhawk started out with a 7 1/2" barrel and was replaced with a custom 10" barrel.
The barrels just unscrew from the action, and none of the 3 barrels were screwed in all that tight.
I am only speaking about the 44 magnums only! All calibers above the 44 magnum caliber are locked into the receiver with Red Loc-tite or epoxy. I have seen more than a handful of these Super Redhawk pistols destroyed, because the barrel MIGHT unscrew about 2 turns, then it locks up like a solid weld and will NOT move, meaning it will not screw out, nor will it screw back in and seat against the receiver. This is why Ruger will not replace them, because they too have destroyed their own guns trying to remove their own barrels!
Now this is my most favorite 44 magnum of all, with specs listed below.
Effective barrel length is 14 1/2"
Overall barrel length is 15 7/8"
Barrel diameter is 1.250"
Muzzle brake diameter is 1 1/2"
Double action trigger pull - 7 pounds / factory pull was 13 pounds
Single action trigger pull - 2 1/2 pounds / factory pull was 7 pounds
Barrel to cylinder gap is .0023 / factory gap was .013
Velocity with standard 240 gr. hunting load is 1,762 fps. / velocity with same load in factory barrel was 1,318 fps.
Recoil is compared to a target loaded 38 special / recoil from gun in factory form, well, it recoiled just like a 44 magnum
Average accuracy at 100 yards for 6-shots is 1 3/4" / accuracy from factory gun, scoped, averaged 6 inches
This gun was built for hunting and target shooting, and does well out to 300 yards!
Before anyone asks, no, I don't need a wheel barrow to tote it in, no sling, no shoulder holster or anything like that! It will go from the truck to the deer blind or shooting bench, and that's about as far as it will be toted, and even at that, it travels in a heavy padded case to make sure it doesn't get banged around and damaged. This is my pride and joy when it comes to any 44 magnum!
No apologies necessary! The build was fun and shooting it is even more fun!
Left - 2 3/4" M69 - currently my most used .44 Mag
Center - 4" M329 - had 3 (still have two) all day every day carry gun for better part of decade - still carry as backup when bow hunting elk her in Montana
Right - 5" M629 - range gun for several years - currently occasional use only
My home state of Ohio had just opened the state to deer hunting with a handgun. The timing was not good. The "Dirty Harry" movie had put the demand for Smith .44 Magnums "out of sight". The few revolvers available for purchase were way over list price. Fortunately I had a close friend who knew a distributor personally. I got on the list for the first available Smith Model 29 in either 6.5" barrel or 8 3/8" barrel. The 8 inch was the first available. I jumped on it at cost.
Smith had not yet started drilling and tapping the frame for a scope mount. I had seen a picture of an altered revolver+mount that got my interest. I had a couple of buddies that also wanted scopes mounted on their revolvers. So, I ordered some blank Kimber rails+scope rings as they were the most attractive out there at the time. I went to a local precision machine shop, furnished them with 8x40 drills and taps and had them mount the rails. They did an exemplary job. I and my buddies were well pleased.
I have since fired in excess of 10,000 rounds through my revolver and it is still as tight as the day I bought it. I have taken several deer with the combination and I would change nothing.
https://hosting.photobucket.com/albu...unds&crop=fill
FWIW
Dale53
One of the considerations - Ohio had a limited season in those days, and my guns and gear had to be practical in whatever the weather I was faced with. I designed the installation, so one allen wrench could easily remove the scope and the iron sights were properly sighted and ready almost immediately. I hunted whether it was a downpour of rain or heavy snow. Once it was 10 below zero. I carried both the Smith and a Ruger Red Hawk with 7.5" barrel and scope (one at a time(:>)) in a Bianchi accross the chest holster rig. I hunted in rough country and the rig was perfectly comfortable all day in the hills (and Eastern Ohio has HILLS). Another plus of the rig was it was easy to adjust it almost instantly from shirt sleeve weather (hunting a crop permit in October) or heavy winter coat, etc. in bad weather. Of course, I have several other .44 Mags - my rambling piece is a 4" 629. I also have a Super Blackhawk and a 629 Light Hunter. RDM
Last edited by Dale53; 10-10-2020 at 12:59 AM.
Some really beautiful pistol you guys have got there!
The 5 1/2" barrel Ruger Redhawk, the greatest 44 magnum ever created... says me. Also a couple of the fine bullets available for the 44 magnum round, the 310gr Lee and the 250gr Keith hollow point.
I guess all the lever guys are like me, and cant figure out how to load pictures, difficult to teach old dogs new tricks.LOL
Here are a couple I have
Attachment 265634
Surprised by all those Colt Anacondas. Fairly rare pieces in my neck of the woods. Also surprised by all the snubbies. Must be something to that besides toteability.
"If everyone is thinking the same thing it means someone is not thinking"
"A rat became the unit of currency"
BP | Bronze Point | IMR | Improved Military Rifle | PTD | Pointed |
BR | Bench Rest | M | Magnum | RN | Round Nose |
BT | Boat Tail | PL | Power-Lokt | SP | Soft Point |
C | Compressed Charge | PR | Primer | SPCL | Soft Point "Core-Lokt" |
HP | Hollow Point | PSPCL | Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" | C.O.L. | Cartridge Overall Length |
PSP | Pointed Soft Point | Spz | Spitzer Point | SBT | Spitzer Boat Tail |
LRN | Lead Round Nose | LWC | Lead Wad Cutter | LSWC | Lead Semi Wad Cutter |
GC | Gas Check |