Sidearms & Scatterguns 44 Mag, Which one to buy?

[zerobarrier]

Hello all,

I am looking to buy a 44 mag revolver and I am pretty much between 2 models; Ruger super blackhawk 4" or 5" and SW 329 airlite 4". Help me decide, any info is appreciated. Thanks

 

[bjay]

Hello all,

I am looking to buy a 44 mag revolver and I am pretty much between 2 models; Ruger super blackhawk 4" or 5" and SW 329 airlite 4". Help me decide, any info is appreciated. Thanks

colt ruger smith...that would be my choices 4-6" barrel they all good

 

[jdr724]

You should first decide if you want single action only or double/single. Not to mention that the super BH weighs like 40oz and the 329PD is in the 20's. Doesn't seem like an good relative comprison unless you don't have a particular intended use.

Knowing nothing about your intended use, I would look for a pre lock SW model 29 in 4". Unless your use requires the hi-viz front sight then your stuck with a lock model unless you want to have a pre lock modified.

I wouldn't buy a new lock model SW out of principle but would buy a like new gently used on asap. In fact I have.

 

[flylo]

I have a super blackhawk in 4 5/8"? SS with rosewood grips & love it. I just bought a Rossi lever action "blem" for $357/shipped with a 20" barrel, 11 shot rifle, 6 shot revolver, nice pair, light & powerful.The blem was a tiny dent in the bottom of the stock which didn't even break the grain so an iron & wet rag will fix it.

 

[zerobarrier]

Sorry I forgot to say what it will be used for. I will mainly use it for target practice/steel shooting. I will probably take it deer hunting but will only use it for those real close shoots 50 yards or less. I currently handload for 44 mag. I do not have a preference between SA or DA, most of the time on DA revolvers I have shoot I pull the hammer back anyways. I am curious how the recoil on the airlite is. I do shoot large bore handguns so I don't mind a little kick, desert eagle 50ae, 500 SW, and 454 casull, but a hot 44 in a pistol that only weighs a pound and a half could be worse then any of those larger pistols.

 

[17874]

For target shooting, I would get the blackhawk. That 329 is a great carry gun for hunting ect., but target shooting I would say no. That is unless you don't mind recoil.

 

[JesseSB]

^^^^^
What 17874 said.
I have a 329 and it recoils big time. I carry it hunting and don't shoot 44 magnum rounds out of it much for pleasure. 44 Special rounds through it are mild and enjoyable. It is great to carry in the woods for days on end, but kicks as much as a 500 SW (ported). It's just so light.
For what I carry it for, its great. If you plan to shoot heavy 44 mag ammo for plinking or steel, it's a beast.

 

[HAZORD]

I have a 6-1/2 inch M29 Smith and Wesson, a 3 inch Stainless M629 Smith and Wesson and a 6 inch Colt Stainless Anaconda. The Anaconda is like a Cadillac in your hand. Anaconda hands down.

 

[George63]

like others have said - do not plan on doing volume 44 mag shooting with an air weight

 

[mouse07410]

There's also Taurus Raging Bull. It can take hot rounds (the only other one to do that is Ruger Super RedHawk). Trigger us so-so, but not too bad (but definitely not the Ruger).


Mouse
NRA Life Member Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk - now Free

 

[BPaulk]

For target shooting and hunting My choice would be the Blackhawk over the Smith. MHO

I own a model 29 S&W Dirty Harry Gun love it and a Blackhawk but for hunting I like the Ruger. for shooting model 29

Between the two you choose the Ruger.

 

[bjay]

I have a 6-1/2 inch M29 Smith and Wesson, a 3 inch Stainless M629 Smith and Wesson and a 6 inch Colt Stainless Anaconda. The Anaconda is like a Cadillac in your hand. Anaconda hands down.

Ding ding ding... i got one too sold my 44mag no too fun to shoot

 

[E. Bryant]

The question comes down to whether it will be carried a lot and shot very little, or the opposite, or some compromise in-between.

I have a Ruger Redhawk with the 5.5" barrel. It's a decent compromise; not so light that it hurts to shoot, but compact enough to be carried with reasonable comfort. It may not be the prettiest revolver, but it holds up to Buffalo Bore "+P+" loads and very hot handloads, and can also be used as a framing hammer if such a need arises. I'd like it even better if it had the Super Redhawk grip and trigger.

 

[jdr724]

In that case look for a 29-2 6" or 4" with the case hardened target hammer and trigger, pinned barrel and recessed cylinder.

With the 29-2 you'll get all the prelock features and quality without having to pay the collector prices of earlier models.

If you find one with the presentation box you can sell the box for $100+ and if the grips are mint you can get the same for those on the smith and wesson forum classifieds.

 

[OneCleanShot]

Do not buy a lite 44 mag. Your initial pride of ownership will be replaced in short order by the look of a man whose new dog bites him every time he pets it. A friend of mine bought a titantium, short barrel 44 mag and sold it in a week. I shot it a few times and hated it. Despite the arrival of many more powerful handcannon rounds since the 44 mag was announced, it is still more than a handful and should be deployed in a heavy revolver with at least a 6" barrel. Just my experienced opinion on this one.

 

[zerobarrier]

Thanks for the replies. You guys talked me out of the airlite. I went to my local gun store and he had a ruger super blackhawk bisley, one of those distributor editions, with 3.75 brl SS. I could not resist.




I got to say I really like it. Just ordered a custom cross draw holster from mernickle in NV, they make some of the best holsters.

 

[PRDRIVER]

The 329 is one of those guns that is great to carry and you hope you never have to use. .44 Mags in a 329 are down right painful to shoot. I know an avid shooter that had the hammer of the 329 cut the web of his hand open during the violent recoil that a heavy magnum round generated.

I personally have a S&W 360 Kit Gun (scandium/titanium .357 w/ 3" barrel). I can shoot about a box of magnum rounds before I want to put it away. Most people that ask to try it with magnum rounds end up handing the pistol back to me after only one shot. It is a super snappy recoiling pistol but can be managed with some practice. However, this is my hiking pistol and not one that I would like to do a significant amount of target shooting with.

If I was purchasing a 44 mag, it would be an S&W 629 V-Comp.

 

[Pappasniper]

That air weight will ROCK YOUR WORLD. The hardest kicking gun I have ever shot. And I shot 500's, but they had weight and barked like crazy. Shoot an air weight before you buy. yea, I have and M&P 340 J frame in 357' yea it barks pretty darn hard, but not like that 44 mag air weight.

Unless its for bear hunting, forget it.

 

[45.308]

I would go with the Super Black Hawk for fun time. Like the Bisely you bought, good short gun for range and hunting. The smith will be a more quality weapon but the air lites are known to jump timing with hot loads and unseated bullets jamming on the forcing cone. I have seen more than a few come into the shop with a hot BB or Gizz load with the bullet jammed up on the cone.

have fun

 

[Gosu]

Been extremely pleased with my Smith. I picked up a Performance Center Stealth Hunter. Trigger is excellent and the accuracy is fantastic. Even the wife can shoot strings at 25 meters with it.

 

[bogeybrown]

I have the Super Blackhawk w 7.5" bbl, and I'd say get ANY of the other choices if you plan on shooting it a lot with Magnums. The Anaconda and Super Redhawk being my top two choices.

The S Blackhawk is a thing of beauty, but the arched grip frame gives you no where to safely "choke-up" on your grip, so during recoil the sharp housing at the base of the trigger digs a nice deep divot out of your thumb or the webbing of your hand. Unless I missed one, all the other suggestions being thrown out have a "stepped" grip strap which gives you a safe and more effective grip to ride out recoil.

 

[W54/XM-388]

A Ruger Super Redhawk with a nice grip and a long barrel is a pleasure to shoot.
Plus you can put on a scope and have fun doing a bit longer range hunting with it.

 

[Big Bo]

I have a SBH 7 1/2 bbl. Love it.

 

[zenbiker]

Hello all,

I am looking to buy a 44 mag revolver and I am pretty much between 2 models; Ruger super blackhawk 4" or 5" and SW 329 airlite 4". Help me decide, any info is appreciated. Thanks

Forget the Smith: the recoil on that light gun is brutal unless you shoot light, .44 Super type loads. The Rugers are nigh indestructible, though I think the Double Action of the Super RH to be more favorable. Also, if you want the most the cartridge can offer, 7+ inches of barrel is needed for max powder burn before the bullet leaves the barrel.

I've had various incarnations off the S&W Model 29; one a ported 2" bbl model ( I had to wear gloves and limit loads to 180 grain bullets and lighter charges if I wanted to use my ars the next day) for an action match at a club I used to shoot at, a Stainless scoped model with a 9(?) inch barrel; took a deer with that one, and a 5" Classic hunter that will shoot 10s at 25 yard outdoor bullseye targets offhand as long as I can hold it up. As nice as the Smiths are/were, the Super Redhawk with a 7 1/2 inch bbl and a Leupold 2.5x EER scope beats them in terms of reliability, toughness, longevity, and are every bit as accurate as anything out there.


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