Favorite 44 mag for mountains and trail

[Mike Bravo]

I have been looking at the following 44 mag models for a side arm while backpacking and fishing in the mountains:
S & W 329 alloy; S & W mountain ; and a Ruger Redhawk.

Any pro or cons between the models? Or suggest a model that you have used.

Thanks for your time!

[gasman]

Don't have any opion on the S&W. I am partial to the Ruger, i my self have a Blackhawk.


I vote for the Redhawk

[elkaholic123]

Colt Anaconda 6"  My friend has one and loves it!Jerry

[PBinWA]

I've got Taurus and S&W.  I would reply on the S&W more than the Taurus. 

[grousetracker]

just buy a model 29, if its good enough for dirty harry its good enough for everyone. i do like the redhawk though!

[sisu]

S&W 625

Ruger Super Blackhawk Hunter

Ruger’s Bisley Hunter .44 Magnum

These are all good guns. The Ruger can be purchased in a shorter barrel but I find the barrel is good for keep the muzzle down. I don't have scopes on any hand gun, so far I can see the sights and the target but age is catching up in that department and I maybe forced to do something so I can see the front sight clearly.(all the underlined are links just click on them.)

[Bofire]

Redhawks are nice and stout. S&W 29 is a wonder of a 6 gun, lighter, supurb trigger, honestly not as stout.
Carl

[high country]

I have the 629 and 329. the 329 is far and away the best carry gun for the mountains you will find today and prolly ever. if you want to shoot it a bunch....you better be tough or have some past gloves. the mountain gun is a creampuff to shoot comparatively, but is considerably heavier. if you are going to want a gun you take everywhere.....the 329 is THE answer

[high country]

this is my old 450ti. it is a 45lc +p rated and weighs 19oz. it was amazingly light, but it bucked so hard it would unseat the bullets even after the lee factoy crimp die.

[spikehunter]

got a s/w 629 love it ! never had the oppurtunity to shoot the 329. I would vote for s/w

[sisu]

I have the 629 and 329. the 329 is far and away the best carry gun for the mountains you will find today and prolly ever. if you want to shoot it a bunch....you better be tough or have some past gloves. the mountain gun is a creampuff to shoot comparatively, but is considerably heavier. if you are going to want a gun you take everywhere.....the 329 is THE answer

Highcountry here is a great review on the 329
gunblast review of 329

[Huntbear]

I have owned S&Ws, but sold them once I got my hands on a Ruger.  I now own a Redhawk, and love it.  Would not dream of another weapon to carry in the woods as a side arm. 

[MikeWalking]

I've owned both a S&W 629 Classic 5in bbl, and a Ruger Redhawk 5in bbl.

The Ruger will let you shoot the hottest loads on the market including the stuff from Garrett that is a pinch too long for the 629. But if you're carrying only in WA you don't really need that kind of power or recoil, OUCH.

The 629 was by far the more comfortable of the two to shoot, fit my hand better, had a wider smoother trigger compared to the narrow sharp edged feel of the Ruger. You can also adjust the trigger pull on the 629 your self, just make sure to test it well before hitting the woods. You can crank it down to the point of not firing.

I got great groups at most ranges with the 629. In addition to the Redhawk .44 I had a GP100 .357 6in bbl.  Resting on logs or benches I had a hell of a time getting good groups with either?? And despite several differant grips on both, they never fit my hand as well as the .629  Personally I'm not one to care about the weight of a gun, especially in larger calibers. "Weight is my friend" Besides what are we talking about in terms of weight difference in handguns, the weight of a full water bottle vs half full?

Of the two the 629 is the only one I still feel bad for selling (sudden layoff)

[high country]

Highcountry here is a great review on the 329
gunblast review of 329
[/quote]

Highcountry here is a great review on the 329
gunblast review of 329

I agree whole heartedly. I have a set of crimson trace grips for mine and as neat as they are....they are even more painful then the wood ones. the hogues do help, the xframes are the answer.

if forced to keep only one pistol it would be the 329 or the 1911sc

[Phantom Gobbler]

While bow hunting in Montana this Fall I carried a 44 Mag Ruger Super Blackhawk, with 4 5/8 in. barrel in a soft camo holster.  Carrys well and is accurate.

[sisu]

From what we're reading you can hear everyone carries what they personally like the feel of and how it handles during shooting.

It's like my wife told me once, "Hey are you buying this or me?" Salesman looked her square in the eye and kept quite just like me. After she told him to get rid of the redwood grips & install the Pacmyers only then did he speak. "I love a woman that knows her guns." I'll never forget that. I was taught an important lesson by my wife, again!

[Gutpile]

I have a Ruger Redhawk with a 7 1/2" barrel which is too heavy for harder hunts. If you really get after it the weight becomes uncomfortable. If you don't really sinche up the belt it wants to fall so it's actually best to wear suspenders which I don't care for. There is such thing as too much weight only because of where that weight is located. For a normal or short hunt it's no biggy but for an all day hunt with a lot of miles I don't like it so I usually pach the .45. I've been considering a smith but will probably get a 5 1/2" blackhawk. Not too much weight difference but a little, plus with the shorter barrel it'll be a bit more compact. I love shooting the thing and it is accurate but I'm not sure I'd call it a trail gun.

[gasman]

I do know of a guy on another forum who is selling a Super Blackhawk fr $450.
Just an FYI if any one is interested 

[Huntbear]

Mike Walking, sorry to hear you could not get good groups out of your Redhawk.  Mine at 75 yds. will keep them all in a 4 in. circle off a log, rock, bench, whatever.  And I love the fact that the Ruger is just built to handle anything, including those whomper loads, that are oh so fun to shoot.

[ADAMS]

Unless there is a chance of meeting up with brown bears, I think a Ruger GP 100 with 4" barrel is quite sufficient.

If I might be meeting up with brown bears, I would go with the S&W Mountain Gun.  It's really nice.

[MikeWalking]

Mike Walking, sorry to hear you could not get good groups out of your Redhawk.  Mine at 75 yds. will keep them all in a 4 in. circle off a log, rock, bench, whatever.  And I love the fact that the Ruger is just built to handle anything, including those whomper loads, that are oh so fun to shoot.

  The GP 100 was horrible, single action from a good rest, all over the place. Friends had the same trouble with it.  Not to brag but I shot expert with a 1911 old enough to have shot Pirates, after growing up a shooter. So I don't think it was me, The RedHawk was a little better, it has been awhile. (my sp101 was great) But I wasn't to concerned about the RedHawk I bought it as a "Pillow Gun" for my Alaska trips, loaded with Buffalo Bore's 300gr cast loads it didn't need to shoot far. No doubt the Ruger is just about bombproof.

[Huntbear]

Unless there is a chance of meeting up with brown bears, I think a Ruger GP 100 with 4" barrel is quite sufficient.

If I might be meeting up with brown bears, I would go with the S&W Mountain Gun.  It's really nice.

I agree if all it was for was a trail gun.  However, I carry my Redhawk year around in the woods.  Scouting, shed hunting, camping, and hunting.  I like the familiarity of having the same gun on my hip all the time when I am in the woods.  You get used to shooting it, and know what it will do, and it will take a deer or elk or blackbear down legally & quickly if I am in close quarters, such as sneaking thru the reprod.

[ADAMS]

Huntbear, I was responding to the original poster.  If the Redhawk works for you, great.  Fine gun.  I have one but for me, with a 7-1/2" barrel, it's awful big and heavy to lug around as anything other than a primary hunting arm.

[mazama]

Having 2 44mags also 41 mag and a charterarms 44special that is what i pack for the trail,i would pick for a pack gun a Tarus Titanum 41mag that is magnuported.

[MikeWalking]

I bought a Taurus 608 8 shot .357 years back. It had a ported 4in bbl.

It will be the last $%#^$&!! ported handgun I will ever own!! The only exception would be a gun for Range shooting only! Ya'know where you wear 2 layers of hearing protection.

I bought it as a trail gun. The first time I took it out was way back when you could shoot in that gravel pit past Kens Truck Town in North Bend. I figured since I bought it as a trail gun I would not get the chance to put in ear plugs before shooting. Soooo I fired 2 quick shots....plunging an Ice Pick in both ears might have hurt less. I reached up to my ears half expecting to feel fluid flowing out....after settling down a bit I fired the next 6. Put in ear plugs and shot up a box and jumped back on the bike and peddled back into town. I couldn't hear traffic passing and my ears were still ringing a bit an hour later.

[Mike Bravo]

Unless there is a chance of meeting up with brown bears, I think a Ruger GP 100 with 4" barrel is quite sufficient.

If I might be meeting up with brown bears, I would go with the S&W Mountain Gun.  It's really nice.

Maybe I was thinking too big.  Most everything I have read when you mention black bear is that, a 357 mag not enough, and you need at a 44 mag.  I guess this changes the post:  If a 4 " 357 is enough to stop a black bear, I would carry the smaller round.

Is a 4" 357 mag enough to put down a black bear ?

[ADAMS]

"Is a 4" 357 mag enough to put down a black bear?"

Yes and remember that Blacks have a different disposition than Browns in terms of territorial aggressiveness.  I'd be far more concerned about two legged predators than Blacks if I were you.

Double Tap chrono's their loads out of actual firearms as opposed to vented test barrels.  

125 grain load out of a 4" GP100 @ 1,600fps

180 grain load out of a 4" GP 100 @ 1,300fps

200 grain load out of a 4" GP100 @ 1,200fps

The latter two are harcdast loads with very high sectional density and penetration.

Buffalo Bore has impressive loads as well including a 158 grain load out of a 4" S&W @ 1,485fps.

[.Forty_One]

I settled on a .41 Taurus Tracker, 4", stainless model for my trail gun. The reasons, without being able to try many others' pistols in this class revolved around grip design and size.
I'd have bought a Ruger or S&W first, but both companies only offer .41 or .44 in large framed guns with archaic grip designs with the steel frame against your palm. Among the few high powered revolvers I'd fired before buying mine were Ruger and Dan Wesson .44's. Even being larger the grips hurt my hand, and in one case a rubber grip had an extension covering the back of the trigger guard that ripped skin off my index finger.
The Taurus shoots as well for me as either of those, the grip works awesome, and the gun is smaller and lighter. In fact, I wish I'd bought a .44. As for the porting creating noise, with ear protection I haven't noticed. Have never shot the pistol without protection.
I'd consider the difference in price between a Taurus and an American made model just enough to make up for the possibility of needing to correct something wrong with the gun. Mine, irritatingly, needed to have its cylinder removed and lubricated to prevent binding when new, and developed a burr in its firing pin hole that was causing fail to fire problems after extensive dry firing. So don't dry fire Taurus revolvers...

[high country]

the main reason I will not allow porting on a defense gun is the flash. you look at the front sight, the ports vent the flash twards the front sight.......bad deal on follow up shotsin low light.

my pard just aquired a 44mag ti taraus. it is a tad heavier then the 329, surely has more mass. the grips are 10x more comfy to shoot then those that come with the 329. accuracy was good. I am not a fan of needing two hands to bust open the cyl. overall I could recomend it for a lightweight highpower trail gun.

[MikeWalking]

Yes and remember that Blacks have a different disposition than Browns in terms of territorial aggressiveness.  I'd be far more concerned about two legged predators than Blacks if I were you.

Good point.  Still out of 14 up close meetings with a near equal mix of the two the only charge came from a Black bear. But he split PFQ when he finally saw me.

All this has me itching to go gun shopping Damn Gun Genie ain't working worth spit

[sisu]

Porting for hand guns was a big fad back in the mid 70s I think. A few Seattle PD uniformed and detectives did so believing better control etc.

Well, the handguns were soon sold and new ones bought because of a gun fight in a stairwell in DT Seattle one evening. I was working out at Fitness, Inc. where we had a vast array of Seattle's finest. They were laughing it up at the guys involved in the fire fight in the stairwell.
Saying stuff like: Huh? Can you say that again. What did you say? Huh? Talk louder I can't hear a damn thing you're saying.

I guess the guys involved had some serious issues for a few hours with their hearing.

[44 Flattop]

I've packed a Ruger Flattop in .44 for many MANY years.  I have the old model with the aluminum ejector rod housing and aluminum grip frame which make it a very light pistol.  I also had this particular one cut back to 4 3/4".  It packs easy, don't even know its there.  Killed many a buck and a few elk with it because of being light and handy.

44

[swift]

 One more vote for the Smith I pack a 629 6in and love it but it's not light
 If your looking for a used S&W mountain gun Kittitas co trading co in e-burg has a nice one

[jdb]

If i was looking for a .44 mag for the trial I'd buy a super blachhawk with a 4 5/8" barrel. Light and compact but will handle any load you care to feed it.

[Huntbear]

From the looks of things, there is a vote for every trail gun worth having.  So go to several gunshops, and pick em up, play with them, what feels good in your hand?  What feels the most natural?

[ADAMS]

Frankly, in the absence of Brownies, you should think about a Glock 29 in 10mm.

Double Tap 200 grain hard cast @ 1,240fps for 683 fpe and that's chrono'd out of a Glock 29.  And she holds 10 in the clip.

[MikeWalking]

From the looks of things, there is a vote for every trail gun worth having.  So go to several gunshops, and pick em up, play with them, what feels good in your hand?  What feels the most natural?

Best advice yet.  The one that feels best to hold, the most comfortable in your hand will very likely be the one you will shoot best with. Which really is the point, right?

God forbid that you're ever forced to shoot something but if you are it wont care or be able to tell what brand launched the bullet(s)

[CastleRocker]

What he said.  You have to be comfortable carrying it all day every day, and be able to shoot it well.  'Cause if you need to use it, and you miss...you might as well just be yelling at it, and throwing dirt clods.

[Jethro]

Smith & Wesson 629....Great guns. double action, nice grip size with a Hogue monogrip.

jethro

[JackOfAllTrades]

Always a tough decision for me. I've got a Ruger Super Blackhawk Bisley with 7 1/2" barrel that I can load some serious Bear medicine in. And I've got a Ruger SS Redhawk with 5 1/2" barrel that I load the same serious Bear medicine in. I seldom carry either on the hip. Both fit my week side shoulder rig very well. I'm seldom in the woods without one of them. I practice with both of them out to 75yds. If I owned a Colt Anaconda, I'm sure the choice for the woods would still be one of the Rugers.

-Steve

[MikeWalking]

For all you BlackHawk fans. I am curious about something, I'm sure the answer will be Practice,Practice,Practice...But there is a little voice saying  Single Action for defensive shooting?

[mossback91]

For all you BlackHawk fans. I am curious about something, I'm sure the answer will be Practice,Practice,Practice...But there is a little voice saying  Single Action for defensive shooting?

Only takes one well placed bullet

[JackOfAllTrades]

Yup.. I've got no qualms with a single action in my hand. One well placed shot, then there's plenty of time to cock the hammer for a follow up shot if need be. The ultimate sweetheart of a woods gun is a Bisley SBH with 4 5/8" barrel in 45 Long Colt. Balance is terrific, It will deliver as much knock down as the 44mag too. -OK, I know, not the question that was asked. I said that I often carry a Redhawk, which is a double action, but most of the time I shoot it, and especially if I needed to put a pricise hit on something, I'd be shootin it single action anyway.

But yes, Practice!

-Steve

[jdb]

For all you BlackHawk fans. I am curious about something, I'm sure the answer will be Practice,Practice,Practice...But there is a little voice saying  Single Action for defensive shooting?

in large caliber handguns the general consensus is that there is enough recoil that a double action real isnt much faster

[jdb]

Yup.. I've got no qualms with a single action in my hand. One well placed shot, then there's plenty of time to cock the hammer for a follow up shot if need be. The ultimate sweetheart of a woods gun is a Bisley SBH with 4 5/8" barrel in 45 Long Colt. Balance is terrific, It will deliver as much knock down as the 44mag too. -OK, I know, not the question that was asked. I said that I often carry a Redhawk, which is a double action, but most of the time I shoot it, and especially if I needed to put a pricise hit on something, I'd be shootin it single action anyway.

But yes, Practice!

-Steve

they have that exact gun on the used rack at ranch and home in kennewick. I always thought the same thing until I actually felt it, after holding the gun I perfer the feel of a blackhawk with the short barrel

[JackOfAllTrades]

Oh.. The Bisley in the Blackhawk or Super Blackhawk isn't for everyone. I have smaller hands and prefer the Bisley.  The short barrel on either balances well.

"Bisley SBH with 4 5/8" barrel in 45 Long Colt".. I don't think is offered anymore.

-Steve

[MikeWalking]

For all you BlackHawk fans. I am curious about something, I'm sure the answer will be Practice,Practice,Practice...But there is a little voice saying  Single Action for defensive shooting?

in large caliber handguns the general consensus is that there is enough recoil that a double action real isnt much faster

Ya Know with the 310gr-330gr+p loads I was shooting out of my Redhawk I can see that, Man they kicked. My wrist still clicks sometimes. But with the 240gr Silvertips and the like from my 629 Classic I'm not so sure...

[cohoho]

S & W 629 Mountain Gun 4"....  Can't go wrong...  But the 329 is so lite and sweet to carry, you almost forget it there and keep checking the holster to make certain you didn't lose it...

[byrdman]

I see S&W introduced a 6˝" 329 at SHOT this year. That looks like a pretty sweet ride.