Range Report - S&W 629 3" barrel Deluxe Talo Edition

[mesinge2]

I have been wanting a snubbie 44 magnum for a long time. I have a S&W model 29 with an 8 3/8" barrel and a Redhawk with a 7 1/2" barrel and I love shooting them, but I wanted something I can carry. The shops in my area only seem to have long barrelled steel models or that lightweight Scandinum 44 magnum S&W. I didn't feel like I wanted wrist surgery so I avoided the airweight 44 models. I was set on either a Ruger Alaskan or a shortened 629, but my local shops said they could not even order one because there were none available.

Well, a buddy of mine that own's a shop has been looking out for one and called me on Friday of last week. His supplier had a the S&W 629 Talo edition with a 3" barrel. I went there straight after work and Its mine now.

When I got home I started to worry that the recoil was going to be extreme and perhaps I have made a mistake. But I shot it the following Monday and its actually not bad. My first session with it consisted of a 150 rounds worth. The first 130 all double action. I figure in a self-defense situation I won't be cocking a hammer.





First I fired 50 rounds of 44 Magnum Magtech 240gr. SJSP and the recoil was not that bad at all, color me surprised. Then I went through 50 rounds of 200gr. 44 SPL CCI Blazer (very very mild). Then I shot 30 rounds of the carry load I pick for this gun, Fiocchi Extrema 240 Hornady XTP hollow points. Honestly, I could not tell the difference between these and the Magtech loads. Finally, just for stupidity sake I shot 20rds or Corbon 300gr. penetrator loads. Those were quite snappy, but still managable in SA. I think the lighter than expected recoil is due to the larger grips filling my the palm of my hand and the 40oz weight.

The group below is the Fiocchi Extrema loads at 10 yards (sorry for the cell pic). I threw two shots away.




I got a great carry holster for my new wheelie, as well. A Desantis Thumb Break Scabbard for a 4" 629 that I had a custom leather worker in my area remove the extra inch of holster and the thumb strap. I had him leave enough of the thumb break to protect the hammer.







This is going to become my daily carry gun.

[johnlives4christ]

thats pretty sweet. i dont like the way the grips look, the shape just doesnt do it for me though. good idea on the holster too

[mesinge2]

i dont like the way the grips look, the shape just doesnt do it for me though

I would have prefered a square butt myself, but its a good compromise between concealablility and functionality.

[johnlives4christ]

i wouldnt mind having one off them to carry myself man. it really is a sweet piece

[GunsForSale.com]

That is a beautiful gun. I've always been partial to S&W wheelguns (more than a few in my safe), and the big bores are a blast to carry and shoot. The older I get the more I believe the .44 is really under-rated for self defense (Dirty Harry movies aside). That DeSantis scabbard is a beaut also.

[JLA]

lynyrd skynrd said it best.... "It aint no fun starin straight down a .44"... nice piece. I like it...

[RunningOnMT]

A great piece and I think those rosewood grips are beautiful. Interesting to hear the recoil wasn't that bad on a .44 mag with that 3" barrel. When I was looking for a .357 mag a number of people cautioned me that they were a wrist breaker in a 2" snubbie. Wanting the .357 anyway, I bought a 6" ruger GP100 (heavy as a tank). Sorry now I didn't at least try out a .357 in a shorter barrel. Nice shooting BTW.

[mesinge2]

Nice shooting BTW.

Thanks.

When I was looking for a .357 mag a number of people cautioned me that they were a wrist breaker in a 2" snubbie. Wanting the .357 anyway, I bought a 6" ruger GP100 (heavy as a tank). Sorry now I didn't at least try out a .357 in a shorter barrel.

I think the people that say this have only tried out an airweight or light weight model. If you get a steel model the recoil is not that bad, especially with grips that dispurse the recoil over the the entire hand and not just on the web of the hand.


'

[johnlives4christ]

i want a ruger 3" 357

[tex45acp]

I love carrying my stainless custom 3" Ruger GP-100 factory DAO.


In the field however, like Mesinge2 I wanted something larger bore, but shorter barreled, than my 7.5" 41mag Redhawk. At that time Ruger did not offer anything shorter than the 4.5" single actions, so I decided to cut the barrel off my 5.5" Redhawk, shortening it to 4". Doing so gave me an almost perfectly balanced revolver in my favorite caliber of .41mag.

[mesinge2]

tex45acp, man that 41 magnum is amazing looking. You did a great job.
I love the profile of the barrel, did you build up the ramp for the front sight?

[MagnumFan]

That is a sweet Smith.

[johnlives4christ]

oh yeah. now i want a 44. dagnabit.

[oscarmayer]

that is some sweet shooting, i have a astra terminator 2.5 in barrel 44 mag and a taurus 44c with the short barrel and i wish i could fire them as well as you have the smith

[old semperfi]

i have a smith very much like yours that i built maybe 15 years ago.it started life with a 6 inch barrel and blued.i cut the handle off,replaced with a smaller square one,cut barrel to three inches,i then had it magna ported and meta lifed.recoil i have gotten used to,i shoot my own 300 grain bullets.the only thing i can tell you is that when shooting indoors it will light up the range to the point that you may be asked to quit.i have. old semperfi

[lucky-gunner]

Nice shooting and that's a beautiful revolver.

I've talked myself out of getting a .44 Magnum a couple times and this isn't helping.

[mesinge2]

A 300 grainer in action 17 yards:



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLtMj-yxBwk

[johnlives4christ]

awesome

[rancherodad]

the trail boss by smith is a blast and I think short barrel recoil less in all calibers

[Zane71464]

That's some good shooting and I love those grips! It's hard to beat "any" Smith and Wesson revolver!!!

[3/2 STA SS]

Pure Beauty. Is it ported or just the angle of the photo?

[fleetwood1976]

I am saving my pennies for the 44 spl version, but I guess you could go this route and shoot magnums or specials.

[mesinge2]

Is it ported or just the angle of the photo?

Nope, Its not ported. I just saw a .357 Talo 3" on ********* that looks identical to my 629 but an L frame, even the same grips. I might have to get it for continuity,