with a 4&5/8 barrel which is pretty brutal to shoot a long time,i have shot 300g Hornady XTP thru it and the recoil managed to loosen the barrel a bit,sent it to Ruger and they fixed it,along with a good "once over" replacing springs and such to,It's a great gun,not sure if i want anything shorter in a 44 mag.
USMC VETERAN
NRA LIFE MEMBER
Proelium Comminos Auctoritate
I’ve had a 4” Redhawk and a 4” 629 never cared to go shorter with either.
I have a Bowen custom four inch Blackhawk and with full power 300 grain magnum ammo it feels like a BB gun in comparison to the 329 four inch or snubbie. The Blackhawk rolls in my hand, where the 329 pounds you. That said, a DA revolver is what you want in a defensive fight (as opposed to hunting) with a bear.
I have a 4" Redhawk in .44 as well.
Its pretty bad in .44, but after putting about 50 rounds through my buddies .454 Ruger Alaskan (2" Barrel) with full power Hornady .454 rounds, the .44 feels weak and snubby titanium .357s don't even bother me anymore.
Why do the loudest do the least?
I carried a customed 629 4 inch with one SO I worked with.Very rural. I used Black Hills factory loaded semi wadcutters and Winchester silvertips. That was quite a while back. I could control it pretty easily with these loads in DA fire,but I don't think I'd be interested in anything less than 4 inch in the .44,for myself anyway.
Owned a Super Blackhawk bought the week I got home from the Navy and it withstood some very hot loads for many years. Very strong revolver. I started to get split cases with once fired brass using 24 grs. of 2400 powder with a 240 gr. Hornady half jacket soft point. Had to back off a bit on the powder charge.
Last edited by DocH; 11-28-11 at 15:40.
A fine is a tax for doing wrong.A tax is a fine for doing well.
I still carry a customized S&W mod. 29 with a 21/2 inch magna-ported barrel when I am hog hunting....I use a 290 gr hardcast SWC over 91/2 gr of unique....Works damn good on hogs....
I have arithritis in my hands and wrists as well, but the magna-porting and Hogue rubber grips greatly aids against the recoil...I shot Silhouette for many years and Im sure this added to my aritihritic misery....
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