Show me your 44's!

RicinYakima

High Steppes of Eastern Washington
"Your" revolver is something special. I hope you keep it forever. And just keep shooting with lighter and lighter loads as you grow older. l
:)
 

CZ93X62

Official forum enigma
There will very likely NEVER be a 454 Casull or any of the other monster magnum handguns in my safe. The 44 Magnum is PLENTY for me, and any more I moderate the loadings somewhere between a "Skeeter's Load" intensity (950 FPS) and Elmer Keith's "1200 FPS is all you'll need" from his Lyman #429421. At some point, the time comes to pick up a rifle to conduct the contemplated business you have down-range.
 

Rick

Moderator
Staff member
I jumped right on the 454 as soon as Freedom introduced it, 4 digit serial number 1XXX. I have had however a few moments of rational thought and I loaded it to 44m velocities. IMR4198, 240 gr bullet at 1400 fps (10 inch barrel). Accurate and with the weight of that revolver a real pussy cat to shoot.
 

waco

Springfield, Oregon
There will very likely NEVER be a 454 Casull or any of the other monster magnum handguns in my safe. The 44 Magnum is PLENTY for me, and any more I moderate the loadings somewhere between a "Skeeter's Load" intensity (950 FPS) and Elmer Keith's "1200 FPS is all you'll need" from his Lyman #429421. At some point, the time comes to pick up a rifle to conduct the contemplated business you have down-range.
I think I am in full agreement here. A 5" 44 mag with a 250gr @ 900-1200fps is enough for me or anything I'll be shooting at.
 

Ian

Notorious member
If the .44 Magnum proves insufficient, empty the thing and throw it at Le Mal while you high-tail it for your .338 Lapua.
 

CZ93X62

Official forum enigma
I jumped right on the 454 as soon as Freedom introduced it, 4 digit serial number 1XXX. I have had however a few moments of rational thought and I loaded it to 44m velocities. IMR4198, 240 gr bullet at 1400 fps (10 inch barrel). Accurate and with the weight of that revolver a real pussy cat to shoot.

OK, that would not be too bad in that big ol' wheelgun. The Redhawk isn't bad with 240s @ 1350 FPS, but S&Ws get rambunctious much past 1200 FPS. I suspect this new Bisley Hunter I have in 44 Magnum will purr nicely with #429421s running at 1100 FPS. I have 100 of those ready for its test drive this summer.

IME, rational thought is somewhat over-rated, and is subject to being over-done.

Le Mal, indeed.
 
Last edited:

Winelover

North Central Arkansas
I ran 55 rounds through the RH, this AM. Eighteen grains of 2400 with two different bullets. The RCBS 240 SWC GC and MP 250 RNFP in HP configuration. The MP design was loaded for my Marlin 1894 (.433 diam) and neck sized. Chambered fine and shot better than the RCBS.

Seated sixty yards, off a camera tripod.................the way I usually hunt. Backyard range.
 

Hawk

North Central Texas
I run 280 gr. Veral Smiths WFN over 21.0 gr. of 296 in my 6" 629s.
They are a handful, but very accurate.
 

Ian

Notorious member
The trim, light, sexy 629 gets to be rather spirited with loads that are quite tame in a Redhawk or Bisley.
 

Brad

Benevolent Overlord and site owner
Staff member
Or a Super Redhawks which is a monster of a handgun. My SRH with 7.5” barrel handles recoil quite nicely.
 

Pistolero

Well-Known Member
Ian, try those in a Mtn Gun bbl profile 4" 629 or the always fun 329. :oops:

The Mtn Gun is 'bracing', the 329 is.......survivable.

Bill
 

JonB

Halcyon member
I said it before, 44 was my favorite caliber. 44 was why I started reloading. 44 is why I started swaging. 44 was why I started casting.
as I said, it "was" my favorite. I prefer the 41 now, and sold all my 44 guns in 2015.
ANYWAY, this was my favorite 44 gun. A custom 629.
It had the best action job of any revolver I owned, pulling the trigger 'double action' style was shear pleasure with this one.

S&W 629 spacegun 640px.jpg

S&W 629 spacegun II 640px.jpg
 

JonB

Halcyon member
I wish I knew.
Here is the story.
Roger (the late brother-in-law of my friend Kermit), lived in FL. He bought it on a police auction in the 90s, he claimed he was able to find out from the police Dept, that it was confiscated from a big time drug dealer...Now Roger is one of those guys that can "wind a yarn" with the best of them, he figured the drug dealer commissioned the work, I highly doubt that.

Whatever the case, I can't imagine anyway to track the gunsmithing...But whoever did, knew what they were doing. BTW, the cylinder chambers were numbered...I'm not sure how common that is?
 

Wiresguy

Active Member
Yup, Jon, the old "buy the gun, not the story" routine ;)

Very nice looking setup, and I'll bet it was a shooter.

I was gonna say I'm not real fond of muzzle brakes, but my 629-4 Magnum Hunter Plus was Mag-Na-Ported from the factory - and I'm not going to take a hacksaw to it. With my usual 1000 fps 44 Magnum loads it likely doesn't make much of a difference, except maybe being louder.