While the Model 629 is available in a variety of versions with different features, a 4-inch barreled standard version was evaluated for this article. And the S&W Model 629 will handle them all. Ammunition is supplied by major manufactures and smaller specialty manufacturers who specialize in certain loads and cater to select clientele. 44 Special loads with a variety of bullets suitable for anything from punching paper to dropping big, tough game. Other shots may take too long to stop the bear before it can do damage.” She adds, “At Gunsite, we recommend that a charging bear be shot in the face-ideally between the eyes and nose-to stop a charge as soon as possible.
“Penetration is key, so hard cast or solid bullets are recommended for bear defense,” says Il Ling New, professional hunting guide and Gunsite Instructor who teaches, among other classes, Predator Defense. A hard cast 300-grain or heavier bullet has the energy to penetrate hide, bone and muscle and do serious damage to internal organs, where a hollow point bullet is more likely to begin expanding on impact, which slows it down and reduces penetration, so it may not go deep enough to inflict charge-stopping damage. And doing damage to vital organs is necessary to stop a bear in the midst of a charge. Bears also have massive bone structures and tough muscles that work together to protect the animal and make it more difficult to reach vital organs. So why not use hollow point expanding projectiles against bears? The answer is lack of penetration.īears are big animals with thick hides that are much tougher than the human skin. When loaded with heavy, hard-hitting, solid projectiles, it is an effective defense against bears and other wild predators. At the speeds generated by the magnum load, expansion and penetration both combine to deliver serious damage on the receiving end in order to stop felonious behavior.īut the 629 offers even more versatility.
Generally, the ammunition chosen is a hollow point design with a projectile weight of 180 to 240 grains.
Some people want that extra magnum power though for personal defense against human predators, and carry the Model 629 loaded with. 44 Magnum, it generates less muzzle rise, allowing the shooter to get back on target faster for follow-up shots. And because it is less powerful than the. 44 Special not only generates considerably less recoil, making it pleasant to shoot for fun or practice, it is also a popular self-defense round with ballistics about the same as those of the revered. 125 inches shorter than the Magnum and comfortably fits in the chamber. 44 Special cartridges because that round is less powerful, is. 44 Magnum loads, it can also safely fire. One feature that makes the Model 629 so versatile is that not only will it handle the most powerful. So, the Model 629 reviewed here is a versatile choice. Both guns, the 29 and 629, have been in the S&W inventory for many years and continue to be excellent choices for the shooter who is seeking a recreational revolver that can also serve as protection against dangerous game, wild predators or humans intent on causing bodily harm or death. The Model 29 beget the Model 629, which is a stainless steel version of the gun.
Stories still circulate about movie fans buying a Model 29 and a box of cartridges, then after shooting one cylinder full of six, selling the gun and the remaining cartridges because of the sobering recoil. 44 Magnum, and sales skyrocketed after Clint Eastwood’s portrayal on the big screen of Inspector Harry Callahan, aka “Dirty Harry,” who dispatched the bad guys with one. Smith & Wesson’s Model 29 was the first production revolver chambered for the. Several other handgun cartridges have exceeded its power since then, but it still remains a powerful round that is capable of taking most North American big game. 44 Magnum was often referred to as the most powerful handgun cartridge in the world. 44 Magnum revolverįor many years after its introduction in 1955, the.