Smith Wesson PC 629 44 Magnum Snub – Superb Big Bore Revolver

Description

The Smith Wesson PC 629 44 Magnum Snub is a 44 Magnum cut down to the shortest barrel Smith Wesson puts on the N-frame, and it exists for one job: carrying serious power in country where something large might be a problem. Two and five eighths inches of barrel on a stainless N-frame keeps the whole revolver short enough for a chest rig or a belt holster, six rounds of 44 Magnum gives you what you came for, and the Performance Center build means the action is hand fitted and smoother than standard production out of the box.

Smith Wesson PC 629 44 Magnum Snub Short Barrel And N Frame Weight

Cutting a 44 Magnum this short is a deliberate trade. The Smith Wesson PC 629 44 Magnum Snub gives up meaningful velocity compared with a four or six inch barrel, because there is simply less distance for the powder to burn. What it buys is a revolver you will actually carry on a long walk, and a gun in a chest rig beats a longer one left in the truck every time.

The N-frame is what makes the Smith Wesson PC 629 44 Magnum Snub tolerable to shoot. This is the large Smith Wesson frame, built around heavy magnum cartridges since the 1950s, and its mass absorbs a great deal of the recoil that a lighter gun would send straight into your hand. A short barrelled 44 on a smaller frame is genuinely brutal. This one is merely firm.

Adjustable sights with a red ramp front are unusual at this barrel length and worth having, because 44 Magnum and 44 Special loads print at quite different heights and you want to zero for whatever you actually carry.

Performance Center hand fitting shows up most in the double action trigger, which is normally smoother than a production gun.

Smith Wesson PC 629 44 Magnum Snub Recoil, Blast And Honest Limits

Full power 44 Magnum through a two and five eighths inch barrel is loud, bright and sharp. The Smith Wesson PC 629 44 Magnum Snub produces a great deal of muzzle flash because so much powder is still burning as the bullet leaves, and indoors or at dusk that flash is genuinely disorienting. Anyone considering this for defensive use after dark should fire it in low light first.

Recoil on the Smith Wesson PC 629 44 Magnum Snub is firm even with the N-frame mass behind it. Most owners find a cylinder or two of full power loads is enough at a sitting, and there is no shame in that. The revolver fires 44 Special without any modification, and those loads are pleasant enough to practice with properly.

Feed the Smith Wesson PC 629 44 Magnum Snub ammunition with a proper roll crimp. Heavy recoil can pull poorly crimped bullets forward out of the cases still in the cylinder, which ties the gun up until you clear it.

This is a wide, heavy revolver despite the short barrel. It conceals more like a full size handgun than a snub, so plan on a proper belt and a purpose built holster.

Smith Wesson PC 629 44 Magnum Snub Specifications

• Manufacturer part number: 170135
• UPC: 022188701357
• Caliber: 44 Magnum, also fires 44 Special
• Capacity: 6 rounds
• Barrel: 2.625 inches
• Frame: stainless steel N-frame
• Build: Smith Wesson Performance Center
• Sights: adjustable rear, red ramp front
• Grips: wood
• Action: double action and single action

Buyers looking at the Smith Wesson Model 629 in its shortest barrel are prioritising carry over ballistics. As a 44 Magnum N Frame Revolver it has the mass to make heavy loads manageable, and as a Short Barrel Field Revolver it stays compact enough for a chest rig on a long walk. The velocity you give up is real, and it only makes sense if the gun actually goes with you.

Why Buyers Choose The Smith Wesson PC 629 44 Magnum Snub

Buy the Smith Wesson PC 629 44 Magnum Snub if you want big bore power in something you will carry every day in the field. For hikers, anglers, guides and anyone working where large animals are a genuine concern, a short 44 on your chest beats a longer one in the truck. The stainless finish handles wet country and the adjustable sights let you zero for a real field load.

Skip it if you want the velocity the 44 Magnum is known for, since a four or six inch barrel does far better. Skip it if you shoot mostly at indoor ranges, where the blast is unpleasant for everyone. And skip it if you expect it to conceal like a small revolver, because the N-frame cylinder is wide.

Who Should Buy The Smith Wesson PC 629 44 Magnum Snub

This revolver suits trail and backcountry carriers, guides, anglers in bear country, ranchers, and hunters who want a compact sidearm rather than a hunting handgun. It also appeals to collectors of Performance Center work. It is a poor fit for new shooters, for the recoil sensitive, for concealed carry under light clothing, and for anyone wanting maximum ballistic performance. All firearm sales ship to a licensed FFL dealer for transfer, and handgun and carry rules vary by state, so confirm your local law before ordering.

Learn more about this revolver from the manufacturer, or see more firearms available at MAG5 Firearms.