Smith Wesson PC 629 Magnum Hunter 44 – Superb Hunting Revolver

Description

The Smith Wesson PC 629 Magnum Hunter 44 is set up to do one job properly. Seven and a half inches of barrel gives the 44 Magnum room to actually produce the velocity it is capable of, the stainless N-frame carries enough weight to keep that manageable, and a red dot sight comes fitted from the factory so you are not squinting at iron sights when a shot presents itself at last light. This is a handgun hunting revolver, built by the Performance Center with the hand fitting that implies, and it is not pretending to be anything else.

Smith Wesson PC 629 Magnum Hunter 44 Barrel Length And Optic

Seven and a half inches is the barrel length that lets the 44 Magnum finish burning its powder. The Smith Wesson PC 629 Magnum Hunter 44 produces meaningfully higher velocity than a four inch gun with the same heavy bullet, and it does so with less muzzle flash, because the energy is going into the projectile rather than out the front as noise. For a hunter that difference shows up in penetration on an animal, which is the only place it matters.

The red dot on the Smith Wesson PC 629 Magnum Hunter 44 is the other half of the package and arguably the more important one. Iron sights limit a handgun hunter far more than the cartridge does, and a dot lets you put a single aiming reference on the animal while your eye focuses on it rather than the front sight. In poor light at the end of a day it is transformative.

All that barrel and the N-frame mass work together to make the gun steady. Weight forward damps the tremor in an offhand hold and slows the recoil rise, which is what lets you take a deliberate shot rather than a hopeful one.

Performance Center hand fitting shows up in the trigger, which matters for precise shooting.

Smith Wesson PC 629 Magnum Hunter 44 Size, Optic Care And Honest Limits

This is a big handgun. The Smith Wesson PC 629 Magnum Hunter 44 is long, heavy and made longer still by the optic on top, and it is not something you carry casually or conceal at all. A chest rig or a purpose built hunting holster is the only sensible way to move with it, and you will know it is there at the end of a long day.

The optic on the Smith Wesson PC 629 Magnum Hunter 44 sits above the cylinder gap, so hot gas and unburned powder pass beneath the sight on every shot. Lenses get dirty faster here than on a semi-automatic, and cleaning the glass becomes routine maintenance rather than an occasional chore. Check your zero periodically as well, since magnum recoil is hard on mounts.

Full power 44 Magnum recoils firmly even in a gun this heavy, and a long session will tire your hands and wrists. Most owners sight in with hunting loads and practice with 44 Special, which this revolver fires without modification.

Feed the Smith Wesson PC 629 Magnum Hunter 44 ammunition with a proper roll crimp, because recoil can pull poorly crimped bullets forward and bind the cylinder.

Smith Wesson PC 629 Magnum Hunter 44 Specifications

• Manufacturer part number: 170318
• UPC: 022188703184
• Caliber: 44 Magnum, also fires 44 Special
• Capacity: 6 rounds
• Barrel: 7.5 inches
• Frame: stainless steel N-frame
• Build: Smith Wesson Performance Center
• Optic: red dot sight fitted
• Action: double action and single action
• Finish: stainless

Buyers shopping the Smith Wesson Model 629 for hunting are choosing barrel length and sighting system rather than a different gun. As a 44 Magnum N Frame Revolver it has the mass to handle heavy loads, and as a Red Dot Hunting Revolver it removes the sighting limitation that holds most handgun hunters back. The long barrel and the optic are what turn a good revolver into a genuine hunting tool.

Why Buyers Choose The Smith Wesson PC 629 Magnum Hunter 44

Buy the Smith Wesson PC 629 Magnum Hunter 44 if you hunt with a handgun and want a rig that works out of the box. The long barrel delivers the velocity the cartridge is capable of, the red dot removes the aiming compromise that iron sights impose, and the N-frame weight makes the whole thing steady enough for a careful shot. Being able to practice on 44 Special keeps the running costs reasonable.

Skip it if you want something to carry, because this is a long, heavy revolver made longer by the optic. Skip it if you already own a red dot you prefer and would rather buy a plain revolver and fit it yourself. And skip it if you will not maintain the optic, since revolver gas fouls lenses quickly.

Who Should Buy The Smith Wesson PC 629 Magnum Hunter 44

This revolver suits handgun hunters, silhouette shooters, and anyone who wants a ready to hunt big bore revolver without sourcing and mounting an optic themselves. It also suits shooters whose eyes no longer focus quickly on iron sights. It is a poor fit for concealed carry, for new shooters, and for anyone sensitive to recoil or handgun weight. All firearm sales ship to a licensed FFL dealer for transfer, and handgun and hunting 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.