Posted: 8/22/2012 11:20:30 AM EDT
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Out of the 627, 629 both with 2.5 inch barrels, or the 329pd?
Main use is gonna be for sidearm while hunting. May get shot sometimes just for fun but not very often. |
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I do like that one but that's pushing my price range |
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I found humping a 629 while rifle hunting for deer, was just dumb...and heavy..so stopped.
Woods loafing, pistol only, different story. Might be a Ruger Standard...I scare the bears when I'm in the woods. Have fun with either...but think BOAT ANCHOR if you'll be traveling long.. or far. Best. |
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How about a used 610, 4" barrel? 10mm goodness
Me personally, I would rather have a 4" gun for what you are intending to use it for, but that's just me. Of the ones you suggested though, I would go 627. Out of curiosity, is this going to be used for hunting only? Or for "bear protection" use, as this will help dictate which is better for your needs as well. |
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Anything without a lock. I had a full size SS .357 Magnum lock up on me while shooting .38 Special cast bullet target loads. That horribly engineered Internal Lock is going to get someone killed, and it won't be me. The only Smith I own with the IL is my extremely well used .317 snub .22. I'd like to sell it and find one without the lock, but it's spent s much time bouncing around in a cargo pocket for plinking while walking along the riverbank, it's not pretty anymore, and this is after one factory refinish, too!
If you do decide to get something with the lock, do yourself a favor and disable the lock, or have a competent gunsmith do it for you. Someone's family is going to own S&W after their loved one needs more than one shot but the IL engaged. It's not just the heavy recoiling revolvers this is happening to. ALL Smiths with the lock are dangerous, to the shooter who needs it. And before anyone accuses me of being a Smith hater, I'm far from it. I own probably 10x the Smith revolvers most members of this site do, but not with the lock. My EDC is either a Sokol Custom 3" M13 or 2-1/2" M66, and Karl is building my ultimate carry revolver for me right now. |
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Quoted:
Anything without a lock. I had a full size SS .357 Magnum lock up on me while shooting .38 Special cast bullet target loads. That horribly engineered Internal Lock is going to get someone killed, and it won't be me. The only Smith I own with the IL is my extremely well used .317 snub .22. I'd like to sell it and find one without the lock, but it's spent s much time bouncing around in a cargo pocket for plinking while walking along the riverbank, it's not pretty anymore, and this is after one factory refinish, too! If you do decide to get something with the lock, do yourself a favor and disable the lock, or have a competent gunsmith do it for you. Someone's family is going to own S&W after their loved one needs more than one shot but the IL engaged. It's not just the heavy recoiling revolvers this is happening to. ALL Smiths with the lock are dangerous, to the shooter who needs it. And before anyone accuses me of being a Smith hater, I'm far from it. I own probably 10x the Smith revolvers most members of this site do, but not with the lock. My EDC is either a Sokol Custom 3" M13 or 2-1/2" M66, and Karl is building my ultimate carry revolver for me right now. I plugged my 642 lock. Looks lots better and more peace of mind. I still need to do my 629, but I don't carry it for SD. My 686 is a no dash, so no lock 
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Especially with lightweight, heavy recoiling revolvers, like your 329, the lock engages itself under recoil. It may not happen right away on your gun, or it may never happen, but there's never a warning when it will happen. And when you need more than one shot to protect yourself, that's not the time you want it to lock itself up. It is a well documented problem and it will end up costing S&W millions when someone is seriously injured or killed because their revolver turned itself into a useless POS after they fired their first shot when they needed more than that.
I will never give S&W another penny for a revolver until they eliminate the lock. |
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Quoted: Especially with lightweight, heavy recoiling revolvers, like your 329, the lock engages itself under recoil. It may not happen right away on your gun, or it may never happen, but there's never a warning when it will happen. And when you need more than one shot to protect yourself, that's not the time you want it to lock itself up. It is a well documented problem and it will end up costing S&W millions when someone is seriously injured or killed because their revolver turned itself into a useless POS after they fired their first shot when they needed more than that. I will never give S&W another penny for a revolver until they eliminate the lock. Somewhat over stated. Can the lock fail? Sure, anything mechanical can fail.....but it's rare. With that said, I do agree that a lock on any gun is stupid and is adding something that will never benefit the owner. And by the way Hawg, S&W currently makes guns without any lock. Recently bought the M&P 340CT (no lock) like the one below:  |
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I don't feel it's overstated at all. There's a firing range that rents guns called the Manchester Firing Line. They stopped keeping track of both the rentals and customer's Smiths that locked up. They have absolutely nothing to gain since they sell S&W.
As rare as it may be, I had a M66 with the lock engage on me while firing light .38's. That's just not OK, especially since it was my carry gun at the time. When lock failures, especially in light, heavy recoiling revolvers like the OP's new gun lock up due to a completely misengineered design, Smith needs to do the right thing, step up and make it right. They need to put people's lives ahead of their bottom line. Honestly, all they would have to do to fix the lock problem is make it turn the opposite direction to engage! It could NEVER engage under recoil if they did that. Recoil energy would be working against the lock instead of working in the lock's favor and engaging it. Think about it. It's a basic "an object at rest stays at rest" thing. The lock wants to stay where it is when the recoil of the revolver moves the gun. The chances of this are multiplied if you actually use your lock and loosen the mechanics a little. It's not overstated if it's happening. |
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I know you listed S&Ws, but just the same, you can find a run of stainless ssuper blackhawks in .44 mag with 3.5 in barrels.
I had a 4 5/8 barrelled one years ago, and was a good shooting, easy packing pistol. that 3.5 incher has grabbed my attention. ETA: if you really want an N-frame, get a Mountain Gun in .44 mag. |