[MrPeanut]

Been looking for a 44 mag revolver for a while now.

My LGS had each in stock.

Fondled each of them extensively.

Chose the 629?

Just felt better in my hand.

 

[FullClip]

Been looking for a 44 mag revolver for a while now.

My LGS had each in stock.

Fondled each of them extensively.

Chose the 696?

Just felt better in my hand.

696??

I'd go 629 for sure unless it has the dreaded lock. Do the new ones have a sleeved barrel to add insult to injury??

 

[Toocool45]

I personally would look for an older prelock model 629, or 29. They are out there. You can pick up a used one for about 1,500. A new model is cheaper, but is it better. I say no. Full Clip says so to. And his words gospel.

 

[rds95991]

Whichever feels best. If it is a new one, I believe S&W has a lifetime warranty on any gun purchased at February 1989. You can disable the keyhole if you want, it's not hard though if you ever send it in they will probably repair it or if you use it to shoot someone you may get some hassles. I'm not a fan of the Anaconda. I have 629's, Redhawks, and Vaqueros.

 

[Mountain10mm]

Colt released a 4.25" Anaconda at SHOT this year. The 6" and 8" versions are not my style. I have a SW Mountain Gun that is hard to beat for woods carry, but the Colt is on a very short to-buy list. There's just something about that pony and the polished stainless steel.

 

[Glolt20-91]

I've been a S&W guy for over 5 decades, I like the new L-frames and they are great shooters. Having said this, I've had serious issues with the new design N-frames; one is a Performance Center .357mag that was sent back to the factory, only for it to come back and w/i less than 100 rounds there's the same serious issue, barrel shroud coming loose. A 44mag Mountain Gun was a great carry for me, I went to the range for practice and something broke internally, making it worthless for trail defense. A 629 locked up with six live rounds in the cylinder, making it not shootable.

I have older Smiths that go back to the '70s, and they are fantastic, durable shooters... I'm done with locks on N-frames.

Now I'm carrying a Colt Python on the ranch, very accurate, comfortable; double action trigger has short travel, but trigger reset is longer than Smiths and the transition to Colt mechanics is going faster than I anticipated.

For .44mag, I would need to research the Anaconda (4") more, hopefully shoot one.

 

[astepup]

In the past I've had both a S&W 629, Ruger Super Redhawk and also a Desert Eagle in .44 Mag. By far my favorite one is the new Anaconda I picked up last year.

 

[cadillacguns]

I have a Smith 629-6, love it, but it sits in the safe.
I may not ever shoot it again , but i love it none the less.

 

[bac1023]

The new Anaconda is a very nice revolver. Head and shoulders better than the original POS.

As for the 629, pre lock only for me.

 

[Wetrudgeon]

We own a 4" Anaconda purchased circa 1994. We believe that makes it an original POS. It has been flawless for us through many thousands of rounds. Out in the woods, it seems somewhat easier to lug about in a belt holster than our 4" Ruger Redhawk. The Redhawk seems to weigh about 10 pounds.

Bought a S&W Model 29 back in the 1970's but never shot it much (this was very early, before we began hand loading) and eventually traded it away. Wish we had it back.

Based on our limited experience, we would probably lean toward purchasing the Colt...

We trudge on.

 

[Bren]

Been looking for a 44 mag revolver for a while now.

My LGS had each in stock.

Fondled each of them extensively.

Chose the 629?

Just felt better in my hand.

I would choose the same, even at the same price. My understanding is that the Anaconda is basically a MK III style Colt action in a .44 Mag that is fairly ordinary, but gets hyped up because they made it look like a Python. bac1023 seems to be saying they have improved it, so my information may be outdated.

I stopped in a pawn shop Monday and saw a S&W Thunder Ranch .44 and a Model 28-2, both priced just over $800. Probably should have bought them. I passed on the Thunder Ranch because of the S&W lock, but they seem to be worth more than the price of that one.

 

[bac1023]

We own a 4" Anaconda purchased circa 1994. We believe that makes it an original POS. It has been flawless for us through many thousands of rounds.

We trudge on.

They’re strong revolvers, just crude in my opinion. I’ve had a couple myself.

 

[It'soncuz!]

It depends on the desired use.
Collecting? Colt
Shooting and carrying? Smith
Shooting alot? Ruger

 

[RGP]

I like both but neither will outshoot or outlast a Redhawk.

 

[Tomcat1977]

I handled a 6" 629 yesterday and it felt pretty sweet. I was tempted to rent it out and shoot it.

 

[warbow150]

I’d pick the 629 provided it’s a pre-lock and in good shape. From my personal perspective only, the 629s Smith was turning out in the late 80s to mid 90s were some of the most useful 44 mag revolvers ever made by anyone. My 29-2 might be perhaps a little nicer in terms of fit and finish and overall refinement, but the later pre-lock stainless guns with the endurance packages are just really, really well done. Keep the bullet weight reasonable, 305 grain or less, and those guns will outlast the guy shooting them.

 

[hardluk1]

Well I would buy a Ruger and depending on your needs it might be a Red Hawk with 3 barrel options starting with a 4.2" or a Super Red Hawk with a 7.50" barrel over ether one . . The SRH would be a better hunting handgun with a proven heavy hot load proven behind it and a little more weight to help with follow up shots . Its alsp optic ready for ether a Ultra Dot or handgun scope . I'm an old handgun hunter but with DW revolvers . A buddy bought a ruger SRH and a wolff trigger spring kit . Changes to a 10lb trigger return spring and 12lb hammer spring and it was a great shooter that groups as well as my old DW 44mag .

The hogue soft rubber grips improve all of the 44mags better than wood .

 

[RGP]

Well I would buy a Ruger and depending on your needs it might be a Red Hawk with 3 barrel options starting with a 4.2" or a Super Red Hawk with a 7.50" barrel over ether one . . The SRH would be a better hunting handgun with a proven heavy hot load proven behind it and a little more weight to help with follow up shots . Its alsp optic ready for ether a Ultra Dot or handgun scope . I'm an old handgun hunter but with DW revolvers . A buddy bought a ruger SRH and a wolff trigger spring kit . Changes to a 10lb trigger return spring and 12lb hammer spring and it was a great shooter that groups as well as my old DW 44mag .

The hogue soft rubber grips improve all of the 44mags better than wood .

Even with the Redhawks, I'd want an older model. New Redhawks have a shrouded barrel. My own 4" Redhawk is a .45 Colt model #5027 made in 2014 with a conventional barrel but I believe most if not all newer models are shrouded. I don't think this statement applies to Super Redhawks.

 

[John Hammer]

I've been waiting to pick up a new Anaconda for awhile now. Still haven't come across a 6', don't want the 8' but with the introduction of the 4' I may hold out for that, but probably still want the 6'.

Currently own three S&W 44's of varying barrel length - 8 3/8' 629 Performance Center, 6' Model 29-10 and a 4' 629-6 (first 44 I ever owned) Of these I prefer the 6' Model 29 for balance, shootability and felt recoil.

However, I had to do some gunsmithing and fixing to the Model 29-10 right after purchase. Cylinder had too much endshake. Had to add spacers. Rear sight screw crept out on me. Had to lock-tite that down. Stock grips and eventually replacement grips never fit "snug" and had slop in them. I had to add wood filler to the grips and contour them to fit the frame. Eventually I sent it back to Smith because the chambers were over-bored too. I was getting very noticeable bullet jump. They replaced the whole cylinder. So, after all of that it's a pretty nice revolver again.

I picked up two of the new Pythons last year and have not shot my Smith's much since then. The Colts are just better out of the box in my opinion and I enjoy shooting them more.

 

[RGP]

Stock grips and eventually replacement grips never fit "snug" and had slop in them. I had to add wood filler to the grips and contour them to fit the frame.

J-B Weld works great for this and the J-B Weld will hold up to the recoil.