just found a used 629 in great condition for just under 500.00 will be usung it in maine this year when i go for deer and bear.
will start with 240 g sp and try too find some 265 g sp before i go.

brian

The 629 Smith is a great handgun.
What bbl length did you get?
I have found the 270 Speer Gold Dot, the Federal 300 gr Cast Core, and the Garrett Hammer Heads to shoot very well and perform good on game.

My experience with 270gr Gold Dots is not very good. Very little to no expansion in deer, and that's out of a muzzleloader shooting at 1650fps. The 270's are too hard for thin skinned game unless you're shooting them out of a .444 at really high velocity. They would however make an excellent deep penetrating semi-expanding bullet for large game, 500lb+.

One of the best choices you can use is the 300gr Hornady XTP loaded up to 1300fps. It's truly devastating on thin skinned game and MORE than enough for ANY deer or black bear, period.

i have a 6 in barrel cant wait to try it

Concur that 300gr XTP works well in 44 mag on whitetails. Used in a 629 powerport, 6.5" barrel.

Not shot any bear. Yet.

On whitetail deer I have used 240 gr soft and HP, as well as 250 cast.
I have also killed several deer with a 44 Mag rifle and 240 SP and HP bullets.
On big pigs and big black bear I would prefer a hard cast bullet or the 270 Gold dot. I have shot a couple of pigs in the head with the 270 GD with good results.

It's hard to go wrong with "Maggie". Consider Barnes X bullets. They're more expensive but their performance is worth it.

I would go to the 300 gr XTP and not look back. Super accurate with the right expansion and penetration. The S&W's love a heavier bullet then the 240's.

im on my way out to try the 44 since its too windy to put my boat in my slip for the summer illlet u know how i do

I have been using a 629 for 10 years shooting hundreds and hundreds of magnum cratriges with it i even killed a awater buffalo and a lot of game with it foxes ,hogs ,a fallow deer etc ,congratulations .Juan