I am looking for a light weight 44mag or 45 colt.Anyone use one of these?I do not plan on using full house loads in it.Would a S&W Mountain Gun be better???Thanks ahead,OB

problem with the 69 it is a 5 shot asnd built on a L frame, If it is an everyday shooter go with the 629 or 29, if it is for occasional use and weight is a consideration and the SS 44" have weight I would pick up a 329. I have a 329 4", 629 4" and a 629 6"PP. The 329 is so light you don't notice it whether in a shoulder or hip holster, the 2 other carry some weight so if shoulder discomfort or you don't care for having a tightened belt go for the 329
I looked up the weight 69 37.4oz, 329 25 oz, 629-4 41.5, 629-6 48.4oz

I bought the Model 69 because it is a little smaller and lighter than the Mountain Gun, although not by much. Being a 5-shot revolver does not bother me. I really like the Model 69.

A friend let me try his after a plate match last year and I really liked it. Using .44 spl loads I ran 5/5 plates about as fast as I can shoot da. Since then I have been seriously looking at them. I like the 2-7/8 bbl. version.
C.G.B.

Hello Biker,

I have a 69...as well as a 629 light hunter in .44 mag, the 625 JM in .45 ACP. I used to have the Ti-Scan .41 Mag (aka, the PD357).

By reference, I am 5'8" medium build.

I put quite a few rounds downrange with my 357PD Ti-Scan N-frame .41 mag before I sold it. 25 oz empty, My favorite load was a 250gr. bullet moving at around 1100 fps. In retrospect I probably shouldn't have sold that one but such is life. That load was just about as heavy a load as I could handle - 6 rounds was enough...controllable but not by much. I can't imagine what the 329PD in .44 Magnum.

Since owning the 357PD, I also purchased a 629 Light Hunter. 47 oz, my max load for that gun pushes a 300gr. bullet at 1,250 and 2" accuracy at 50 yards. That's juuust about the max for me, recoil is very snappy but not punishing. I'm using a set of Hogue grips on this with the open backstrap. That's probably the real reason I limit out on the recoil - a little bit of rubber there might help a bit. The X-frame grips for instance.

I've also sent the better part of 15k .45 ACP downrange in my 625. Full ACP loads are snappy...and the solid grips gets a bit painful after 30 rounds or so. Competition loads there were always a pussycat.

So when I bought my 69, I was looking for a very specific type of carry-gun. I'm not a big guy so the full N-Frame revolvers definitely stick out. I constantly found myself raking a forearm across the rear sight in strong-arm carry. Cross Draw was for the most part fine...but the N-Frame revolvers were always a bit thick to me.

When I saw the 69 I thought "that's the perfect carry magnum". Heavier than the Ti-Scan 329PD by 13 oz or so to soak up a little recoil, slimmer than the N-Frame for carry purposes. I figured I should be good for 40-50 rounds at the range. I also noted that the 69 is a decently long cylinder, more than capable of handling the 300 gr. bullets. Tuck the revolver away in a Sourdough Pancake holster and I'd be in business.

Yeah, not exactly. I managed two cylinders full - one cylinder of Black Hills 240gr. ammo and one of my 300gr. loads. My thumb bone was bruised and my hand felt like it had been slapped by a baseball bat. That's with both loads. I have no doubt that loaded to .44 special +p parameters it would be a great carry gun. A 300 gr. bullet at 900 or a 240 at 1050 would be heap good medicine. The alternative might be to shod the 69 with a set of X-Frame grips...though that starts to get larger than I wand from a carry perspective.

I shouldn't have been surprised but the large, wood grips on the N-Frame 357PD did a great job spreading the recoil and making the handgun more manageable.

Do I have any regrets buying it? No. But I do need to tailor the reloads to it a bit better. The skinny grips and "mere" 37oz of weight does make for a sharp recoiling handgun.

Here's hoping that helps!

quote:

A 300 gr. bullet at 900 or a 240 at 1050 would be heap good medicine.

I have a 315gr hard cast wfn nose 44 mag load that gives me 1000fps out of a 4 inch taurus tracker.

At 34oz for the tracker I wouldn't want it any faster

Plenty of penetration I wouldn't feel under gunned carrying it.

I love my four inch. Have packed it quite a bit in Northwest Wyoming and Montana. Very handy, accurate 44. I shoot the H&G 503 at 1200fps both solid and hollow point. The hollow point is a fun bullet for picket pins and rockchucks all summer. Haven't killed any big game with yet.....

I had one for about three years, no complaints. I reloaded so I tailor my loads. It works great for carry and bumming around, that’s why I got it. I installed the x frame grips, it made a difference. I mostly shoot specials or lite magnums so factory grips work fine for that. Shooting magnums will get your attention but doable. It’s what I was looking for.

Thanks guys,I wasn`t planning on using it to hunt or target shoot with.Just a handy size revolver to carry about in the woods.I have some good hunting revolvers and am tired of lugging them around when bow hunting or what ever I am doing.OB

My father has one. Tends to smart a bit with faster 240gr loads. Dad loads down to almost 44 Spl level (Bunny Fart loads) and it seems alright.

quote:

Dad loads down to almost 44 Spl level (Bunny Fart loads) and it seems alright.

I tend to like bullets at over a thousand fps. a 240 even out of a fairly light gun is not to bad but still gives a lot of penetration.

Not full mag not so slow.