The Model 29 .44 Magnum at 150 yards with pics

[Lost River]

Funny, the day before you posted this, I’d been thinking that I need to run a batch of ammo for my 5” Classic 629. I planned on doing the 240s with Unique too.

The 240 and 10 grain Unique load is by far the load I use more than any by a very wide margin and it is superb for all around use on everything from Mule deer to small game. While I would prefer a 300 grain bullet, if the opportunity presented itself, I would pop an elk standing broadside for a double lung shot, if the range was close.

It is easy on both guns and shooters, and I have rarely seen a gun that will not shoot it well. A number of people who don't reload over the years have asked me to provide the ammo for them and I will probably end up doing a side gig (legally-class 7 FFL) making it.

I rarely use my heavy loads any more, though when I do, I primarily run them through Redhawks. I have a 7.5" RH with an RDO that shoots 300 grain XTPs into little bitty groups when pushed by large doses of H110. Great combo, but not nearly as much fun to shoot. It is pretty much dedicated to that task alone.

[Lost River]

Have you shot with a pistol scope any? I picked up a used 2x Leupold long ago, but never used it. I ended up trying it in a heavy barreled k-22. My offhand basement groups went from so-so OK to little fingernail size. Ive been wanting to try it in more open environments, or on something centerfire for various longer ranges.

@Malamute,

I have shot using scopes a bit. While they are very accurate, I find them more difficult to use in the field. Over a backpack they are fine, but in the field shooting offhand, they are tough. As you have discovered they do work quite well with .22s. I may eventually try one again on one of my guns, as I have a 2x sitting on a shelf, but for now the red dots are much easier for me.

[Lost River]

Friends,
On the way back home, I stopped in the same spot and with limited time and ammo I re-zeroed at 100 yards, then shot a few groups @ 100 and 50 yards.

The first group was shot at 100 using the Elmer method of bracing the pistol between my knees. I was not comfortable like before and I was not too impressed with the results. Frankly I was hoping for a bit better.

Here is group 1:



After I checked the target, I decided to shoot over my range bag. What I noticed was that there was a slight shift in impact. I did not make any adjustments to the RDO.

Group number two, and first group over the range bag:



Group #2 had a strange horizontal stringing. No idea what that was.

Group # 3 was not too bad, though I did put one outside the little circle:

[Lost River]

With a 100 yard zero I set up a more precise aiming point of reference for 50 yards. I had a target in my truck that I had used previously when zeroing a Model 17 (50 yard zero for jackrabbit hunting) with an RDO, so that made life simple.

The 50 yard groups were quite decent (for me).




I was aiming for the center of the red, and you can see the the difference in POA/POI.

I am quite sure that low shot was operator error.


BTW, you can see how the Model 17 .22 revolver does at 50 with bulk ammo @ 50 yards. The holes are in the big red circles. The M17 was shot over the hood of my truck, so it is not the most precise, but i was in a hurry as usual.

EDIT to add:
After a while I will grab a tape measure and measure the last groups that were not taped up. I did not have a tape wit me and did not have much time anyways.

[BobM]

What mount are you using for the red dot? I’m in my mid 50s and probably should start thinking about getting one.

[deputyG23]

So I took my 5" Model 29 Classic with Burris Fastfire RDO out Sunday to confirm zero, and to readjust the zero for 150 yards.

It only took a few shots to re-adjust the sights as I had previously been zeroed at 100 yards.

I only had time to shoot 2 groups, but I figured I would share the results. Once I made my adjustments, I shot a 3 shot group on one target, and a 5 shot on the other.









I was using the old Elmer Keith method, leaning against an object, which in this case was my truck tire, bracing the revolver between my knees and shooting.


This is 5 shots at 150 yards.

For reference, the circle/target is my highly precise Folgers coffee can lid that I used as a template to spray paint





The load is a 240 grain hard cast powder coated hollow point pushed by 10 grains Unique.
The 240 Cast/10 Gr Unique has long been my standard mid range load and is a pretty solid working load.

I have found that seven grains of WST in Magnum cases yields about 850 FPS with a 240 grain cast SWC bullet in a 3" M29. Pleasant to shoot as well. Full power loads in this gun is not fun at all and when shot early in the range session, ruins the rest of the range time with subsequent severe flinching.

[03RN]

I wish I saw this before I went up to VT for a couple days of bear hunting.

I probably would have brought a .45 Colt. I use 9gr unique and a swc from rimrock bullets.

Great shooting and beautiful country!

[Lost River]

What mount are you using for the red dot? I’m in my mid 50s and probably should start thinking about getting one.

@BobM,

I am using the Weiga-Tinny mount. You can get them on Amazon or from Weigand.



https://www.amazon.com/Smith-Wesson-.../dp/B014VDSSY6


Superb mount. I have a few and they are rock solid.

[Lost River]

I have found that seven grains of WST in Magnum cases yields about 850 FPS with a 240 grain cast SWC bullet in a 3" M29. Pleasant to shoot as well. Full power loads in this gun is not fun at all and when shot early in the range session, ruins the rest of the range time with subsequent severe flinching.

Grin.. I understand completely. My wrists don't take kindly to many full power loads. Plus I have found that barrel length very much makes a difference in comfort, as I can certainly tell a difference in comfort between my 4" and 5" 29 and a big difference between the 4" and 6.5" guns. I have tried 3" M29s and they just were not my cup of tea, though they were cool to look at.

Your WST load is about what 8.5 grains of Unique gives me with a 240. Very pleasant. A long time ago I settled on just 2 powders for all my .44 needs. Unique and H110, and it has worked quite well. I know there are lots of powders out there that may do certain things better than Unique, but for an all around powder I stick with it.

[Lost River]

I wish I saw this before I went up to VT for a couple days of bear hunting.

I probably would have brought a .45 Colt. I use 9gr unique and a swc from rimrock bullets.

Great shooting and beautiful country!

45 Colts and Unique (as well as H110) are like PB&J!

Did you get your bear?

The pics are from northern Nevada area. Not quite as nice as ID, but it beats the city any day.

So I broke out the ruler. Subtracted .429 for each


The last group I had fired @ 100 yards ended up being 8.38"s That high shot screwed up an otherwise decent group (as is always the case).




The two 50 yard groups were as follows:



Top group: 1.44
Bottom group 2.07

Now I need to load up some more powder coated bullets when I get a chance. I have not done any real accuracy testing, trying to find a precision load for this individual revolver, as this load does nicely in my other .44s, but I bet I could find one specific load that really is a tack driver. That said, I just don't have the time right now, and the groups at 100 yards are probably sufficient for the type of hunting I do. Odds are the 100 yard groups speak more to my lack of practice than anything else.