44 Mag Revolver Buffs, Need Your Help

Thanks guys! On a couple of the shots with .44 Mag loads, it felt like the pistol shifted ever so slightly in my hand. I think my grip was firm enough for the Special loads, but I think I need to grip a bit more firmly with both hands when shooting so I don't perceive the slight shift with the Magnum loads.

The other thing I learned quickly was that working on a computer all day doesn't make for strong hands, could barely pull the trigger in Double Action with my left hand. Gotta do some weight work and increase my grip strength in both hands.

Try a Gripmaster . There is a so-called shooting specific version , but no advantage over the standard ones .

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I've said it multiple time ( possibly even earlier in this thread ) . Snub nosed big bore Magnum revolvers are cute, and seem like they ought to be a good idea , but they're useless .

The frame, cylinder, and grip are the same size ( big) , and the marginal weight difference of 1.25in to 1.5in makes little difference in ease and comfort of carry compared to same gun with 4in bbl .

But the difference in power with the same loads is huge . If you feel the delivered power/ energy/ momentum from shorty is sufficient , a more moderate load from a 4in could deliver same muzzle horsepower with much better control .

OP, now that you have the 629 in 44mag, I’m curious what you have relied on in the last 16 years, since 2002 out there in the wilderness?

Bikebreath said:

OP, now that you have the 629 in 44mag, I’m curious what you have relied on in the last 16 years, since 2002 out there in the wilderness?

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Excuse the lengthy nature of this response, to a valid question –

In the early 2000s I was hunting remote areas in southwest Alaska flying out of Dillingham and Iliamna. While there are plenty of grizzly bears in this part of the state, there are also lots of salmon streams, and GENERALLY the bears tended to behave when exposed to the presence of man (i.e., keep their distance or make tracks when they sight or smell humans). In addition, I always had my rifle close at hand – a .30-06 from 2002-2005, and then a .338 Winchester Magnum from 2006 to now. The only times I would not have the rifle within arm’s reach, were inside the tent during daytime/meal time, or when in the middle of the stream/river fishing for salmon or grayling.

In 2006 I started hunting in a remote area of interior Alaska, flying out of the small town of Tok. Salmon streams in this part of the state are fewer and farther between, and grizzlies who live in this part of the state generally need to work a little harder for their food. Over the years, I noticed more frequent grizzly sightings, had some bears within 100 yards of camp, and also noticed that we saw fewer black bears as time passed – they generally don’t hang out in areas where grizzlies are abundant.

When we flew into camp in September 2017, we were treated to the sight of a very large grizzly, dragging the body a dead young adult grizzly, about 10 miles from our campsite. That was a sight to remember, a graphic display of how strong these animals are, and how easily they can move several hundred pounds of carcass around. We had a large adult grizzly eating berries on the same ridge we were camped on or around the 4th day of our hunt; we ran the bear off, as we were going to be there another 7 days, and the two of us would have bumped into each other at some point. Better to face off in broad daylight, in wide open ridgetop, where we could somewhat control the encounter.

That year and in 2018, several grizzly/human encounters occurred in various parts of Alaska, and I decided that while common sense and awareness are the best ways to avoid dangerous encounters, I wanted to add a pistol for the limited times when my .338 isn’t within easy reach. Just one more tool in the toolbox, hopefully never to be needed.

I thought you were going to say that the guy who hunted with you and was a slower runner quit hunting with you or died. Now that you didn't have a known person you could outrun you decided to buy a handgun.

Have you thought about bear spray. I hear it can work well.
Vic

Vic said:

I thought you were going to say that the guy who hunted with you and was a slower runner quit hunting with you or died. Now that you didn't have a known person you could outrun you decided to buy a handgun.

Have you thought about bear spray. I hear it can work well.
Vic

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In my mind bear spray is an option for a curious or nuisance bear, but will not deter a bear that is attacking or intent on doing harm. In addition, hunting in Alaska we often encounter strong winds, and bear spray is iffy at best in windy situations. There have been occasions where people tried to deploy bear spray in windy conditions, and ended up spraying themselves.

I used bear spray defensively one time, in West Virginia, and the spray blew back and got the kids, wife, and me. It's no fun to have your eyes teared up and burning with an aggressive bear around. I think the wife and kids screaming from the spray in their eyes drove off the bear because he didn't end up getting hit by the spray.

Another problem with the spray is that if it's not in their eyes and noses, bear will eat it. If you have to spray some in camp and it gets on a tent or tree trunk or something, bears will smell it and come into camp to lick it up later on. There have been several attacks where people thought the spray was a repellent and sprayed down their tents at night before going to bed, only to wake up with a bear eating the side of the tent where it was sprayed.

Also, a gun will work inside a tent where bear spray is a terrible idea.

My wife doesn't like guns so she carries bear spray when I'm not with her but if I'm there we leave the spray at home in favor of a gun now.

One tip I didn't see posted in this thread now that you've picked one up.

Make sure to file down the front site REAAAALY smooth, that way when the bear craps it out it wont hurt him : )

MDHunter said:

Excuse the lengthy nature of this response, to a valid question –


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Really enjoy your at length posts about your hunting excursions.

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