Big bore handguns and recoil

[brokedownbiker]

Recently, I fell into a deal where I was able to trade a SS Beretta 92FS for a LNIB S&W 629 .44 magnum revolver. It was one of my 'bucket-list' guns and I jumped at the offer.

A few days later I got a chance to visit the range and take it for a test drive. Let me start out by saying that I shoot twice a week on average, 200-ish rounds a visit with various 9mm, .40 S&W, and .45 ACP semi-autos. I fired 2/3 of a box of the full power .44 magnum rounds (35 rounds) and half a box of .44 Special Magtech Cowboy loads through it. A fun day right?

Well, let me tell you... my wrists and elbows were NOT happy the next day, or for almost a week afterwards. My wrists were swollen and my right elbow was so sore I couldn't straighten it out for a couple of days. I guess I should have known better but it was just too much fun to shoot the big old thing. Now I limit it to a cylinder or two at a time and mostly fire .44 special loads in it.

Anybody else have similar experiences or am I just getting old and wimpy? lol

[Templar]

I MagnaPorted my Model 29... It doesn't make it pleasant to shoot, but the muzzle flip is greatly reduced. It is the most accurate centerfire pistol I own.

BTW, I started doing wrist exercises with weights to strengthen my wrists just for this pistol , and it really made a difference. Pachmyrs helped as well.

Enjoy...

Templar

[jimmycthemd]

I've owned a Dan Wesson 44 for 25+ years. The mags do take some getting used to and some wrist exercises when you start. I went from a 357 to the 44. Took it to the range a couple weeks ago after not shooting it for about a year and, yes, my wrists were sore.

At the time, I was living in Colorado and bow hunting in the Rockies. Needed a 'bear defense weapon'. Now, living in the greater Atlanta area, it's more of a 'big boy toy' than anything else. Fun as heck to shoot, but it only comes out once in a while. (Dan Wesson sports interchangeable barrels. I have a 10" barrel with a 3x Burris scope that is litterally a blast to shoot!!). I reload my own rounds and, back in my younger years, clocked some 1625fps with 265 grain fmj's. Now, those really hurt!! Did it once just to say I did it.

[brokedownbiker]

Glad to hear it isn't just me lol. This isn't going to be used a lot, just as a side arm when I'm out camping or hiking, I just got new gun fever, shot it too much too fast and paid the price.
But it is a great shooting revolver, probably has the best trigger out of the box of any DA revolver I own. Soooo.....

I reload for all my 'normal' calibers but wasn't going to set up for the magnum originally, didn't figure I'd use it often enough to justify the expense for the dies. But I have changed my mind, the cost of commercial .44 mag and .44 spl is ridiculous and I have powder, primers, and enough brass to load up plenty of rounds with mild cowboy style loads for plinking and a few full power thumpers for those times when only the real thang will do lol. A bullet mold is all I'll have to get beyond the die set and it will be pleasant to shoot and affordable to boot!

Thanks for the input guys!