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Taurus Raging Bull 444 vs S&W 629

JohnnyuhoJohnnyuho Member Posts: 35 ✭✭
edited October 2009 in Ask the Experts
I need some advice on these two 44 mag pistols. I was ready to buy the S&W 629 when the dealer suggested the Taurus 444 as it is cheaper and has a portet barrel. I've heard mixed reviews about the Taurus some years back so I need an update. Should the Taurus a be a serious consideration or should I stick with the S&W? I'll be using the pistol as a back up in bear country so quality and reliability is important to me. Thanks,
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Comments

  • brier-49brier-49 Member Posts: 7,075 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    S&W all over a Taurus. Going to bear country you need a gun that will work, thr Taurus ain't it!
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  • CS8161CS8161 Member Posts: 13,596 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    If you want a gun that you will be sending back for repair every few hundred rounds, get the Taurus! If you want a good solid 44 Mag, get the new Ruger Redhawk with the 4" barrel, its built like a bank vault!
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  • fordsixfordsix Member Posts: 8,554 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    taurus is now a junk status gun..ruger or smith is the way to go
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  • tsr1965tsr1965 Member Posts: 8,682 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Tell that dealer you are sorry he has an expensive paperwieght that no one wants to buy. I second the Ruger RedHawk for digesting anything you will throw at it...including lots of heavy loads. The S&W will handle some heavy loads, but the Ruger will eat em for breakfast.

    Best
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  • beantownshootahbeantownshootah Member Posts: 12,776 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Lets see, you're trusting your life to the gun and want the higher quality - more reliable gun?

    No brainer. . .get the Smith.

    Would Dirty Harry lead you astray (punk! [;)])?

    44-magnum.jpg

    Seriously, the Smith 29 would not have been in continuous production for over 50 years if it "sucked".

    While I am sure that some (if not most) of them are good guns, Taurus revolvers still have a lingering reputation for poor quality control, and like many of the second/third tier guns, they lose a lot on resale value.

    Yes, the Ruger Redhawk or Super Redhawk would make excellent choices too, in some ways better than the Smith, though that wasn't the question.

    I'll add one thing you didn't ask. .44 magnum revolvers in particular are the kind of gun that many people buy on an impulse. The high cost of ammo and relatively high recoil mean that lots of shooters shoot theirs rarely or even not at all. Consequently, there are a lot of these guns out there on the used market that are really in excellent shape. Take a look, you may be surprised at what you find.
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  • kms1961kms1961 Member Posts: 391 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    2nd the redhawk cheap and unbeatable
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  • mbsamsmbsams Member Posts: 1,076 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    All I can say is I have put thousands of trouble free rounds through my ported Taurus M44. It is accurate and the porting is very effective. I have a .357 Tracker too and have had no trouble with it either. I also have a trouble free smith.
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