Looking for perls of wisdom in loads for the 329pd

[dla]

I did my part to stimulate the economy by picking up a S&W329pd about a year ago. I've had my fun with it pumping around 1400 rounds of various concoctions downrange. I bought it for an easy carry OH ****!!!! gun, and I've no regrets. But I'll be straight with you - it ain't easy shoot.

Since I want it to be able to eliminate armor-plated Grizzlies, (the kind in my nightmares), I've not spent any time with 44spl-type loads. I have a pretty good jacketed load of a 240gr XTP @1200+fps and now I'm looking for a good cast load. I don't cast my own, so I've played with 240gr Oregon Trail, 255gr Cast Performance WFN and Leadhead 270gr WFN. Shooting through back to back Elk femurs showed me that the 240gr OT is much too brittle - scratch that. The Leadhead 270gr WFN deformed some but penetrated and stayed together - Good. And I forgot the CP loads that day so I don't know how they would've done - but they look pretty :)

I was wondering if some folks here carried the 329 and what they decided to load it with - I'm hoping to get educated. Thanks in advance.

S&W329pd information (https://sites.google.com/site/hobbyhintstricksideas/Home/s-w-329pd-info)

[Bret4207]

If you're sticking with commercially cast boolits you're at the mercy of the company. Fit, design, Bhn, lube, quality are all dependent on what they perceive to be correct. So find the one that shoots best for your needs and go from there.

Personally, in your shoes I'd probably be finding a good mould in the 240-270 gr area, casting from WW metal, maybe using a GC to make things easier and working from that standpoint. I'd also be finding a nice mild load so I could enjoy myself a little too.

[Bass Ackward]

I was wondering if some folks here carried the 329 and what they decided to load it with - I'm hoping to get educated. Thanks in advance.


Sounds to me as if you are already educated, you just need to decide on a slug and do the work.

1. Full power for that thing is awesome.

2. Control for target work is another.

Pain is your threshold. You like the performance of that 270 as it is. I would not go heavier than that 270. Smiths don't react well to heavy slugs period, let alone one of these. I know that they are supposed TO BE as strong, but why risk it?

I'd start at 20 grains of 296 and go up 1/2 grain at a time until you see what you want to see or you cry Uncle. :grin:

My 265 was 23 grains but I couldn't handle it. 9.5 grains of Unique was what I used.

[dla]

I don't even know what "full power" means for the 329pd. I see Buffalo bore touting loads of 250gr @1300+fps and calling them "reduced recoil". I shoot a lot of 250'ish stuff at around 1200fps and it has all the recoil I need in my diet - I sure would hate to "reduce" it up to Buffalo bore's "reduced" level. :)

I stopped using 296/H110 as it saws through the recoil shield too fast. I'm not using anything slower than Enforcer now.

I like the Leadhead 270gr WFN, mainly because it is half the cost of Cast Performance equivalent. I've been running them around 1100+fps using Enforcer, AA#9 and 2400 to get a feel for them. But I haven't done near enough to discern the accuracy potential. I've spent a lot of time just learning what components work well together.

I'm not looking for 100yd group from this 4" barrel pistol. I would be happy with 4" 25yd groups @1100-1200fps with a 250'ish grain.

I guess I'll load up some series using my favorite powders and get to work with the 270gr.

[fatelk]

You're tougher than I am. I once shot two full-power rounds through a 329.

I handed it back to the owner, and said I had no interest in ever seeing one again. If I wanted to duplicate the experience I could just lay my hand on a table and have someone smack it with a baseball bat a couple times.:)

[dla]

You're tougher than I am. I once shot two full-power rounds through a 329.

I handed it back to the owner, and said I had no interest in ever seeing one again. If I wanted to duplicate the experience I could just lay my hand on a table and have someone smack it with a baseball bat a couple times.:)

I understand. I put up with the pain in order to enjoy the weight savings when hiking. The pistol serves a purpose and the tradeoff is shooting comfort.

[Bass Ackward]

I stopped using 296/H110 as it saws through the recoil shield too fast. I'm not using anything slower than Enforcer now.

I'm not looking for 100yd group from this 4" barrel pistol. I would be happy with 4" 25yd groups @1100-1200fps with a 250'ish grain.

I guess I'll load up some series using my favorite powders and get to work with the 270gr.



No offense, but if that is the accuracy standard, I think you will find several power options to suit ya.

I don't have mine anymore, but I had a type of solder that would adhere to that shield so I coated it. Then as it got blasted away, I could replace it, thus saving the shield. I used a small file to "lightly" work on the back of the barrel to increase the BC gap on the sides of the cone. This diverted more pressure to the sides and spared the top shield.

But Smith will replace that shield free of charge if you ever need it, it's just losing the gun for three weeks that is the PIA.

[dla]

No offense, but if that is the accuracy standard, I think you will find several power options to suit ya.

I don't have mine anymore, but I had a type of solder that would adhere to that shield so I coated it. Then as it got blasted away, I could replace it, thus saving the shield. I used a small file to "lightly" work on the back of the barrel to increase the BC gap on the sides of the cone. This diverted more pressure to the sides and spared the top shield.

But Smith will replace that shield free of charge if you ever need it, it's just losing the gun for three weeks that is the PIA.

None taken. I'd have to nail my hand to the bench to shoot to the limit of the revolver. :)

As you know, the 329's lightweight makes it very sensitive coffee shakes, heart beat, mosquitoe's landing, etc. It is much, much worse when shooting DA as there's just no gun mass to dampen misquided forces applied while stroking the trigger - I'm happy to get a 4" group @7yds DA.

I also feel, (but haven't proven), that the 329 has distinct sweet spots due to the flexing during firing. I always see brass circles on the recoil shield from the 5 other cartridges which leads me to believe that everything is in motion during firing.

Oh well, this all part of the fun :)

Reqarding the shield: Since there is less than .010" total gap, I always wondered if there was some sort of solder that could be applied to lengthen the life of the shield. Very interesting. You're right, S&W customer service is great and they'll turn the pistol around in 10days or less. But since I have a lot of Enforcer, and a couple pounds of AA#9 and 2400 sitting around, I thought I'd just put aside the 296/H110 & LilGun for now.

[grubbylabs]

I have now shot three loads out of mine. The first one was some 180 grain Hornady xtp loads on the minimum charge of blue dot.

My carry load for archery hunting is a 270 grain Gold Dot Soft point over 18 grains of 296. This load almost exited a green cut pine log that was at least 18 inches so I am sure it will do fine against most critters if you can put it on target.

I also just put some 240 grain cast SWC that I just cast though it. I used the minimum load of Unique.

If you need to know more I can get you the exact load data that I used. But like you I have it for a purpose not for a range toy.

[ironhead7544]

I would try IMR4227 with the 250-270 gr cast bullets. It seems to be easy on the 44 mag revolvers. For practice one of the cowboy 200 gr FN bullets with a minimum load of Unique should be good.

[fatelk]

I put up with the pain in order to enjoy the weight savings when hiking. The pistol serves a purpose and the tradeoff is shooting comfort.
I agree about the trade-off. I didn't mean to denigrate the 329. I was actually impressed with it, and if I ever spent a lot of time in big bear country I'm sure I would appreciate the lightness.

I have a very nice S&W 29 with a 3" barrel that kicks hard enough for me with the heavy loads. I do like the lighter loads of Unique.

[dla]

I have now shot three loads out of mine. The first one was some 180 grain Hornady xtp loads on the minimum charge of blue dot.

My carry load for archery hunting is a 270 grain Gold Dot Soft point over 18 grains of 296. This load almost exited a green cut pine log that was at least 18 inches so I am sure it will do fine against most critters if you can put it on target.

I also just put some 240 grain cast SWC that I just cast though it. I used the minimum load of Unique.

If you need to know more I can get you the exact load data that I used. But like you I have it for a purpose not for a range toy.

That 270gr GD load is interesting - any idea what sort of velocity it is hitting?

There are two "heavy" jacketed bullets I wanted to play with and that is one of them. The other is the 300gr XTP.

[grubbylabs]

I am not sure how fast it is going but I remember being surprised at how fast it was going when I ran it though the chrony over the last summer.

But I was more impressed with the huge not of wood splinter that was sticking out of the back of that fresh cut pine log. I wish I had the time to recover the bullet but I did not. I could barely make out slight imagoes of the bullet through the splinter. It looked like some one was trying to drive a large blunt spike about 1/2 inch in diameter through the tree.

[MtGun44]

What dla said in post #6. I backpack in bear country in Wyoming and after doing the same
in Alaska unarmed, I swore to NEVER go back into griz country unarmed.

I push a 250 Keith to 1250 in mine. I have found it necessary to limit my load testing and
practice to 2 cylinder fulls per session. I used to just shoot one load, then the next, working
5 rds at time through a 50 rd box of full power loads, checking accy and POI. One day
at about 40 rds, something popped in the web between rt thumb knuckle and
index finger knuckle. I fired the last round to complete the string and went home. Took
3 weeks for the hand to feel normal again. Two cylinders full is plenty enough and I do
not have pain after I stop shooting. Also, buy the S&W supplied X-frame grips!

Bill

[Shuz]

No offense, but if that is the accuracy standard, I think you will find several power options to suit ya.

I don't have mine anymore, but I had a type of solder that would adhere to that shield so I coated it. Then as it got blasted away, I could replace it, thus saving the shield. I used a small file to "lightly" work on the back of the barrel to increase the BC gap on the sides of the cone. This diverted more pressure to the sides and spared the top shield.

But Smith will replace that shield free of charge if you ever need it, it's just losing the gun for three weeks that is the PIA.

Bass--You got me to thinkin'--I wonder if a two part epoxy would work on the top strap shield in place of the solder? Something like "Liquid Weld"?
I've sent my 329PD back twice now for the top strap shield replacement and while the turn around has been about 10 days, I'd rather forgo the hassle of driving to a UPS "Approved shipping point for handguns". I'm gonna check Smith to see if applying a little Liquid Weld would void my Lifetime Warranty. My guess is that it would.

[Bass Ackward]

Bass--You got me to thinkin'--I wonder if a two part epoxy would work on the top strap shield in place of the solder? Something like "Liquid Weld"?
I've sent my 329PD back twice now for the top strap shield replacement and while the turn around has been about 10 days, I'd rather forgo the hassle of driving to a UPS "Approved shipping point for handguns". I'm gonna check Smith to see if applying a little Liquid Weld would void my Lifetime Warranty. My guess is that it would.


Yep, phone call would do the trick. The problem is keeping down the mass cause that pressure can move / bend that shield. That's why it is so light.

Another trick is to increase the BC gap by using one (or more) of those .002 spacers from Power Custom. That holds the cylinder back away from the barrel so that the gap widens enough to spread out the cutting effect over a wider area and therefore reduces the heat.

Can't win fair in life, cheat.