Success at last!

[Shuz]

I finally found a load for my carry gun, a S&W 329PD, that shoots very accurate, doesn't lead my bbl, doesn't jump crimp, and is really not un-pleasant recoil wise in this extremely light handgun. Here tis:

Lyman 427098HP modified to be .431 in diam., hardness Bhn 11, weight 205g
19.0g of 2400
Rem 2-1/2
Midway .44 mag case
OAL 1.630

I have not chrono'd this load yet due to poor weather, but I will come spring. I did run a crude penetration test that was shooting thru 6" of water in a lined cardboard box and then thru a 5 or 6 inch telephone book behind it in my fixture. The boolit penetrated the phone book and was recovered weighing 188.7g. in the last few pages.

[Bass Ackward]

Finally broke in did she?

Mine was accurate once I opened up the throats over bore. Shot everything I have fairly well as long as I held the velocity down. I assumed that my less than stellar accuracy at closer to full power was due to the fact that I just couldn't control the gun under recoil as well. Then I read where Glen wrote that he had trouble with short bearing area bullets in his 44 Special with Smith's newer polygonal rifling.

So maybe that had something to do with it too. But 19 grains is no slouch load either. Go to go.

[Shuz]

Bass--Broke in? Geez I guess! I've sent the piece back to S&W twice now to have the top strap shield replaced due to gas cutting! The biggest problem I've had is with boolits jumping crimp if they weighed 250g or more, and powders used were Green Dot or Unique. I finally found that 429667 or 429640HP would jam themselves into the throats from recoil and thus preclude tying up the cylinder. However, these heavy pills generate a good bit of recoil, even with the 500X grips. So....I started going to lighter boolits and found lack of crimp jumping success with many designs that were 230g or less, but not great accuracy and some leading. The .431 dia. 427098HP and 19g of 2400 load seems to solve all my problems, for now. I'm keeping track of the number of shots fired before the gas shield fails again. In the meantime, I'm enjoying my 329PD, and wish I could take it with me to Jamaica today! Be back in a couplea weeks.--Shuz