329PD for 44 Special Loads?

[crabo]

Anyone using 44 special loads in the 329PD? I've heard it is fairly brutal with mag loads.

How's that working out?

[mellonhead]

Not a 329!!! I am shooting a 325PD in the same configuration. My 45 ACP loads for this are 230's@850fps and my 45 Autorim loads are 255 SWC's@950fps. Both loads are very easy to shoot in my gun. I had to ditch the factory grips for a set of Ahrends Retro-Targets. These made it much more comfortable for me to shoot.

Toby

[Shuz]

Anyone using 44 special loads in the 329PD? I've heard it is fairly brutal with mag loads.

How's that working out?

Crabo--I have a 329PD and I use 18g of 2400 and a Lyman 429421HP@230g. Not what I'd call a .44 special load, (1050fps) but it is tolerable to shoot for about 15 to 20 rounds. Fairly accurate, considering the no target type Hi-Viz front sight. I have a set of Hogue S&W 500X frame grips on mine and that helps tame the recoil.
PS: this load is in .44 mag cases!

[JDBrowning]

crabo, I shot a friends 329pd with 4 different loads:

cowboy at 775 fps, OK not bad at all, 5 shots fired
429421 Keith at 1000 fps, about my upper limit, stout recoil, 5 shots fired
180 Rem factory, brutal does not describe the recoil, thought I dislocated my thumb, 2 shots fired
240 gr full load, brutal and only could fire 2 shot, gave the gun back at this point.

Also shot his .500 S & W with the light 1400 fps load and recoil is definitely less than full loads in the 329pd.

I liked the 320pd and they seem to be popular in Alaska but, in an emergency, can a person recover from the recoil enough to get accurate second and third shots. I did wear shooting gloves and the gun had the wood stocks. Might be better with the rubber grips. My friend shoots mostly the .44 special load. A person could work up a load they can handle and that would be more power than needed for most of us in the lower 48.

[bobthenailer]

I have several S&W 44 mags and one is a 3 inch! in them for plinking loads i use 5.5 to 7.0 grs of tightgroup @ between 800 to 980 fps with the Saeco #420 200 gr tc bullet, loaded in 44 mag brass, with great accuracy from all of my 44 mags

[tek4260]

wimp

:p

[subsonic]

wimp

:p

[smilie=l:[smilie=l:

Here at work we'd say "DBAP".

Guess I need to shoot one of these and see what all the fuss is.

[MtGun44]

Frankly, the gun is not a great deal of fun to shoot even with light loads. I do most of
my practice with a 629 Mtn Gun and carry the 329 when hunting and backpacking.

Bill

[W.R.Buchanan]

Now please tell me guys,, Honestly,,, What is the first thing that came out of your mouth the first time you picked up a 329?

I asked if it was real?

Absolutely amazing tech, and for a daily carry gun that you only may shoot infrequently I think I'd have to have one. This is not a gun that was designed to be shot very much, I doubt one could take 1000 full power loads and not be junk.

You could practice with low to midrange .44 Special loads which shouldn't be too bad?

Keep in mind a 250 gr Keith boolit at 900 fps is a pretty formidable thing to be on the receiving end of.

Even at 26 OZ with rubber grips that gun should be managable with midrange specials. I'd never even consider shooting factory level Mags in that gun. I'm sure once or twice would cure just about anyone of that notion..

I could have bought a new one a few years back for $729 and I kick myself for not doing it. However there is no shortage of them now so maybe someday one will appear.

But then I have these 2 Ruger's I really like!

Randy

[tek4260]

Oh it looks so brutal!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o714F-9UFJo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KxPSG6NPiU&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpmr4NDifaE&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zK9mnppwG-M&feature=related

And I am tired of looking at the stupid videos now!

Come on, these kids are able to handle it!

I hate to have to go and drop $850 just to find out.

[subsonic]

Tek, lets split one. You get it even months, I get it on the odd?

My s&w 337 will draw blood, but only on my index finger where the trigger guard hits the bottom of the joint with the edge. Hogues that I can hang onto cured that. That was when shooting an LBT 359-160 FN over 6 gr of Rex 3 (like Unique) in .38 cases. More than +P.... My fish scale says 10oz with the Hogues. It is lighter than a hammerless 342 or a .357 mag 360.

[subsonic]

I think we can afford this one. It's $98[smilie=w:

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=271885280

And besides, how many auctions have the word "ANAL" in caps? I guess he's hoping to catch people googling something else by accident.

[tek4260]

Heck I have wanted one for a couple of years now, but I know I will be disappointed with it. Besides, you can shop around a buy a used FA for the same money.

So owners of 329's, will they stand up to full power 300gr loadings? I don't have any lighter weight molds.

[Beau Cassidy]

I have had one for a few years and just really haven't gotten a round tuit and worked up loads. Just too much on my plate. I also have the 327 which I consider to be a much nicer revolver to shoot full house rounds out of. Plus you have 2 more rounds.

I would think long and hard about carrying the 329 with full house loads for personal defense from things that could eat me. The standard weight 4" 629 would get the nod for that.

[subsonic]

The problem for me with the Ti cylindered guns is that whatever throats you have, are the throats you have. Not supposed to go cutting on the tititium. So if you have, say .356" throats on your 337, thats whatchu got. As I do.

[tek4260]

I actually saved this a while back on the 329. Thought it was a good read

https://sites.google.com/site/hobbyhintstricksideas/Home/s-w-329pd-info

On a side note, about 3/4 of the way down, the author states this:


Here is a new condition - just started and I don't what is going on yet.

followed by a pic of strikes on the rim of the case. Would this be hammer bounce?

[MtGun44]

This is a very special purpose gun. I am much like the author of the piece linked by
tek4260, I hike and hunt in areas where there are wolves and griz and the wife
carries a LARGE pepper spray and I carry the 329. I hope we never need either one,
and so far, we have been fine.

NOT a fun gun to plink with, the V rear sight is fast but not real accurate. I replaced them
on my 317 with a square cornered flat topped green fiber front and square notch rear on
the 317 and got a substantial improvement in accuracy. Less concerned with the 329 and
I need to send it in for a new blast shield, mine is cut through.

Great technology, but definitely a niche gun.

Bill

[Whitworth]

Perhaps I'm just numb, but even with 320s at 1,300 I didn't find the 329 I tested to be objectionable. About the nicest carrying gun as far as weight is concerned. Didn't like the sights and felt they were only good for up-close work. Neat revolver.

[MtGun44]

I did some 280 gr or so loads at max and it is pretty brutal. I can do about two cylinderfulls
before my funmeter is pegged for the day.

Bill

[white eagle]

whats all the fuss its a 44 rite ??

[Shuz]

FWIW--I applied some J-B Weld to the line that was forming in my 3rd top strap shield on my 329PD, and so far it is holding up fine. The other two top strap shields were replaced at no charge by Smith. I'm hoping the J-B Weld will keep me from having to send it back every 1000 rounds or so.

[MtGun44]

It's a 26 ounce .44 mag. If you haven't fired one, it has a lot more recoil
compared to a steel gun.

Bill

[Paul105]

Perhaps I'm just numb, but even with 320s at 1,300 I didn't find the 329 I tested to be objectionable. About the nicest carrying gun as far as weight is concerned. Didn't like the sights and felt they were only good for up-close work. Neat revolver.

Everybody has a different recoil tolerance. You must be one of the lucky ones that is immune to heavy recoil -- that was not a sarcastic remark.

Out of curiosity, did you actually chronograph those 320s at 1,300 fps? What was the load?

Reason I ask is that I chronoed some 325gr LFNGCs from Beartooth Using the starting load in the Hodgdon on line data manual, I was only getting 1,043 fps -- the max load would add about 100 fps for approx 1,150 fps.

I'm guessing that 325gr would penetrate a bunch even at 1,050 fps.

TIA,

Paul

[Whitworth]

Everybody has a different recoil tolerance. You must be one of the lucky ones that is immune to heavy recoil -- that was not a sarcastic remark.

Out of curiosity, did you actually chronograph those 320s at 1,300 fps? What was the load?

Reason I ask is that I chronoed some 325gr LFNGCs from Beartooth Using the starting load in the Hodgdon on line data manual, I was only getting 1,043 fps -- the max load would add about 100 fps for approx 1,150 fps.

I'm guessing that 325gr would penetrate a bunch even at 1,050 fps.

TIA,

Paul

Paul, they were loads from Double Tap Ammo that I was testing. And yes, we did run them over the chronograph.

[Paul105]

All I can say is WOW!

Did Mike modify the load after you tested it? Double Tap's website lists ballistics for that load as follows:

Caliber : .44 Magnum

Bullet : 320gr Wide Flat Nose Hardcast

Ballistics : 1325fps - 1248 ft./lbs. - 7.5" bbl.
1265fps from a 6" Colt Anaconda
1125fps from a 2.5" Ruger Alaskan

Paul

[Lloyd Smale]

mother of GOD! thats a stout load even in a blackhawk. I know i played with 340s and got to about 1200 in a bisely and started getting stick extraction. that load has to be right on the heals. It will also give most guys all they want in recoil and a bit more. Like you Whitworth im a bit more tolerant of recoil then alot of the guys here but i sure wouldnt stand in line to shoot a load like that out of a 329!! Ive shot factory jacketed out of them and it was about all id could do to call that fun. I thought it was more uncomfortable to shoot then any of my 500 linebaugh or 475 loads out of a bisley. But then smith grip frames allways did bite the web of my hand.
Perhaps I'm just numb, but even with 320s at 1,300 I didn't find the 329 I tested to be objectionable. About the nicest carrying gun as far as weight is concerned. Didn't like the sights and felt they were only good for up-close work. Neat revolver.

[subsonic]

Gotta agree on the smith gripframes being a poor fit for my hand and recoil. I am on my thrid set of grips on my 4" 629 trying to find something that doesn't dig into the web of my hand. Trying Pachmayr decellerators this time. If they don't work, I'm thinking Herretts or the X-frame grips since mine is a round butt. Always had a thing for round butts...[smilie=1:

[Whitworth]

All I can say is WOW!

Did Mike modify the load after you tested it? Double Tap's website lists ballistics for that load as follows:

Caliber : .44 Magnum

Bullet : 320gr Wide Flat Nose Hardcast

Ballistics : 1325fps - 1248 ft./lbs. - 7.5" bbl.
1265fps from a 6" Colt Anaconda
1125fps from a 2.5" Ruger Alaskan

Paul

Paul, each revolver is a law unto its self, I have found. For example, Mike's 400 grain .454 load out of my 7.5-inch SRH wouldn't do much over 1,250 fps while out of an FA with a 7.5-inch barrel, they ran right around 1,400 fps. Grizzly ammo's 335 grain .45 Colt loads are advertised at 1,175 fps. Three weeks ago, that load clocked 1,365 (consistently) out of 44man's Vaquero.

[Whitworth]

Paul105, check your PMs!

[Paul105]

Whit,

Plus one on "each revolver is a law unto itself". Factoring in different powder lots and tolerance stacking I can understand your results. Actual chronograph results are always enlightening. But, again WOW!

My initial reaction was that The 320/1,300 fps was a bit more than gun to gun variation. Also, the Double Tap ammo I've chronoed was a bit slower than advertised (again, my sample size was limited to the 230gr 10mm stuff where DT made their bones, so it could easily be an outlier). I've had three different 329s since 2005 and all chronoed the same load remarkably close to each other. I chronoed Remington Factory 240gr .44 Mags at 1,240 fps. All of this is to explain my initial reaction, not to bad mouth Double Tap or to question your results.

I'm one who is sensitive to recoil but I'm with Lloyd on the 329 being more uncomfortable than my .475 LB. The 329s recoil is very fast vs the .475 and the S&W double action platform pounds the web of my hand whereas the FA83 grip is quite comfortable in my hands. All of this is magnified as we age, or at least has been so for me (granted we all age differently).

As a point of comparison, and just for grins, I'll load some 325gr Beatooths and work up to Hodgdon's max w/H110 and see what the chronograph says in my 329.

Paul

[Paul105]

Paul105, check your PMs!

Got it and replied - Thanks! My post above and your PM must have crossed paths in cyberspace.

Paul

[saz]

Never fired one, but I bet they are an absolute joy to carry in the woods! Then again I carry my SBH everywhere I go and forget it is there half the time. Gotta have a good comfortable holster.

[MtGun44]

Nice when you are also carrying a 55 lb backpack above 10,000 ft elevation.
And I only weigh 155 lbs myself, so I'm working hard with that pack weight,
looking for as light a gun as I can find.

Carried a 6" Anaconda one trip- boy is that thing heavy!

Bill

[Forrest r]

I've shot a lot of 44spl loads in the light bulldog pistols in the past. I found that the lighter bullets in the 180g j-word to the 215g cast bullets worked & handled the best with powders like herco or 2400 that seemed to push the bullet more than a sharp crack that the faster burning pistol powders would make/do.

Ther's some great bullets out there, 180 to 200g hp's, Lee makes the 200g rf & the 214g swc bullets. Several mold mfg & bullet makers sell lead bullets in the 200g to 215g range with & without gas checks.

There's nothing wrong with a 200g bullet like the lee 200g rf bullet running @900 to 1000fps for a SD load.

[subsonic]

Woah! Just saw this!

http://bulletin.accurateshooter.com/2010/05/how-to-shear-your-scandium-44-mag-revolver-in-half/

http://accurateshooter.net/Blog/44kaboom01.jpg

[MtGun44]

I wonder if he ignored the flame cutting too long?
Not good.

I wonder what the warranty situation is on that?

Bill

[subsonic]

That was the first thing I thought too.

[tek4260]

Screw it, I still am about to order one..... or a FA...... or something :bigsmyl2:

[subsonic]

http://grabagun.com/catalog/product/view/id/53981

Buy one of those.

But they are not what they say they are. You'll need your saw.

[tek4260]

I know they are nice, but I don't need another diameter lol. Did you get yours in?

I just looked at SS and they have them in stock there too(and $100 less than a 329!)

[subsonic]

Yes 7.5":takinWiz:

[W.R.Buchanan]

I've gotta say that after reading Christian Ed's report I want a 329PD even more.

The videos even show much less recoil than I imagined based on my readings from Brian Pearce and others. I should have bought the one for $729 3 years ago when I had the cahnce.

Since this gun would never see a factory round and my standard max .44 mag loads are 22 gr of H110 I see no problem with control. Also with light to midrange loads using Unique and shooting for 900-1000 fps I think this gun would be very managable. With light .44 Special target loads I see no problem ripping off 6 rounds in 4-5 seconds.

I want one!

Randy

[Paul105]

Woah! Just saw this!

http://bulletin.accurateshooter.com/2010/05/how-to-shear-your-scandium-44-mag-revolver-in-half/

http://accurateshooter.net/Blog/44kaboom01.jpg




The same thing happen with my first 329. Less than 1,000 rounds fired. S&W Reason for failure was that the barrel was over torqued when initially installed. S&W replaced it with a new gun. Early Ruger Redhawks and steel S&W guns had a similar problems.

http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=310125&highlight=redhawk+barrel+lube

http://www.thehighroad.org/archive/index.php/t-190024.html

http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n172/Paul105_photo/3293.jpg

Had nothing to do with top strap erosion, which is another issue:

After blast shield eroded in half and fell off -- replacement gun for one pictured above.

http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n172/Paul105_photo/329-1-2.jpg

Eroded blast shield recovered before above picture:

http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n172/Paul105_photo/329-2-1.jpg

This will happen (blast shield/top strap erosion) if these guns are shot a lot with magnum level loads. S&W will fix at no cost to the owner (including shipping).

These are specialty revolvers with problems all their own. They are also the optimum power to weight option available. If you shoot them a lot with magnum level loads, they will require more frequent trips to S&W for repairs. Like everything else, it's a trade off.

I still have two and they are my primary carry gun for woods bumming.

Paul

[Dark Helmet]

subsonic, have you tried Pachmayr Compacs yet? Look for them used at a gunshow vendor that has a lot of grips, K&L frame size will work fine.

[tek4260]

Yes 7.5":takinWiz:


It blows my mind that a retailer will blindly advertise something wrong. It is like they never have looked at the product they are selling, or don't have anyone smart enough to realize what they are looking at. Of course Sports South lists them as 500 S&W. :(

[subsonic]

subsonic, have you tried Pachmayr Compacs yet? Look for them used at a gunshow vendor that has a lot of grips, K&L frame size will work fine.

It came with junky hogues with the open backstrap. They were too small. Then I found a set of smooth wood grips that were s&w extras. Those were better, but slippery. It is now wearing a set of decellerators from pach. Haven't shot it yet. We will see. The compacs might be in the future because I do sometimes ccw this gun.

[Rick R]

WOW! the picture of the broken 329 makes me even more glad that I recently traded off my 325NG. I wasn't happy with the way the finish was scratched by everything it came in contact with, the way the breech area of the frame was wearing or the fact that a lot of factory ammo would allow the bullet of the sixth round to creep out of the case due to the recoil.

Traded it for a NIB 4 5/8" SS Ruger SBH and I feel like I'm much better off. :D

[Dark Helmet]

Yeah they smack you right in the web of your hand.:( Compacs allow you to grip higher on the frame without contorting your hand and spread/cushion the recoil. Do look a little different though.

[zac0419]

I think you'll like the 329pd for 44sp loads. I'm not a recoil junkie and I don't feel the least bit abused by 44sp loads in my 396NG. Good caliber for a light weight gun IMHO.

[tek4260]

http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm35/tk3945/DSCN0799.jpg

Guess we shall see..... :)

[zac0419]

Looking good! Don't forget to let us know how it shoots.

[subsonic]

Is that a second set of grips I spy?

[tek4260]

Is that a second set of grips I spy?


Like the skunk that came with the car...... :)

You needing a set?

[subsonic]

I think you should try them before you get rid of them.... interesting that they ship a second set automatically. Do they cover the backstrap?

[tek4260]

Yes they cover the backstrap. The revolver is actually a round butt, so I guess they would be conversion grips like the wood grips. They will never see use from me :)

[crabo]

Let us know how it shoots

[Lloyd Smale]

I had a 396 and with keith loads (18 grains of 2400 and a 250) it was one of the most miserable sobs i ever shot. At half the weight of a 329 it doesnt take much of a load to make it come back at ya! Sold it and bought a 696 and never looked back. to me the 696 is the best compromise between size, weight, and power of all the smiths for a carry or woods gun.
I think you'll like the 329pd for 44sp loads. I'm not a recoil junkie and I don't feel the least bit abused by 44sp loads in my 396NG. Good caliber for a light weight gun IMHO.

[Crash_Corrigan]

I guess that I am a true wuss. I have a Charter Arms Bulldog Pug in .44 special with a snubbie 2.5" bbl.

With cast 256 Gr lead SWC boolits over 7 grains of Unique I was hard put to finish off a cylinder full.

Even with the nice rubber grips it came with the recoil was very nasty and painful.

Now I load 4.8 grains of Unique under thos 256 grain boolits and it has proven to be an accurate and comfortable loading in this gun. It moves along at 800 to 825 FPS and would suffice to stop any two legged critter.

Taking the same round and firing it in my Ruger BH Bisley with the 5.5" bbl this round is really very mild. Upping the grainage to 7.5 of Unique it is still easy to shoot and delivers a much more speed with easy recoil and accuracy.

I cannot conceive the pain from one of those Smith 329PD with a full factory magnum loading. It is something that I do not want to try.

My recoil junky pal Blake loads a 500 gr boolit for his 500 Smith & Wesson Magnum that brought me to my knees. I only managed to get off two round of a cylinder when I gave up writhing in pain and numbness and my right hand totally useless for 5 minutes thereafter.

Then he had me try his Marlin lever gun in 50-110. Talk about a miserable and painful experience.............his 505 Gibbs and his 450 Dakota were popguns compared to this lever rifle. I guess it is the fit of the gun to my overweight and ancient frame that caused so much pain. All I know is that I will NEVER AGAIN pick up that rifle for any reason and I certainly would not ever pull that trigger again.

[tek4260]

I have been thoroughly underwhelmed by the recoil from the 500 Smith with everything from 350s to 700gr loads, same with the 475 Linebaugh, 50AE, 454 Cas, ect...

Dad was the first kid on the block with the 500 and carried me on the initial firing in case...... well I don't know what he thought could go wrong. Maybe front sight induced forehead injury :) Same thing when he loaded some of the 700gr boolits...

As far as rifles.... I had a Garret replica Sharps carbine that was originally a 50-70 and was punched out to 50-140. It weighed around 6# and had a crescent butt. The tang sight I added lasted 2 rounds. I gave up at 39 that session and sold it at the gun show the next day. Had 40 loaded. Friend shot 1 round and required stitches. Dad declined to shoot it. I had no idea a 500gr boolit and a 3.5" case full of black could kick that hard.