I don't find the recoil on my son's 329PD that offensive, and he has G10 VZ Grips on it� he loads the Garrett Defender 310g in it regularly for backcountry carry and they really are not all that bad. I shot it last weekend and put around 24-30 rounds through it and did feel a little numbness in my hand for a few minutes afterwards. Having said that, my 629-4MG ain't a whole lot better with the same loads. In fact I load it with 44 Spc when I'm carrying around town, or practicing at the range with it.

IMO, the single actions, specifically the Bisley grip frame, just handles heavy recoil (e.g.: 454, 475, 500) so much better than the Smith back strap design. That knot on the back strap of those N frames right above the web of your thumb just comes back and pounds my hand. The DA revolvers, IMO do have a slight advantage in that you can use DA firing mode if you're really in a pinch� I guess an alternative is to carry one of the Smith X-Frame 4lb. hand carbines, but you may as well be carrying a nice compact lever rifle at that point.

I do love me some SA revolver though� they just feel right in the hand! Classic, fast out of the holster, point and hit right where you aim, roll back in the hand and come right back down of follow up shots pretty quickly (load dependent of course). I just can't get into the plastic semi-auto's� they just seem like disposable junk to me. Don't get me wrong, I've got a couple of Glock's stashed around, but they just don't do it for me.

IMO, an honest Alaskan carry weapon should be wood and steel, with a big hole in the tube, and carried in leather� but hey that's just me, an old romantic.

Carry on�

God Bless America!