Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Question for S&W 329 PD shooters:

Just picked up a good used one--thanks Ed. I'm pretty used to fairly heavy handgun loads and recoil so this one is a breath of fresh air to me recoil aside.

Planning on carrying it into the deer woods this fall and figured Winchestes white box JSP 240's at 1180 fps being at the low end of the 44 mag spectrum would be suitable for come-what-may shots encountered before I gin up for handloading.

What are you using?

I'm not packing a 329 but a buddy of mine has used that load successfully on one charging grizzly and a few baited blackbears with no complaints. I use a Keith bullet over 10gr of Unique for all of my 44 magnum needs.

Thanks Kid.

Probably should have asked the question "what are guys using in their 329s"?

Magnum loads are brutal in that gun. It's a great, lightweight, .44 Special, as far as I'm concerned.

Yea, the Win load mentioned above is a kind of a "44 Special + P". I've fired the 329 full throttle--you need rubber grips that cover the blackstrap, a glove, and keep range sessions rather short and it's doable. And a dream to carry!

Order the tamer grip for the X Frame. They come from S&W.

Had mine since they came out. Have a set of CT laser grips on it that make it possible to shoot with 320 gr hardcasts and max load of H110.

Downright nice with 200 gr semi WCs and Unique.

NEVER use any spray gunblaster type cleaner on it as it will lock up the cylinder on the crane (ask me how I know !)

With our protected Griz bears, never leave home w/o it !

El Paso tanker holster.

Can't help with the 329 loads, but I had the same Scandi N-frame but in 45. The barrel shroud became loose... which I "think" meant the barrel was unscrewing since the shroud gets sandwiched.

S&W fixed it of course, but it'd be something I'd keep an eye on with any Scandi revolver.

My load ... 250 grain SWC over 24 grains of Win 296. This combination, in nickel cases (Starline that say Midway on the headstamp) and WLP primers has been my woods roaming load for my Rugers for years.

When I picked up the S&W I took a box of this load to the range to sight in. Holy [bleep] that thing kicked. However, it shot good enough not to make coming up with a second load worth my time. I fire a shot or two now and then to confirm that it still goes bang and the sights haven't been bumped.

I didn't buy it to plink at cans or paper with. I bought it to keep things with teeth and claws at bay and maybe, possibly someday hunt with. In that context, this load, with the factory grips, is perfect.

I bet I don't put another 250 rounds through it in my lifetime. That's not the job I bought it for. I have Rugers for that.

When I'm backpacking I carry mine like 320Keith in an El Paso Saddlery tankerman's holster. I carry it in a Bianchi thumb break holster when I'm just roaming around with a beltless or high-belt day pack. I often carry that holster when I'm backpacking and switch when I make camp or head off to fish.

Tom

He da man

I enjoy packing mine in the woods, stout recoil though. One word of caution I found, was shooting some Blazer aluminum case loads, and after the second shot, bullets remaing in cylinder had jumped forward, locking the gun up.Make sure to use a tight crimp on your reloads, and I dont shoot the aluminum stuff anymore in this revolver.

Have two friends with them... Have shot both target and full loads from them and except for the S&W 342 AirLite .357 Magnum I can not think of a more miscible gun to shoot with full loads.

That said for personal protection I use the Speer .44 Magnum 200 grain Gold Dot HP Short Barrel Load from a 629 Mountain Gun and it is not bad to shoot in the 329. 10.0 grains of Winchester 231 behind a 200 grain jacketed or lead bullet for practice duplicates the load at 1080 fps.

I had the .41 version of the 329..the 357. Had both the PD and the NG. Sold them both as I just didn't like the thought of having to ship the gun back when the flashgap protector goes. That and I could outshoot the 357 with a Taurus Titanium Tracker which is smaller, lighter and completely titanium just didn't need to keep it...

Here's a very good read on the 329...

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

Bob

Yep, that's a danger with super lightweight revolvers chambered for stout cartridges, for sure.

Yep. The gun should definitely ship with the Hogue X-Frame grips. And those wood grips shouldn't even be given a thought.

I like the Hornady 240gr XTP at 1200+fps.

I also like Leadheads 270gr LBT.

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

Last time I was looking at 44MAGs the 329PD and the 6" bbl 329XL both sold for $1200+ Too much $ for me, so I got a used 629.

I use the Buffalo Bore stuff in mine. They are made for the gun and address the issues mentioned above.

https://www.buffalobore.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=55

I don't need quite the level of power, or cost, of BBs for my purpose. After going through Win's white box 240-gr JSPs (1180 fps on box but I haven't chrono'd them) I can only say they will be enough for my purposes short of being in grizzly country. And even then they may suffice.

With the Pachmayr grips and a leather shooting glove, recoil is stout but ok--you're not expecting a maiden's caress after all. Nor, if you still have your wits about you do you need to touch off fifty rounds a session. This is a "carry gun" that you familiarize yourself with and then shoot regularly but only briefly.

Ultramax's 240-gr lead loads at 800-900 fps are pure pleasure.

Like most stuff that runs out of the norm, there is no lack of hyperbole on the 'net by computer commando's whose only exposure to the 329 is probably some other CC's post about its ferocity.

I love my 329PD. I carry it at all times while both archery Elk and rifle Elk hunting. It is a great gun.

I just ordered a Diamond D Custom Leahter chest holster for it.

I carry 240 grain 1100 fps load for whatever needs killing in the field.

That is a good read, 1000 rounds and it's back to smith for a repair. However a light powerful gun.

I would take the bet there isn't one in twenty that will put 1k of top tier magnum loads through this gun in two life times. Maybe three.

Still a valid point 1000 and back to smith. I have 500 240 lead cast on my bench now I am working on in a 629.

I've had 3 different 329s. Still have 2. For almost a decade, the 329 was my all day every day carry gun. For my purposes, it has the ideal power to weight ratio. The 500 S&W Hogues are a very useful additon.

For 18 months or so early on, I shot them extensively (8,000 rounds of 240 to 325gr at 1,050 to 1,300 fps -- actual chronograph numbers). I stopped shooting them because the recoil was starting to bother my wrist, and I got tired of sending them back for repairs. One gun lasted over 2,000 rnds before requiring a trip back to S&W, another one lasted only 400 rnds. Here is a list of the problems I encountered over that time frame.



=> S&W 329 – self destructed (barrel separated from frame) upon firing.
=> S&W 329 – hand spring jumped pin, rendering hand inoperable.
=> S&W 329 – internal lock engaged under recoil (2x)
=> S&W 329 – misfiring (light hits). Returned to S&W to replace firing pin.
=> S&W 329 – multiple instances (4 or 5) of blast shield/top strap erosion – S&W replaced shields (each time) and frames (as required).
=> S&W 329 - carry up fixed several times.

Smith & Wesson fixed all problems listed above under warranty and picked up shipping both ways.


The overwhelming majority (99+%) of loads shot thru the 3 guns were 240 to 260 gr bullets at 1,150 to 1,200 fps (Remington factory 240s chronoed 1,240 fps).

My thoughts:

The blast shield/top strap erosion and carry up problems are long term exposure type issues.

The firing pin problem was/is related to design/fabrication dimensions/specs.

The “self destruct” event was an assembly issue (according to customer service, the barrel was over torqued when installed) and probably an outlier event.

The lock issue is, well, “the lock” issue – scandium/titanium lightweight, high recoiling handguns seem more prone to involuntary engagement.

Also, the materials used in these guns probably contributes to some of these problems.





A couple of things to keep in mind with the 329s before you bet your life on one.

There have been a number of complaints, on various forums, about misfires due to weak firing pin hits. IIRC it has something to due with short pins installed to pass some Calif. safety test (don't hold me to that).

The lock has a tendency to self engage with heavy loads (mine have been disabled).

Loads need to be tested to make sure they don't suffer from "crimp jump" this can tie up the gun.


Most 329 owners will never shoot them enough with Mag level loads to encounter most of the problems listed above.


FWIW,

Paul

Paul, that's a very interesting history and litany of experiences with the 329. While the firing pin mishaps may be an outlier and maybe the barrel-frame separation situation too, there is no doubt there are some inherent potential problems with a less then two-pound 44 magnum that is shot a lot with full power loads.

So far since getting this item, I've put a box of Ultramax 240-grainers at ~ 800-900 fps through it along with a bunch of Win 240-gr JSP at 1180 through it. The former were like a purring kitten; the latter, the hottest load I'm likely to use, were enthusiastic but not bad at all in reasonable doses.

Folks buy this handgun due to its power-to-weight ratio because when you finally or ever need that power it won't be at home or in the truck but will be on your belt.

So, like almost everything else in life, it's a compromise choice, but how much it is depends on the perspective of the owner.

Thanks for the perspective.

I have one of the 357's myself, and have shot it with factory 41mag loads - with the wood grips It is stout but not what I would call painful.

It is hard to be sure but I think the blast shield is made from stainless. One of these days I should try making one from Inconel, which should last much longer.

I carry a a 329NG with the steel cylinder instead of titanium cylinder, and it is still a bear to fire full loads. For me it is a carry gun, not a shooting gun.