Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns S&W 329

Anyone every see one of these with a 6" barrel? The local gun shop has one and I've never seen one anywhere else or even advertised?

PennDog

MODEL 329 XL HUNTER AIRLITE Sc
- .44 Mag. or .44 Spl. cal., N-frame, SA/DA, 6 1/2 in. barrel, blue finish, rubber grips, fixed rear sight, fiber optic front sight. New 2010.

I have a 4 inch 329PD, now I want the 6.5 hunter version too!

I have a 360 Kit Gun (.357). With anything approaching full power loads, it is pretty nasty even with Pachmayr grips. It is nastier than my .500s with full power loads. I don�t think I will be getting an aluminum .44 any time soon.

I have a 360-1 and still have the factory grips..which pachmayrs did you go with?

Thanks guys I had not seen that model advertised anywhere.....I have the 357PD and personally find it brutal with full power loads....so i load 265 grain bullets at 975-1000 fps and they still get the job done without the fierce recoil. That said I'm kinda liking the 6.5" model

PennDog

Every time someone mentions the 329pd, the "gentle people" start complaining about recoil.

I love packing the 329pd, but you can only go so fast with a 4" barrel. Now a 6.5" barrel would get my 1200+fps 240gr loads into the 1400+fps range - and that would give the margin required for hunting distances. And some states, like WA, have a 1000ft/lb minimum for handgun hunting of Elk - and you can't hit that with the 329pd sanely.

But I wonder about the lightweight and scope mounting. I see that they didn't make provisions for a scope. I wouldn't want to be drilling any more holes in that top strap!

Might be a pretty good product. They listened and put the X-Frame grip on it - good! The wood grips were just short of criminal.

329pd information

good information dla......and I'll certainly be the first to admit that I AM A WUSSIE when it comes to recoil. That said I did not buy the 357PD to shoot all the time.....I bought it to carry all the time and shoot (hopefully) only when needed AND necessary. I shoot it enough to be competent with it. If I want to shoot my .41s all the time I get out the 57 or 657 and have a ball. I am intrigued though with a 6"+ barrel on one of these, it would be nicer to carry all day hunting than one of the heavier sidearms I normally carry........guess I am a wussie when it comes to weight too - just no pleasing me (probably why the manufacturers keep making stuff, they are bound to make something that I like one of these days)

PennDog

Doesn't work that way. If it's something you don't shoot much, particularly if the recoil and blast are intimidating, you will not do well with it under the stress of an emergency. E

I agree that you can't hit 1000 ft/lbs sanely in a 329pd, but the reg has changed in Washington: "Big game, except cougar, may be hunted with handguns with a minimum barrel length of 4 inches per manufacturers specification, and fire a minimum 24 caliber centerfire cartridge. Cougar may be hunted with 22 caliber centerfire handgun. Rimfire handguns are not legal for big game."

We're required to use revolvers in some areas, but the energy requirement died several years ago. Too hard to enforce, I think...


Okie John

Emericus:

While I generally agree with your statement.....I said I do not like the recoil (i.e. wussie), that is a far cry (in my book) from being afraid of the recoil

PennDog

I just recently got the 329 Alaskan Backpacker. 44 mag with 2.5" barrel. I haven't shot it much, but the dozen or so that I have shot thru it are not nearly as pleasant as shooting my old 6.5" M29.

I have Pachmayr Decelerators on my J frame guns, not because they absorb recoil, but because they fit my hand better than most grips.

I have both the 360 kit and the 329pd, and IMO, the 360 kit is more of a handful with top end loads than the 329pd.

I did not find my 360PD (Regret that I ever sold it) too bad, but a cylinder full of full power loads in my 329PD has me literally hopping about going OUCH!....OUCH!.. OUCH.. Out loud. Interesting how different folks recieve and percieve recoil differently. One of my best buds (Rufous here at 24hrcf) Can shoot my 416 Rigby all day but hated my 300RUM. I can shoot a 300RUM all day but despise shooting my 416 Rigby and will happily oil it down for loooonnngggg term storage as soon as I have a Hippo, Brown Bear, Lion and maybe one more Elephant on the ground.

Back on topic, the 6 inch 329 would be a cool add, IMHO.

You guys are going to call me crazy but I bought my girl friend a 325 PD airlight in a 45 ACP with a 2 1/2" barrel.
With regular loads it feels like an axe hits your hand. I use the low recoil and I load her up with light loads and 185 gr slugs.
I bought it for her for the Intimidation factor. She likes to name our guns and we call this one the HOLLY SHI!! . If you ever have someone point this gun at your face in anger that is exactly what you would say.
And as for being a woos about recoil my favorite handgun is my S&W 460 and my next favorite is my S&W 500 I feel like when you are playing with target shooting and you can not feel the thing it is not worth shooting My 45 is just OK.
We both have a lot of fun with the Airlight

Funshooter, THAT sounds like a fun one, all right. The AXE HITTING YOUR HAND analogy is right on, at least with my 329.

To ALL!!!! FYI, Be sure, with your 329's and 360's etc, to put a dab of locktite on the cylinder thumlatch screw. Those darned things will work themselves loose and fall out REAL QUICK on these fast recoil guns. Hard to reload after this mechanism is lost on the ground somewhere.

That is a good point safariman on the cylinder thumb latch, as I lost the first one and had to get another from S&W.....I do really like these guns......despite the recoil

I've found that the pin holding the front sight will walk out and the cylinder latch screw will back out. I've though about using LockTite Blue on both of them. S&W puts something on the side plate screws because I've never had them come loose in over a thousand full-house rounds.

I also discovered that once the mainspring strain screw is tightened, it doesn't back out. Neither do the rear sight screws. Amazing really, given the recoil.

I really like my 329PD. And I also feel it is a fairly accurate revolver. I can hit bricks off handed with mine at 50 yards. And have shot several does during doe season or farm permits here in WV. A 6" model sounds great, but I do not know if it is necessary.

What kind of sights does it have on it?? The standard like the 329 PD?? Could it possibly be a PC revolver?? I would like to see a picture of that puppy. I know my 329PD would be the last firearm period that I would give up. And that even includes rifles(well maybe ). Tom.