Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns 329pd???

You'd have to prove to me mine are junk.

I avoid bear country or any other type of scary place.



Travis

I'd still like to know what material is used for the blast shields. I'm thinking I can fix that erosion problem.

Have to agree that the revolvers S&W are making today are not quite the quality they were till the IL was put on in the early 2000s. When Hoppe's #9 will take the blue off a new Classic there is something wrong....when barrels snap off something is wrong....

As to the PD and the blast shield issue....no clue what S&W was thinking. But they pay the freight to repair them so who cares. I believe the blast shield is made of stainless steel.

I also didn't care for the V/dot sights and had a set of MeproLite night sights put on...now I use it for my camping gun...very easy to find in a dark tent.

Bob

I've had 2 329's... Starting to show wear at 1,000 rounds sounds about right.

Mine was showing a lot of wear at the Rebound Slide and frame. Also the blast shield had to be replaced a couple of times.

The mistake I made was practicing too much with it.
I should have used a 629 for practice and saved the 329 for carry.
It doesn't take long to run through 1,000 rounds.

I've sold both 329's and went to a model #69. It carries nice, but has it's own problems. Mainly cutting the top strap. I've gone through 3-4,000 rounds so far, maybe the top strap has stopped cutting, time will tell.

I’ve had three, still have two. Shot between 8,000 and 9,000 rnds (too lazy to look it up) of 240gr to 265gr at 1,100 fps to 1,250 fps (actual chrono) thru the three. 240gr Rem JSP factory loads chrono 1,250+- fps thru these guns – the highest velocity I ever got a little over 1,300 fps with a full charge of H110 under a Beartooth 250gr WFNGC (couldn’t replicate with diff component lot) – point being 240/265gr at 1,250 fps is pretty much full house .44 mag in these guns.

The guns will not tolerate that level of load for any length of time without factory repairs (most owners will never shoot anywhere near 500 .44 Mag level loads). I say any length of time because I had to return one to the factory right at 500 rnds, while another lasted 2,000 plus rounds before factory repairs. I had two so I’d always have one to carry. One was my all day, every day carry gun for about 8 years. The two biggest problems relating to reliability is “crimp jump” and internal lock spontaneous engagement – both need to be taken seriously and properly addressed.

The S&W X Frame 500 Hogue grips do a good job helping to control the gun and reduce felt recoil. I wouldn’t shoot the 329 with any grip that comes from the factory with the gun.

I’ve mostly gone to the M69 for everyday use, but still carry the 329 when bow hunting elk in large predator country. One of my M69s (I have two) has a little over 4,600 rnds and shows some evidence of top strap gas cutting, but it is no different than my 6” half lug 629 with a similar round count. It appears to be self limiting on both. Have had no problems with either M69.

Hope some of that helps answer the OPs question.

FWIW,

Paul

I'd much prefer the model 357PD, which is the same gun in .41 magnum.

My 617 has well over 20k rounds through it, and a good 30k more dry snaps, yet it's still going and still driving tacks. The "crap" MIM lock work is in perfect time, nothing has ever broken, and the action is significantly smoother than anything S&W has made since WW II. So while your "opinion" is that they are JUNK, my first hand experience says otherwise.

My other "junk" S&W's are humming right along as well.

I've seen lots of self engaging locks on newer S&Ws along with a bucketful of broken frame mounted firing pins. Have had three 329s with cracked frames across my bench as well. Just saying

Personally don't think the MIM lock work is that bad though I believe the forged parts can be made smoother IME. Hate the lock because it's stupid and ugly. Wouldn't own a Scandium gun personally although and probably because I'm aware of their limitations and the tradeoffs you make in the name of packability. YMMV

I have one. Doubt I'll put another 100 rounds through it in its lifetime. Don't need to. It's job is to ride in a holster when I'm backpacking. It's fairly accurate. I sighted it in with my standard woods carry load (24 grains of Win 296 under a 250 grain SWC) and decided I wasn't going to work up a load specific for it after all, shoots under 2" at 25 yards which is good enough.

It is a vicious little SOB to shoot. The first shot isn't all that bad. It's the second one in a hurry after things have been pounded and stretched that hurts. Incentive to make that first shot count. If I wait about 5 minutes between shots for things to recover, it's not an issue.

Dude, I've been foaming at the mouf for one of these for a couple yrs. These take the common negatives of carrying. 44 mag and throw em in the ditch. Insert recoil, though. It's a good trade in my book. Plus they look like they're going 100 mph sitting there.

It's a shame Smith didn't sell more of these. L-frame 5 shooters. Factory tritium in the front, Cylinder and Slide Extreme Duty on the rear.

+2

Traded mine for S&W M629

There is a reason they stopped making them. The warranty returns was eating into their "bottom-line".

I'm sure that was it.



Travis

I just recently sold mine. Carried it for thousands of hours. It was not treated kindly and held up very well. I could handle a couple cylinders of heavies at a time, then it got tough. I didn't purchase it to shoot thousands of rounds of Buffalo Bore through.

I thought it was a great gun to carry every day in the mountains and it was ok to shoot. Mine rode in a guide's choice holster and was very comfortable to carry over long hours a horseback and afoot.

The only problem I had was the cylinder release screw backed out and was lost within about a week of purchase. Two friends had the same thing occur on their 329s. I regret selling mine a bit.

YOU SUCK!

BTW, I will trade ya something shiny for that thing..

Mackay...have you shot the one you have yet???

I have/had one for sale. It is spf not, but I have been waiting to chime in until it sold.

Yes, I had originally bought a s&w 69 to replace my 329, but I had such a hard time selling because it was just so good at what it was made for.

Yes, the sights took some getting use to. I could hit a 6x24" steel bar at 100yds 4 out of 6 times. I ended up really liking how fast they are to aquire.

Yes, magnum rounds would pound you. Not nearly as bad as my Smith 340pd though. With mild loads it was not really bad at all. As someone said earlier, it was quite possibly the best 44 special ever built that was capable of shoot magnum rounds.

The blast shield, in my opinion, is a non issue as long as smith and wesson are going to replace it for free. Why should I care. A 44mag isn't my first choice for a range gun, if I wanted to shoot a "big" gun I have others.

I ended up selling mine to finish a custom rifle that has been sitting stagnant for too long. Or I'd be happy to keep it, as it served a purpose.

Yep, I have shot a range of loads through it. I think the standard 10 grains Unique and a 240-250 cast is plenty. It is still in the manageable spectrum.

That said, I REALLY like that gun that Travis has.

They "were" nice...L-frame super flyweight...and in .44 Special what could be better...