Holy smokes these bring big $$ anyone know how many were made in 44 mag?

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/902022895

The Night Guard series often bring in $. Here's a 310 (10mm/40 S&W) from the same seller that looks like it may end higher than the 44:

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/902015304

I remember wanting a Night Guard shortly after they stopped making them. It was a winner design. Can't understand why they discontinued it.

The answer is simple, it wasn't a winning design and it didn't sell well enough to remain in production

They are cool guns. I had a 327, 8 shot 357 that I wish I hadn't sold. Still have a 310 and really like it with 40's. The 44 special would be a really cool little revolver. That same seller has several NG's listed:

https://www.gunbroker.com/Revolvers...p;IncludeSellers=1551655&PageSize=24

Didn't sell likely for two reasons: 1) ineffective advertising (I hadn't heard of them till they had already stopped production, and I'm fairly tuned into to the gun world), and 2) they didn't keep them in production long, which didn't give customers time to discover they existed.

Didn't sell well because it was a bad idea from the beginning. A light weight 44 mag for concealed carry isn't a good idea.


I have a M357 PD with 4" barrel and I like it but I wouldn't give a crap about one with a 2" barrel


Semi auto's rule for concealed carry

With bullet improvement and the advent of real reliable compact autos in effective calibers the Jon Jovino days of folks wanting to CCW a big bore snubgun are pretty much in the rear view.

They could make a lot more money producing M&P's. That's why Lew Horton doesn't have their big bore revolver specials anymore. Plastic is in. But, I agree with you.

That's the thinking man's answer. The problem is, many people buy a gun on impulse. They read about the new, lightweight, super-duper magnum and just have to have one. That's why you see a lot of 44M/454 revolvers and over 30cal magnum rifles in the used racks and cases. People buy them and the first trip to the range, they get their first practical physics lesson. If it hurts on one end, it'll hurt on the other, as well.

They still make the 329pd which is lighter, larger profile and has more recoil…. 🤷🏼‍♂️

Well said. The girly men and the shrunken genital crowd (who like to pose a revolver with whiskey and a knife) find out that the air weight series in 44mag are purpose built guns.

I get that some of you have no use for a packable 44 revolver; but some people do use them and use them well.

What's absurd is that heavy revolvers can't even be discussed here without smallbore evangelists howling about plastic pistols, 'advances in bullet technology' and eventually, split times in everything up to and including the act of procreation.

Oh gee, I forgot. It's always 9mm Pride Week at the Campfire.

I hope you weren't referencing me. I was merely referencing the business model and opportunity cost. For how few Nightguards were made, were they worth devoting a skilled production line to them? I'm sure the people "fitting" revolvers are paid more than those slapping polymer guns together.

I enjoy both my 329ng and Glock 20

As your picture illustrates the Glock has a lot more ammo for close to the same bulk

I was referring to the Night Guard series of revolvers, not specifically a lightweight .44 Magnum. I had a Scandium S&W .44 Magnum, and agree it's a bad idea. I sold it to my nephew, and he agrees with me that it should be thought of as a .44 Special, i.e., don't plan on ever shooting full power .44 Magnum out of it.

Yep. Had one for years. After shooting full power loads, I consigned it to strictly being a .44 Special.

I figured the 329 was intended as an emergency hammer that was light enough to always have on you; and in the situations for which it would be employed, recoil would be way down the list of priorities.

I am pretty badly tempted these days by the short Model 69.

When im bowhunting in grizz country the 329 is my choice.

I run buffalo bore hard cast in both.

Nice pic but it would've been better with whiskey and a knife.

4" PD interests me NG 2 1/2" not so much

Owned both, shoot the NG better and recoil is not quite as bad

Priceless.

Yes, I have been, too. Pretty cool concept, particularly if intended mainly as a .44 Special with the ability to accept .44 Magnum if one were to find oneself in grizzly country.

I fired six rounds of heavy-for-caliber Buffalo Bore (bear defense load) out of my 329 and literally fractured my wrist. This was done the day before an elk hunt in Idaho.

I run the buffalo bore reduced recoil 44 mag

Did you still go on the elk hunt with your fractured wrist?

Lol.

You forgot the cigar.

Thanks SargeMO. Be Well, RZ.

Yeah. Soaked the hand in ice water immediately. Hurt the whole time. Saw lots of bull moose, but no elk.

I like the 329 pd.
With hot loads to 265gr.
Would not go smaller or lighter.

Hell i like a reg 629 4".
But dont care for the Mountain Gun version

329 NG is 3.5 oz heavier than the 329 PD.


NG has a Steel cylinder, PD titanium

I have reservations about the overall practicality of the ultra light revolvers in magnum calibers with full power loads. I’ve had a 357 PD for a number of years and, with hot.41 magnum loads it’s right up there with my 500 S&W as far as unpleasant to shoot. I assume such guns are made to be “carried a lot and shot a little,” but, for a gun primarily intended as a SD piece, do you want to just shoot it a little?

I’ll always keep my 357PD. I like the novelty of it. One of these days I’ll get around to making loads a little better tailored to the size and weight of the gun. If I really feel the need to carry a minimal large caliber revolver my 629 Mountain Gun is small enough, and these days it doesn’t take too long to have had enough fun for the day with that. I don’t seem be anywhere near as tough as I used to think I was. Given that pain-free days, especially in hands and wrists that have suffered a level of abuse for many years, are becoming less frequent, easy shooting loads/guns become of more interest.

I have the 329NG, and it is pretty useful. Light to carry, and full horsepower if you need to shoot game. For the range, a little less powder in the case makes for pleasant shooting.
I just looked at the GB link, and if someone wants to pay 2800 for mine, I can ship it pretty quick.

I seem to be noticing that myself... too many calendars torn off the nail, I reckon.

Yeah when I saw that it made me ask how many were made.

I too would part with mine at that price ..

I got a 310 and 396.

396 is one of the coolest backpacking rigs you could ever own.

The 310? Meh…

I sold a 629 Lew Horton snub 44 and bought one of those to replace it.

Well that was dumb.

LOL

I know.

Fer shame.

Fer shame!

I sold the Lew in elk camp. I wanted to take it home and still buy one of these but he paid me over double what I paid for it. I have this over 10 years, ,don't think I ever shot it.

The 396 is not an easy one to find.

And it probably is one of the coolest .44 Specials ever built.

What are you running for a woods load in that Flave? I'm betting it's 624/Colt SA hunting loads won't hurt it.

Skeeter’s load or equivalent.

That’s pretty much all I use in any of my .44’s except for my Lew Horton. I shoot 180’s out of that.

There are some very cool things you can do with .44s and most 329 owners are missing out. Most 329 owners shoot some full bore loads, and stick them on the shelf in the safe since they are uncomfortable to shoot and they sit there.


Or they think that the only thing they are good for is full tilt, maxed out loads, instead of using the gun for more fun/ recreational/small game shooting.

How about a very accurate 240 grain semi wadcutter that recoils like a .45 acp?

That is the .44 Russian loaded correctly.



The short cases are very efficient, and they allow them to clear the cylinder much easier than a mag case, and even easier than a Special case.



I have been keeping our local shooters who cant find Mags and Specials supplied with these for a while now.


A couple people I have dealt with said that they are keeping their 4" 329s and 29/629s loaded with these for home defense, as they found they are easy to shoot well.

Fun little things and they make a 329 actually fun to shoot, just like the round nose loads that the action shooting guys like.

What you've done with those 44 Russian loads is pretty similar to what 45 Colt shooters did in the 45 Cowboy Special.

The Cowboy Special seems like a needless redo of the .45 Auto Rim. You'd just need a replacement cylinder.

Absolutely spot on!

The 45 Cowboy Special is essentially a Colt cut to ACP length, and that is the same concept here. Smaller case volume, more efficient use of powder, and benefits when it comes to quick handling.

If I shot a ton of .45 Colt, and did not have ACP conversions for those guns, I would pick up some 45 CS brass and make some loads that suited my needs.


Ive been doing the same thing with the 38 Short Colt. I could not acquire .38 Special brass, but had the opportunity to get some SC brass so I made a nice, accurate 125 grain poly coated 38 Short Colt load for .38 Special guns, like J Frame Snubbies and K Frames and it has been a very fun one. Basically it is .38 special case cut to 9mm length. Super slick little case to run.

I just literally loaded a bucket load of these





I have to box these up so the .38 shooters can have something to shoot!

My poor UPS guy..

Actually my local UPS people are outstanding folks. I ship through them all the time and I think about half of them are shooters and hunters.

Gotta love Idaho.

That makes perfect sense, if you don't think about it.

Why use different brass to accomplish your goal, when you can buy a whole new cylinder, and still use different brass..

This thread has kinda gone every which way, so I'll continue the drift.

My all day everyday carry gun was a 329 (actually three) for the better part of a decade. When the pants went on, the 329 went on. Had three to make sure one was always in service.


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Shot the snot out of them (9000 + rnds) with lower end .44 Mag, upper end .44 special. Sent them back to S&W multiple times for repair/maint. Always fixed with no charge.

As I've aged, and no longer spend extended time in the back country, I've gone to the 2 3/4" M69 and the 2.5" M629 Alaskan Backpacker. Just drop them in the back pocket of my Carharts when woods bumming or walking the dog for short periods.


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Bought the M396 - L frame alum/ti Mtn Lite .44 special 18oz, 3 1/8" 44 special in 2003. Developed some loads with 260gr Kieths and Lil'Gun that chronoed 1,020 for backup while bow hunting elk in bear country. Recoil in the 18 oz Mtn light is memorable.
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The 396 has been replaced with the 329 for backup while bow hunting elk in bear country (probably will be my last yr if I go at all).
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These guns are not ment to be range or hunting guns. They are for short range defense and shouldn't be considered anything else. The light weight, sights and with mag ammo aren't conducive to precision shooting. They do fill a niche - an always gun - they won't be left behind because they are too heavy. If 2 legged threats are your only concern, they aren't the best choice.
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If you are a handloader, they can be loaded from mild to wild, to meet the threat in your area or you specific needs.
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I like them and wouldn't be with out the ones I have.

Just some random thoughts.

Paul

Great post

Agreed. It's great to see someone actually put them to extensive use as designed.

Informative thread, def learned something about these lightweights. I had a model 69 4” that I really wanted to love, but I was literally hit or miss with it. I could put a cylinder inside 4” at 25-30 yards and then couldn’t keep the next 5 shots on a 18”x30” target. Frustrating