I am looking into purchasing a PD series revolver for carry. It is either going to be the 325 or 357. My main concern is getting enough energy on target from the round. Which model based on the round would you recommend? I like the 45 ACP allot and have no experience with the 41 Mag, but the ballistics tables I was looking at says the 41 mag, in heavier loads has almost double the energy without much more recoil, so a double tap is possible from DA.

I am looking into purchasing a PD series revolver for carry. It is either going to be the 325 or 357. My main concern is getting enough energy on target from the round. Which model based on the round would you recommend? I like the 45 ACP allot and have no experience with the 41 Mag, but the ballistics tables I was looking at says the 41 mag, in heavier loads has almost double the energy without much more recoil, so a double tap is possible from DA.

The 41 Magnum has noticeably more recoil than the 45ACP. Additionally, if you are in small town, finding 41 Magnum ammunition locally will be a bit of a problem. 45ACP is available everywhere. The 41 Magnum really shines for the hand loader.

The 41 Magnum does have significantly greater energy at the muzzle and downrange.

The question is, what is your target that you are concerned with getting enough energy to? If it is MAN, the 45ACP should suffice. If it is BEAR, HOG, MOOSE or something similar, the 41 Magnum is the choice.

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"Acta non verba"

Thank you for the useful info. The revolver would be used for both man and beast.

You have some great grips on your S&W, were those the factory grips or custom?

Is a double tap manageable with a 41mag in that light of a firearm?

Why don't you consider the 329? It allows you the big bullet size and a world of different velocity levels. You can pick and choose between too heavy and really light (like a 44 Roosian ).

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Dick Burg

Jager01,
Double taps are manageable from any firearm. The question is how fast can you do them? That depends more on the individual shooter's skill level and ability to handle
recoil.

Grips that fit your hand will allow you to handle recoil better and be faster on followup shots.

Those are factory original N-frame round butt combat stocks on that revolver. They were manufactured from somewhere in the early to mid 90s. It is my all time favorite round butt grip. I have them on many of my N-frames. Here are a few more examples.

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"Acta non verba"

You have a great collection of N frames thanks for posting them.

I was considering the 329 but I hear it feels like hitting a tree with a baseball bat. 44magnum is my all time favorite caliber, I just need something light, neat, and with some punch.

You can shoot 44 Specials out of the 44 Magnum. You can also shoot a full range of 44 magnum power levels. In the distant past, ammo all was loaded by the "big 3" to about the same performance levels. These days, it covers the map. Different bullet weights, advertised velocities, you name it. I've often said the 329 is the best 44 special they've ever produced.

There isn't much difference between the 329 and a 357. Both of those guns (I have one of each) produce similar power levels, and nearly identical recoil. The difference is the 329 allows the use of commonly available ammo at almost every ammo outlet. The better shops carry the full variety. The only way to approach that versatility with the 357 is to reload, and even then you won't find the same number of bullets and styles.

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Dick Burg

I too have both guns, a 4" M357 and a 2.75" M325. I have to wear shooting gloves to enjoy the M357, but can get by without them on the M325. Unless one handloads, the 41 Magnum is very pricey on ammo, however the available ammo with certainly get the job done. W-W 175 gr. Silvertips and Speer 210 gr. Gold Dots would handle just about anything. I carry 185 gr.+P JHP's in my M325. That should handle anything that walks upright. Also the M357 4" has been discontinued and is now a collectors item. Note that S&W is making the M357 this year in the NiteGuard version with a 2.5" barrel. I don't think you could go wrong with either! Bob