So far I've run a couple hundred moderate 44Mag loads through my 329PD (240gr LSWC over 8.5gr Unique). With the Hogue X-Frame grip recoil is entirely manageable, I could shoot it as long as I wanted to.
That said, my desire is to use the load I use in my Ruger Deerhunter as the hunting load for this pistol...obvious reason is only one ammo to load/track...as long as it's as accurate as I need it to be in the pistol. I can't say the load yet, as currently it's with H110 powder and I want to work up a duplicate with 2400 before shooting it in the 329PD, as I do believe the stories of H110 being hard on the blast shield. I don't recall the exact H110 load without looking it up but suffice to say it's on the stiff side (but not book max, ~1gr below IIRC).
The 329PD is the only gun I have ever shot that has noticeably worse recoil as the cylinder empties and lightens the gun. When I got it, before I knew not to use H110 and before I had the X-frame grips on it, I did load it with a cylinder of these near-max shells and try to shoot it. I cried uncle after the third shot. With the new grips I think I could tolerate a FEW cylinders of full mag loads.
For hunting or for bear defense, the recoil is a non-issue. However, for working up loads or practicing with the full power loads, I feel no need to take more punishment than necessary. As I was talking about this gun with my brother-in-law and described the increasing recoil as the cylinder emptied, he suggested loading some rounds with excessively heavy 44 bullets...in 3-4 cylinders just for weight without intent to shoot them...just as ballast while testing loads. This discussion evolved into taking a dummy round (spent primer) and either filling it with lead shot barely compressed under a bullet, or even taking a torch and melting the case full of lead.
So what are your thoughts? Is there any downside to useing 3-4 lead-filled cases as ballast to weight the gun and make the shooting easier just while testing heavy loads?