School me 329 Night Guard

[YouGotTheJuiceNowMan]

Im picking up a very nice 329 Night Guard from layaway soon and wanted to get some opinions on the gun from some of you that own one. I was not "looking" for one of these, but I stumbled upon it and the rest is History I want to maybe carry this piece in the winter and or use as a camping/hiking gun. I plan to shoot mostly 44 specials and some magnums once in a while.
What holsters do you guys have and any specific ammo you recommend? This will be my first Scandium smith so any advice would be very much appreciated!

[BLUEDOT37]

Congrats on your find!

All the Night Guards are interesting & fun guns. At 27.5 oz. it's a light revolver (Sc frame but steel cylinder) & just a little heavier than the 4" 329PD with Sc frame & Ti cylinder (25.2 oz) but lighter than the all SS "L"-frame M69 snubby (34 oz.). Being a "N" frame it's still kinda big for concealed carry though unless you have a winter jacket to help cover it.

Full magnum loads can be a handful to those not used to it. Factory 44 Special's are quit tame. I handload so I can't suggest any factory ammo for it.

It has a Trijicon front sight but your's are probably dead by now, as they all will be. They're only good for about 8-10 years. Mine was made in Sep. 2011 (SN# CRW94xx) & it's already dead. I never saw the sense in having a night sight on the front but not on the back anyway.

You can replace the front sight with a red ramp & the C&S fixed rear sight can be replaced with a S&W adjustable sight (on the 45ACP below) if you like.

Depending on when your's was made it'll have one of two different factory grips. The early Pachmayr wraparound Compac Customs (on the 41 Mag below) were the more comfortable ones to shoot, IMO. The later ones had S&W's version of them (on the 44 Mag below) & have a more pointed backstrap & are less comfortable with full loads. Pachmayr Diamond Pro grips are the most comfortable with full loads but might be a bit bulky for CC.

Did your's come with the factory box?

Let us know how you like it.

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[YouGotTheJuiceNowMan]

Originally Posted by BLUEDOT37

Congrats on your find!

All the Night Guards are interesting & fun guns. At 27.5 oz. it's a light revolver (Sc frame but steel cylinder) & just a little heavier than the 4" 329PD with Sc frame & Ti cylinder (25.2 oz) but lighter than the all SS "L"-frame M69 snubby (34 oz.). Being a "N" frame it's still kinda big for concealed carry though unless you have a winter jacket to help cover it.

Full magnum loads can be a handful to those not used to it. Factory 44 Special's are quit tame. I handload so I can't suggest any factory ammo for it.

It has a Trijicon front sight but your's are probably dead by now, as they all will be. They're only good for about 8-10 years. Mine was made in Sep. 2011 (SN# CRW94xx) & it's already dead. I never saw the sense in having a night sight on the front but not on the back anyway.

You can replace the front sight with a red ramp & the C&S fixed rear sight can be replaced with a S&W adjustable sight (on the 45ACP below) if you like.

Depending on when your's was made it'll have one of two different factory grips. The early Pachmayr wraparound Compac Customs (on the 41 Mag below) were the more comfortable ones to shoot, IMO. The later ones had S&W's version of them (on the 44 Mag below) & have a more pointed backstrap & are less comfortable with full loads. Pachmayr Diamond Pro grips are the most comfortable with full loads but might be a bit bulky for CC.

Did your's come with the factory box?

Let us know how you like it.

.



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Mine looks identical to your 2nd from the left in your picture. XS Standard dot sight with the S&W rubber grips like yours as well.
NO BOX just the gun. I'm thinking ill keep those grips on it. Id love some holster recommendations for OWB carry.
I may have to have Lobo gun leather make me something for it if there is not much available.

I was not aware these Night Guards had stainless steel cylinders.

Come to find out it DOES have the original box, paperwork, and spent case!!

[colt_saa]

The Night Guards are great revolvers

I like the Pachmayr Compac grips on these

While there are some Scandium haters on the Forum, I personally think that Scandium Alloy is the greatest thing to happen to N-frames since the introduction of Stainless steel. I own several Scandium revolvers including these three Night Guards pictured above

Scandium has brought the weight of a 5" N-frame down to the level of a 4" K-frame

Scandium revolvers are a pleasure to carry no matter what their barrel lenght.

Now the Night Guards can be a little rough on the folks that are recoil sensitive, especially when shooting full power magnums. Fortunately, that is not me

My three Night Guards are the 310NG, 327NG and 357NG

I have opened my 310NG up so that in addition to the 10MM Auto cartridge it was originally chambered for it will now also shoot the 10MM Magnum cartridge. I like Magnums

And what could be cooler than an 8 shot, 357 Magnum snubby that you can carry all day? The 327NG was the first one I purchased

Unfortunately the Night Guards came along at a time when TV, Movies and instructors were pushing semi-auto to the personal protection market. Of course it did not help that they were expensive at the time

The only one that I regret not buying when these were new was a 315NG.

Congratulations on your new revolver. Now go out and but a cap as soon as you get it

[The Gila Bender]

I like my 329NG for its compact size, low weight, and menacing black finish. But after firing a cylinder or three of full house loads I am happy to put it back in its case and pick up a heavy, full-lug, 6.5" 29-6 Classic instead.

[shell627]

I love my 325 night guard.It is a joy to shoot and carry in 45acp.In 44 spc I imagine it will be fun. 44mag May be a handful but very manageable by any experienced shooter.I love the sights the way they are.I prefer tritium in the front and black rear.But even without bright tritium the xs white outline is very easy to pick up fast and see.Holster wise I use a jit slide from Don Hume or a pancake style from a couple of different makers mainly simply rugged.

[YouGotTheJuiceNowMan]

Originally Posted by shell627

I love my 325 night guard.It is a joy to shoot and carry in 45acp.In 44 spc I imagine it will be fun. 44mag May be a handful but very manageable by any experienced shooter.I love the sights the way they are.I prefer tritium in the front and black rear.But even without bright tritium the xs white outline is very easy to pick up fast and see.Holster wise I use a jit slide from Don Hume or a pancake style from a couple of different makers mainly simply rugged.

The plan is to enjoy some 44 special and when I feel like I need some excitement once in a while ill break out the magnums!
As for the sights I really like them and have no intention of changing them out unless for a new Trijicon front sight.
I went ahead and checked out simply rugged holsters. Good stuff! Thanks!
Its a shame these Night Guard models are no longer in production!

[BLUEDOT37]

Originally Posted by YouGotTheJuiceNowMan

Come to find out it DOES have the original box, paperwork, and spent case!!

So when was your's made? Either the spent case envelope or the box label (4 digit at the bottom of the label in Julian format; YDDD) will say.

[YouGotTheJuiceNowMan]

Originally Posted by BLUEDOT37

So when was your's made? Either the spent case envelope or the box label (4 digit at the bottom of the label in Julian format; YDDD) will say.

Have not gotten around to picking it up form my ffl. Ill let ya know as soon as I know.

Does when it was made mean anything or are they all the same except for the grips?

[BLUEDOT37]

Originally Posted by YouGotTheJuiceNowMan

Have not gotten around to picking it up form my ffl. Ill let ya know as soon as I know.

Does when it was made mean anything or are they all the same except for the grips?

Yep, just the grips changed but it's my theory that the 329NGs were some of the latest ones made as they kept popping up years after they were removed from the catalog. Just curious.

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