.44 Magnum +P for M329

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skipnsb

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I read the 44 Mag "hot bear loads" threads, in anticipation for my hopeful retirement in salmon country.

I understand the premise that "if you need more gun, get a .500" but what I think some are missing is that the 329 is a 24oz .44 mag, and to get "more gun" you need to more than double the weight of the gun. That is fine for hanging around the camp, not so good if hiking all day.

If I ever have to use a +P load, it will be because my life is in danger and I won't care if the gun gets beat up. I don't plan to mingle with grizzlies...

So anyway, who has any info on the hottest load for the M329 that won't blow it up? tia Skip
 
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I shot mine with 23.5 gr WW296 and a 250 cast SWC from a RCBS mold and also 20 gr 2400 with the same bullet. They sting, but both are accurate. In bear country I would think You would like 1000 FPS better as follow up shots are easier and penetration doesn't differ that much.
 
You will probably need a quick recovery for another shot . They can cover almost 50 feet per second. I suggest you start out with lighter loads and work your way up practicing recovery time for that second shot . I had a 329 PD , l loaded it from mild to wild . 2nd shot recovery time required on the upper end loads required a lot of practice . Good luck , regards Paul
 
I've said it before and I'll say it again, these so-called (i.e. unofficial) "+P" loads boutique ammo manufacturers are offering as well as +P+ loads are just trying to turn a cartridge into something it's not, and if you feel that more is needed over Standard Pressure or SAAMI Spec +P loads, then buy a new firearm chambered in a more powerful cartridge.

Full power .44 Magnum loads are already sufficient for all North American game, regardless of what some folks who have never set foot in the wilderness, much less seen a bear outside of a zoo may assert.
But hey, if you feel that more power is necessary, then by all means go out and buy yourself a new firearm chambered in .454 Casull, .460 S&W Magnum, .500 S&W Magnum, or whatever you please, but don't go ruining a perfectly good .44 Magnum Revolver by stuffing it full of overpressure ammo just because some folks on the internet are convinced that Bears are some sort of mythical creature who is all but impervious to damage from mortal weaponry.
 
I agree, fire ammo you can make good hits with and recover quickly for a follow-up shot. A few fps more might hinder saving your life. Find ammo with a good hunting bullet that will hold together when hitting bone and practice with it.

Good luck.
 
Well, let me ask another way. Assuming I am going to carry a M329 as my only pistol, what ammo to use in grizzly country? My reading indicates I will be lucky to get off one shot, very lucky to get 2, and unlikely to get 3 at a charging bear. So 1 shot of something I can recover with, and a second shot of the biggest the gun can handle?
 
I can't figure out why some of you are so hung up on thinking it's pointless to try and squeeze the most power possible out of a cartridge. I understand your point, but telling people to buy another caliber if factory 44mag isn't enough seems counterproductive. You don't have to be a handloader to appreciate the nuance between different loadings for the same caliber. 44mag is very versatile. Why not utilize its versatility?

All this being said, "+p" out of a 329 would be BRUTAL as far as recoil goes.
 
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The_Truth said:
I can't figure out why some of you are so hung up on thinking it's pointless to try and squeeze the most power possible out of a cartridge...
Click to expand...

I think the reasons many of us see as operative in this and similar cases are (1) bullet construction and performance are likely much more important than another grain of powder and maybe 50 FPS of velocity, and, more important, (2) there is at least the appearance that ammunition tinkering is being given more consideration than marksmanship.

The .44 Magnum is difficult enough to shoot quickly in a standard weight gun with standard ammunition. I doubt there is more than a handful in a hundred among us who can effectively use a 329PD at maximum speed, fewer still with off-the-chart ammunition. If someone has that level of skill, it seems unlikely he would come here for advice.

The 329 is a marvelous revolver for its intended purpose. Unfortunately, I’ve seen very few shooters who can claim to be a master of it. (All of this JMHO, of course. :))
 
Dirty Harry Callahan said:
I've said it before and I'll say it again, these so-called (i.e. unofficial) "+P" loads boutique ammo manufacturers are offering as well as +P+ loads are just trying to turn a cartridge into something it's not, and if you feel that more is needed over Standard Pressure or SAAMI Spec +P loads, then buy a new firearm chambered in a more powerful cartridge.

Full power .44 Magnum loads are already sufficient for all North American game, regardless of what some folks who have never set foot in the wilderness, much less seen a bear outside of a zoo may assert.
But hey, if you feel that more power is necessary, then by all means go out and buy yourself a new firearm chambered in .454 Casull, .460 S&W Magnum, .500 S&W Magnum, or whatever you please, but don't go ruining a perfectly good .44 Magnum Revolver by stuffing it full of overpressure ammo just because some folks on the internet are convinced that Bears are some sort of mythical creature who is all but impervious to damage from mortal weaponry.
Click to expand...

Gotta wonder if these internet experts think anyone ever dropped a bear back in the day with black powder cartridges or "worse" yet, a muzzle loader! Bears must have been ruling the roost until ole Elmer Keith came along.

The only animal a 44 Mag may not be enough for on this continent is a polar bear.
 
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Be sure the load you select has a cannelure and the bullet is crimped into it. A 329 with hot loaded, heavy bullet ammo is going to due its best to pull the bullets out of the case when fired. You will not know if this is a problem unless you fire at least a few cylinders through your gun.

I have never owned a Ruger 44 but people who do have told me the cylinder is a little longer than on S&W revolvers and that some "Ruger only" ammo takes advantage of that extra length. If that is correct ammo made for a Super Redhawk would not even fit in your 329. Even if it did I wouldn't risk the extra pressure.

If it was me I would look for something with a heavy hard cast bullet loaded into ammo rated as "safe for all guns" and avoid the +P or "Ruger only" loads. Something like 44 Remington Magnum 305 Grain Lead Long Flat Nose Gas Check – Underwood Ammo from Underwood. If there are going to be problems with +P ammo it would show up first in light guns like your 329. The only way to tell would be to test it. Testing ammo that strong in a 24 ounce gun sounds pretty painful.
 
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Have two friends with 329s that I have shot with mid-range and some full Magnum ammo...no thanks...

Had the same gun in .41 Magnum, both the 357PD and NG and eventually sent both down the road...

The Mountain Gun is not much heavier, better balanced and much easier to shoot with ammo loaded to defend oneself from bear...

Bob
 
I've hunted griz in extreme northern BC and would be completely comfortable with a 40 S&W with 180 grain FMJFP or 10 mm with 200 grain FMJ. Any hard 357 158-180 grain or hard 41 or 44 mag would be just fine as well. Only penetration matters with griz, and you need to get through hard skill or thick hide + fat to kill them or dissuade them.

Incidentally, the Canucks I hunted with recommended shooting ALL bears, black and griz, in a front shoulder first if you can, then finish them while their mobility is impaired.
 
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Rammer Jammer said:
Gotta wonder if these internet experts think anyone ever dropped a bear back in the day with black powder cartridges or "worse" yet, a muzzle loader! Bears must have been ruling the roost until ole Elmer Keith came along.

The only animal a 44 Mag may not be enough for on this continent is a polar bear.
Click to expand...

I'm sure they believe that it took an entire battalion of men shooting the bear simultaneously at point-blank range, (since the Bear could dodge/outrun the projectiles otherwise) then sticking it with sabers/bayonets 100 times, and even then only 3 of them made it home.
Also, given the ever-growing sentiment that .44 Magnum isn't enough for bears, they were apparently ruling the roost until S&W came out with the .500 S&W Magnum.

If .44 Magnum isn't enough for Polar Bear then why do so many folks in Alaska carry 10mm Glocks and why aren't their more articles on all the times 10mm failed to stop Polar Bears? People grossly underestimate the advances in cartridge/bullet technology which have been made over the past few decades. With proper ammo selection and shot placement, even .357 Magnum or .45 Long Colt can be used effectively for Bear Defense in a pinch, and I'm talking about big Bears here.
 
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Groo here
I talked to the owners of KUDU custom from Alaska...[sold out]
They developed a bear load for the 329.
A 250 gr HARD cast SWC heavy crimp at 1100 fps.
Those who had to use same stated that few if any bullets were found..
The keys are a hard bullet , not too big a flat on the nose,
and about 1100 fps.
Keith said "once you shoot through your target, extra power
just makes more kick and noise, a little flatter arc and making the
holes farther away.
A bear defense gun will be used at very close range so extra power
is wasted.
To reloaders
the load is Hard cast, a 65% to 70 % flat on the nose, Sectional
density of .180 and a speed of 1100fps FROM YOUR GUN
AKA "The Keith Load"
 
Last edited:
Groo01 said:
Groo here
I talked to the owners of KUDU custom from Alaska...[sold out]
They developed a bear load for the 329.
A 250 gr HARD cast SWC heavy crimp at 1100 fps.
Those who had to use same stated that few if any bullets were found..
The keys are a hard bullet , not too big a flat on the nose,
and about 1100 fps.
Keith said "once you shoot through your target, extra power
just makes more kick and noise, a little flatter arc and making the
holes farther away.
A bear defense gun will be used at very close range so extra power
is wasted.
To reloaders
the load is Hard cast, a 65% to 70 % flat on the nose, Sectional
density of .280 and a speed of 1100fps FROM YOUR GUN
AKA "The Keith Load"
Click to expand...

The SD of a 250gr 44mag bullet is .193, a 300gr get you to .230. You'd need a 360gr bullet to get to .280 .
 
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