Kenneth L. Walters
Member
Any reason not to buy one?
329 44 Magnum Night Guard
- Thread starter Kenneth L. Walters
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flyandscuba
Member
It would make a great self defense revolver loaded with 44 Specials. CCI also makes a "short barrel" Magnum load with Gold Dots (it's really just a +P Special loading in Magnum brass). Full power magnum loads would be painful IMHO.
I had a 329PD for a time that was a pleasure to shoot with Specials and wonderful to carry in the woods because of the light weight. It could be stoked with full power stuff -- as the Nightguard could be -- for an anti-predator sidearm while hunting or in the wilderness. If you needed it for that purpose, you'd not even notice the recoil...
I had a 329PD for a time that was a pleasure to shoot with Specials and wonderful to carry in the woods because of the light weight. It could be stoked with full power stuff -- as the Nightguard could be -- for an anti-predator sidearm while hunting or in the wilderness. If you needed it for that purpose, you'd not even notice the recoil...
Depends on the intended use. I have a 329PD and I shoot it a great deal and also hunt with it. My state requires hunting handguns to have a minimum bbl length of 4 inches. I believe the Nightguard has a 3" bbl?!
S&W-Keeper
Member
Have you ever shot one. Ouch! It is a handful. As they say, it is like shaking hands with the Devil.
The recoil is really more myth than reality, but I have to say that I only shoot standard pressure loads like Hornady factory 240 gr XTP, seeing that it has an alloy frame. The Pachmayr grips do indeed do an excellent job of taming the recoil! (The newer S&W grips don't look so great to me.) All I can say is that I would rather shoot it all day, vs one of the .357 ultralight J-frames.
This is my hiking/backpacking gun for black bear country, and it was the perfect solution for my needs! My only complaint is that the double action trigger pull is terrible. Combine that with the fact that the rubber on the backstrap is thick on the Pachmayr grips, so it makes the reach to the trigger a little long for me when shooting DA. Single action, the trigger pull is ultra sweet and near perfect for me.
But....if one is afraid of recoil, then just get the Ruger Alaskan. It is around the same size, yet a pound heavier and has excellent Hogue Tamer grips. Plus, the all steel Rugers will handle any of the hot loads, including Buffalo Bore +P+.
This is my hiking/backpacking gun for black bear country, and it was the perfect solution for my needs! My only complaint is that the double action trigger pull is terrible. Combine that with the fact that the rubber on the backstrap is thick on the Pachmayr grips, so it makes the reach to the trigger a little long for me when shooting DA. Single action, the trigger pull is ultra sweet and near perfect for me.
But....if one is afraid of recoil, then just get the Ruger Alaskan. It is around the same size, yet a pound heavier and has excellent Hogue Tamer grips. Plus, the all steel Rugers will handle any of the hot loads, including Buffalo Bore +P+.
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I own one and agree with all of the above advice. My 329NG gets carried a lot and shot very little, to be honest with you. When I do practice with it, I shoot .44 Special 200gr. ammo, fairly mild loads. I put the oversized S&W X-frame Hogue grips on my 329NG and they help with absorbing the recoil. I also removed the darn lock and replaced it with the "Plug."
VaRecon
Member
A shooter who is used to the recoil of a 44 is the only person who should justify buying one. I owned one for a short time, and ended up losing money on the turn around because I didn't feel I could effectively manage the kick. I'd tell you to swap out the stock rubbers for some hogue 500 impact absorbers if you planned to shoot it.
The Hogue grips are excellent and come stock on the big Rugers and X-frames....but placing these on a little gun like the NG very much defeats the purpose of this compact lightweight. I find that at times when I don't want to wear a holster or fanny pack, I can just slip the NG with the Pach grips into my pocket. You stick the big Hogues on there, and that isn't going to work. At that point, might as well have just gotten a bigger/heavier recoil taming gun to start with....
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The .44 is more legend than reality. We all need to get over this Dirty Harry inspired nonsense! There is nothing at all 'fearful' about this cartridge. We are just needlessly scaring those who are poorly informed.
Today in standard factory loadings, compared to cartridges like the .454, .460, and .500, it isn't anything more than an 'intermediate' cartridge. Sure, you can load it up to some silly +P+ levels, but at that point why not just go with a bigger caliber and a bigger gun to go with it?
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VaRecon
Member
Don't mistake my intentions, the .44 is not nearly as hot as say a .500 but unless someone is used to the muzzle climb they will be less then effective with the scandium frame snub-nosed.
I only intended to save users from a costly fault in judgement. But what do I care, it's your money.
Costs too much? Too expensive to shoot if you don't reload? A can of bear spray at $40 would serve you better?
There's some reasons why not to buy one
I'm partial to 4" barrel myself as I've never quite understood the reason for a 44mag snubby.
Here is some information you might find helpful.
S&W329pd information
m657
Member
I've got both 3" & 4" 629s; the years have made me appreciate more moderate loads than the old Keith maxi. And while 'recoil' is not really that big of a deal in the 3" it IS less than pleasant for casual plinking for me.
Of greater effect on accuracy in 3" is the distraction of any mag level muzzle blast. Same load in 4" is much less an issue.
Due to muzzle blast alone, I've come to prefer 44 special loads in the 3", despite changing powders seeking moderation.
I'd buy a 329 Nightguard in an instant if I ever came across a good deal on one when I had the cash.
Of greater effect on accuracy in 3" is the distraction of any mag level muzzle blast. Same load in 4" is much less an issue.
Due to muzzle blast alone, I've come to prefer 44 special loads in the 3", despite changing powders seeking moderation.
I'd buy a 329 Nightguard in an instant if I ever came across a good deal on one when I had the cash.
WoodsCustom
Member
I don't see any reason not to have one. I feel every man needs a Smith & Wesson 44 Magnum. Specials are good for Humans, Full house Cast bullets for Big Bears. I own a 329PD, with Grizzly Ammunition 44 Rem Mag 320 Grain Cast Performance bullets, it's a painfull experience wich is to be expected. BUT, it carries great in the mountains, and thats what matters the most. I would love to have a NightGuard.
WC
WC
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GF
Member
What's "WLNGC" stand for on the ammo? I bet those fill up a cylinder to the very end.
GF
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Kenneth L. Walters
Member
Some Concern
If I recall correctly there was originally some concern about these night guards not working properly. Don't remember the complaints. They function ok now?
If I recall correctly there was originally some concern about these night guards not working properly. Don't remember the complaints. They function ok now?
You might be thinking of the lock? Supposedly with such a light gun, under heavy recoil the lock would spontaneously engage. No doubt, it is possible that one person somewhere had that problem, and it of course got posted all over the internet....and now everyone thinks it happened by the thousands. I have the 329 and a few different J-frames, and none has ever had any problem whatsoever.
Another issue might be frame cracks with the light scandium/aluminum frames. We have certainly seen a few pictures of such in here, but I don't recall any of them being NG's in any caliber (???).
There are some reliability issues with most all of the new S&W's.
That issue aside.
The Scandium frame 329 is a pretty hard kicker.
I have found that the 270 SpeerSP and the Federal 300gr Cast Core actually kick less, hurt your hand less than full power 240gr factory loads.
The 329 becomes a handful as a shooter when a 240gr bullet gets above 900fps.
But this gun is designed to be carried a LOT and fired to save your life.
If you are in a life threatining situation, whether it is from man or beast, the recoil will most likely not be a problem.
That issue aside.
The Scandium frame 329 is a pretty hard kicker.
I have found that the 270 SpeerSP and the Federal 300gr Cast Core actually kick less, hurt your hand less than full power 240gr factory loads.
The 329 becomes a handful as a shooter when a 240gr bullet gets above 900fps.
But this gun is designed to be carried a LOT and fired to save your life.
If you are in a life threatining situation, whether it is from man or beast, the recoil will most likely not be a problem.
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