329 PD as a Bear Gun?

[Mosby's Ranger]

I have a 340PD as my only revolver (no other pistols) ..... I like it and wear it in a milt sparks IWB holster. I usually carry with 38 loaded and same for the range. I wanted it instead of a 38 ..... cause I figured I could carry with Buffalo Bore 357 when hiking in the mountains (Live near Denver) ....

I realize that 357 is not the best to protect against a bear .... but figured it would be better than throwing rocks.

No ..... am thinking maybe a 44 mag would be in order .....

Anyone use the 329PD as a hiking gun?

Thoughts?

Henry

 

[dla]

Yes.

329pd info

 

[blueknight7]

Me too. Can't take the weight of a heavier weapon, for any length of time, anymore. 20 years of leather and steel batman belt, before nylon and plastic became the norm. So, for the last 10 years before retirement, I got a break. Too late: 10 knee surgeries, one back surgery.

 

[pinkymingeo]

For large brown bears there are those who believe a .357 is the ticket. Let him get close, shoot him in the head and hope for the best. A .357 solid has plenty of penetration. My advice is that, prior to going into the field, you coat your revolver with vaseline. Protects against corrosion, and it won't feel so bad to you when the bear shoves it where the sun don't shine.

 

[Sprefix]

Added protection.....

pinkymingeo, Wow, you had me going for a second. The blood pressure was rising and the anticipation of another walking bear bait station was closing in. Oh, and yes, definitely don't spare the vaseline............it will add protection!!! On a serious note, The 329PD should be adequate for your area. Be sure to practice..........

 

[aterry33]

From all the park rangers I've talked to, bear spray is far more effective than any handgun. I practice a lot and am a pretty good shot with big bore revolvers and would not necessarily trust myself to put one where it needed to be with a giant bear racing towards me--not sure how many people out there are that confident in their abilities.

Thankfully, we don't have grizzlies here on the east coast, and most of the time my biggest fear is human predators and/or a mountain lion. A S&W .357 or Glock 20 in 10MM is plenty enough for them.

If I were in grizzly country, a Remington 870 loaded with Brenneke Black Magic Slugs would be my first choice, followed by bear spray, and followed by a big bore revolver as a last choice.

 

[Mosby's Ranger]

I do not go to far back country these days ...... as I am hiking with a 4 year old ..... so odds are I won't run into that much .... but on the other hand ..... I see coyotes regularly in the area along the walking paths behind my house and mountain lions are seen in folks yards in the foothills.

I am not against the idea of bear spray either .... and figure I'll carry that as well .... and so would my wife.

But .... since I am going to have my daughter with me .... and since I'd wrastle the bear with a butter knife before I'd let it get to the little'un ..... I am figuring a 44 would help "just in case"

 

[Tractorshaft]

That bear spray will work on "Yogi and Boo-Boo" when they are nosing around the trash can and you want to run them off.

However, If you have a sow charging you, black or brown, because you got between her and her cubs you will wish you had that .357 or a 10MM when she hits you in the chest running you over like a freight train.

That bear spray is a money maker for the sporting goods shops, its something for the tourists, hiker and "Turtles" (aka backpackers) who visit BC and Alaska to make them sleep better.

If you surprise, wound, or are in the wrong place at the wrong time the ONLY repeat ONLY thing that will improve your odds of getting mauled is a gun.

I guided in GMU8 (Kodiak, Afognak, Raspberry Islands) and lived/hunted in GMU6 (Cordova) for 14 years. I have a little experience with these animals. FWIW, moose kill more people every year than bears.

As suggested earlier, a shotgun is fine protection, but a rifle is better. A pistol is better than a rock but you better know how to shoot it under stressful situations. Solid penetrating bullets are necessary to get into vitals. Hard cast or premium bonded projectiles preferable over all else. me I like the hard cast stuff, Jae Bok Young, he makes these, none finer. Here is a 250GR hard cast boolit for .45LC, shot out of a Ruger Bisley revolver using a heavy charge of your preferred powder would be a good choice if a pistol is all you could get your hands on.

I just sold a .45-70 Marlin Guide Gun on here that I had built for just this type situation, backing up clients who have wounded something that needs killing.

Here is a photo of it;

A handgun will simply make you feel "Better", I don't think much of them for killing bears. Might be alright for poking one in the ear with the hammer back to make sure its really dead...Like they say, "A 9MM may expand, but , a .45 will never shrink"

Gee whiz! That sure is a big gun! Why do you carry a .45? Because they don't make a .46


Have fun!

Jerry

 

[Mosby's Ranger]

Well .....I'd certainly rather carry that .45-70 Marlin Guide Gun that the fellow posted a pic.

I'm not going looking for bear .... just worried about one finding me. I don't plan on getting back where they are too thick on the ground. Since I do have a conceal carry and since now I can carry the ole revolver in the National Parks .... I figured I should, just in case. I realize the 357 ain't all that great for the purpose which is why I'm thinking the 44.

Anyone know how a Park Ranger would feel about me toting that .45-70 Marlin Guide Gun in a National park ...... or.... State for that matter here in Colorado?

 

[StingrayG4]

I see coyotes regularly in the area along the walking paths behind my house

I've seen literally hundreds of coyotes and never had anything like trouble from one. They run off when they see you. If you say "boo" they wet themselves as they're running off.

-S

 

[Mosby's Ranger]

I understand what you are saying about Coyotes. I've hiked Joshua Tree and rounded a corner and was basically standing in the middle of six ..... nothing happened.

Yet my my buddy had one jump his fence here and kill his dog ..... and there have been three reports in the last six months in this area of coyotes attacking........ a jogger in one case and 2 others walking dogs.

So ................ it is what it is. Can't rid yourself of all possible ill .... but it makes sense to minimize where you can.

 

[StingrayG4]

Oh I'm sure a coyote would attack a smaller animal, especially if it were hungry. I've lost a few chickens and some puppies to them in the past. I have never heard of one attacking a person though, at least not around here. I wonder if the one's you're talking about were rabid.

-S

 

[Mosby's Ranger]

It was not reported that they were rabid .... that would have been big news here. I think the issue is that there has been sprawl into their habitat and they have acclimated to humans ..... and in some ways lost their fear.

As an example .... I live near a reservior that was also previously cattle pasture.

Hell .... I've even seen them in Denver though.

Then another issue are coyote wolf mixes .... though I don't think we see them much here.

 

[Paul105]

We're only talking coyotes, mountain lions, black bears and maybe 2 legged varmints (no grizzly).

Most of the time you are outdoors, a rifle or shotgun just isn’t practical. You can’t prepare for every possible situation. There are going to be situations where a gun won’t help – but in those cases most likely nothing will. All you can do is give yourself a fighting chance.

Mosby’s Ranger, the 329 is a fine choice and is plenty powerful for your stated application. Just remember, the heavy recoiling, ultra lite TiSc guns seem to have more lock related issues than their heaver all steel brethren. Also, there seem to be some ignition problems related to short firing pins on the 329s. Ammo needs to be tested to make sure crimp jump doesn’t tie up the cylinder. Shoot the gun enough to be confident that it will function when you need it and carry it with confidence.

I live in Montana. I’m retired and out in the woods all year long. When not hunting or fishing, I’m walking the dogs. The 329 is my all day everyday carry gun – I don’t leave home without it (unless I’m packing something elsehttp://smith-wessonforum.com/images/icons/icon7.gif).

 

[endgameAK]

329PD as bear gun.

I agree with Paul105. My 329PD (500Xgrips, Magnaported) is a great tool for woods-carry. Just make sure you can become proficient with it.

I've used Buffalo Bore's "Reduced Recoil" 44 mag (255 gr. hardcast at about 1300fps) load a lot and prefer it to the available much stiffer loads ... better control and faster follow up shot.

 

[NE450No2]

A couple of my buddies have 329D's, and I have shot them.

They are quite a handful with full power loads, and I got my first 44 Mag in 1970.

They kick most with the standard facrory 240gr loads. The 270 Speer, and the Federal 300gr Cast Core actually kick less.

The same is true with the Mountain Gun, that the wife and I both carry when in the woods.

The Buffalo Bore 255 Cast Lower Recoil load is a good one for the 329PD, and any other 44 Mag as well.

I do not think I would recommend a 329PD for a persons first 44 Mag.

I have found that the Mountain Gun is the best compromise of power, weight, and recoil.

 

[Combat_Diver]

I would suggest another Smith model the 329NG. Shorter 2.5" bbl and with night sights.

CD

 

[Mosby's Ranger]

How is the recoil on the 329NG? While I do subscribe to the theory of a not to worried about kick when a wee beastie is coming full steam ahead...... I also want to practice often enough and would like something that would lend itself to range time.

My wife will be getting her CC and still have not decided on her selection. It will probably be a 38. Was thinking for woods walking .... we'd both jump up one in the proposed arsenal ... her to my 357 and me to the potential 44. Be nice if she could shoot the 44 though as well...

Though she only stands about 5 foot 5 and hunnert pounds wet .... she can actually shoot and is more accurate then me.

She grew up shooting black powder and throwing tomahawks with her dad. (which I remember when she gets all steamed up)

 

[Paul105]

A couple of my buddies have 329D's, and I have shot them.

They are quite a handful with full power loads, and I got my first 44 Mag in 1970.

They kick most with the standard facrory 240gr loads. The 270 Speer, and the Federal 300gr Cast Core actually kick less.

The Buffalo Bore 255 Cast Lower Recoil load is a good one for the 329PD, and any other 44 Mag as well.

I do not think I would recommend a 329PD for a persons first 44 Mag.

There is no question that the 329 is a heavy recoiling revolver. A person can work their way up the power ladder to find out what they can handle.

In my experience, heavier slower bullets kick less than lighter faster ones.

Buffalo Bore's "Lower Recoil" load is only lower recoil when compared to BBs T-Rex Stompers. BBs info shows 1,265 fps from a 4" 329. I chronoed Rem 240gr JSPs at 1,244 fps from my 329. BB offers a .44 Special 255gr Keith SWCGC at 1,000 fps -- this is probably the best commercial load available for Mosby's Ranger's application.

Mosby's Ranger's other handgun is the 340PD -- the most painful revolver I have ever fired.

Of course, this is just my opinion -- others will and do differ. However, it is based on a lot hands on experience with the 329. It's been my all day, every day carry gun for the last 3 or 4 years. I've shot close to 8,000 rounds (mostly 240-260s at 1,150 to 1,200 fps) thru 3 different 329s. It is the perfect power to weight ratio for my purposes (which aren't much different than Mosby's Ranger's).

Paul

 

[dla]

A couple of my buddies have 329D's, and I have shot them.

They are quite a handful with full power loads, and I got my first 44 Mag in 1970.

They kick most with the standard facrory 240gr loads. The 270 Speer, and the Federal 300gr Cast Core actually kick less.

The same is true with the Mountain Gun, that the wife and I both carry when in the woods.

The Buffalo Bore 255 Cast Lower Recoil load is a good one for the 329PD, and any other 44 Mag as well.

I do not think I would recommend a 329PD for a persons first 44 Mag.

I have found that the Mountain Gun is the best compromise of power, weight, and recoil.

I agree that the 329pd can be a handful. But I think the recoil is highly subjective, and to me it is not a big deal. I haven't owned a revolver in 25 years, (went totally semi-auto), and my first 44 mag is the 329pd. I'm at about the 400 round mark now, and I'm still convinced that I made the right choice - for me.

But I think I've had an easier time of it because of this and other forums. For example, I never fired the gun with the pretty wood grips on it. I've also not fired any of those loads for armor-plated grizzlies. I doubt I'll ever shoot anything except my reloads - I'm too cheap. You can see what I've been up to via the link.

I'm not a revolver fan at all. In my opinion, the only reason for a revolver is to chamber a cartridge not available in a semi-auto. The 329pd gives me the best power level at the best carry weight possible.


329pd info