329PD ammo thoughts, anyone?

[Gunned-up]

I've just bought a 329PD. For right now I've choosen Winchester 250rg .44 mag PTHP. But it is a little wicked to shoot to say the least. The gun will function as a personal carry, wilderness (hunting side arm with bow), and may go hiking. Any input would be very helpful.

 

[Gunned-up]

I've just bought a 329PD. For right now I've choosen Winchester 250rg .44 mag PTHP. But it is a little wicked to shoot to say the least. The gun will function as a personal carry, wilderness (hunting side arm with bow), and may go hiking. Any input would be very helpful.

 

[ENH]

I have shot two does and one ferrule hog with the Winchester 250 PTHP out of my 4" 629. Great load. I would recommend Mag Na Ports "Quad" porting for the 329. It works and your 329 will be more pleasant to shoot.

 

[suckersrus]

Gold Dot 200 grain

 

[RedBerens]

Buffalo Bore, Heavy .44 Special. It shoots a 250gr hard cast Keith style SWC at 1000 fps. That's enough to knock down anything in my state, and it's relatively comfortable to shoot.

 

[TXSWFAN]

Double Tap also makes a 250 gr. Keith SWC, but it's loaded at 1500 fps and 1250 ft lbs. They also have 230 gn. Speer Gold Dot at 1500 fps and 1200 ft. lbs. Both are plenty fun to shoot.

 

[Wyatt Earp]

Originally posted by RedBerens:
Buffalo Bore, Heavy .44 Special. It shoots a 250gr hard cast Keith style SWC at 1000 fps. That's enough to knock down anything in my state, and it's relatively comfortable to shoot.

+1

Throw in Hornady 180 grain XTP or Speer's 200 grain Gold Dot 44 Specials for social work and you are set.

Recoil must be brutal with full house loads. All my 44 Magnums are all steel and if you want an ass kicking shoot some 240 grain Fiocchis.

 

[BUFF]

Maybe I am a wuss, but when I shoot my M-329 with full-bore .44 Mag ammo, my accuracy really sucks. Taking all the time in the world, shooting single-action, my groups open up to at least 3 times what I can shoot the same ammo in a steel-frame M-29 or 629.

The idea of warmer-than-factory .44 Special loads like the 250 grain cast SWC at 900-1,000 fps is a good one. That load will fully penetrate any deer that ever walked the earth, side-to-side, and most black bears, too.

 

[M29since14]

Taking all the time in the world, shooting single-action, my groups open up to at least 3 times what I can shoot the same ammo in a steel-frame M-29 or 629.

You might consider replacing the factory sights with something square and black. My 329 is so modified and I shoot it much better now. S&W has all the parts you need and it is so easy even I can do it ("caveman gunsmithing"

).

I always wear a glove if I shoot anything heftier than a 250 at 900 FPS in my 329. A shot or two of full-charge magnums isn't the end of the world, but the glove makes testing ammo a much more endurable proposition. Even so, after 25-30 rounds, I am ready to quit for a few days.

 

[ENH]

I concur with Wyatt Earp on the 200 gr 44 spl 200 gr. GD's. Bulk order from Georgia Arms and save. But reloading is much less.

 

[BUFF]

Originally posted by M29since14:

"You might consider replacing the factory sights with something square and black."

The sights aren't the problem, it's the recoil. I have other S&W's with the same sights and I shoot them fine. I load the 329 with .44 Specials and it shoots fine.

I have never shot anything that has the recoil the 329 has with heavy bullet (240 grains or more), full power ammo, .500's and .460's included, both in it's quantity and it's immediate sharpness.