329PD followed me home today

[xrmattaz]

I have ammo, who wants to shoot it first?

Will spend the weekend working up some nice .44 Special loads, which will be the regular diet of this svelte beauty, I'm thinking.

It came to me with a full box of RBCD 110gr. "Total Fragmenting Soft Point"....2430fps and 1445lbs/ft from a 4" barrel, anyone ever fired these rounds?

New CTAC holster should arrive next week, and a Sparks VM2 (naturally) sometime in April. I've had this revolver stuffed in my waistband all afternoon.....thinking I've found my new daily CCW piece!

 

[xrmattaz]

I have ammo, who wants to shoot it first?

Will spend the weekend working up some nice .44 Special loads, which will be the regular diet of this svelte beauty, I'm thinking.

It came to me with a full box of RBCD 110gr. "Total Fragmenting Soft Point"....2430fps and 1445lbs/ft from a 4" barrel, anyone ever fired these rounds?

New CTAC holster should arrive next week, and a Sparks VM2 (naturally) sometime in April. I've had this revolver stuffed in my waistband all afternoon.....thinking I've found my new daily CCW piece!

 

[coloflyer]

I shot one last summer. Twice. My hand hurt for a few weeks. But I still want one.....

 

[rjrivero]

Great gun. I carry mine, daily. Here she is with her "winter jacket."

 

[rburg]

Wish you lived closer, I'd loan you some of my 300gr magnum loads!

You know, the heavy bullet goes slower, has an effect on recoil.

Yes, its an easy gun to love. Maybe the best 44 special they've ever built. Its saying something, because specials have been produced in a lot of great guns. This one is even portable!

One word of caution... OK, two. First, the front sight is terrible and will hang up on some holsters. It needs a ramp front for carry use. Failing that, make sure your holster doesn't snag. Then the ever present lock. These heavy recoiling guns are the ones with the greatest incidence of them self locking. You might want to consider disabling it. We have a sticky on how to do that (or we did.)

 

[xrmattaz]

Originally posted by rburg:
Wish you lived closer, I'd loan you some of my 300gr magnum loads!

You know, the heavy bullet goes slower, has an effect on recoil.

Yes, its an easy gun to love. Maybe the best 44 special they've ever built. Its saying something, because specials have been produced in a lot of great guns. This one is even portable!

One word of caution... OK, two. First, the front sight is terrible and will hang up on some holsters. It needs a ramp front for carry use. Failing that, make sure your holster doesn't snag. Then the ever present lock. These heavy recoiling guns are the ones with the greatest incidence of them self locking. You might want to consider disabling it. We have a sticky on how to do that (or we did.)

Thanks, Dick.

The police officer that sold me this pistol tells me that a "buddy" of his at S&W "fixed" the lock for him, telling him that it will never again create problems. The flag is still there, as well as the external lockwork....he's fired it plenty since this work was done, and reports no further issues.

So, the Hi-Viz sight can be replaced with a ramp, eh? I'll be checking into that if I have problems with my new CTAC or VM2 holsters!

 

[Shuz]

I've carried a 329PD in a Bianchi 5BHL for about 4 years now and never hadda problem with the front sight hanging up on withdrawl. I like the hi-Viz front sight as it is easy to "acquire" in poor light. To each his own, I guess.

 

[John_Watson]

I purchased a used one a couple months ago and really love it. Don't carry it as a CCW though because I guess I have many others that are better suited to that task. However, I do enjoy shooting it as does my son so we take it every outing to the range that we go on. Mine was ported by someone with six holes drilled through the shroud and barrel next to the front sight. Not having had one to test without modification I can only guess that the ports do aid in muzzle flip.

I like the sights but would rather the green fiber optic as I find it brighter than the existing red. I will probably change the sight out in the near future but Christmas came and money went elsewhere.

John

 

[xrmattaz]

Fired her today, less recoil than anticipated! I'll not be shooting up boxes and boxes of ammo (.44 maggies, anyway).

Those 110gr. RBCD rounds are FUN, with a huge boom, and obvious hard impact on the target (big hunk of railroad tie). Recoil very similar to a hefty load in my 3" 65, nothing punishing at all. I could easily shoot a couple of 20rd. boxes of these.

I'm ready to try some heavier bullets.

 

[M29since14]

So, the Hi-Viz sight can be replaced with a ramp, eh? I'll be checking into that if I have problems with my new CTAC or VM2 holsters!

Yes, it can be replaced with a stock S&W ramp and shaped to make it look like it belongs on the rather space-age-looking 329.

Mine finished at roughly 0.246" tall (0.146" rear blade), with the rear sight probably about 0.030" off the frame. I shoot more intermediate loads than anything else, but the gun can be brought to zero with 240-250 gr. magnums by moving the rear sight down accordingly.

 

[Frank V]

Matt, that's a nice looking carry gun, Congratulations! I'm wondering if it's pleasant to shoot with a 245gr lead bullet at 850fps? At least it shouldn't be brutal. Thanks Frank

 

[Three44s]

I have shot a Mountain Gun for going on 10 years and last spring I had the opportunity to fire the 329PD for the first time ....

.... with a heavy load pushing a 240 gr. lead bullet .... it hurts ..... but not nearly as much as something with SHARP TEETH!

I like it! ...... And if you train yourself ... you can ease up into real manly loads .......

Three 44s

 

[Jager01]

Have you fired 180 gr rounds out of it yet? What did they feel like if so?

I just bought one from the classified section and am very excited for it. I figured I would only fire 180gr 44 magnum loads and some hot 44 special's as well. I figure 240 grain rounds are best left to be fired out of the 629, even in that gun there is some bite in the hands after a few rounds fired.

 

[sasu]

The hottest I have shot from my 329PD is 240 gr at 1180 fps. Those are no problem at all to shoot a box of fifty cartridges, even from a seated position and sandbag rest. I wear a shooting glove, though.

My grips are Hogue Bantams.

 

[Jager01]

That is a very nice set up you have there. I am going to load my 329 with 180 grain. That should put some would be mugger out of commission I would imagine, while still being manageable for the double tap.

 

[Nanook 450]

Meprolite makes some good tritium drop-in front sights and a rear blade, put them on my 329. Carry mine everywhere, especially in the field. You will love it - glad your lock is disabled.

 

[Homesteader]

As a wise member of these boards once told me "The experience is on a whole different level". Enjoy!

 

[xrmattaz]

Just found a 325PD, as well...will pick it up in a few days.

These PD's are coming out of the woodwork for me!