329PD - now what?

sigp220.45

sigp220.45

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This 329PD was sitting on consignment for over a year, slowly working its way down in price. I'd play with it, but never really considered it until a couple of trade-bait guns I had on consignment at the same place sold. Not so coincidentally the price on the 329 dropped two hundred bucks when I walked in the door to pick up my dough. Ah well, I would have just wasted it on bills or something foolish....



Its not a bad looking gun. I like the two-tone appearance, and the slab barrel is growing on me.



Its my first lock gun, and I find it doesn't really bother me. If I keep it I may do the plug, but most likely I'll just forget its there. I've read this particular model is prone to locking itself due to the sharp recoil. If that happens I'll most definitely do the plug. The frame mounted firing pin is fine with me.



I like the sights.





I've decided the barrel marking is merely an optimistic suggestion. My wrists have taken enough of a beating over the years. I'll stick to Specials.



They look scary enough.



I've never really like Hogues. I've read the X-frame grips are the way to go, but since I'll be sticking to girly-rounds I ordered some Pachmayr round butt compacts. I'll keep my eyes out for some decent wood grips, too.

I've seen a few threads on these, and figured one more wouldn't hurt. They seem to be popular with folks who live amongst fearsome beasts, but that's not the case with me. I'd love to hear the experiences of others who have one of these interesting six-shooters.
 
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Nice score.
It's on my to buy list. I like the idea of a large caliber in a lightweight gun. The guys in Alaska seem to love them.
 
I have the 329 night guard with the stainless cylinder & 2 3/4 barrel. The thing I don't like is the price of the ammo. The specials are $10 more than the magnums.
 
It makes for a great trail gun, but since it is lighter weight than a similarly-sized steel revolver, it could also work well as a CCW with the right holster.
 
Its the ultimate mountain revolver. Nothing else comes close to the power these lite weight guns offer, in a belt gun. I use mine for both town and country in a rig from simply rugged. For what its worth, these are the guns that cured my "lock phobia". I have one 329 that has over 2K through it. Not all full bore magnums but way more then enough to know it reliable with them. It gets the same everyday loads all my 44's get, an rcbs 250 at 950. I have total confidence in these guns, one of my all time favorites. I bet you'll enjoy yours.
 
Very nice catch! But, if you ever decide to shoot full Magnums in it make sure your dentures are glued in really tight. :)

Bob
 
I just took a ride out into the BLM to give it a quick test shoot.

The nice thing about New Mexico is its almost all BLM or Indian reservations. Five minutes from my house I saw the buzzards circling and found the leftovers of a bovine of some sort.



Ammo was Blazer 200 grain .44 Specials. The skull wasn't much fun - it was still a little stinky but had dried enough to not give those .44 slugs much to do.



The gun handled well, though. The Specials were very pleasant to shoot, and the action was as nice as many of my older Smiths. That red fiber optic front sight glowed like it was on fire.

I found a nice fat leg bone and propped it up. It was still pretty wet and smelly.



One shot from 10 yards or so shattered it nicely. There was a surprisingly large and aromatic amount of marrow inside which managed to find me without difficulty. Good thing the wife wasn't along or I would have been walking home.
 
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Congrats!

I'm a big fan of the 329 -- have had 3, still have 2. One of my well used guns:
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At one time (for about two years) these were my most used handguns 6" FA83 .475 Linebaugh, FA97 4 1/4" .45 Colt and the 329 PD.
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4754544-2.jpg

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Enjoy that 329!

Paul
 
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murphydog said:
Nice gun! I think the Blazer 200 gr .44 Specials would suffice for most situations. How was the recoil with those?
Click to expand...

It wasn't bad at all - no worse than a .45ACP revolver and noticeably more pleasant than a .357 in a light or medium weight gun.
 
They do seem to be well made guns, at least based on what I have seen and others I've talked with whose opinions I trust. My own gun has a rather questionable looking barrel. Maybe I should send it back and ask S&W to have a look at it, but as busy as they seem to be, I haven't gotten around to it. It is so rough looking I am a little leery of using lead bullets in it.

I have the Hogue "X" model stocks on my gun. They are not compact, but I don't anticipate using the gun anywhere except in the backcountry so that doesn't worry me, and they are fairly good at taming the worst effects of the gun's recoil.

As CWH44300 mentioned, a 250K at about 950 FPS is plenty in this gun, for me. I have a new mold from Accurate for a 230 gr Keith-type, which I intend to give a try in the 329 sometime before too long, at about the same velocity. Should be even a little easier on the shooter. I can shoot the gun with magnum loads, but it is NO fun - at all. :o

Enjoy your new sixgun and let us know what you think of it when you get a chance to shoot other ammunition through it. Though not quite in the same class with bears and snakes, 329s always seem to make a popular topic for conversation. :D
 
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I had a questionable barrel in my 340pd. I found a no lock one & checked everything except the barrel and when I cleaned it it had scored lands & some kind of lump in a groove. S&W installed a new barrel no charge.
 
attn mc5aw

Many thanks. Cool website. Didn't realize there were so many .44Spl loads out there. They still seem a bit "thin," not that I'm ready to stand in front of one...

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103
 
Congrats on the new 329PD. I've had one for several years. Got it as a back-up/defense gun while bowhunting in the high mountain back country. It's perfect for that. Great power-to-weight ratio. Much less muzzle blast than other rounds, and that's important in a field gun that you might have to quickly employ during an emergency (without hearing protection.) I've also concealed carry it around my place in the country, or in town at times.
 
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