Hi guys, I bought my 329PD seven years ago as a back up gun for a black bear bow hunt in Alaska. So far I've shot it almost 900 times with no problems. I've always used brand name, factory loads, nothing that was super hot or high performance. Today I shot it for the first time in two years and after the first six shots I couldn't get the spent cases out. I had to use a wooden block to tap the empties. When I inspected the cases some of them were bulged out about a quarter inch from the primer end. I was shooting Fiocchi 44 Rem.Magnum SJSP 240 gr. I shot the first half of the box two years ago with no problem. Now I'm scared to shoot it. what should I do?
329PD spent cases jamming in cylinder
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S&W1006
Member
Two things come to mind. Had you shot any 44 specials in it in the past and maybe there was a crud ring? Or is the barrel leaded from shooting lead ammo? If it was leaded then firing hot loads it could have caused pressure to go up. Not saying that was what caused it but it was the first thing I thought of. If it's not either of these after a good inspection I would try some different ammo.
329PD sticking cases
Did you try some fresh ammo that you know is good, in case something changed with those Fiocchi. Do the unfired cases, in the box, look normal?
The PD has the Ti cylinder, right? Did you see anything different about how the chambers look inside? Any oxidation/corrosion/tarnish that might be causing the cases to stick?
Did you try some fresh ammo that you know is good, in case something changed with those Fiocchi. Do the unfired cases, in the box, look normal?
The PD has the Ti cylinder, right? Did you see anything different about how the chambers look inside? Any oxidation/corrosion/tarnish that might be causing the cases to stick?
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I shot 50 rounds of .44 special when I first got the gun. It was the second box of ammo that I put through it. I've cleaned it several times since then. The cylinder walls are clean and shiny and there are no marks on the outside of the cylinder. the bore is clean
chipking
Member
Not to scare you but have you ever seen any slow motion pics of one of the TiScan revolvers being fired? The Titanium cylinder looks like a snake swallowing a mouse. Fiocchi has always had a rep as a HOT round. There is far more expansion in the Titanium cylinder than a steel one so it may just be that it is allowing the Fiocchi rounds to swell just enough to bind.
Try a different brand of ammo to see if the problem persists.
Chip King
Try a different brand of ammo to see if the problem persists.
Chip King
To be honest I'm a bit scared to shoot it again without knowing what happened. Two of the casings were bulged out. they weren't uniformly bulged and I don't know which cylinders they came out of. I've always shot new factory loaded jacketed ammo out of this gun.
I wonder if it's the ammunition? I recently tried Fiocchi 240 grain 44 magnum for the first time in my 629-1. After firing the first cylinder, I couldn't eject the fired rounds without first running a rod through the cylinder and pushing out the empty cases. But, after the first six shots, I did not have to use a rod anymore to clear the empties, but extraction was still "sticky." The cylinders look clean and do not have any evidence that 44 specials were fired in them. The store warned me that Fiocchi 44 magnums were loaded "hot." Perhaps that's what you are seeing too?
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Look for a bulge inside the cylinder, under the notch. Draw a straight line on an index card with a permanent marker, and observe the reflection of that line through the cylinder. The walls are very thin there, and will make extraction hard if bulged even slightly. Titanium is very strong, but has a much lower elastic modulus than steel. The cylinder could well be expanding under pressure, then gripping the cases afterwards, even if the pressure is within specifications.
I've never been seriously tempted to get a 629PD. I'm not particularly sensitive to recoil, but a 26 ounce magnum would be torture. How did you manage to shoot 900 rounds?
Ti cylinders will eventually fail due to flame erosion. The cylinder is protected by a thin layer of anodization. When that goes, erosion proceeds rather rapidly. You must never use steel wool or an abrasive cleaner.
I suspect S&W could fit a steel cylinder to the frame, and cylinders aren't outrageously expensive. It would add a few ounces, but it might be worth while.
I've never been seriously tempted to get a 629PD. I'm not particularly sensitive to recoil, but a 26 ounce magnum would be torture. How did you manage to shoot 900 rounds?
Ti cylinders will eventually fail due to flame erosion. The cylinder is protected by a thin layer of anodization. When that goes, erosion proceeds rather rapidly. You must never use steel wool or an abrasive cleaner.
I suspect S&W could fit a steel cylinder to the frame, and cylinders aren't outrageously expensive. It would add a few ounces, but it might be worth while.
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I'll assume that it was cold when you shot it - right? Some powders get faster when cold - my fav Ramshot Silhouette is one of them. Fiocchi probably used a powder with similar characteristics. Ammo that shoots fine in warm weather is a touch too hot in cold weather.
I don't think there is anything mechanically wrong with your 329.
I don't think there is anything mechanically wrong with your 329.
suckersrus
Member
Same thing happened to me with CorBon. Never another problem with any other ammo.
Some people feel CorBon is blessed by God but I tried it on 2 occasions and had problems both times (2 guns and 2 different calibers).
Some people feel CorBon is blessed by God but I tried it on 2 occasions and had problems both times (2 guns and 2 different calibers).
Doug M.
Member
As I recall, that ammo brand has been known to have problems. Even if your examples don't, storage conditions may impact ammo quality, specifically powder burning rate. I would avoid that stuff.
Thank you all for replying. I'm a construction worker with strong hands so I can handle the recoil. the gun came with cocobolo grips installed. Very pretty but much too painful to shoot. I switched to the factory supplied overmolded rubber grips which are much more comfortable. I'll try shooting some Winchester brand .44 mag through it, -but I'm not looking forward to doing it. I can't see any wear , corrosion, or flame cutting anywhere on the gun. As for changing to a steel cylinder I had never thought of that, I have to admit that after my experience yesterday I was thinking that I want a steel gun. The nice thing about the 329PD is that I don't notice that I'm wearing it. I can go all day hunting and the only time I notice it is when I'm putting on or taking off my backpack.
I live in southern California. Yesterday the temperature was in the low 70's and sunny when I was shooting. I'm going to give the rest of the Fiocchi to my son to use in his Ruger super Blackhawk to see if he thinks it kicks harder. BTW his ruger with wood grips is much more uncomfortable to shoot than my 329PD with rubber grips.
