Gunblast Review of Nightguard Line
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animalmother
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boatswainsmate
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I read the article earlier today and wished there was a video with it to show the recoil factor since I have never shot one with the lite steel.
ENH
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I like the way these gun reviews all say there is never problem with functioning. Several here have posted FTF with the NG. Mine was the worst of the lot of my scandium frame guns and the trigger was horrendous. I solved all of that with a little work and it is now ready for carry with 300 rounds through it now and no FTF. I posted a range report earlier and the work done to this 396 NG.
pinkymingeo
Member
I have a 325PD and 625-10. Both require factory mainsprings, C&S firing pins and Federal primers for consistent ignition in DA. The 625-10 is a PC gun that came from the factory with a Wolff spring, which had to be changed. On the other hand, the actions are remarkably smooth and light, even with the factory springs.
dirtygrunt95
Member
I have a 386 nightguard like it alot. Had it about two weeks only been to the range once. Shot good, but the trigger was a little stiff. But I'dry fire it every night with snap caps and can feel the trigger easing up a bit. All in all happy with the purchase. Still want a model 19 or 66 or both eventualy to go along with my model 10 snubbie.
ENH
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Pinkymingeo - My 325PD, and 325TRD both have exceptional triggers with some work and springs, but this NG is going to take alot of shooting to loosen up even with the new springs and action work. The C&S fireing pins are standard for me also.
Jeff Quinn
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winchester1
Member
Hi Guys.
I picked up my 396 the very last part of June, the date on the fired case included with the gun was only a few days prior. I read along with the rest of you the reports of FTFs with these guns. I have not had one - single action, double action, fired every time. I believe if there was a problem with these revolvers, it has been delt with by S&W. I am very pleased with mine, it was worth the wait.
BTW - Jeff Quinn, I enjoyed your article, well done.
Jeff
I picked up my 396 the very last part of June, the date on the fired case included with the gun was only a few days prior. I read along with the rest of you the reports of FTFs with these guns. I have not had one - single action, double action, fired every time. I believe if there was a problem with these revolvers, it has been delt with by S&W. I am very pleased with mine, it was worth the wait.
BTW - Jeff Quinn, I enjoyed your article, well done.
Jeff
Dale53
Member
Jeff;
I guess you should have said that try as you might you couldn't get those guns to fail
I sometimes have to do a bit of "tuning" with various guns to get them to do what I wish. There really shouldn't be any FTF (Failures to fire) with any of them but most of use live in the real world and things DO happen.
The most important rule to follow is for EACH OF US to not try to depend on a self defense weapon unless WE have successfully fired it 300-500 times. That's my personal rule and I have seen little reason to modify it. If I find a problem (and I have from time to time) then I FIX it! All of this BEFORE I need to use it.
Dale53
Golddog
Member
Excellent review and pictures. Unfortunately, no matter how good the guns and writer may be, some curmudgeon somewhere complains that ain't nothin' as good as in grandaddy's day and that all reviews are crooked.
ENH
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Jeff - First welcome to the forum and making your first post. And as someone implied I really am not a "curmudgeon". I didn't mean to step on your toes. You should report exactly what you find, just as most of us do. You have been lurking here for some time so you should have noticed lots of FTF reports.
My 396NG would have 2 to 4 FTF out of 5 with multiple brands of ammo, both my 325TRD and 325PD were almost as bad. My 327PD had occasional FTF with some ammo. So when FTF's happen quite often personally and to others here, what are we suppose to think? I would hope you get guns to test "off the shelf" and randomly and this may or may not be the case. I don't know, but what I do know is that FTF is an issue with the new S&W's in a lot of cases as evidenced by forum members.
It is certainly reports by you and others that peak interest in new products and I too enjoyed your review, but I can't figure out why you guys never seem to get the bad guns.
My 396NG would have 2 to 4 FTF out of 5 with multiple brands of ammo, both my 325TRD and 325PD were almost as bad. My 327PD had occasional FTF with some ammo. So when FTF's happen quite often personally and to others here, what are we suppose to think? I would hope you get guns to test "off the shelf" and randomly and this may or may not be the case. I don't know, but what I do know is that FTF is an issue with the new S&W's in a lot of cases as evidenced by forum members.
It is certainly reports by you and others that peak interest in new products and I too enjoyed your review, but I can't figure out why you guys never seem to get the bad guns.
460v LAC du FLAMBEAU
Member
I took delivery on the 327NG (.357 8 shot) 5 weeks ago and just love it.
My brother-in-law has the 386NG (.357 7 shot) & his favorite 329NG (44 mag 6 shot).
My brother-in-law has the 386NG (.357 7 shot) & his favorite 329NG (44 mag 6 shot).
hikerbum
Member
I think Gunblast is a great site. I find there reviews informative and fair. by fair, they do point out things they would do differently, maybe dont like the grips, etc. Better than many reviewers.
I truly believe that most guns made by good name manufacturers funtion very well from the get go. BUT, like anything mechanical, there will be a few examples that slip through the QC process. Its a fact of life. Send in for warranty and get it fixed if a problem. If no warranty available, then you bought a cr*p gun to begin with. IMHO
Jeff, keep up the good work.
I truly believe that most guns made by good name manufacturers funtion very well from the get go. BUT, like anything mechanical, there will be a few examples that slip through the QC process. Its a fact of life. Send in for warranty and get it fixed if a problem. If no warranty available, then you bought a cr*p gun to begin with. IMHO
Jeff, keep up the good work.
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animalmother
Member
Nice looking gun ENH.
Only the truth.
davemuzz
Member
I have a "pre-NiteGuard" Smith. I own and shoot the Smith 386sc 7 shot AirLite revolver. I carry this gun most of the time as a backup when I hunt, and it also serves as a primary CCW for me.
As far as recoil is concerned, I find it very managable. I shoot 180 grain XTP's over 12 grains of VV N-110. The gun is nice to shoot, and I will fire 3 or 4 cylinders before I put it down to shoot something else. The recoil is nowhere near that of a 44 magnum. And I own three Smith 44 magnum's that I love to shoot.
MHO
Dave
Jeff Quinn
Member
I do get over here every couple of months or so, and registered some time back. I will try to read this site more frequently, as time allows. I am quite certain that S&W does not cherry-pick the guns that they send to me, as I have experienced problems with a few of them. The .500 magnum and Model 60 Pro come immediately to mind. If you would like to read about those problems, look here:
http://www.gunblast.com/SW_500.htm
and here:
http://www.gunblast.com/SW-60Pro.htm
If you are having problems with ignition, I would first check the strain screw on the hammer spring, which I am sure that you already have. If you still have ignition problems with good factory ammo, the gun should go back to S&W. Unreliability is not acceptable.
Klatuu
Member
You need to try harder, Jeff. In America today, we're not happy unless failure is achieved
I enjoy your site, keep up the good work.
casingpoint
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That's easy. You should have reported on the eight shot 315 Night Guard in .327 MAGNUM. But some good things just don't happen. Not yet.
Great review, Jeff. I'm curious why S&W chose the 2.5-inch barrel length in lieu of three for the Night Guards.. The loss of velocity with the shorter barrel is significant, but not overwhelming. An old gun rag around here had some velocities from a 2.5-inch snub in which the .357 MAG Remington Golden Saber was clocked at 1142 fps, down about 40 fps from three inches. Still, that ought to do it for bipeds, even in Tennessee.
One good thing about the 2.5-inch barrel on the 315NG is that it may allow for more velocity and get adequate expansion in the .38 Special Golden Saber compared with a two-inch snub.
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