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I'm interested in a 329 Smith and wondered at 25 ounces just how stiff recoil would be. I'm considering it for woods carry and while the weight of 25 ounces is appealing the potential for stiff recoil is a concern. If the recoil makes getting multiple shots quickly difficult, that's no good. Has anyone had any experience with one of these using heavier loads? | ||
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This is rather subjective, but I tested one a few years back and tried a really wide cross section of factory ammo all the way up to 320 grain loads at around 1,300 fps. I found the recoil rather underwhelming and unremarkable. Not nearly as bad as I expected, particularly after having heard so many horror stories from folks who found the "scandium" (aluminum) .357s to be unpleasant. My tolerance is perhaps a little higher than most, but I really didn't find it bad in the least. That said, you may find it unpleasant in which case you don't need to load it to the maximum. I am of the belief that you don't need a lot of velocity to be effective. JMHO. "Ignorance you can correct, you can't fix stupid." JWP If stupidity hurt, a lot of people would be walking around screaming. Semper Fidelis "Building Carpal Tunnel one round at a time" | |||
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My experience is just the opposite of Whitworth so it proves you must fire the revolver first to determine your threshold. I bought one to carry fishing in Alaska and simply found the recoil snap to be brutal and I didn't fire anything warmer than 240 grain bullets with 22 grains of 296. It was a great piece to carry but I quickly sold it off and purchased a 4 inch S&W 500. Heavy on the belt but more easy for me to manage when I practiced and the recoil bothered me less. If I wanted another 44 just to carry I would seriously look at the S&W 69 5 shot. In fact I might buy one anyhow  They are about 37 ounces with a 5 shot cylinder and 4.25 inch barrel and priced reasonably as they go for just under $700 on Gunbrokers:http://www.gunbroker.com/Aucti....aspx?Item=438449375 My biggest fear is when I die my wife will sell my guns for what I told her they cost. | |||
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A Writer friend of mine brought one over for me to try out. I'm not particularly recoil sensitive. He managed to get 2 rounds out of it, my shooting buddy did 6. I put 48 rounds of different stuff through it and managed to get my shooting buddy, by impuning his reputation and manhood to shoot 6 more, but it is not for the faint of heart. If you are recoil sensitive, you might want to reconsider or use much lighter loads. Just my .02 | |||
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Been doing some research as well, but have not had the opportunity to fire one... This is what I've discovered. Great to carry, Is a bitch to shoot. some are putting the S&W 500 grips on to tame recoil, Magna Port will work on them. In the various internet reviews and you can believe however much you want to read... that there is reported bullet creep causing the cylinder to lock up and some are claiming that certain brass sticks to the chamber walls. I'm still looking hard at them but am leaning more towards the Mountain Gun or a plain 629 4". Good Luck let us know what you find out.. | |||
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I have 3 44 mags, 6" and 4" 629 and a 4" 329 The 329 is so light you almost think it is a 22 compared to my 4" Recoil is noticeably more but not that much that you would be afraid to pull the trigger unless your recoil sensitive. For shooting a 100 rounds I would chose the 629's, for carrying it has to be the 329 The only problem I have with the 329 is the titanium cylinder will not come clean from shooting as the gases leave powder marks Ans yes I put a set of 500 grips on it which are larger and if you have small hands you may need to pick up a 500 to see if its comfortable NRA Life Member, ILL Rifle Assoc Life Member, Navy | |||
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I have shot a couple of 329's belonging to buddies. I have been shooting a 44 Mag handgun since 1970. IMHO, The 329 is not pleasant to shoot, especially one handed, as you might have to do in a self defensive situation, with standard 240gr factory loads. It is actually more pleasant to shoot with the Speer 270gr SP and the 300gr Federal Cast Core factory loads. It is not too bad with a 240gr hard cast over 9.2gr of Unique. You should shoot one before you buy one. I prefer to carry the S&W 44 Mag Mountain Gun. However I would like to have a S&W 325 Night Guard with its shorter barrel. I would only shoot it with full power Magnums in an extreme emergency. DOUBLE RIFLE SHOOTERS SOCIETY | |||
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I have several smith .44's and two rugers but the one I carry regularly is the 329. I carry it strictly as a self defense gun in the woods and the lightweight for daily carry is a HUGE plus. Fun to target shoot with, NO. Will that increased recoil be noticed when firing at a grizzly 2 yards away, NO! "The difference between adventure and disaster is preparation." "The problem with quoting info from the internet is that you can never be sure it is accurate" Abraham Lincoln | |||
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A retired doctor I know bought one and regretted the decision. Certainly, this gun is a joy to carry and hell to shoot. But the biggest problem is that with some loads (I think he was using Winchester Silvertips), the high velocity of the recoil occasionally pulled a bullet in one or more of the chambers and tied up the gun. If I were to rely on this revolver, I would be very careful to work with my loads extensively to ensure 100 percent reliability. A heavily crimped handload would be a good bet. There is hope, even when your brain tells you there isn’t. – John Green, author | |||
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I have one. The recoil is significant and more significant with heavy loads. Six rounds a session is about all I can do in manage accuracy. 12 rounds and I am done. You can shoot all day with 44 Specials. I did use mine to kill an antelope doe in Wyoming a few years ago. The shot was about 80 yards and resulted in an instant kill. They are a joy to carry and unless you plan on getting involved in a Dirty Harry shootout should be perfect for your applicaion. You can practice with 44 Specials and load magnums for carry purposes. Perry | |||
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I carry a 329 several days per week and have let a lot of people try mine. Very few people ask to shoot it a second time... Unless someone is quite familiar with heavy recoiling handguns I would definitely suggest that a person shoot one before they buy. Mine was shot exactly 12 times when I got it and the seller said in no uncertain terms that he would never fire it again. I try to practice with mine every month or two, but I think it's important to remember that these guns can't handle a steady diet of heavy magnum rounds like a stainless gun can. Mine had some issues this year so it needed to be rebuilt by S&W after carrying it and practicing with it for the last 4 or 5 years. Now that it has a new lease on life and I'm pretty familiar with it I'll continue to carry it, but practice more with a 629 that can handle the regular abuse of magnum rounds better. I've tried the 500 grips and thought they felt a bit better under recoil, but they're too bulky so I took them off for regular carry. The one modification I would HIGHLY recommend is throwing away that stupid shallow "V" rear site. Replace it with a standard square notch. That little $11 modification honestly cut my group size in half. I also had the cylinder machined for moonclips and I love that modification too, but not everyone would need that. They're a great pistol for their intended purpose, but try before you buy. | |||
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I have shot Kyler's, not pleasant...I actually think the 360 @ 13 oz with full house 357 is worse. Mike  What I have learned on AR, since 2001: 1. The proper answer to: Where is the best place in town to get a steak dinner? is…You should go to Mel's Diner and get the fried chicken. 2. Big game animals can tell the difference between .015 of an inch in diameter, 15 grains of bullet weight, and 150 fps. 3. There is a difference in the performance of two identical projectiles launched at the same velocity if they came from different cartridges. 4. While a double rifle is the perfect DGR, every 375HH bolt gun needs to be modified to carry at least 5 down. 5. While a floor plate and detachable box magazine both use a mechanical latch, only the floor plate latch is reliable. Disregard the fact that every modern military rifle uses a detachable box magazine. 6. The Remington 700 is unreliable regardless of the fact it is the basis of the USMC M40 sniper rifle for 40+ years with no changes to the receiver or extractor and is the choice of more military and law enforcement sniper units than any other rifle. 7. PF actions are not suitable for a DGR and it is irrelevant that the M1, M14, M16, & AK47 which were designed for hunting men that can shoot back are all PF actions. 8. 95 deg F in Africa is different than 95 deg F in TX or CA and that is why you must worry about ammunition temperature in Africa (even though most safaris take place in winter) but not in TX or in CA. 9. The size of a ding in a gun's finish doesn't matter, what matters is whether it’s a safe ding or not. 10. 1 in a row is a trend, 2 in a row is statistically significant, and 3 in a row is an irrefutable fact. 11. Never buy a WSM or RCM cartridge for a safari rifle or your go to rifle in the USA because if they lose your ammo you can't find replacement ammo but don't worry 280 Rem, 338-06, 35 Whelen, and all Weatherby cartridges abound in Africa and back country stores. 12. A well hit animal can run 75 yds. in the open and suddenly drop with no initial blood trail, but the one I shot from 200 yds. away that ran 10 yds. and disappeared into a thicket and was not found was lost because the bullet penciled thru. I am 100% certain of this even though I have no physical evidence. 13. A 300 Win Mag is a 500 yard elk cartridge but a 308 Win is not a 300 yard elk cartridge even though the same bullet is travelling at the same velocity at those respective distances. | |||
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I haven't shoot the 329PD but have a Taurus tracker that isn't much more. I decide to load 315gr bullet to 1100 fps in it a lot nicer to shoot then. The same bullet at 1300 in my red Hawks. | |||
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Well I tried it and bought it. With some loads is is definitely a handful but manageable. I have a lightweight 357 that is much more unpleasant to shoot at 13 ounces. I switched to S&W rubber grips that came in the deal and that was a huge improvement over the wooden ones. I think it will be fine for my needs. Anyone have any suggestions how to clean the cylinder? I'm going to try Flitz but that powder residue is sure baked on. | |||
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Haven't shot the 329, have shot the 360 and IMHO it was the most uncomfortable handgun I've ever fired and I don't know why I fired the whole cylinder. You could get the same experience by laying your hand on a table and beating the web of it with a 16 oz ball peen hammer. I have fired a 4 5/8" sbh 500 linebaugh with 440 gr under a max charge of W-296 and the scandium was more painful to shoot. The 500 was a whippy sob, but I would shoot it again. An ultralight magnum coming back into the web of you hand, no thanks! I understand the appeal of something that is comfortable to carry, but if you can't shoot it effectively and won't practice with it because it is unbearable to shoot, what's the point? __________________________________________________ The AR series of rounds, ridding the world of 7mm rem mags, one gun at a time. | |||
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I would not even think about shooting mine with the factory wood stocks!  "The difference between adventure and disaster is preparation." "The problem with quoting info from the internet is that you can never be sure it is accurate" Abraham Lincoln | |||
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I had a S&W 340PD (the snubby J frame .357 Scandium) and that was the most violently recoiling handgun I have ever fired. It wasn't so much a huge muzzle blast (although it sure as hell had one), but the insanely fast recoil impulse directly back into the web of your hand. Like being hit in the hand with a fast-swung 2x4. I have a number of big bores right up to a .475 Linebaugh, and while they all rock you (figuratively speaking), they're nowhere near as bad as that damn little J-frame. Regarding the 329, I have not had the chance to fire one, however I really believe they'd recoil much less (in terms of quick recoil impulse) than a .357 Scandium. If you can shoot anything with a shorter barrel than 7.5" in a caliber bigger than .44 Mag, then you'd probably be fine. If not, please contact me so I can buy your 6-times-fired 329! -John | |||
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My wife loves hers! She carrys it every day. It hangs on a coat hanger at the front door and she puts it on before leaving the house. She has no issues shooting it 20-30 times when ever she wants to sharpen up her marksmanship. She has even shot as much as 100 rds in a session. I enjoy shooting it and especially carrying it as well. Recoil is stiff but not terrible if you know how to hold it. You could not talk my wife into another pistol if you tried. But a scandium 357 340 PD I myself do not enjoy. I bought one when they first came out and it belongs to someone else now! But to some people a 30/06 has alot of recoil. Ignore your rights and they will go away! | |||
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The beauty of a big bore is you can handload the bullet of choice to your comfort level. I rarely ever load any of my guns to max, for what, its hard on me hard on the gun and somewhat hard on the pocket book., If I am using that gun for hunting then I might up the power. A well placed round is better than an Ill placed one. Ballistics prove bullets get deeper penetration at lower velocities mainly due to the bullet not mushrooming so much which shortens penetration. Now for a handgun which would generally be shorter range penetration is the key for incapacitation. NRA Life Member, ILL Rifle Assoc Life Member, Navy | |||
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I must like to punish myself. My "pocket pistol" is a 340PD. I do usually carry 38 specials in it, however. One cylinder of 357s convinced me that was a better option. I think this 329 has found a home! | |||
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I think that Whitworth is trying to prove that he has big brass ones. I don't own the gun but a buddy has one. The recoil is significant, though not as bad as his 340PD with full power loads! Yeah, it's nice to carry but not nice to shoot. | |||
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| Moderator |
Not at all. I shoot a lot of heavy recoiling revolvers. When I was tasked with testing a 329PD I was expecting a lot worse as I have read so may horror stories. That said, even with 320s at around 1,300, I honestly feel it isn't so bad. I find my .475 Bisley (loaded to spec) to be a significant step up from a recoil standpoint. "Ignorance you can correct, you can't fix stupid." JWP If stupidity hurt, a lot of people would be walking around screaming. Semper Fidelis "Building Carpal Tunnel one round at a time" | |||
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As some have eluded, everyone is different. I have one and love it. It is my woods gun with no problem shooting it one or two handed. I installed XS big dot sights on it. I carry it in a Diamond D cross chest leather holster and acquired their aluminum speed loaders with pouches installed.. Get rid of the wooden grips which are painful to shoot and install a quality rubber pachmyer/Hogue. I use Garrets defender hard cast ammo designed for this gun and also Federal with 225grain Barnes TSX bullets with penetrating and expanding performance beyond the indication of their grain weight. This gun is designed to be carried a lot and used little. For this application it is perfect. Make sure to get the 4"barrel and not the shorter one. If weight is not an issue, get the Ruger Redhawk with the 4.2" barrel and use the same sight, holster and ammo stated above. For peace of mind have a good revolver gunsmith go through the gun for !00% function dependability service. Safe hunting. | |||
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I don't have the 329PD but my wife has the 357PD, the 41 Magnum flavor. She shoots full power 215 grain cast at 1300 fps without complaint, but not many, per session. Regarding the difference in recoil velocity and energy they look like this: Standard 29 4" weighs 43 oz, Mountain gun 4" weighs 39 oz and the 329PD is 25 ounces. Weight, recoil velocity, recoil energy: 25 oz 35 fps, 20 ft lbs; 43 oz 30 fps, 17 ft lbs Less weight equals more recoil velocity and energy, modified by grip type, appropriate eye and ear protection and muzzle blast/flash due to lighting conditions and powder characteristics. A heavy recoiling firearm, to me, would start at a 3.5 pound 480 Ruger SRH: 400grain @ 1258fps: 24 fps, 31 ft-lbs. The reason for the "snappy" recoil reports with scandium frame revolvers becomes obvious. Lots more recoil with a heavy caliber revolver but it comes back slower. When young, I didn't mind plinking with a full power handloads in a steel 4" S&W 29, tin cans at 50 yards. Today I use 10 grains of Unique and a 240 grain cast bullet for everything, still over 1000 fps and gives two holes for everything under 800 pounds if two shoulders aren't required or a Texas heart shot. I use dress wooden grips most of the year with my mountain gun, switch to Hogue rubber grips before hunting season. | |||
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Thanks for the story on the 357. I saw one at SWH several years ago, but was empty pockets at the time. The Wife has stolen my 657; wish I'd bought her the 357. | |||
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