DAYUMMM!!! What a handful!!! Not "fun" to shoot in the least. I've wanted one for many years. I have carried a Taurus M44 with 4" ported bbl in griz country for a dozen years. I've shot about 1K hot reloads and factory full power .44 ammo. I carry Federal 300 gr hardcast in bear country. But have always wanted a S&W .44 because of the better resale... and because it's a S&W!

I had replaced the 329 on my wish list with a Backpacker instead several years ago. Smaller, ported, and honestly... I dig the printed bear graphics on the frame and cylinder. Also, I had seen pics of blown up 329s from hot reloads. But today I was in the Cabela's used gun room and they had a Backpacker and 329PD. They have a 10% off sale going on at the moment, so that's what got me to finally pull the trigger. After handling both, I had to choose the 329PD. It was $200 cheaper, and most of all... it's just SO much lighter.

I headed to the range and WOW... the reports that I read of it kicking as hard or harder than the .454 Casull, or .460 and .500 S&W weren't outrageous. I can handle recoil, but the 329 with full power .44 mag loads was an eye-opener. Even my macho son was like "WHOAH!!!" he was only good for 3 rounds.  It was pretty harsh. Regular .44 Special rounds were better, and felt like hot .44 mag loads in my Taurus. Anyways... I'm still glad that I got it and will be carrying it while fishing, hiking, camping, and mountain biking in griz country. I'll also carry it with .44 special while walking my dog and trail riding in Mountain Lion country nearby. But I sure as hell won't be plinking regularly with .44 mag loads. NOPE! I know that I'm supposed to practice regularly with what I choose to carry, and I do that with my CCW loads and pistols. But not this beast.

I also looked at the Ruger Alaskans in .44 mag. But they're just too damn heavy. If my local shops would have had the Casull in that gun, then I might have done that. But other than the ability to shoot the super bear loads from Garrett and Buffalo Bore, I don't see the reason to carry the portly Alaskan. I fired some 300 grain Federal hunting hardcast (what I carry for Bears) in the 329 and it was bearable (BARELY!). What I love about the gun is that a BEARLY notice that I'm wearing it. It's much lighter than my .45acp full size and compact pistols even. VERY packable. Good thing... as that's it's only real selling point IMO.

One question... I've read that the X-frame rubber grips fit the 329, and tame the recoil a hair. Anyone know where I can get a set?

If you don't reload already you may want to consider doing so to work up some loads for the .44 Special. Still a handful but easier on the wrists/hands. IMO the .44 Special is under rated and a good solid round. I assume you have considerable experience as a handgun shooter and even a reduced load can produce very effective performance.

And this thread is exactly why my my 44 Mag revolver is going to a be a five inch full under-lug 629.  

Pretty sure buds gun shop carries them. They are a little hard to find, but 1000% worth it.  Regular(not hot) 44mag loads are manageable and actually fun to shoot which means you'll actually shoot the gun.  The grips is come with are a crime.

Congrats on the new gun!

I have a M329NG and it is a beast.  I ended up getting the grip that comes one the 500s from S&W.  It is made by Hogue but only available from S&W.  It fits perfect and covers the back of the frame with a nice pad.  Makes the gun much more bearable.   

Required pic (before changing grip)

Attached File

Very nice!!! I wasn't even aware of the snubbie 329 until yesterday. Would fit my needs even better than the regular one. But OUCH... bet she's insane to shoot. Sure would be perfect for backpacking though. And more concealable as well.

I have wanted a full lug 629 for years, but there's just not enough upside for me considering that my full lig 4" ported Taurus M44 has been an awesome gun. I know that people love to knock the brand, but mine has been a pleasure to shoot for many hundreds of hot reloads. So it would just be about the brand name and resale... and the latter isn't a concern?

Oh yeah, I started reloading way back when I bought my M44 in fact. And I've been shooting handguns, from .22 short to .44 mag since I was a kid. My dad used to have a S&W 629 (or was it a 29?) back in the late 70s. I was mesmerized by that thing. It was a 4" nickel-plated gun with no porting and had full, old school wood grips. He only had it for a short time, but I loved that gun and it STILL haunts me. I've been shooting/carrying compact and full size 1911s for amost 20 years as well. So recoil and general handgunnery are old hat to me.

Indeed!!! Or "Painful Demongun"!

Yeah my brother has the ported 6.5-inch version of the M44 and it has treated him well.  I already have three S&W N-frames so I am going to stick with S&W but for the price Taurus is hard to be assuming you get a good one to start with (sadly that appears true of current S&W too) 

I ordered a set of X frame grips directly from Smith and Wesson.  Those grips really helped with taming felt recoil.

I experienced two issues w my 329.  First, extraction was/is often difficult.  The brass tends to swell and stick to the cylinder, making extraction sometimes exceedingly difficult.
Second, I had to send my 329 back after firing a single box of factory ammo. The face of the cylinder was etched from firing.  The etching looked just like i had taken a dremmel tool with a cutting wheel and etched the face of the cylinder.  The fire and heat from the factory ammo etched the cylinder face.

Smith and Wesson replaced the cylinder at no charge, but they had my 329 for a couple of months.  

I wound up buying a Glock 20 while waiting on the 329 to come back.  I enjoy the 329 much, but the Glock 20 gets much more use.  I need to load up some 44 Specials and shoot my 329 a bit :)

I just got my X-frame grips this week and put them on. I'm looking forward to another range session with it, so I can give our relationship a reboot from the first (painful) experience!

I did notice that first trip that brass was sticky in the cylinder. Since I got it used, I'm not too worried about most things about it. I mainly just want it to go bang when I pull the trigger and I don't plan to put thousands of rounds downrange with it. I can do that with my M44 if I choose to do so. I will shoot it enough to be comfortable, but I'm not shooting a match with it... so its carry weight and ability to send a cylinder full of heavy/hard lead is mostly what a care about and why I bought it.

P.S. The grip size definitely fills my smallish hands more with the X-frame grips than the stock wooden grips. But I imagine that it'll be well worth the trade-off.

My M44 is a great gun... which is why it's taken me 12+ years to finally get a S&W .44 mag. I've wanted an S&W for years, but frankly... only for resale value and forum cred. The Taurus is a pleasure to shoot (once I replaced the stock grips with the Hogues with finger grooves), reliable, and accurate. But it's definitely heavier than the 329PD, which is really the only reason that I'll be carrying the S&W in the back country from now on. My 20 year old son can carry the Taurus. For all of the Taurus hate on the web, if I didn't have 100% confidence in it, I wouldn't hand it to my son to carry. I'd be willing to bet that I've sent more lead downrange with my Taurus than the bashers have with a Taurus or any other brand of .44 magnum revolver. I experienced exactly ZERO issues with it.

In fact, before I bought this M44, I had another M44 snubbie DAO in nickel. It was lighter than my current M44, but it was a bit of a handful (though I pussy cat compared to the 329PD). I had both for a while, but the 4" ported version was so preferable to shoot that I finally sold off the snubbie.

After having a close call with a black bear in the woods hiking, I upped my caliber to 44 mag with a 329PD. After firing it for a week, it had some issues and I sent it to S&W for repair. While it was at S&W, I purchased a Taurus 444 ultralight and sold the smith after it was returned a few months later. Never looked back.
The Taurus is 3 oz heavier, but in my opinion it's a better revolver. It recoils differently and the grip is a lot better than the smith grip.
While it's not a plinker, I can fire a box of ammo at the range, hit what I'm aiming at and still have feelings in my hands afterwards.
After one cylinder with the 329, I would start to flinch.
While I like the look of the 329 better than the taurus, I didn't get it for looks, I got it for a purpose and it failed miserably.

Concur.  I do not trust my life to my 329.  

It is a very handsome revolver, but "bet your life dependable" it is not.....mainly because of the sticky extraction issue.

Still, it is fun to shoot with 44 special level hand loads.

Yes. I have one. Use the X grip and its better. I think its fun... what a handful.

I gave up on the 329, the recoil was just too much.  Check out the model 69, the X frame grips fit it too.

Attached File

I also have a M444 and it is fun to shoot compared to the short Smiths.  I have a Smith 327PD in .357 and it is my favorite revolver to carry in the woods.

Another 329 owner here too.

I shoot my standard mid-range load of 10 grains Unique, with a 240/250 grain cast SWC.  The load is quite tolerable in the Scandium gun, and I have used it on Mule Deer, Hogs, and sundry other critters. I would not hesitate to use it on Black Bears. In fact I would opt for that load, even for large bears, due to the fact that you can shoot it much faster/more precisely than top end loads

For pure fun, try 180-185 grain double ended cast Wadcutters, pushed by 10 grains Unique. Very mild recoil, and great for small game/paper punching.


Wadcutters shown with my 29-2:





My 329 wear a set of CT laser grips due to the fact that I spend a fair amount of time in the outdoors, and having that visual reference, when you crawl out of your tent at 2AM is pretty nice.





I have not read the entire thread, so  will just throw this out there. You need a heavy crimp on the 329, to prevent the bullets (in the non firing chambers) from getting pulled from the case during firing.

I load on a Dillon, but use a LEE roll crimp, and it has completely eliminated this:



The 329s make a great .44 Special!

Great info! I do have a Lee roll crimp die and used to use it when I reloaded .44 mag. Guess I need to dig it out and start reloadinh for .44 mag again.

One of my favorite guns to shoot is my 29-10, but I'd really like to look into a 69. I love the smaller frame.

That being said, I always assumed the 329 was a gun you buy, function test and then use only in emergencies. That thing looks brutal and I say that as a guy who owns a 500.

Yup... that's how I feel as well. I have other revolvers to shoot for enjoyment's sake.

I've wanted a .500 since the X-frames debuted. I would likely end up with the 5" model. Right before I bought the 329, I was looking at a used 8 or 10" .500 at a local sporting goods shop. They wanted $849 for it. Had that been a 5" model I would have bought it. But it would likely have been a novelty. I recreate in griz country here in MT, but I prefer carrying the lighter .44 mags because my likelihood of even seeing a griz here in lower-central MT is very small... so I prefer to take my chances carrying .429 cal 300 and 305 grain hardcast. Still... I would have gladly bought a 5" .500 at that price.

Btw... did you ever see those "emergency kit" S&W X-frame snubbies? I remember when they first came out. They looked SO badass... and PAINFUL!

The only 5" S&W 500 that I'm aware of is the John Ross limited edition. Kinda dumb since they made a 5" 460.

I must've been thinking of the 4" models.

For some reason I want one of those 329s.  I've got a 3" 360 and with .357s I describe it as having someone smack your palm with a wooden hammer handle.  I can imagine the 329 is similar, just on a larger scale.  Great carry gun for hiking which is why I bought it, but definitely not something you shoot for fun.

It really is insanely lightweight and perfect for backpacking in that regard. And yeah... it does feel like your hand is being abused by hardware when you fire it.

I have a 329NG and yeah it's stout.  Heavy crimp is required to keep bullets from backing out.  The recoil peened my cylinder rod a small lip such that removing it was difficult.  I had to take the burr off with some light stoning.

They are not designed to shoot the heavy stuff in any volume (not that you would want to).

Was wanting the NG down the road, but decided that the PD is already plenty light, so I might as well just roll with that and have a couple more inches of barrel length to aid in velocity and accuracy. And yeah... I will practice mostly with my Taurus M44 and S&W 28-2 revolvers and save the wear and tear on the 329PD.

I want one of these so badly for a carry lots shoot little gun.  I have a 629 if I want to shoot, and having a lightweight revolver of similar feel/operation/size would be really nice.  

True, it isn't going to be very nice to you if you are shooting heavy loads.....but I really doubt that if I'm being confronted with the decision to shoot it at a dangerous animal/person in the woods, I'm really going to notice the recoil as much.  I don't when I've shot elk with 30cal hunting rifles.

From what I've read, throwing a SW500 grip on it and getting it magna-ported do wonders for reducing the punishment.

Saw a 41 Mag version of this at the last gunshow. So tempted. $800 but the front sight was broken and it had numerous nicks on the barrel.  That and I dont think I handle recoil well. If I buy another revolver it'll be a 629 classic 6.5" full underlug.

I've had my 329PD for a number of years. Definitely thumps a bit when using 44 mags, but the weight savings is a major plus when going up high in the mtns. I practice with 44 Specials. Never have had a problem with case sticking with either 44 Sp or 44 mags.  I swapped out the factory grips for Hogues to make it more comfortable to shoot.

Keep in mind not to use real hot +P+ 44 mag loads in it since it won't handle them. Buffalo Bore only recommends their Lower Recoil .44 Magnum Ammo - 255 gr. Keith GC and 240 gr JHP in it.

I loaded up some 44 Special ammo for my 329 last week.  I shot the ammo over the weekend.  If I remember correctly, I had a 240 grain XTP bullet seated on top of a max charge (for 44 Special) of Universal Clays.  

I had forgotten how nicely the 329 fits my hand, especially w/ the X Frame grips.  The recoil from the 44 Special hand loads was very manageable and was a pleasure to shoot.  I need to prep the brass and find some more projectiles to load.

My opinion, but the ferocious reputation of the 329 via the interwebs, is grossly over exaggerated.
Anyone who's ever played high school football, even my teenage daughters who play middle school/hi school basketball/volleyball (don't laugh, it's a blood sport in Mohave County ) can and will just chuckle after firing 44 mag ammo out of a 329.
To brutally paraphrase J Cooper on recoil, an average lightweight hi school football player gets hit harder 20 or 75 times in an average practice.

It really makes me wonder about the gun writers.

We don't launch the 300+ grain BB/Garrett ruger only loads of course but in normal (Elmer) 240-255 grain land, the gun is not what the internet portrays. And we handload to old school manuals max. If I wanted more than that I'd buy a 454/460/480/500/Linebaugh.
But any grown man or woman can shoot a 329 w/S&W safe 44 mag ammo without pain, many teenagers as well.
After a lot of research, and concern about crimp jump, I had kind of decided on a steel 629, but after stumbling into a 329, and after bracing myself for the bone breaking, elbow injuring, shoulder dislocating, brain aneurism inducing apocolypse, I was REALLY underwhelmed when actually firing mine. I love the gun. And have so far kept the hated wood stocks.
Just my take, many others will disagree.