Hunting Washington Forum

Equipment & Gear => Guns and Ammo => Topic started by: KillBilly on September 28, 2010, 12:45:30 PM

Title: Latest Handgun
Post by: KillBilly on September 28, 2010, 12:45:30 PM: My latest Handgun.
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi289.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fll238%2FHannibal47%2F163414_01_md.jpg&hash=3589e72ac3b51bd564c269a5650718403d8f961f)

This is a S&W Model 329PD it has a Scandium Alloy Frame and Titanium Alloy Cylinder. It only weighs 25.1 oz / 711.6 g empty. It has high vis sights and it feels like it belongs in your hand. That is until you pop off your first 300 gr round. Buffalo Bore makes some very mild .44 mag rounds and milder .44 special that make practicing more enjoyable. It came with wood and rubber grips and a very tidy price tag. It is by far the lightest handgun I have ever worn/packed.
Title: Re: Latest Handgun
Post by: jackelope on September 28, 2010, 12:48:31 PM: have you shot it yet? (you could translate that to meaning "do you still have feeling in your hand?"
:chuckle:
I was real close to buying one in .41 mag but decided against it.
Title: Re: Latest Handgun
Post by: GoldTip on September 28, 2010, 12:53:01 PM: I'd think you would definitely want to install the rubber grips before touching off one of Buffalo Bores stouter loads in that gun. My buddy in AK has one and I've shot it with some stout 240gr had cast loads he puts together and it will get your attention much like my 454Casull will in the Ruger Alaskan. He's got a set of Pachmyrs on his gun. Nice pistola KB.
Title: Re: Latest Handgun
Post by: carpsniperg2 on September 28, 2010, 12:56:29 PM: that is a very nice handgun. i looked at it a lot, when i was getting a higher end carry gun. it was in the top 3 for sure. i ended up getting a performance center 627 8 rd 357 that uses moon clips. i am glad you like it. i really liked the fiber optic front on that handgun.
Title: Re: Latest Handgun
Post by: jackelope on September 28, 2010, 01:05:09 PM: The .357 version of this rig is pretty awesome too.
I would agree with GoldTip...based on what I've heard I would definitely install the rubber grips unless you're have a "who's the manliest man" contest.
Title: Re: Latest Handgun
Post by: KillBilly on September 28, 2010, 03:34:56 PM: Buffalo Bore makes a lighter load than any out there in the .44 special, they are hard to find. The 300 gr Hornady is a handful but tolerable. I did put the rubber grip on but is a little narrower and a little harder on the web of the hand. Considering I have owned and shot larger caliber handguns, this one is not as bad as say a .375 JDJ. I am going to load a bunch of .44 special for play. My Dan Wesson .357 SuperMag weighs 4 times what this does loaded. Of course the weight makes it more controllable but what the heck. I like it...... :IBCOOL:
Title: Re: Latest Handgun
Post by: JackOfAllTrades on September 28, 2010, 03:42:34 PM: "Scandium Alloy Frame and Titanium Alloy Cylinder"

Man... Looking at that thin little top strap, would it last if I put my Bear loads through it? 300gn Sierra JSP with 23.5gns of Win-296.

I really wanted to cut weight on my little Pasayten trip recently so I felt naked leaving my Ruger SBH and/or my SS Ruger Redhawk home and only took a SS Ruger SP101 loaded with some warm Black Tallons. At nearly a whole pound less the little SP was not even noticeable. But I still wanted one of my 44mags. A lighter big bore wheel gun would be sweet, but it would still need to be able to handle the ammo I load.

-Steve
Title: Re: Latest Handgun
Post by: FC on September 28, 2010, 04:02:32 PM: Quote from: JackOfAllTrades on September 28, 2010, 03:42:34 PM
"Scandium Alloy Frame and Titanium Alloy Cylinder"

Man... Looking at that thin little top strap, would it last if I put my Bear loads through it? 300gn Sierra JSP with 23.5gns of Win-296.

I bet it would last just fine! You would fire one of your pet loads through it and probably opine that you had had enough of that kind of fun. With that much weight taken out of the gun I bet you would feel like someone had swatted you HARD in the web of your hand (between thumb and forefinger) with a bat using an aggressive loading.

Beautiful gun btw.
Title: Re: Latest Handgun
Post by: high country on September 28, 2010, 04:54:23 PM: I have over 100k rounds through the one I bought used. loose all the grips they come with and get the x frame grips.....it helps that much. the factory hogues are ok for poofta loads, but full tilt 300 plus grain loads will hurt without the x frames. keep an eye on the top strap blast shield, it will wear and they will fix it for free. I love mine and hunt with it often.
Title: Re: Latest Handgun
Post by: KillBilly on September 28, 2010, 07:07:15 PM: Quote from: high country on September 28, 2010, 04:54:23 PM
I have over 100k rounds through the one I bought used. loose all the grips they come with and get the x frame grips.....it helps that much. the factory hogues are ok for poofta loads, but full tilt 300 plus grain loads will hurt without the x frames. keep an eye on the top strap blast shield, it will wear and they will fix it for free. I love mine and hunt with it often.

Yes, that's where I was going... they put a titanium shield under the top strap to alleviate the cutting, and yes they will install a new shield when needed. and I have some Xframe grips on order.
Title: Re: Latest Handgun
Post by: D-Rock425 on September 28, 2010, 07:31:59 PM: I looked at the 357 model and really liked it. I would like to find a place to shoot one before I bought one.
Title: Re: Latest Handgun
Post by: high country on September 28, 2010, 09:06:26 PM: 100k was a typo.....should have been 1000 plus rounds
Title: Re: Latest Handgun
Post by: ICEMAN on September 28, 2010, 09:11:57 PM: :drool: Nice gun Killbilly! I read a nice write up on that gun and it looks like a winner.
Title: Re: Latest Handgun
Post by: KillBilly on September 29, 2010, 04:35:25 AM: Quote from: ICEMAN on September 28, 2010, 09:11:57 PM
:drool: Nice gun Killbilly! I read a nice write up on that gun and it looks like a winner.

Thanks Kevin... anyone interested in a professional critique, here is a link you might enjoy http://www.gunblast.com/SW329PD.htm (http://www.gunblast.com/SW329PD.htm)
Title: Re: Latest Handgun
Post by: high country on October 02, 2010, 08:19:13 AM: had a chance to bang a few rounds off? pretty good pop on the ol' hand isn't it....lol
Title: Re: Latest Handgun
Post by: KillBilly on October 03, 2010, 06:42:04 PM: Quote from: high country on October 02, 2010, 08:19:13 AM
had a chance to bang a few rounds off? pretty good pop on the ol' hand isn't it....lol

Not as bad as some handguns I've owned
Title: Re: Latest Handgun
Post by: CastleRocker on October 03, 2010, 09:46:35 PM: I bought one a while back from a great member of this forum. It is far and away the best pack gun I've ever had! I was up berry picking last month, and brought it along, and the ONLY downside was I had to keep checking, (and checking) to make sure it hadn't fallen out of the holster. It's that light! I bet I checked two dozen times during the course of a day.

I've run three boxes of factory shells, and some of my more "smokey" hunting loads (too much 2400 behind a 300 gr. hardcast), and yeah it does bark a little. Not nearly as bad as the 10" non-ported 45-70 barrel does on my Contender though. It is surpisingly accurate given the short sight radius. If they made one with a longer barrel, I would buy one in a hearbeat.