S&w 329pd

[birddog]

Anyone have one or shot one? Im in the market for a new mountain gun and came across this one. I know what to expect with a 25 ounce .44 mag but I read that it can be tamed down a little bit with grips made for the 500's. Would sure love to be able to touch off a few .44's before I spend that kind of money on a revolver. Thanks in advance for the information.

[car-15]

it's nice to carry, it causes blisters with full house loads even with gloves, it's not bad with light, or special rounds it kicks about the same as a .357 mag. with them. I like the wood grips better than the rubber ones, they are thicker and dont blister my hand as bad, it is one of the most accurate pistol's that I have ever shot. pic. of mine below.
http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd27/rruusseell1/IMG00784-20100317-2035.jpg

[beast556]

I have ran a few cylinders through my buddys, with full house loads it is a handfull and a half. With regular loads it is a handfull but not a bad as you think. It is amazing how light it is for a 44mag.

[birddog]

Thanks for the information guys. The analogy of light loads being comparable to a .357 mag helps a ton. I fondled one in Montana last week and it is unreal how light it really is. I would have bought it there but big brother says I cant buy a handgun out of state.

Have you tried any other rubber grips on that one beside the ones it came with? I have heard the pachmeyers and 500 S&W mag grips help a lot but didn't know if there was any validity to that. Thanks again.

[bczandm]

once you get past a "little" recoil it's fine. I shoot mine with .44 special and it's very comfortable. Will 240 grain full loads it's a handful and with the 300 grain loads it's painful. It's a great carry gun for the forest and I figure if I need some real power the last thing I'll be worried about is a bit of recoil.

[Tim K]

A "friend" handed me his with some heavy full power loads. I fired three rounds and gave it back to him. I was tempted to hit him with it. I'm not very recoil sensitive, but that thing is a beast.

I have an aluminum/titanium J-frame in .357mag, and if you've ever shot one of those with full power loads, they're similar. The .44 is worse, but both feel like you caught a baseball barehanded. Not fun.

[Bitter Clinger]

I just shot one of these on sunday. Two rounds, its kind of like laying your hand on a table and letting your buddy hit it with a deadblow.

[h2so4]

I have one with the big rubber grips made for the 500. I dont mind shooting it at all! Hell, i took a pigglet this weekend with it, shooting from my left hand alone. I agree with the above statements about accuracy- its great. 6 rounds of 44mag weigh more than the pistol! haha.
Its really a fun, easy going gun to shoot (for me). I usually shoot 44spcl if i am just fooling around. 44mag is not bad at all with the huge rubber grips. and it rides in a holster great!

[earplug]

You see many used ones come up for sale. There is a reason.
Unless you can reload low power stuff i'd steer clear.
A N fame is awkward to carry concealed if that matters. A alloy 1911 weighs about the same and is easier to carry.