Finally got out to the range to try out my Smith & Wesson 329PD. HOLY HELL!

It may not be the most brutal recoiling handgun I've ever fired but it's close, that honor would go to the Smith & Wesson 340PD loaded with 125gr. full magnum loads and boot grips on it. I fired one cylinder through that gun and I was done.

Today warmed up with 100 rounds out of my 627 .22LR, then with the 329 started out with Federal American Eagle 240gr. JSP. Two cylinders shot, sights were on, groups were decent, and my palm was stinging.

Then moved up and tried a cylinder of Federal Premium loaded with the 280gr. Swift A-Frame bullet. This has been my woods carry load in my 629 Mountain Gun for quite a while. Sights still on, group was starting to open up a bit and now I'm feeling a twinge in the joint between my hand and wrist.

OK, that was doable, now it was time to try the Underwood 305gr. lead flat points. Sights still on, grouping was good and my palm was absolutely stinging. Extractor stuck and I could not eject the rounds. Ok, range session officially ended, Got it home and was able to get the rounds out with a cleaning rod. One was stuck a lot harder than the others with some noticeable primer flattening.

So lessons learned, don't carry the Underwood until I've done some additional shooting with them and have reliable extraction. Thinking of polishing the chambers some to help with extraction, but I need to do additional research on the Titanium cylinder so as not to damage it. I don't even want to think about shooting this revolver with anything other than the Hogue X-Frame grips I have on it. It generates enough recoil to imprint the pebble texture of the rubber on my hand that stayed for about 30 minutes after shooting. I really need to get my reloading gear up here so I can load up some of my, "Cowboy" loads for it, a 240gr. lead SWC at about 900fps, hopefully those work for more extended practice sessions.

Overall it does what I want, lightweight for carry and I can effectively put rounds on target with it. It's just not something I'm going to plink with on a regular basis.

quote:

Originally posted by 2000Z-71:
Smith & Wesson 340PD loaded with 125gr. full magnum loads and boot grips on it. I fired one cylinder through that gun and I was done.

Same here. I almost stopped after 3 rounds but pressed on with all 5.

I have no doubt the 329 is a beast with boomers fired out of it, but like you say it fits a purpose.

I think if you had the use it out in the woods on a bear, you wouldn't even notice the recoil. I'd practice with .44 special in it, maybe run 6 rounds of .44 mag in it at the end of the range session. Then load .44 mag in it when carrying it in the woods (which hopefully you'll never NEED.)

This message has been edited. Last edited by: jimmy123x,

The Ti cylinders are known for fussy extraction. You also want to keep and eye on bullet pull. Light guns with heavy bullets can cause tie up issues when the bullets start to creep out past the mouth of the cylinder.

340PD with full bore loads is a little bit like pulling the pin on a grenade......and throwing the pin.

I remember somebody getting one many years ago saying something to this effect to me.

ME-So how do you like that little scandium Smith?
HIM-I sold it
ME-Why?
HIM-because I figured I would be mugged one day and When I thought about actually firing the damn thing I came to the conclusion that I would just throw him wallet and then throw him the gun too saying take this damn thing too.

I am not generally recoil sensitive but the Scandium J frames with full house .357 or the Scandium .44 magnums are......well brisk and by brisk I mean brutal and by brutal I mean have a carpel tunnel guy on retainer.

They make a thing called 44 Specials. Better than pain. Or get the a 12 gauge shorty. Like from Mossberg or Remington. Effective won't be light or cheap or easy to use. If you want, you can even find Specials that will hurt your hands.

The Underwood .44 Special load would be a good performer with reduced recoil.

quote:

Originally posted by 2000Z-71:
It may not be the most brutal recoiling handgun I've ever fired but it's close, that honor would go to the Smith & Wesson 340PD loaded with 125gr. full magnum loads and boot grips on it. I fired one cylinder through that gun and I was done.

To each his own. But I will never understand the obsession with firing magnum rounds out of a J-frame. Plenty of .38 Special +P rounds available.

I’ll give you that .357 Magnum rounds are one of the most effective rounds at imparting kinetic energy into your target, but at what cost to your hand and wrist?

Those things will make a grown man cry.
329YEEOW

quote:

Smith & Wesson 340PD loaded with 125gr. full magnum loads and boot grips on it. I fired one cylinder through that gun and I was done.

The 340PD is one of the guns I carry quite a bit and usually shoot for a short time during every range trip, but it's only 38 Specials now. That one range trip with 125gr full magnum loads was rough. I had Ahrend's wood boot grips on it too. I should have known better too since before the 340PD I made the same mistake in firing .357 Magnum loads out of the slightly heavier M&P 340. After I told my adult son about the 340PD recoil, he insisted that I was getting soft. He learned his lesson about a month ago when I let him try it out.

I doubt I'll ever pick up a 329PD, but I have thought about it, although I don't really know why.

quote:

Today warmed up with 100 rounds out of my 627 .22LR, then...

A 627 in .22 LR, pray tell???

I have a 340 m&p wearing elk stag grips and a tyler-t grip. I can shoot a full cylinder of Gold Dot 357 short barrels out of it at each range session, guess I've gotten used to it. The gun isn't for everybody, but its part of my rotation and serves a purpose.

It only took one round of 500 S&W magnum for me to find my limit. And that was a heavy stainless gun...can’t imagine what a scandium framed 44 is like

I regularly pack a NG in .45 ACP. It has plenty of recoil while I believe that it will stop any 2 legged predator with the HP rounds and any 4 legged predator on this continent with a heavy hard cast solid flat point. I therefore gave my 10mms, all except one .44 Magnum(a real heavy 3 incher), to my 4 sons & daughter. Guess who took the lightest .44 Magnum? She is going to hang it on her survival vest(she is an F-18 pilot. She also lasted the longest shooting the heaviest loads, even her brother who is a Special Forces Aviator gave up before she did.
I also kept the 3 inch 5 shot .44 Special, really like it, even with a fairly stout load.
I freely admit that the lightweight big frame Smiths can cause damage on both ends...........

quote:

Originally posted by Pizza Bob:

quote:

Today warmed up with 100 rounds out of my 627 .22LR, then...

A 627 in .22 LR, pray tell???

Sory, fat finger typing, 617.