It's been stupid cold here so outdoor activities have been somewhat curtailed. It was my day off and I was bored, so my son and I decided to go a couple of towns over to a gun shop we haven't been to in a while. I had a couple of things in mind that I was kinda looking for, so we threw some trade fodder in the trunk and drove over there. They did not have what I was looking for, but there was this 329PD in the used case on consignment for $1100.

That price was about $100 better than I've seen on gunbroker, and that's not counting another $150-$200 in taxes, fees, shipping, and transfer. I thought about it for a bit, but didn't think there was any way that a couple of .22 Rifles and a PX4 could get me close to that. I'd also heard some horror stories about bullets jumping crimp, hard extraction, eroding titanium cylinders, and not to mention brutal recoil.

On the other hand, I just bought tickets for Alaska last week, so we're going back, and this thing is lighter and gives me more barrel length and thus better ballistic performance than my Model 69. The counter guy wasn't busy so I had him get it out. Looking it over, it had obviously been used, and a couple of the screws were lightly buggered, but overall it seemed sound. It has a pretty nice trigger, good lockup, and the cylinder spins freely. I decided to bring out the trade fodder and see how close I could get. It was way closer than I thought, so it came home with us.



It was 2 degrees out with a wind chill of -17 today, but I just had to take it to the range. I wasn't really sure what to expect...for all I knew my frozen bones were going to shatter under recoil when I pulled the trigger! Honestly, it really wasn't that bad. It's not .38 wadcutters, but it's manageable and not really any worse than my 2 3/4" Model 69 (I brought that one along to compare). Accuracy was decent, with 3 rounds through almost one hole at 10 yards and the other three in the 10-ring. Would have probably been even better if I was a bit more recoil tolerant and it wasn't so freaking cold. I did confirm that the trigger guard is plenty big enough for shooting while wearing insulated gloves, though!

I was shooting a couple of my hotter .44 Mag reloads (nothing crazy, but not plinking rounds, either), and there were no issues with extraction or crimp-jump. I already had some Underwood ammo on the way to do some testing with the Model 69, so I'll run some through this one as well when it gets here to see if there are any issues with that. It'll probably be a bit hotter than my stuff.



A couple of things I've noticed:

1. I'm going to have to let go of my OCD with this gun because I can't use the chemicals or abrasive brushes that I typically use on steel guns on that Titanium cylinder. I'll probably stick to jacketed ammo to help with that. Anybody have any tips for safely and thoroughly cleaning a titanium cylinder?

2. The v-notch rear sight isn't my favorite, but it works. I have a spare square-notch blade, but I've never changed an S&W rear sight blade before, and the video I found made the process appear rather...destructive. I'll probably just leave it alone for now. It seemed to shoot accurate enough.

3. These grips have gotta go. They're not uncomfortable but they're unnecessarily large, and extend way past the bottom of the frame. There's about an inch of wasted space below the bottom of my hand. The gun doesn't fit in my "medium" HPG kit bag as-is, but I think it will if I can shave the unnecessary length off the grip. Unfortunately, Hogue doesn't make the same style of rubber bantam grips for the N-Frame that I bought for my L-Frame 69. Anybody have any suggestions for a smaller, preferably synthetic, grip for one of these? I'm not opposed to modifying them a bit if I have to... particularly if they're not too expensive.

PS: 2000-Z71, I blame you for all of this!!!

Those look like S&W X Frame grips. They are reputed to be the best grip for comfortable use of the 329.

Nice pick up! I’ve always liked the looks of those.

Friend at work bought one with the pretty wood grips... Shot two rounds out of it then sold it. 1st shot he thought he might have been holding it wrong. 2nd shot proved he wasn't holding it wrong and it just sucked to shoot because it was so damn light. I "almost" bought it from him (at a discount) because it's IS a handsome revolver, but nah, I don't want to beat my hands all up..

quote:

Originally posted by arfmel:
Those look like S&W X Frame grips. They are reputed to be the best grip for comfortable use of the 329.

Be that want it may, they're too darn big. I spent some time on the internet last night, and the options for N-Frame grips are nowhere near as abundant as K/L frame. Supposedly the X-Frame actually shares the grip profile of the K/Ls, so the N-Frame is kinda out there all by itself.

quote:

Friend at work bought one with the pretty wood grips...

Mine came with a set of those as well. I tried putting them on just to see...no way no how am I shooting it with those. They appear to be S&W branded Altmonts, and in true Altmont fashion, they've got a lot of hard corners and sharp edges. They also don't fit the frame very well. They're proud in spots and short in others. I might be willing to try it with a properly blended and fitted set of wood grips that actually mate up to the contours of the frame, but that's not what these are at all. IMO rubber makes more sense on this gun, and although I do prefer the appearance of wood on a traditional revolver, I don't think rubber looks out of place on the matte black scandium guns.

I dug through my parts bin and came up with a few sets of K-Frame grips that I'm going to see if I can get to work. If not, I found a set of Pachmayrs online that I may be able to do something with after a bit of surgery. The problem with the Hogues is that they all appear to attach via a screw at the bottom, and that's exactly what I need to shave off. If they'd just make the Bantam grip for the N-Frame like they do for the K-Frame, my problem would be solved.

quote:

Originally posted by arfmel:
Those look like S&W X Frame grips. They are reputed to be the best grip for comfortable use of the 329.

The grips in the pic are the factory hard rubber/plastic grips . The X Frame grips are much better than those .

92fstech-
I just went through your grip malady with my 610.
Discovered Pachmayr Diamond Pro grips and surprisingly, they work pretty well. The best part is they cover the backstrap and cushion it.
https://www.lymanproducts.com/...s/diamond-pro-series

Mine is an N frame, 627 Pro, I bought the Hogue Overmolded (?). I believe that is what they are called. Came with finger grooves, I just sanded it down till the dimensions were more to my liking. I went slow and it turned out fine. The wood grips look great but man do they suck to shoot compared to the rubber.

quote:

Originally posted by VictimNoMore:
92fstech-
I just went through your grip malady with my 610.
Discovered Pachmayr Diamond Pro grips and surprisingly, they work pretty well. The best part is they cover the backstrap and cushion it.
https://www.lymanproducts.com/...s/diamond-pro-series

I saw those online and they really do look like the best option out there right now. They're a bit longer than I want, but I might be able to shave the base down some. How do they attach to the frame? There's nothing structural out the bottom is there?

Currently I'm playing with a set of Pachmayr Compacts that I got a while back for a K-Frame. Trouble is, they didn't fit the K-Frame properly either (even though they were supposed to). The front strap won't close up, even with the screw torqued down tight. With the larger N-Frame, the problem is understandably even worse. I contacted Pachmayr about it and they sent me a second set for free, which also didn't fit. So they've sat in the parts bin for a few years.



I'm thinking I might be able to trim or grind down the insides to relieve them a bit and get them to close. If I can they'd be about perfect. They are just the right length, have a cushioned backstrap, fill the hand nicely, and have a nice solid feel to them. But they won't work if they won't close around the frame.



The factory grips are stupid. Why they would build a lightweight gun with a nice svelte round butt and stick giant faux-square-butt grips on it I don't understand. I maybe get it for a target gun, but this thing is for hikers and backpackers. They're not uncomfortable...maybe a little thin...just way too big.

quote:

Mine is an N frame, 627 Pro, I bought the Hogue Overmolded (?). I believe that is what they are called. Came with finger grooves, I just sanded it down till the dimensions were more to my liking. I went slow and it turned out fine. The wood grips look great but man do they suck to shoot compared to the rubber.

How do those Hogues attach? From what I can tell they have a bracket that extends off the base of the frame that the grips then screw into. If that's the case, I don't think they'll solve my problem, but if I'm wrong about that they could be a good option.

When I had a 329, I put Pachmayr Decelerator grips on it, very good grips for heavy recoiling revolvers.

quote:

Originally posted by Nick B:
The grips in the pic are the factory hard rubber/plastic grips . The X Frame grips are much better than those .

I stand corrected. That’s what I get for looking at the picture on a cellphone screen.

Yes, the X Frame grips are better. They are probably going to be “too big” for the OP’s purposes, too.

I don’t much like the factory X Frame grips size or appearance, but I have them on my 329 because they work well.

Tried repeatedly to post a picture of my ugly 329 with X Frame grip but Postimages refused to cooperate.

“How do those Hogues attach? From what I can tell they have a bracket that extends off the base of the frame that the grips then screw into.”

Yeah that’s how they attach. I’m pretty sure Hogue makes the S&W factory X Frame grip.

Welcome to the club!

Like you it was a gun I never intended to buy but has become one of my most carried revolvers when out and about here in Alaska. I blame Canada for forcing me to buy it. A few years back I was planning on being part of a Brown Bear photography trip with a group to Haines, Alaska. In order to drive to Haines, one has to clip off a corner of Canada and then re-enter Alaska. At the time Canada prohibited anything that had less than a 4.1" barrel. My 629 Mountain Gun was 4.0" even and I couldn't bring it.

Originally started shopping for a Smith 69 with the 4.125" barrel and the staff at Wild West Guns convinced me to go with the 329 instead. Started talking and one thing led to another and I got a good deal on a package of a new 329 with Hi Viz fiber optic sights and a set of Hogue X-Tamer grips. The Hogue grips work very well, they mount with a stirrup that uses the pin at the bottom of the grip frame.

Experiment with different loads in it and see what works. I'm really hating the fact my reloading setup is still sitting in a container in Phoenix, I would love to tailor a load for my 329. Both the Underwood 305gr hardcast and 220gr Xtreme Penetrator loads failed to extract in mine. With both of those loads the empty cases had to be hammered out with a punch and brass hammer. Not good, effectively leaving me with 6 shots and a rock to throw in the field. Both of these loads work fine in my 629 Mountain Gun. The recoil on the 220gr. load is considerably less than the 305gr load. The difference was barely being able to fire a cylinder of the 305gr load through my 329 due to the pain of recoil vs. being able to more effectively control recoil and fire several cylinders of the 220gr load.

For quite a while I carried the Federal Premium 280gr Swift A-Frame load in the 329. If functioned without issue. I would rather carry with a hardcast load, but my thinking was the A-Frame would hold together and still provide penetration. This is what I carried when weight was a consideration, like when I was carrying a lot of camera gear. Otherwise I stuck with my 629 Mountain Gun and a hardcast load.

Then I discovered Grizzly Cartridge Company and their 260gr hardcast load. It functions without issue in my 329. Recoil is still stiff but nowhere near what the 305gr loads are. It has become the combination I carry the most here when out and about. I have not tried any of the Buffalo Bore offerings, I had bad experiences with them in 10mm with primers being blown out. I do have a stash of my handloads from my Cowboy Action Shooting days of a 240gr. hardcast at 950fps, it is a good controllable practice round making recoil very manageable.

Yes, the cylinder is a bitch to clean and always looks dirty. I use M Pro 7 which is what I typically use. Still considering having the whole gun Cerakoted. The upsides are it would make cleaning easier and it might provide a slicker surface in the chambers allowing for easier extraction. The downside is I wonder if the extra thickness of the coating might make extraction issues even more difficult.

Holsters;

Chest carry, Diamond D Guide's Choice.
https://www.diamonddcustomleat...choice-chest-holster

Cross Draw, Mernickle Leather Field Carry Cross Draw. Yes, I had to get the bear paw carved into mine just because it looked cool. Cannot say enough good things about this holster, typically how I carry a full sized N-Frame. The angle is closer to horizontal than most cross draw holsters and makes concealed carry under an untucked shirt very easy.
https://www.mernickleholsters....w-Holster-p211264600

Safepacker, kind of a specialty when one worries about tree huggers and tourists freaking out. Usually not the case in Alaska, but this is still an option. A holster that doesn't look like a holster, just another piece of gear on your belt or your bag.
https://www.thewilderness.com/...concealment-holster/

I remember you saying you had some extraction problems with yours, but I couldn't remember what load. The stuff I ordered last week (before I even knew I was buying this) is the Underwood 255GR Hard Cast Keith SWC. It's not the 305s, but it still ought to be pretty stout. We'll see how my gun handles it. My original goal was to do some penetration testing out of the 69 and compare it to the 255gr .45 ACP+P load, but now I'll have an extra data set to test with the 4" barrel.

My plan is to chronograph everything and get a benchmark, then try to replicate it (or at least get reasonably close) with handloads because I can't afford to keep buying this boutique stuff all the time. And it is nice to have the ability to tweak it some, because reliable extraction is a must.

In my reading today I found that some people had success getting the Pachmayr grip to tighten up by heating it up. I have a toaster oven and a heat gun...I think that might be the project for this evening. If I could get that grip to fit I'd be thrilled. Apparently they used to make a version specifically for the N-Frame, but discontinued it for some reason.

That picture of your 329 sure looks like both of my X frame guns as far as the grip frame shape. Can't tell about the dimensions.
The factory X frame grips are supposed to have some super cushioning recoil absorbing material along the covered backstrap.
If the X frame grips fit your 329, I don't believe anything on the market will be as soft shooting. Both factory grips attach with a bottom of the grip sheet metal stirrup.

Here is a non Performance Center model. (this one is sold, or I would ship you the grips to try)

Beauty & the Beast 002 by cee_Kamp 32ACP, on Flickr

Performance Center model.
(I guess if you really wanted to see if they fit the 329, I could ship the grips to you to see if they fit the 329. I won't need them for months)

IMG_20190405_101541167 by cee_Kamp 32ACP, on Flickr

The grips with the stirrup have an additional useful feature. You can attach a sling swivel to the bottom of the grip, or swap it out for a flat screw.

Thanks for the offer, I really appreciate it, but I think I've got the Pachmayrs to work. I milled them out some with a Dremel then heated them up and stretched them over the frame, and strapped some big rubber bands and clamps around them as the cooled. The front seam has closed up quite a bit, to the point that it's acceptable, and could probably be even better with a small bead of super glue (although you'd need solvent to separate it again if you wanted to remove the grips). I'm going to give it a try at the range this weekend, but I think I have a workable solution.

Those are some awesome X-Frames. I love that snubby 500. I'll bet the muzzle blast is impressive!

Yes they attach via that stirrup setup mentioned above. I am pretty sure the N frame has a round butt. It attaches via that pin at the bottom, I am not sure sure but I am pretty sure it would work fine. That's probably not much help. Pretty gun. Looks painful. I'm more of a heavy Redhawk guy in 44, somewhat of a puss I am. lol

Awesome piece, I love mine. It's been to Alaska twice and accompanies me into the Wyoming backcountry routinely. 2 things (sorry if these have been mentioned already):

1. Get yourself a pair of the factory X-frame rubber grips. The difference in recoil is night and day.

2. If you don't handload, pick up a few boxes of Buffalo Bore's 255 grain hardcast lower-recoil stuff (these). BB designed this load specifically for the 329PD, in order to eliminate the well-known problems with bullets jumping the crimp and jamming the cylinder.

Then, shoot 'til you're comfortable with it, stick it in a GFI or Diamond D chest rig, and carry with confidence.

92fstech-
The Pachmayr Diamond Pro grips do away with the metal lug and threaded screw on the bottom that the factory grips have. Instead, they have a threaded screw and female threads on the left side grip, screw goes across the grip from one side to the other.
The Diamond Pros are very tight fitting, but once they are on … they’re ON.
Best $30 I’ve spent recently.

I ordered a set of the Diamond Pros, too, just to see if they will fit a little better. I also may be able to shorten them a bit if necessary due to the attachment method being a cross-pin rather than the tire up and stud at the bottom of the grip that that Hoge "Monogrip" uses. $28 and supposedly Amazon is going to have them here tomorrow...figure they're worth trying.

I popped the Hoge Bantams off my Model 69 last night just to see how they would fit. They match the bottom of the grip perfectly but start to dip inward up near the top of the backstrap because the "hump" on the N-Frame sticks out about 1/4" further than the K/Ls. They fit the gun securely but I think that protruding upper portion of the backstrap would beat the hell out of your hand. Hogue, if you're listening, you need to make a version of that excellent grip design for the N-Frame!

Only have one word to say about this:

OUCH