[357-8-times]

Your experiences? Can it be shot accurately?

Do you know of any currently-available handgun that has more recoil?

Just for laughs: If cost of ammo was no factor, would you plink with it? :)

[357-8-times]

Also, if anyone knows, how does it compare to the 28 Oz. Taurus 444MULTI?

[BMW2]

My experiance with it was shooting it with 240gr. jhp's felt like shooting my stainles 629 with 305 buffalo bore hardcasts. It's not unmanagable but it does sting. Burn the wood grips:what:

[357-8-times]

Burn the wood gripsLMAO

Anyone else can report on their experience shooting one of these?

[dairycreek]

Had one but got rid of it. Shooting it was not a problem. Recoil? Of course but it was not unmanageable just really hefty. The lock on it kept freezing when shooting. Sent it back to S&W for repair - twice:mad: Came back "fixed" twice. Still slipped into the locked position and froze there when shooting factory stuff. Gave up on it and sold it.

[Seven For Sure]

Sold it to someone huh? That's why I will never buy a used gun. I would have demanded S&W give me my money back or give me credit towards another gun for every penny I paid for that one. Including tax.

[Master Blaster]

That's why I will never buy a used gun.

He bought it new and still had problems. The person he sold it to will send it back to S&W and they will fix it just like if it was a new one.

The difference is the second buyer Knew about the problem and got a discount.

Most used guns simply aren't shot by their owner who has most likely already debugged them.

[Jim Watson]

They wouldn't or couldn't fix it for dairycreek, why would they treat the second sucker any better?

[357-8-times]

Wow, your experience is not exactly making me run out and buy the thing, jeewhiz that stinks!

[Seven For Sure]

This gun locks up when I shoot factory 240's, wanna buy it?


Sure, I'm an idiot. You told me it went back twice and still malfunctions, I'll take it.




I highly doubt the sale went like that. Not to mention S&W only offers free shipping to the original buyer. Again, who the hell would buy a gun that is most likely used for four legged animal protection far from where your vehicle won't/can't go? Please.

[Seven For Sure]

I wanted to make a few corrections. He did'nt say it locked up from factory 240's.

What I meant to say was who would buy a gun that is used most likely in a life and death situation knowing it has been sent back twice and still locks up.

This thing is not for plinking. Because of the the recoil and the cost of ammunition.

[44and45]

Let me get this straight, it was a S&W revolver??? And it went back to the factory twice to get the lock thingy fixed...and it didn't get fixed, so you sold it to some other sucker????????

Sounds normal to me.

I guess the Taurus 444 never got a try either.


Jim

[Timor]

Your experiences? Can it be shot accurately?
Do you know of any currently-available handgun that has more recoil?
Just for laughs: If cost of ammo was no factor, would you plink with it?

It's at least as accurate as I am (which ain't much SIGH)

Heck yes, the scandium frame 357 snubbies. They are brutal.

Yes, but only 44 spls or cowboy loads.

[Bullet Bob]

I don't know if anyone wants this thread back on track, but here's my take on mine.

Shot one cylinder full of 240 grain factory .44 magnums, just to say I did it - wouldn't want to do it a lot.

Usually use enough Winchester 231 to get a hard-cast lead 240 grain bullet to make about 900 fps, it's a great walking-around gun. Of course, we don't have grizzlies in NC either! Didn't think I'd like the fiber optic front sight, but you can really see that bad boy in the gloaming of the evening, or in the woods.

I don't shoot it much, I have other magnums for general purpose fun. Like all of my S&W's of any caliber, it works great as far as accuracy and function. Here's a picture of just the .44 magnum guys - it's obviously the one on the left:

http://fototime.com/7BBA7EE1D96B71D/standard.jpg

[markmc753]

I bought the 444 Multi as a pack gun and particularly to go along on a kayaking expedition through Grizzly country...

I have about 150 rounds of 44 mag and 50 of specials through it and have been very surprised with how comfortable and extremely accurate it is

[Confederate]

The S&W 329 is a great "bear" gun. As the old saying goes, if you're attacked by a bear, shoot yourself with it!

Years ago I had a two-shot .357 derringer. It was a solid block of steel with two holes drilled to drop the rounds into. The trick when using full mag ammo was catching the gun on its way back down. I imagine with a little practice I could have caught it, cocked it and fired it again, all in one quick motion, but the damn thing would go click on the second chamber more often than not. Still it was funny to watch other people try to handle the recoil when it went "click" on the other chamber. I mean, the gun wouldn't go off, but people would flinch like it had! All you had to do was cock and pull the trigger twice to get another shot at the still unfired .357. Often I was thinking, "Oh, please let it not go off!"

Why beat up yourself and the gun. The 639 can't possibly handle repeated firings very long, I wouldn't think. It's like a beautiful gal and pizza. She may get away with eating one every now and then, but if she makes a steady diet of it, her...um...frame will go to hell!

Why put yourself through that? Just curious....

[Gordon]

This though, at 36 Oz and NO lock, works very well:

http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i203/gordonhulme/P1010499.jpg

[shooter429]

The model 329 is just such a contrast. Nicely balanced, good sights and sweet to carry on the hip all day-that is the beauty of her. The beast emerges when you drop the hammer on a +P bear load. God help you if you don't have a glove on. It actually hurts-like smacking an Oak tree with an aluminum bat. Oh and as a bonus I experienced the dreaded ILIF under bear-load recoil. What a monster. I got rid of my beast and replaced her with a Redhawk. Will likely go back to a 629 in all stainless soon though.

I got ILIFs with several full power loads and after inadequate response from Smith, fixed it myself. The only fix is, of course modification or removal of the device.

I know of nothing in handgunning that is as brutal as that combination. I have heard that 700 grain 500 S&W will wake you up, but have yet to try them for myself.

Since I cannot trust a gun that seizes up from recoil, I cannot recommend this gun to anybody.

Good luck

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e339/shooter429/PDlowres.jpg

[jhark123]

I have the 329. The lock flag would move partially under heavy recoil. I took it back to the shop I got it from (Federal Way Discount Guns) and the gunsmith tightened up the lock spring. I haven't had any problems since. I have probably put 150 full power load through it and some .44 spec also. I am planing on putting a burris fastfire red dot on it for a back up and highcountry deer gun.

[paul105]

Over the course of the last year, I've shot over 6,000 rounds of .44 loads (240 to 260gr at 1,100 to 1,250 fps) thru two 329s. I have the S&W 500 grips on mine. I can't even shoot .44 specials comfortably with the wood grips that come with the gun (the bone at the base of my thumb gets hammered unmercifully -- other's experiences will differ).

I've also shot a few 325gr WLNGCs from Beartooth bullets at a chronoed 1,060 fps -- they are a hand full.

To me, the Scandium/Titantium .357s are much more uncomfortable to shoot.

I have a Freedom Arms .475 Linebaugh that, for me anyway, is more comfortable to shoot than the 329 with Magnum Ammo.

I happen to like the Fiber Optic front -- would prefer a square notch rear, but get along fine with the "V" rear. This is my woods gun and I carry it all day everyday, and the hi visability front is just what I want for less than perfect light conditions and reasonably short distances.

With all that said, this gun is a pretty specialized piece of equipment. If you don't shoot a lot (a probably even if you do), you won't like the recoil of magnum rounds (anything over 260gr or 1,000 fps).

If you plan on using the 329 for personal protection (bear gun or other), you need to read this link carefully.

http://smith-wessonforum.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/500103904/m/228102718

Paul

[Evyl Robot]

I rented one of these at the local range. I put two cylinders through it of 240-Gr JHP's. It had the wooden grips on it. I had heard horror stories about this gun, and it really wasn't that big a deal. It snapped a lot harder than the 500Mag, in my experience, but it was not the proverbial "drop a sledge hammer on your hand six times" like I had heard from others. Granted, I wouldn't want to take it to an event where I would put 500+ rounds through it on the weekend, or I would have felt like somebody had beat me with a 2x4, but it was very manageable for the twelve shots. It was accurate enough, but I have to admit that I was flinching a little when shooting it. After all of the pain that I had heard of on this thing, I couldn't really help but have a little flinch. I'm glad that I had the opportunity to fire it, but I won't be buying one of these anytime soon. Carrying a 48-oz gun doesn't wear me out, and they are a lot more comfortable to shoot.

[357-8-times]

I found something bound to kick more than the 329:

American Derringer Model 1 .44 Rem Mag Pistol (http://www.genitron.com/HandgunDB/nfdetails.asp?ID=192)
15 oz, 3 in barrel

http://www.genitron.com/HandgunDB/resize.asp?path=D:\hshome\dsmith\genitron.com\HandgunDB\Images\Amder-Model1.jpg&width=320

[Gator]

If it didn't have the lock I'd buy one. I've heard it is a dandy .44 Spl. ;)

[Bullet Bob]

"I've heard it is a dandy .44 Spl"
_____________________________________

Exactamundo! And there's no flies on the Special.

[Evyl Robot]

You can remove the lock, though. I think I may have to get with the local machine shop and work out a blank kit to plug the lock and flag holes. ...this sounds like another thread...