Need a backpacking gun: 44 mag, 30oz max, is the 329PD the only option?

[NMGonzo]

I know how heavy is to carry a full size .44 and a back pack.

But I do have a problem shooting .44 out of a gun that weighs less than a flip flop.

 

[BigN]

Taurus Tracker in 44 mag fits the bill. Loud, hard kicking, light and accurate. Fun to shoot (just cover your ears.) Whoops, I see you don't like the Taurus. Well, I've had good experience with them so far but you don't like what you don't like. I understand that...

 

[Cemo]

The Ruger Alaskan in .44 mag at 45 oz might be a better option as the extra weight would allow for much needed quick multiple shots against a determined bear or multiple two-legged creatures. It is also available in the more powerful .454 Casull which would allow shooting the .45 Colt when maximum energy is not needed. Just a thought.

 

[jtwodogs]

Go with as light of a pistol as you want. Strap on a Houge monogrip. Keep your practice sessions short (So you don't develop a flinch). When and if push comes to shove, you will never notice the recoil.

 

[CraigC]

I guess I just don't understand how folks think they can buy the lightest .44Mag possible, "carry it much and shoot it little" and expect to be able to accomplish anything with it. I've been shooting the .44Mag for 20yrs. I own more .44Mag's than any other centerfire cartridge and the 40oz 629MG is the lightest .44Mag I want to shoot. All handguns are a compromise but carrying a heavy recoiling .44 that you don't want to shoot enough to be proficient with is a waste. Not carrying a sixgun that is heavy enough to become proficient with because of a few ounces is equally silly. So the question you have to ask yourself is, is giving up proficiency for comfort worth the risk to my life and limb? You may be better off with a light sixgun in a smaller chambering that you can shoot enough to become proficient with.

 

[CSA 357]

i would rather carry the extra weight i understand the easy carry of a light wt revolver but if my life was on the line i dont want a light wt 44 mag i have never shot the 329 but have shot 3 4 and 6 inch 29s with full power loads and dont think the 329 would be easy to control under a bear attack.

 

[ECVMatt]

I know that you are asking about a Revolver, but I am going to recommend a Glock as well. I would look at the 20 or the 29. Both should be close to your weight needs and with Double Tap ammo, they are decently powerful. They are both relatively easy to shoot and hold lots of ammo. I carry one in the woods and love it. I often forget it is there. I also carry a Ruger SP101 and 4" Redhawk. I much prefer the Glock 20.

Good Luck with your choice and practice as much as ppssible.

 

[roscoe]

THis is a pretty funny thread:
OP - "I want a $600 dollar car that goes to 100 in 6 seconds."
Post 1- "Well, that is tough, how about something realistic? Here are some reasonable alternatives from experienced folk . . ."
OP - "Mods, close this thread - I said $600 and 100 miles an hour!"

 

[batmann]

For less money, very little weight increase and a lot more fun to shoot, go with a 629 Mountain Gun. Mine weights in at about 39oz empty and with the X frame Hogues, can shoot most loads without problems.

 

[S&Wfan]

Mods you can close this thread. This, of course turned into a caliber discussion. I give up. Its gone so off topic that there is no point in continuing with the conversation.

You are correct. There's no point in trying to help you. You want the impossible in a gun and you won't listen to those with experience. Luckily, there's good news. There's a company out there that will make such an item . . . and commissioned sales sluts out there who will sell you one, so go for it.

In the meantime, I'd recommend hiring a good instructor to teach you how to shoot. If you lived in my area I could teach you to shoot extremely well . . . if you would listen.

Another option? I assume you are planning to hike by yourself. Instead, find someone to go with you . . . someone who can shoot well, and let that guy tote a practical gun.

Good luck, whatever you decide.

 

[MovedWest]

Like some have already said, a light 44 mag HURTS to fire. Consider a heavier pistol or a lighter caliber. Good luck in your choice!

-MW

 

[FTG-05]

The 329PD is my next gun purchase. I plan to carry it CCW in Alabama and TN after I get my Utah CCW license here the next couple of weeks.

I just got rid of my 629-3 with it's 6 1/2" barrel. Great gun to shoot, excellent example of a gun I don't want to carry, at all. The 329 will be on my hip, the 629-3, not so much.

Good luck.

 

[dawei]

Need a backpacking gun: 44 mag, 30oz max, is the 329PD the only option?
Hey all. Im looking for a 3 - 4 inch barrel 44 Mag that wont be more than around 30 oz empty. I dont want anything as short as a 2.5" and anything longer than 4" is just too much, since some areas I backpack in, the gun needs to be concealed, which I do fine in a small lumbar packs, which is just a bit bigger than the standard fanny pack. I just fit a gun with the dimensions of the 329PD . I'll be using this gun in the North East from PA to ME and in AK, primarily Denali. The gun is going to be one that will be carried a lot and shot a little. Its just for personal defense from large 4 legged critters.

Ive had w 357s below 2.5" barrels and I am not a fan due to my ability to be accurate with them. I know some of you may be deadly accurate with those 2.5" but I am just not a fan so please dont try to convince me...been there done that.

The only gun Ive come across that fits the bill is the 329PD, which fits the bill in all areas, but it is a little lighter than I need and an extra 5 oz would surely make a difference in recoil, not to mention that it is quite expensive. S&Ws other 44 mags are just too heavy to be worth while carrying day in and day out for many miles. Ive looked at ruger and they dont make anything that works either. Ive had too many problems with Taurus revolvers over the years, so they are not in the running.

Is my only option given my going to be the 329PD? I currently carry a gun that is 33 oz fully loaded and its manageable, but I do not want to go any heavier. Yes, I know people say oh its only a few ounces, you wont notice, but I have to shed ounces everywhere I can or else before yo know it its pounds of extra weight. Remember, this is a gun that will be carried a lot and used very little, so while its a priority, it certainly isnt one of the top priorities when it comes to allowing extra weight.

Any options I may have over looked in 44 mag (and only the 44 mag, please dont turn this into a caliber debate)? Thanks.

At 28oz and with a 4" barrel, THIS fits your parameters EXACTLY! Comes with a LIFETIME WARRANTY - NEW OR USED!!!!!

 

[DC Plumber]

Lots of interesting replies and suggestions. I think the funniest one is from fmcdave where he recommends carrying a light handgun and just using it to shoot yourself. That actually might be the best answer. Hearing that a grizzly can kill and elk with one swipe of it's paw, there isn't a lot of room for error. Maybe just hike with someone who is a bad sprinter and just try to outrun him if the bear comes after you.

I have shot a 329 with 310g loads which I think were from Corbon. I honestly think that they slapped my hand with more force than my Alaskan with 240g XTP's over 30g of 2400, which were going around 1300fps. I doubt I'll ever hike where there are grizzlies. I bought the Alaskan for fun. If I had a grizzly charge, I'd probably crap my pants and pass out, who knows.

I'd actually like to hear from someone who has seriously had a grizzly charge them and were able to kill it with a handgun in self defense. Not sneaking up on it and killing it, but actually killing a charging ticked off grizzly.

Anyone?

 

[Wolfeye]

I'd actually like to hear from someone who has seriously had a grizzly charge them and were able to kill it with a handgun in self defense. Not sneaking up on it and killing it, but actually killing a charging ticked off grizzly.

I'll try to chime in on this without straying too far from the topic...

I doubt many guys could answer truthfully that they've had to shoot a grizzly with a handgun in self-defense. I'm a hiker who grew up in Alaska, and I've never had a bear charge me. The number of times a year that an outdoorsman needs to shoot a charging bear is virtually nil; the closest I've come is being there when someone had to shoot a .357 at a pack of wild dogs.

Even though I've never been charged when hiking, I've packed either a big handgun or a hunting rifle plenty of times, just in case. At the end of every single trip that I did so, I grumbled that I carried all that weight & bulk for nothing. For a while, this made guns like the 329PD very appealing, though I never bought one. Holding one for the first time changed my mind.

As I became more mature, I realized something: I wasn't really packing a big gun for bear protection. I was carrying a big gun because it's what macho outdoorsmen do. Bears are just the excuse.

When I realized that, it completely changed the way I protect myself when hiking. Being prepared for the given trip is a big issue, first and foremost. Minimizing weight is the second big issue. Keeping these two realities in mind, I've settled on carrying bear spray for animals and a small aluminum-framed .38 for personal protection.

Why? These weigh next to nothing; together, they may even weigh less than the 329. I can shoot a small .38 better than I ever will with an ultralight .44 magnum, effectively making it a better choice for personal protection for myself. And if you ask any park ranger, they would probably tell you that bear spray does its job better than any handgun will.

Are these tools macho like a .44 revolver? No. I've given up that claim. But they get the job done. And as a hiker, I've been quite happy with my choice.

Although the original poster appears to be unhappy with the advice offered, I'll answer anyway: no, there are no other .44's that fit those criteria. S&W has that niche covered, and they can keep it.

 

[S&Wfan]

Great post Wolfeye . . . dead on!

 

[Prosser]

You know what a brown bear calls pepper spray?

"Seasoning!"

 

[Armored farmer]

I think wolfeye has the perfect solution.
Pepper spray for bears(maybe the two legged kind too)......a light trail gun of your choice for whatever else.

 

[drbeans]

I think this thread has been beat to death, but heres my two cents anyway.

I was in your same position. Looking for a very light and powerful pistol for backpacking. I am actually still looking for the perfect option, but I dont think it exists. Common sense in regards to operating in the woods is probably the best defense, but lets talk about guns anyway.

I carry a SP101 with Buffalo Bore 180 grain loads in a front backpack waist strap pocket or chest mount holster. I shoot it regularly, and try to imagine how I would shoot it in a panic bear situation (fast). Who knows if this will help in reality, but what can you do. When I am car camping with the family, its the 12 gauge 870 over my shoulder. I can get 5 shells downrange very fast, and very accurate with this setup. I wish I could carry it on backpacking trips.

I figure, beyond these steps its not going to get much better.

 

[Scipio Africanus]

Yes.

 

[friscolatchi]

I spent the past 20 mins reading this thread and Mr Wolfeye has it right! I use the the bear excuse to justify the purchase of a particular handgun. My lovely wife has a, how can I say, Bear Phobia?. "Honey, I could really use a new (fill in the blanks) and it would be just the ticket for when we go to (fill in the blanks). I was planning a trip one time to the Winds and discussed packing my 629 Mountain gun with the outfitter. The outfitter told me to bring it and to save the last shot for myself.

 

[DougB]

I have a Taurus Tracker .44 and am very happy with it. This model comes with a ported barrel, soft rubber grips, and weight a little more than the 329PD (but much less than most other .44s). I don't find the recoil bad at all. I have one of the S&W Scandium .357s (about 13 oz I think), and it has a much nastier kick in my experience. I think the Taurus Tracker .44 is a good option for someone who wants to carry a .44 in the outdoors. It also costs about half as much as the S&W. Someone posted about another new Taurus .44 that weighs even less than the Tracker - I hadn't heard of it before, but it also looks like a viable option.