Is this the one gun that could "do it all"!!!

[shanewomer]

O.K., check this out!

I went to the store today and held an S&W 329-PD for the first time. Wow, I was impressed. It is sooooo light. Amazing. The wooden grips were on it, and they felt good too.

I am wondering if there is any reason why this gun couldn't do it all.

I suppose it wouldn't be good for Cowboy Action Shooting, and I'm sure the recoil must be a killer, but besides that, let's look at the 3 popular things discussed for a gun that can "do it all".

#1. Personal defense. A 44 mag? I don't see why not. I think I could defend myself pretty good with a double action, 4" barrel, 44 mag.
(And not just against the 2-legged kind either. This should even suffice for bear protection, at-least moderately.)

#2. Hunting. O.K., it may be a little short of a barrel, but still, it's a .44 mag, couldn't you hunt deer with it, even if it wasn't the greatest hunting gun? I would think it could get the job done, maybe just not real long range. I don't know.

#3. All day carry... Yes. I'm telling you, this thing is light!!! It's a little large maybe, but the weight wouldn't be a problem. And with winter coming up, it would dissappear in a jacket.

Also, you could put .44 specials in it too, if you needed something with a lighter punch.

What do you all think of the S&W Airlites?

Thanks, Shane

[DPris]

Hi Shane,
You know, you really already have a reasonably good "bear" gun in your .44 Magnum Bisley. It's rugged, accurate enough, plenty durable, hefty enough to handle recoil well, and the Bisley grips are noticeably better at handling heavy recoil than the standard SA grips.
Aside from that, the gun you're talking about is a great carrier, but you will not shoot it much with magnum ammo.
I have fired several lightweight alu/scan/tanium revolvers in lesser calibers, the recoil in a lightweight .38 can be overmuch for some, the lightweight .357s are a major handful, and the gun you're proposing is literally painful to fire. You're right about the recoil, it is a killer at both ends. 6-12 rounds in the bare hand is the most I've ever heard of anybody shooting it in one session, without going to shooting gloves, and even then it's not pleasant.
For bear it's marginal, depending on ammunition and the size of the bear. You can do better with your Ruger or an all-steel Smith.
For hunting, where you might only fire one shot, it can handle deer easily if you can get close enough to hit them. In this case, inside 50 yards, I'd think.
For all-day carry, it's great.
For self-defense, you'd have to go with .44 Specials, and most of those factory loads are pretty watered down today. Full-bore .44 Mags, even in the relatively light Silvertips, will bounce you all over the place, require much more recovery time to regain your sights on follow-up shots, and will likely give you a very fine flinch. You'd also have to switch back & forth on your sight settings.
I have an Airlight-Ti in .38 Special, it's a great pocket gun for occasions where carrying my .45 doesn't work.
Shane, may I suggest you try for two guns? Get yourself a decent revolver for people, in .38 or .357, and get yourself a bigger bore for your bear trips. One gun for both is not going to work equally well across the board. Enough gun for bear is too much for people, enough gun for people is too little for bear.
Maybe decide which one would fill your most pressing need & get that one first? If you spend more time around people, get the defensive gun first. If you spend more time around bears then get the bear gun first.
If you want that lightweight S&W .44 Magnum as a "cool" gun, by all means go for it. If you want it as a practical gun, you might want to pass on it. It's really a niche gun for experienced shooters, and I don't think it's a good choice for you.
Denis

[shanewomer]

Denis,
It would mostly be for carrying around for fun. I doubt I will ever need to shoot a bear, or cougar, but it would be more for that, than people. I don't even carry a gun around when I go out around people. I really wouldn't want to have to shoot anyone. But if someone broke into my house, etc... and I ended up in a situation where I had to use it for self defense against people, it would be able to get the job done.

Besides, I have another gun. As much as I like revolvers, I also have a Glock model 21, .45 ACP, that would make a great defense gun if needed.

I don't do a lot of hunting either. This gun would mostly be for carrying around the woods all day, just in case, for wild animals. That's why I was thinking this 329-PD would be good for me, since it's powerful, yet light weight, and not that large with only a 4" barrel.

I was just wondering how it would suffice in other areas too. It would be nice to know I could hunt deer with it too, but I can see how that would not be the best option in that scenario. Oh well. It would be fun to try though. And then I would be able to say I got a deer with a 4" barrel. eh?

Still, since the last time I went deer hunting was about 3 years ago, do you think this 329-PD would make a good gun to carry around all day in the woods.

Are the Airlites going to fall apart if I put too many rounds through them for fun, or is the Scandium good stuff.

Shane

[shanewomer]

Also,
The recoil factor doesn't bother me. I get a kick out of big recoil. It's kind of fun.

My Dad just sold a .460 Weatherby Magnum, and that thing went kaboom!

This Ruger .44 mag I have now has been a brease to shoot. So I think I'll be fine with more kick.

Shane

[Tom2]

Bet you can't stand to shoot a half box of magnum ammo thru it! At one session. Or after you experience the discomfort, maybe ever!

[bullfrog99]

I think it would work fine, though I personally would stick to .44 spl for defense, against 2 legged predators anyways. In my opinion, it would do everything you could possibly need except be compact and shoot 22's for practice. I think you would be well armed with such a weapon, however may I offer a possible alternative. I was trying to decide what single handgun could "do it all", and while I discovered that none could really do it all, I had narrowed my list down to three very versatile choices. First was the Ruger GP-100 (KGPF-330) with fixed sights, a three inch barrel and I would bob the hammer and lighten the action to make a nice DAO. Perhaps not the best deer gun but it could do. 200 grain FMJ or hard casts for bear defense, and 125 grain SJHP round for defense. The package is 35 oz, portable, concealable and will last forever. as a bonus, cheap 38spl reloads could be found or made for plinking practice and small game. Second The S&W 625 .44 magnum Mountain gun. At 40oz, it runs about the same weight as a 1911. I know you can hunt deer and defend against Bears, With shot capsules you can kill snakes, or pests and with warmish 44spl loads you have a great defensive gun (btw, there was no Airlite .44 mag at the time of my research, or the 329 would have been in this spot). My third choice, and the one I ultimately chose... The Glock 20 with warm 10mm loads is easily the equal to the .357 magnum for most purposes. With 135 grain jacket hollow points at 1450fps(or now 1600fps with double tap), you have one of the premier fighting handguns. With 200 grain FMJ bullets at 1200 fps you are packing serious bear medicine. Perhaps not the equal of the .44 but bears are small in my state. With 155 to 165 grain ammo pushing almost 1400 fps I don't see any problem taking Whitetails or even the smaller variety of elk at under a hundred yards. With 16-20 rounds of ammo when you need it or a ten round factory blocked for local hunting regs, you are well armed for most situations. As a bonus, though I haven’t invested in such things yet, you can get a barrel to shoot the cheaper .40S&W ammo or even a .22lr conversion kit for plinking. The big selling point for me, unloaded weight = 27oz. I see little in the way of loss and a lot to be gained by going to this design. Any of the three I talked about, and your own choice for that matter will take you where you want to go. In my case I gave up a little power per round to gain more firepower - 6 vs. 15+1

[Magnum88C]

It's too darn light.

I'm a guy who fires his SRH .454 one handed and I HATE magnum-caliber airweights. Fired the little 13-ounce .357 they put out with 158-gr magnums. never again.

Specials would be pushing it.

[seeker_two]

The 329 is best considered a .44 Special that, in emergencies, can fire .44 Magnum rounds. It'll do just about any SD duty you need w/ the Specials, and you can keep a Magnum reload for the times you have to punch a hole THROUGH something to punch a hole IN something...

I'd stick w/ the Bisley for hunting, though. The grip is better for handling the hot loads.

If you can handle it, go for it...

[DPris]

Shane,
Any gun is a compromise somewhere. Extra weight reduces perceived recoil, but gets heavy to carry. Light weight is easy to carry all day, harder to shoot much. Bigger magnum is better for bear, worse for people. Smaller caliber or lighter load (.38 Special or .45 ACP) is better for people, worse for bears.
The .44 Magnum was never really intended to be a defensive caliber against humans. It was intended to be a hunting caliber first, and then maybe a defensive caliber against large animals. The owner of Magna-Port found out one day that conventional .44 Mag loads would not immediately put down a very aggressive bear. Bear in front door of cabin, six quick shots, one hunter out the nearest window. That window saved his life, not the gun. Since then better bullets in the caliber make it more effective, and that's why I said its success depends on the ammo and the size of the bear.
Yes, you can load it down for people, but why not just use your Glock .45 ACP instead, if you have to drop it down to that level of performance?
I've never seen much logic in the idea of trying to make one gun do everything. I could download my .300 WSM to shoot cottontails with it, but why not just use a .22 instead? One load for one gun, you're always sighted in & you know you're always going to get the same recoil & ballistics.
None of which is to say you shouldn't necessarily get the Smith. Like I said before, just understand what you need, and understand what's involved with what you want to get.
For bear country I have the Garrett Hammerheads in my Ruger .44 Redhawk, or the heavy CorBon 300-grainers in my .45 Blackhawk. Both are much better than conventional .44 Mag ammo. The Hammerheads won't fit in that Smith. The really heavy loads will be painful in a light alloy .44 Mag.
I'm not sure you fully understand how fierce the recoil is in that gun.
Another factor is severe damage to your hearing if you ever fire a full bore .44 Mag inside the house.
But, if you want to just carry it around in the woods all day, go for it.
Again, there are many better choices for a defensive handgun against people.
Good luck.
Denis

[Sir William]

No. I would sooner buy a 625 45 ACP. A Taurus Tracker in 45 ACP. You have a Ruger Bisley 44 Magnum, stick with it for hunting. Your G21 Glck isn't a 1911 but, it will serve as a CCW. A all day woods revolver for me is a M65 357 Magnum with 180 gr Winchester Supremes.

[Magnum88C]

You know, I was just thinking.
S&W makes a Mountain gun in .45 Colt.
That would be a better "do-it-all" gun.
You can load anything from CCI shotshells and cowboy loads up to the heavy Cor-Bon/Buff Bore hunting loads. Cor Bon makes a good defensive load for it too.

It's heavier than the one you're looking at, but that's good in a big bore gun, and it's got the taper-profile barrel, really nice looking gun.

[shanewomer]

O.K., congratulations. You talked me out of another gun!

I think I'll get a Freedom Arms 454 Casull with a 4 3/4" barrel. Anyone got a problem with that? I've wanted an FA for years.

The reason is, if I'm going to bother carrying something as big and hefty as my Ruger 44 mag around, I figure I might as well have an FA 454 cassul. I like power. That is what I wanted in the beginning, but I cheaped out and got the Ruger instead.

I've already got a Glock 21 that I like. That will be my personal defense gun. But for drudging around the wilderness, a 4 3/4" FA sounds like a fun gun to carry.

Also, I would like to get fixed sites on it. They're not terrible, or anything, are they? I would prefer fixed.

Shane

[DPris]

Shorter barrel means more recoil than the longer barrel.
Fixed sights means you'll have no way to adjust sights between .454s & .45 Colts.
Otherwise, if that's what you want and you've got the money, go for it.
Denis

[Majic]

Start running the heavy +P .45 Colt loads thru your S&W Mountain Gun and it will soon be heading to the shop for major surgery.

[Sir William]

If you really want the BIG bore, I suggest a 480 Ruger Taurus Tracker with 5" barrel. You might as well go cheap. If you do like the BIG bores, trade the Taurus in. I cannot begin to count how many used 454, 460 Rowlands, 45 Supers, 475 Linebaughs, 480 Rugers and 45-70 revovers come in on trades at the local shops. "I shot one cylinder" is the usual comment. They even bring the partial box of ammunition.

[shanewomer]

Sir William,
Thanks for the input. I went to Gunbroker and did a search for 460.

Look what I found.

Is that for me? Will it jam, like I've heard that Desert Eagles do? Am I much better off with a 454 Freedom Arms?

Thanks, Shane

[Sir William]

Shane, you done good. IF you want the best work in 1911 customs, a BIG bore, a reliable single action semi-auto and a Colt 1911, you could NOT do any better. $1200.00 would be a reasonable bid. I like it! I hope you reload. If you don't, the cost per magazine will stagger you.

[shanewomer]

How about this one?

That's more like what I was originally looking for. It's a .454 Casull. I don't reload, so would that be a better "big-bore" caliber for me?

He says in the description that the "Gun has recent Factory servicing with improvements. Cylinder pin was tapped and drilled with screw put in."

I contacted him about that, and the response came back from a "Pawn" shop E-mail address, and here is what he said:

"The gun was sent back to the factory and the pin was installed due to the cylinder pin falling out when fired."

Is that a big deal? Would that not have happened to a Freedom Arms?

He also said that they're laminated grips. Is that a cheap thing, or nice?

How about the barrel length, I've never seen a BFR with a 4 3/4" barrel. That's a length I would like, but I wonder how it got to be like that.

Shane

[gunsmith1]

Look up some old gun articles by Massad Ayoob. He did several on his "4 x .44" guns. He loved the 44 with a 4 inch barrel. He hunted with them and also believed they were the do all gun. Not my cup of tea but I think it would be a fine deal. It comes back to the beware of the man with one gun- he probably knows how to use it well idea. If you buy one and become an expert with it you will be a lot more effective than the man with a too light caliber or the man with the super duper 454 that just bought it and hasn't fired a whole box of ammo with it and probably never will.

[Smitty500Mag]

[Quote]The reason is, if I'm going to bother carrying something as big and hefty as my Ruger 44 mag around, I figure I might as well have an FA 454 cassul. I like power. That is what I wanted in the beginning, but I cheaped out and got the Ruger instead. [Quote]

If it's power you like then here is the gun you need a S&W 4" 500 Mag. I also carry mine in a shoulder holster when it's cold and in a fanny pack when it's hot. It only weighs a few more ounces than a 629 .44 Mag.

Smitty

[Ninjato]

Light gun + .44 Magnum = OUCH!!!!! I have a hard time w/ a whole box of 158gr .357 magnums thru my 6" 686.

not for me.

[Invicta]

I got to shoot the 329PD at my local gun range. It has much recoil but it is such a cool gun. I also like the wooden grips. If I was in the market for a large caliber revolver the 329 would be my first choice.

[FALshootist]

I've shot my friend's 329. Its a real nice gun especially with Blazer 44 specials. Its got a hefty recoil with 180 gr and 240 magnums, but if you dump the lousy wood grips or Houge monogrips grips I've seen some with, and get some Pachmeyer decellerators the gun really isn't bad.

With the right grips I would think this gun would make a excellent woods gun especially in damp or humid conditions. Its light, corrossion resistant, and accurate.

If I wasn't actually hunting I'd probably carry it with specials and a couple of speedloaders of magnums. Although I prefer the 3 inch trailboss 629 you could do a whole lot worse than a 329 as an all around woods gun.

[tipoc]

No one gun can "Do it all" unless you have a short list of what "all" is.

tipoc

[Ozzieman]

I dont shoot MAG;s in the 29, and mostly I cary the 4 inch 24 which is a special if you dont know.
The reasion for caring the 44 sp is controlability. With out a lot of traning that second shot with a light 44 mag will take hours, (Im kidding). But shooting somthing like 44 sp in Winchester silver tips are like shooting a 38 in a mod 19. If you think a 44 sp is a light weight round shoot one into a gallon jug of water and see for your self the energy. For my self the main reasion that I would pick the MAG is not for the energy, but for the resale value.
What your handling is a very good gun, but trust me some one that has a lot of 44's, you'll be a better shot and in much better controle with sepcials.
I also own a Charter arms BULL DOG in 44. I wore one out learning to handle the recoil.