I was wondering if anyone here has any experience with the S&W Model 329 Airweight 44mag? Thinking of maybe getting one next year... opinions?

[EinheitElf]

Like the title says, I have been looking at these and thinking 'maybe i could get one for camping and road trips and such....even though my heavy as shit 44 Deagle has been completely rock solid for me.

My only gripe is that i am a lefty so reloading any modern revolver is a bit of a pain for me. Guess that is why I like top breaks like the 455 webley and antique revolvers in 44-40 and such(still want a .577 revolver)

SO ,anyone have any experience,shot one,etc??? Otherwise it may be a good old Model 29 for me with a 6" barrel

 

[stickp]

44 mag and airweight doesn't seem like it would be much fun. Maybe with 44 specials? As far as the lefty thing, someone, charter arms I think, made a "southpaw" revolver. May have only been 38 though. There was one in the marketplace a while back.

 

[gunplumber]

I shoot .38 Special +P out of an airweight and it is not pleasant. But the gun disappears in my pocket, so if I ever had to use it, I'd deal with it being unpleasant.

I can't imagine a 44 Mag.

I don't even like 44 mag out of a full size 629. Prefer the ruger -it's heavier and much more pleasant to shoot. Although the SW does win hands down for elegance.

And then there was a time I shot A bond Derringer in 44 mag, just to see.

First two rounds in 44 spcl. Not bad given what it is, but I see no point in it

One round of 44 mag, just to see. No peer pressure influenced me. None at all.

Was downright painful. numbed my wrist, my forearm was none too happy either. I did not fire the second round.

44 out of a Desert Ego is fun.

So without personal experience on that gun, I would say "hell no" and if you need a 44 keep the DE or a SA Ruger has the load8ing gate on the right side.

 

[easttex]

I have a Super Redhawk 44 Mag and I find comfortable to shoot, even if it's a shade heavy. If I wanted a short revolver, I'd probably buy another 357. But if I want to stay with 44 Mag, I'd look very hard at a Super Redhawk Alaskan. Same basic gun as my other one, just with the barrel bobbed at the end of the frame. Should have enough heft to tame a 44.

Alternatively, see if you can find a range somewhere that has an Airweight 44 that you could rent and test fire. Maybe that would help your decision?

 

[EinheitElf]

Gp- thanks for insight... i have seen those derringers in 44mag and imnediately was a no.. not sure how a 45 lc would be...prob like the 44spcl?

Friend has a mod29, shoots great.
Has a python i want ...

Eastex- i have looked at the alaskans but i feel i need a 4 inch barrel minimum..3inch 44mag? I dont know,maybe just me..

NOW,i do have a 50 DEagle and it feels much different than my 44... i found myself hoping the metallurgy in the DE was good enough...that 50 sends the slide back scary fast... that thing ahould put down a 'Squatch or kodiak at close range!.

I will see if a range has a rental 329..thx.

 

[Story]

I know y'all have seen it, but this... this is just epic and laden with the Mojo
(3) WTS: - S&W Hand Ejector in 45 Colt | The FAL Files

 

[Edgartwib]

My buddie had a 329 night guard snub nose.
It was fun to shoot .44 spl 250gr FMJ 900fps.

It was not fun to shoot anything much faster than that in it.

44 mags would bite your wrist pretty good and overall the double action trigger pull sucked.

 

[Nathaniel01]

Dad has an early Smith 29 and a Super Redhawk, both with mile long barrels. I shot a full cylinder with both. I’ll never do it again, it was unpleasant. The Ruger was heavier and better to shoot.

 

[Wildcat]

Do not be intimidated about reloading the revolver as a lefty. Here is one technique, there are others but this the most fluid:

 

[EinheitElf]

I know y'all have seen it, but this... this is just epic and laden with the Mojo
(3) WTS: - S&W Hand Ejector in 45 Colt | The FAL Files

That is a sweet revolver, too rich fir me at the moment...maybe next year if still available...haha who am i kidding!

 

[sniper4life1]

I had one for several years. It went on several trips to bear country with me or my friends. Pleasure to carry but shooting was questionable. I didn't mind but others didn't like it. You'll need cartridges with heavy crimps or the inertia of recoil will pull the bullets and lock up the cylinder. I mainly shot spls in it for practice and yote hunting. Mags only when in bear country. Traded it for a boat. Wish I had it back.

 

[aron82]

Friend I worked with had one said the front sight would just about touch his forehead with full power 44mag.
Another friend had a Taurus 44mag with a scandium frame between the two of us we shot a box of ammo and by the end of the box we were both saying no you shoot it. Was like someone slapping your hand each time.
My 629-3 with a 5" barrel isn't too bad to shoot, not as nice as my 44mag desert eagle, but not painful. One thing I did find was that it is less fun to shoot with pretty wood grips on it than with the the hogue rubber grips.
As to the 45 Derringer, I found one for my brother and played with it for a bit. Wasn't much fun with 230 grain ball, but with cci rat shot it was very pleasant and would do a number on a snake, which is what my brother wanted it for.

 

[Colts4me]

 

[gunplumber]

7:25

"This is a brand new gun and the cylinder still needs to be worked in"

I think what he means is "either the gun or my ammo is defective"

 

[W.E.G.]

 

[W.E.G.]

Don’t do it brah

 

[SWOHFAL]

They make an L-frame version now that's pretty compact, model 69, but it's also all steel, so your hand will come out with fewer bruises and broken bones. I'm sticking with a 696 in .44Spl.

 

[Wildcat]

7:25

"This is a brand new gun and the cylinder still needs to be worked in"

I think what he means is "either the gun or my ammo is defective"

Its been my experience that hot loads in titanium cylinders lead to sticky extraction.
I think the titanium does not burnish the way steel does.

 

[EinheitElf]

I have been looking at maybe finding a,45lc revolver like that old sw jewel that sold recently,link is still working on an earlier post in this thread. Or getting a 44mag but running 44spcl ...buuuut i think ammo availability favors 45lc or 44mag...
I like the look and weight if wanting to carry a revolver but dont want to beat the shit out of my hand and wrist.

 

[MasterChief]

Weight -------versus------- Bulk
.....................................

So where's your sweet spot? I've had this for almost 40 years and have gotten used to the weight and bulk. Actually very reassuring. I'll probably die...but confidently.

 

[aron82]

5" with full underlug no, Hillary hole.

 

[W.E.G.]

Just HANDLOADif you don’t want to take a beating.

The only handgun I couldn’t download enough to make the pain go away was the 30-30 Thompson Contender. To describe the recoil of that thing as “brutal” doesn’t begin to describe it. I felt like the bones in my arm were flexing like something in a cartoon.

That, and the fact that the benches at the range were some sort of hard plastic that got scalding hot in the summer. Whenever I shoot 30-30, I have to dress appropriately. Those hot plastic benches were as brutal on the butt-cheeks, as that 30-30 Contender was on the arm bones. I traded the 30-30 Contender (with extra 44 magnum barrel and 45 Long Colt barrel) for a nickeled 1911 that already had an idiot scratch. The 1911 ended up in a mass-trade for a bunch of Glocks when I thought Glocks were cool. I don’t think Glocks are cool anymore, but I still have use for them. I have no use for a handgun that is going to cause permanent nerve damage in my wrist.

Handload for it, or make it a Safe Queen.

 

[nvcdl]

Get a pre-lock mountain gun with a 4" barrel. Light but not bad at all to shoot.