Hi all , I picked up a new model 29-10 w 4" barrel and I've heard the newer model 29's are a bit more beefed up compared to my old model 29-2 and wanted to hear what others thought about using 300 grain hot loads ! I got a couple boxes of Pvri Partizan 44 mag 300 grain SP's that advertise a velocity at around 1270 fps which seems fairly hot ! I do handload and normally use bullets weighing from 200 to 255 grain in my loads but have pushed 300 grain hardcast bullets at around 1050 to 1100 fps in the 29-2 ! I'm not sure if I should use hotter loaded 300 grain ammo or not , thanks !
Can S&W model 29-10 handle 300 grain factory loads ?
- Thread starter WIN1886
- Start date
WIN1886,
back in1988 I had a new 29-2 four inch. I loaded and shot 11.6 grains of Unique behind a 240 grain jacketed hollowpoint. this load was listed in my 1987
Speer manual at 1199 fps. This was a comfortable load to shoot. The maximum load from that table was 12.6 grains of Unique to do 1271 fps. I never ever loaded or shot that load. With about 500 rounds of the lighter load
my 29-2 never showed any abnormal signs of excess wear and tear.
Can't advise you on your question but 300 grain bullets at 1270 might jar the wrist a bit but doubt that the gun would be harmed any.
Good luck.
back in1988 I had a new 29-2 four inch. I loaded and shot 11.6 grains of Unique behind a 240 grain jacketed hollowpoint. this load was listed in my 1987
Speer manual at 1199 fps. This was a comfortable load to shoot. The maximum load from that table was 12.6 grains of Unique to do 1271 fps. I never ever loaded or shot that load. With about 500 rounds of the lighter load
my 29-2 never showed any abnormal signs of excess wear and tear.
Can't advise you on your question but 300 grain bullets at 1270 might jar the wrist a bit but doubt that the gun would be harmed any.
Good luck.
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While most European ammo like Prvi Partizan, S&B, and Fiocchi is quite good, you do have to pay close attention to the barrel lengths they use for measuring velocities as, especially with revolver cartridges, they're usually quite long. The Prvi Partizan 300gr .44 Magnum load is listed at 390 m/sec from a 210mm barrel on their website which translates to roughly 1280fps from a slightly over 8" barrel.
That really isn't all that fast for such a long barrel and from the shorter 4-6 1/2" barrels most commonly found on .44 Magnum revolvers, I'd expect them to be running in the 1050-1200fps range which is pretty well in line with other non-boutique 300gr .44 Magnum loadings like Federal Castcore. FWIW, I have shot Federal Castcore in a M29-2 with no ill effects. I think that the Prvi Partizan load would be fine in your gun as it is comparable with other U.S.-made ammo that is also known to be suitable for a S&W.
That really isn't all that fast for such a long barrel and from the shorter 4-6 1/2" barrels most commonly found on .44 Magnum revolvers, I'd expect them to be running in the 1050-1200fps range which is pretty well in line with other non-boutique 300gr .44 Magnum loadings like Federal Castcore. FWIW, I have shot Federal Castcore in a M29-2 with no ill effects. I think that the Prvi Partizan load would be fine in your gun as it is comparable with other U.S.-made ammo that is also known to be suitable for a S&W.
I didn't read closely and thought you were referring to shooting only factory heavy bullet loads. I wrote a bunch of stuff about the lifetime warranty. Since I went back and actually read the full post I now know you are talking about shooting hand loads and therefore the warranty wouldn't apply unless you didn't tell them the gun was used with reloads.
Look at it this way: if you do manage to shoot the gun loose then you have a reason to buy a new gun.
Personally I would shoot heavy 300 grain loads when I needed them, but not a steady diet of 1000's just for punching paper. There are plenty of good 240 grain bullets that can do most shooting tasks very well. My gun, my wrist and my lead supply would all benefit.
I shoot heavy 300 grain loads in my 629 Mountain Gun. I shoot six of them whenever I take it to the range because those are the loads I bought the gun to shoot. It's a bear defense gun and I want to make sure the sights are regulated for that load. But most of my practice with the gun is done with the Lee 214 SWC because I want the gun and my wrist to last for a few more years.
I owned a 329PD for a couple of years and I can tell you that a 300 grain bullet at 1000 fps was too much for it because the cylinder would occasionally unlock and spin on recoil. Recoil, as you can imagine in a 25 ounce gun, was nothing short of brutal!
Look at it this way: if you do manage to shoot the gun loose then you have a reason to buy a new gun.
Personally I would shoot heavy 300 grain loads when I needed them, but not a steady diet of 1000's just for punching paper. There are plenty of good 240 grain bullets that can do most shooting tasks very well. My gun, my wrist and my lead supply would all benefit.
I shoot heavy 300 grain loads in my 629 Mountain Gun. I shoot six of them whenever I take it to the range because those are the loads I bought the gun to shoot. It's a bear defense gun and I want to make sure the sights are regulated for that load. But most of my practice with the gun is done with the Lee 214 SWC because I want the gun and my wrist to last for a few more years.
I owned a 329PD for a couple of years and I can tell you that a 300 grain bullet at 1000 fps was too much for it because the cylinder would occasionally unlock and spin on recoil. Recoil, as you can imagine in a 25 ounce gun, was nothing short of brutal!
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Thanks all , I'll give them a go and most my shooting needs don't require 300 grain loads anyway but have some on hand ! A good 225 grain Barnes , 240 grain SP , or 255 grain Keith style hardcast bullet loaded to comfortable levels will easily handle any game in my part of the country !
Pond James Pond
New member
I can't advise on the S&W issue as I have a Ruger RH, but I'll be very interested to read how they shoot, so please let us know.
PRVI could be one brand that I could get access to over the counter. Aside from that my own handloads are about the only ammo I can get.
PRVI could be one brand that I could get access to over the counter. Aside from that my own handloads are about the only ammo I can get.