Scandium/Titanium SW questions:

T

togusa.45

Inactive
1) is the Scandium/Titanium combo stronger than Steel?
2) is the 329PD really the strongest and lightest .44?
3) is the recoil in the 329PD using only .44 Specials comparable to other weapons/controllable/OK for quick repeat shots?
4) out of the following, which do you feel would be a better defense choice:
325PD - .45ACP
329PD - .44Special
625 Jerry Miculek - .45ACP

Thanks...purchasing in the next few days and would really appreciate reading what you all more knowledgeable people thought
 
Togusa45,

1. Considerably stronger, yes, but scandium and titanium are much more brittle than steel. Neither of these metals has much "give" to it.

2. It is so far as I know. No one else has dared chamber a cartridge with as much kick as the .44 Mag in a handgun that light.

3. With .44 Special loads it's still very stout, but managable. With .44 Mags, it is--in my opinion at least--extremely unpleasant to shoot. In other words, it kicks hard enough to hurt.

4. .45 ACP without a question.
 
I recently purchased a 4" 325PD (.45ACP), and it shipped with the smaller Ahrend's grips as shown on the short-barrel version on the S&W web site. For shooting I would actually prefer the larger Ahrend's as they are shown but the smaller round grips are probably better for concealed carry.

The recoil with this revolver really does give the shooting hand a good smack. But it is still very manageable and the recoil does not have a negative effect on accuracy. Overall I'd say the 325PD is a very well-made revolver -- the fit and finish on my gun are very good as is the build quality. The gun handles well, it's just that the light weight and stiffness of the frame project the recoil right back into the palm of the shooting hand. I like mine.
 
PHP: 
1) is the Scandium/Titanium combo stronger than Steel?
2) is the 329PD really the strongest and lightest .44?
3) is the recoil in the 329PD using only .44 Specials comparable to other weapons/controllable/OK for quick repeat shots?
4) out of the following, which do you feel would be a better defense choice:
325PD - .45ACP
329PD - .44Special
625 Jerry Miculek - .45ACP

Just recently purchased a NIB 329 and have some first hand opinions about it.

1. Yes the TiScan is stronger than steel but ,as other posters have already mentioned, it is more brittle.
2. According to S&W promotions it is the strontgest and lightest 44 mag revo
on the market. At 26 ounces it is indeed light.
3. I have found the 44 specials to be easy to handle but recoil is still "stout".
I have switched out the grips that came with the gun for those
that come with the 500 S&W magnum. Makes a big, big difference.
4. No preference here.
 
I own several 625s, including the PC Miculek, but I carry the 325. 22 oz vs 40 oz.

325pd_r.jpg


The 329 would be a okay choice, but the barrel is longer than I like.

Good Luck...

Joe
 
The answer to your question #4 depends entirely on the balance of uses and priorities you yourself will have for your gun.

If you want a gun that will largely remain at home, then a heavier gun with a longer barrel--e.g., the 625 or the 629 (the stainless version of the 329)--will be much more flexible in terms of the range of ammo you can and will want to shoot through it, the comfort of shooting, the speed of shot-to-shot recovery, and even the ability to hold the gun on target through the trigger pull.

If you want a gun that will be carried in concealment, you are talking about starting in the deep end with any of these guns. They are, all of them, big guns. The weight is not near the factor it once was, thanks to the scandium alloy, but carrying even a 325 under your coat will feel like having a softball under there--at least at first. Also, let's not be euphemistic. In case you don't have the experience to know this, shooting a .44 mag out of a 329 is a brutal, unambiguously painful experience. Even a full-power .45acp from a lightweight gun will be punishing enough to make practice either a chore, or something that just doesn't happen. Nevertheless, if you have decided to choose from this list, and if concealed carry is your priority, I would say the 325 will serve this purpose best.

Is there a particular reason you're looking exclusively at N-frame S&W's? Have you considered a (j-framed) 5 or (k-framed) 6 shot .38 or .357, or even the (l-framed) 7-shot 386 if you must have an airweight gun?
 
I just love the feel of the larger frames...I was shooting several wheelies the other day in my shopping around and I just felt great with the 629...my groups were much better with that than the smaller frams with .357 and .38 that I tried...I would only be shooting specials out of a .44 though for self defense, so I'm trying to see if the .44 special recoil would be too punishing as I have no experience with the scandiums. The 629's recoil was highly controllable...so if the 329 wouldn't be far off that with the specials, and with the added lightness, I think it would be great...but I just don't have a chance to try it in person.

The weapon would be primarilly a range and home defense gun, but I plan on practicing with it a lot so if I plan on carrying something on a particular occassion, I want it to be this one. My goal is to get to know this next purchase like the back of my hand...basically, when it's with me I want it to just be almost an extension of myself...this might sound really stupid...but it's what I'm aiming for...so I'm putting a lot of thought and effort into finding out what I can about my choices.

This forum has proved a great resource, so thanks to all of you for your continued assistance and I look forward to any other knowledgeable words
 
The weapon would be primarilly a range and home defense gun, but I plan on practicing with it a lot so if I plan on carrying something on a particular occassion, I want it to be this one.
Click to expand...

So you're talking about occassional, rather than very regular, carry. In that case, and given that you have actually tried a few things and found the N-frame to be to your liking (in which you are certainly not alone!), I recommend you think very hard about either the 4" 629 or 625. With the appropriate ammo, these are the kind of guns that will allow and encourage you to practice a lot.

Unless you plan to become a reloader, or don't mind spending a LOT of money on a very limited range of commercial ammo choices in .44 special, the 625 would be much easier to feed with ammo that's reasonably priced, widely available, and reasonably powered for lots of practice. (that said, anyone with your kind of shooting goals SHOULD become a reloader, and either the .44 special or the .45 acp are easy, fun cartridges to reload, entirely suitable for beginners)

The other benefit of the 625 is that you could shoot in action-pistol disciplines with it quite easily. I do this with my 625, among other wheelguns, and it is not only a blast; it is the fastest track to finding out what handgun skills are all about (IMHO). You could do this with the 629, but not as readily or, in most cases, as competitively.

Should you decide to carry more regularly down the road, mastering a full-size steel sixgun like the 625 or 629 would make the transition to a different but similar gun in a smaller and/or lighter frame relatively simple; and you'll always have your big steel N-frame for pure pleasure shooting (and the home defense purpose for which no other handgun can probably eclipse it).
 
wow

good info here guys. The 329pd was (and still might be) my next purchase, and first wheelie. I think I might try to shoot one with both 44 special and full power mag loads before I decide.
I've shot 454 and 44mag rugers before, but never anything this light - I dont want to end up with a gun I dont like to shoot.
anyone else with experience with the 329pd?
 
I worked in a shop awhile back....we had a customer that ran a jackhammer for a living....he single handed a SW 500 with full power Corbon's for 3 rounds. He fired 1 round thru a 329 and said that was too painfull! A 329 is meant to be carried where man is 3rd or 4th on the foodchain, wait until they have eaten you to your gun before you pull it's trigger.
 
I just felt great with the 629
Click to expand...

Then why not stay with the 629 and just get a lighter weight package? The 629 Mountain Gun is in production again and makes the gun much quicker in the hand. The lighter weight barrel really makes a difference. I personally would rather lose a finger than have to buy one of the hideous new guns with a hole in the sideplate but the good news is that you can look around and buy an older 629 Mountain Gun. I just got one myself this week. 1997 model, the last year before they switched to MIM parts and went to a frame mounted firing pin. My new Christmas present has the firing pin on the hammer where it belongs but it does have the newer style thumbpiece that I actually prefer. Great gun and I got it in 99% condition for less than $500 shipped.

Gregg
 
I like N frames but they can be heavy for concealed carry. Even my 3 inch 629 in a Haugen Big Magnum carry holster can be a burden after a few hours.

I bought a 325PD yesterday in 2 3/4 inch but haven't shot it yet. First S&W with the two piece barrel, internal lock and hi-viz sights for me.

Who makes good leather for these? I found it fits in the above holster although the front sight drags as it's much taller. Haugen does list my gun although they do have the 329PD, I'll call them Monday.
Galco has one listed for it with an open bottom for use with longer barrels as well. Any thoughts?
 
world's ugliest revolvers
P1110190.jpg
P1110200.jpg
my 325pd w/ anything but the factory grips, the ahrends are nice but cut too much into my hand, I sanded them down but haven't put them back on yet, ran out of Birchwood Casey's Tru-Oil (I use that stuff like it's going out of style).
P1100185.jpg
oh I forgot to add the factory Hi-Viz broke off on my first outing, replaced w/ SDM gold bead, shorter than factory, so now I need to get a new rear sight blade. Does anyone make a tall deep u notch rear sight blade, that dang gold bead is so freaking huge!
 
Misinformation alert!

Scandium and Titanium are NOT stronger than steel, except by weight. And these revolvers are the same size as steel ones, so their parts are lighter, but not as strong as the same parts made of steel.

Scandium is a type of reinforced aluminum. It is quite a bit stronger than normal aluminum alloy. So the frame can be made tough enough for Magnums, despite a weight comparable to aluminum.

Titanium has many properties similar to steel, and by volume a density between aluminum and steel. That makes it useful as a lighter weight steel replacement in parts that take stress and impact, but not abrasion.

Ti is not brittle. It is a good spring metal, but is softer than steel. That's why you can make a cylinder or firing pin out of it, but not a barrel.



A Ti/Scandium gun is going to be very tough for its weight, but not as tough as a steel gun of similar quality. The 329 is going to have the greatest RATIO of strength to weight of any gun, but it is certainly not the strongest .44.
 
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