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S&W Night Guard 325 45ACP
- Thread starter MAC2187
- Start date
The Goose
NES Member
I had a Nightguard 396 .44 spl. that I just sold. I was not impressed. I found it uncomfortable to shoot. Not from a weight/recoil aspect, but it abraded my trigger finger for some reason. I really did not care for the feel or balance. All very subjective, but that was my experience. All in all a lot of money for a very mediocre revolver IMHO.
Thanks for the reply. Did you find it more punishing than a .357 in say a j frame or SP101. I have the SW327 it it real snappy with .357 but not really punishing.Thanks for the help.
I just thought it pushed way harder then a 45ACP should. I guess I was spoiled shooting 45 in semi autos. I had fired a 625 revolver before and its recoild was milder then the 325 for sure. As for comparing the recoil to a small 357 I dont know I have a 340 PD in 357 but I only shoot about 100 38 specail plus P loads in it a year just for qualifications, the rest of the time I practice with standard 38 ammo.
I shoot pins almost exclusively. I'm used to shooting 255gr .45acp loads at 950fps out of an all-steel 625. I load 270gr LSWC to 1100fps when I shoot my .45 Colt Ruger SA guns. Can honestly say handgun recoil does not bother me. (rifle recoil does) But I have shot one of those space-metal .45 caliber revolver's by S&W and found it to be too much. The recoil is painful. A man can take a good push, even a sting, but not the grenade-in- the-hand impact these light revolvers dish out. I tend to think the S&W line of titanium-framed guns are meant more for people who just like to carry a gun and not shoot the damn thing. Interesting concept, this light weight thing, but it doesn't work for me. If you're gonna carry a gun, then carry a real one you can shoot. If you find a real gun is too heavy, leave it home.
I have shoot around 2000 rounds of .357 through my SW327 which only weighs 21 oz. The only thing I did was change the wood grips to Pacmayer Compacs. But I do not find it punishing or unpleasant to shoot. The 325 Night Guard weighs 28 oz. ( more weight do to the steel cylinder ) I would think the recoil would be comparable. I have just never shot the 45ACP cartridge through a revolver.stinx is right about the 10 OZ. J-Frames in .357, they are brutal firing full power .357 cartridges. I own a Smith & Wesson 337PD Airlite Ti, prelock,and love it. Its been a great carry gun in .38 and no lock, not that it maters to me much, but I know its a issue with some. Thanks guys.
A 28 oz revolver in .45 ACP shouldn't be that hard to shoot. The price is what puts me off. I would love to find a steel framed .45 ACP snubby for a reasonable price.
PS I handled a 325 at a local gun store and it felt a lot lighter than 28 oz. My memory is a little fuzzy on this incident as I nearly passed out from "Sticker Shock"!
PS I handled a 325 at a local gun store and it felt a lot lighter than 28 oz. My memory is a little fuzzy on this incident as I nearly passed out from "Sticker Shock"!
Thanks for all the input. I am going down to order one today. To be honest I always wanted a revolver in .45ACP, do not really know why. I really liked the feel of the SW325NG, when I handled it at the Sportsman Show, it fit my hand the way a handgun should. I will let you all know how I make out. Thanks again guys.
dcmdon
NES Member
I think it all comes down to desired use. I have a 10.5 ounce 342 that shoots full boat .357 magnums.
It is VERY unpleasant to shoot that way. But if I ever need to use it defensively, I wont notice the recoil.
Generally speaking the 3 series aluminum/scandium/titanium guns are better suited to extensive carrying, not extensive shooting.
Don
p.s. I just sold my 4 inch 610 to a guy who was replacing a 329 he carried anti-bear purposes. I dont know about you but a 29 oz .44 magnum with a 2 1/2 inch bbl sounds like quite a handful. Definitely not something you'd shoot for fun.
It is VERY unpleasant to shoot that way. But if I ever need to use it defensively, I wont notice the recoil.
Generally speaking the 3 series aluminum/scandium/titanium guns are better suited to extensive carrying, not extensive shooting.
Don
p.s. I just sold my 4 inch 610 to a guy who was replacing a 329 he carried anti-bear purposes. I dont know about you but a 29 oz .44 magnum with a 2 1/2 inch bbl sounds like quite a handful. Definitely not something you'd shoot for fun.
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