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Re: I broke! S&W 396 Night Guard - .44 Spl
Posted: Sun Jul 12, 2026 12:29 pm
by Zee
sakodude wrote: ↑Sun Jul 12, 2026 7:51 am
Zee wrote: ↑Sat Jul 11, 2026 10:14 pm
sakodude wrote: ↑Sat Jul 11, 2026 10:13 pm
Glad you got one and had the opportunity to ring it out a bit. Wanted one myself since the 696 was introduced. The 396 is my next up when funds allow.
I shot a buddies .44 Mag Scandium (don’t remember the model number). That was not a fun experience.
Have not had the pleasure of the 329. Have shot a Scandium 357, it wasn’t a lot of fun. My scandium 325 45 ACP on the other hand is quite pleasant.
Cool! I haven’t shot those two.
Re: I broke! S&W 396 Night Guard - .44 Spl
Posted: Sun Jul 12, 2026 1:05 pm
by Bigslug
sakodude wrote: ↑Sun Jul 12, 2026 7:51 am
Have not had the pleasure of the 329. Have shot a Scandium 357, it wasn’t a lot of fun. My scandium 325 45 ACP on the other hand is quite pleasant.
The Scandium magnums are simply not fun. The .357's cease to be entertaining once you put +P .38's in them; the .44's - yee-owch!
One of my work/hunting buddies brought in his 329 to go over for. . .something. I forget exactly what it was that S&W added, but they did drop in an extra part or two for the purpose of keeping all their internals properly in place during the crazy-sharp recoil impulse.
They are definitely guns that will benefit from the early black powder cartridge concept - big-ass solid bullets, pooted out at 600-750 fps.
Re: I broke! S&W 396 Night Guard - .44 Spl
Posted: Sun Jul 12, 2026 1:39 pm
by JunkCollector
Very nice gun.
Like your choice on grips too.
Lots of powders you can use/try unique and 231 are others.
For a max performance guy like you 2400 may be "it"
Looking at the front sight was wondering if a U notch rear sight would have worked ?
Re: I broke! S&W 396 Night Guard - .44 Spl
Posted: Sun Jul 12, 2026 2:42 pm
by Zee
JunkCollector wrote: ↑Sun Jul 12, 2026 1:39 pm
Very nice gun.
Like your choice on grips too.
Lots of powders you can use/try unique and 231 are others.
For a max performance guy like you 2400 may be "it"
Looking at the front sight was wondering if a U notch rear sight would have worked ?
I have Unique and I think I’ve used it before. I’m also using Trail Boss.
And yes, a U Notch Rear would be nice.
Re: I broke! S&W 396 Night Guard - .44 Spl
Posted: Sun Jul 12, 2026 3:55 pm
by Bigslug
Lyman manual showing a lot of promise for Unique. Numerous "potentially most accurate powder" highlights within that practical 650-850 fps range. Seems like ample justification to dive in with it.
FWIW, charge range for a 255 grain slug is 5.7gr/635fps/10,200 CUP to 6.6/747/13,600. Based on my dinking with the .455 Webley, that should get you around two feet of gel penetration on the low end. No need to hot rod them for usefulness, unless you just like the abuse.

Re: I broke! S&W 396 Night Guard - .44 Spl
Posted: Sun Jul 12, 2026 4:12 pm
by Zee
Bigslug wrote: ↑Sun Jul 12, 2026 3:55 pm
Lyman manual showing a lot of promise for Unique. Numerous "potentially most accurate powder" highlights within that practical 650-850 fps range. Seems like ample justification to dive in with it.
FWIW, charge range for a 255 grain slug is 5.7gr/635fps/10,200 CUP to 6.6/747/13,600. Based on my dinking with the .455 Webley, that should get you around two feet of gel penetration on the low end. No need to hot rod them for usefulness, unless you just like the abuse.
I wouldn’t need to hot rod the cast bullets.
Only one I’d probably try to bump to 1k would be the 200gr GD bullets.
Re: I broke! S&W 396 Night Guard - .44 Spl
Posted: Sun Jul 12, 2026 4:59 pm
by Diver43
Very nice pick up.
Re: I broke! S&W 396 Night Guard - .44 Spl
Posted: Sun Jul 12, 2026 9:09 pm
by Elk Creek
The old skeeter Skelton load was 7.5 grains of unique with a 240 gr Keith bullet. I load 7 grains with a 240 swc and call it a day in my 3” GP100. Does everything I need a handgun to do
Re: I broke! S&W 396 Night Guard - .44 Spl
Posted: Sun Jul 12, 2026 9:48 pm
by Zee
Elk Creek wrote: ↑Sun Jul 12, 2026 9:09 pm
The old skeeter Skelton load was 7.5 grains of unique with a 240 gr Keith bullet. I load 7 grains with a 240 swc and call it a day in my 3” GP100. Does everything I need a handgun to do
What velocity are you getting?
Re: I broke! S&W 396 Night Guard - .44 Spl
Posted: Sun Jul 12, 2026 10:08 pm
by rberg
I don't remember the powder or load (need to find my book) but for my 4" Tauris 44sp my load was with the 250 grain cast swc bullet, pact coronagraph showed 1050 fps. Shoots to 2 1/2" at 25 yards.
Re: I broke! S&W 396 Night Guard - .44 Spl
Posted: Sun Jul 12, 2026 10:38 pm
by Zee
rberg wrote: ↑Sun Jul 12, 2026 10:08 pm
I don't remember the powder or load (need to find my book) but for my 4" Tauris 44sp my load was with the 250 grain cast swc bullet, pact coronagraph showed 1050 fps. Shoots to 2 1/2" at 25 yards.
That velocity shows promise! Powder?
Re: I broke! S&W 396 Night Guard - .44 Spl
Posted: Mon Jul 13, 2026 2:21 am
by rberg
I will check in my shop, should have it out there.
Re: I broke! S&W 396 Night Guard - .44 Spl
Posted: Mon Jul 13, 2026 3:51 am
by Elk Creek
Zee wrote: ↑Sun Jul 12, 2026 9:48 pm
Elk Creek wrote: ↑Sun Jul 12, 2026 9:09 pm
The old skeeter Skelton load was 7.5 grains of unique with a 240 gr Keith bullet. I load 7 grains with a 240 swc and call it a day in my 3” GP100. Does everything I need a handgun to do
What velocity are you getting?
That video I sent you…. I’ve never actually ran it across a chrono.