His information, while factual, starts from the premise (as I see it) that the S&W 29 is too lightly designed and one is better off buying a Ruger - BALONEY.

The caveat is - use the ammunition the gun was designed for and you won't have a problem. If you are one of those who must shoot heavier bullets and the highest pressure loads because you need to or because it just satisfies some testosterone high that validates manliness, then get a Red Hawk or a Blackhawk or spring for a Freedom Arms revolver.

While nothing said in his reply is necessarily "untrue", it ignores the fact that the problems stem from using heavier loads than the gun was designed for. I never got into silhouette shooting, and I don't encounter brown/grizzly bears when I stroll down to get the morning paper so for my purposes standard velocity/weight/spec 44 magnum ammo treats my model 29's just fine and seems to punch big holes in whatever needs it while giving me as much recoil as I care for.

On a side note, the old chestnut tossed in about the "Dirty Harry" character acknowledging the weakness of the gun and using light 44 special loads shows me this is someone who really doesn't understand what he's talking about and buys into movie myth and misinterpretation to make a point. That whole subject has been grist for other entire threads and it's one of those movie myths that just won't die. It was the result of a flubbed line by the star and wasn't considered grievous enough at the time to re-shoot the scene. But all the "experts" love to pounce on that to stir the pot . . . .


YMMV