After the movie Dirty Harry appeared on the wide screen, it was almost mandatory that officers in my department purchase and carry a model 29 6 1/2 " or a model 57 6". Now these weapons were heavy and if you were vertically challenged, the barrel would bump against your knee. As officers got older and backs got older as well, the longer barrels were replaced by 4" varieties. My marriage to a 6" lasted about 6 months but we did live the legend for a time.