Smith & Wesson/AAI 44 Magnum Vietnam Tunnel Gun
Posted 07-29-2011 at 09:14 PM by 29-1
Between 1968 and 1969, S&W shipped 23 (known serial numbers) Model 29-2 revolvers, some frame only, to Aircraft Armaments INC, (AAI), in Cockeysville, MD for conversion to what was known as the Tunnel Gun. After a 3 month field test between July-Oct 1969 in Vietnam, it was renamed the Quiet Special Purpose Weapon (QSPR), after some minor mods were made to the weapon. The changes made were based on recommendations from soldiers from the 25th ID, the 23rd (Americal) ID, and the 1ST ID, who field tested 10 revolvers over those 3 months in the VC tunnels in their areas of operation. Read the Tunnels of CuChi to hear about the 25th ID (Tropic Lighting), mention of the Tunnel Gun. S299258 pictured here represents an example that never made it to conversion for unknown reasons. I am very fortunate to have acquired one of my grail 44 magnums, albeit the frame only, just the way it was shipped to AAI on 5/23/1969. There will be a full article presented to the SWCA Journal for publication consideration. With the help of Roy Jinks and members of the International Ammunition Association, as well as retired employees from AAI to include the now 65 year old gunsmith who built the original Tunnel Guns, I've been able to gather much provenance and information on these arguably rarest of the 44 magnum variations. This will all be detailed in the planned article. I had hoped to have a mock up of the Tunnel Gun available by this weeks SWCA meeting in Orlando, but it wasn't possible. It was just finished yesterday by my gunsmith, John Blauvelt in Wallkill, NY. Voted by Field and Stream Magazine, one of the Top 10 Gunsmiths in America, John can do anything with a firearm, literally, and he described this project as "very interesting and a one of a kind job". SWCA members stay tuned for the article in the Journal, hopefully in the not too far distant future. S&W forum members will get an abbreviated version soon as well. For now, enjoy the pics of what must have been one heck of a weapon, as the Army test reports back in 1969-72 certainly claimed it to be. Unfortunately, timing is critical with most everything, and it was with the TG/QSPR. By 1972 when the final Land Warfare Unit/AAI testing and evaluation had been completed and all defiencies, especially with the cartridge (which is the real story), had been corrected, Vietnam was drawing down so the need for a tunnel weapon was no more. This became the Model 29 that really never was.
Enjoy
Chuck
Invoice to AAI 5/23/1969 for two 44 Magnum frames
S299258 and S318575
Factory Letter S229258
Frame only as shipped to AAI 5/23/1969
Notice serial number only, no model # stamp in frame. crane has same assembly number as the frame which was not always the case after AAI gunsmiths cannibilzed the first 10 guns received.
Blauvelt Conversion to exact original specs but false/plugged barrel to meet BATF compliance:
The cylinder chamber walls are paper thin as were the originals do to reaming them out to.526. Notice the daylight seen through the stop notches, as were the originals.
The cartridge is the real story behind this revolver. The captive piston round was capable of containing the blast noise, flash, and other energy normally done by the weapon. In essence, the round is the weapon and the revolver is simply the carrier.
Tunnel Gun Holster built by Bucheimer, Frederick, MD
Custom Made TG Holster for display purposes.
Original TGs at Aberdeen, MD. gun on the left is coated in Teflon and is the QSPR version with lanyard loop requested by soldiers in the field, for a "dummy cord" as Army Rangers call them.
Tunnel Gun Specs
S299258
Enjoy
Chuck
Invoice to AAI 5/23/1969 for two 44 Magnum frames
S299258 and S318575
Factory Letter S229258
Frame only as shipped to AAI 5/23/1969
Notice serial number only, no model # stamp in frame. crane has same assembly number as the frame which was not always the case after AAI gunsmiths cannibilzed the first 10 guns received.
Blauvelt Conversion to exact original specs but false/plugged barrel to meet BATF compliance:
The cylinder chamber walls are paper thin as were the originals do to reaming them out to.526. Notice the daylight seen through the stop notches, as were the originals.
The cartridge is the real story behind this revolver. The captive piston round was capable of containing the blast noise, flash, and other energy normally done by the weapon. In essence, the round is the weapon and the revolver is simply the carrier.
Tunnel Gun Holster built by Bucheimer, Frederick, MD
Custom Made TG Holster for display purposes.
Original TGs at Aberdeen, MD. gun on the left is coated in Teflon and is the QSPR version with lanyard loop requested by soldiers in the field, for a "dummy cord" as Army Rangers call them.
Tunnel Gun Specs
S299258
Total Comments 21
Comments
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very informative....a must read!
Posted 08-05-2011 at 08:49 AM by 410bore
- That's really incredible Chuck! Thanks for showing me something that I had no idea even existed.
f.t.Posted 08-06-2011 at 08:14 PM by fat tom 
- WOW! Never even heard of such an animal! Thanks for the joy ride.Posted 10-17-2011 at 08:33 PM by jbull380
- Thanks very much for the terrific info. The round for that gun is incredible! I had no clue such a thing was even possible!Posted 12-08-2011 at 03:09 PM by Dadsnugun
- Thank you very much for the info Sir.Posted 01-16-2012 at 07:22 AM by JJEH
- I spent several years as an active participant in the SEAisan War Games busily doing bombs and bullets. I had heard of this gun but never seen one. Thank you very much for your detailed description.Posted 02-02-2012 at 09:40 PM by big brother
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Tunnel Gun
Thank You for the look Vietnam 65-67Posted 02-03-2012 at 05:14 PM by Old Seabee -
Tunnel Gun Info
Your article is exactly why I joined S & W Forum. A little know, factual, well written piece of Smith and Wesson history. Thatks for a "good read."Posted 03-23-2012 at 12:21 PM by Mr. Moto - Excellent article.Posted 03-24-2012 at 02:08 PM by GA 1911
- Nice piece of history!Posted 04-06-2012 at 11:31 PM by C Broad Arrow
- That is one of the most facinating articles i have ever read on a firearm.Thanks a lot for the history lesson.Posted 04-07-2012 at 05:45 PM by nedclampet
- Awesome research,,incredible information,,WOWPosted 05-05-2012 at 11:23 PM by skeetshooter
- I was looking at the pictures when got a surprise in the trademark stamping. In the 2nd line it says literally "Marcas Registradas".
Thats Spanish, not English as I would expect!
Is there somebody who could explain this ?Posted 06-23-2012 at 03:52 PM by Teruteru314 - Very, interesting thanks.Posted 07-15-2012 at 04:30 PM by 627 city hunter
- Fascinating tale! I plugged my ears with live .45 acp rounds when I had the chance. Looked funny but they worked. I never went more than about 5 feet down one of those hell holes. The men who did had guts to spare!Posted 08-11-2012 at 07:59 PM by Ohgoodgrief
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What an education for an
81 year old vet.
I was aware of the Tunnel Rats, but not of this special handgun.
Thank you.Posted 08-15-2012 at 12:03 PM by GLVO - I have only just joined the S&W forum and already much wiser for it. Thank you for a very interesting piece of history.
Regards BiagioPosted 08-26-2012 at 07:59 AM by Biagio - Big Thanks for a great article, I was a tunnel rat Vietnam 26 marines 1968 the article is right on thus I had no idea that Smith-Wesson had built a weapon precisely for the tunnel rat I remember the concussion from a 1911 45 caliber blowing a marines ears plum out at which time I was issued a Smith-Wesson 38 revolver not sure of model at that time the 6 rounds were tracer first, non jacket lead second, fourth, and sixth round which was quite effective and I suffered no loss of hearing.Posted 09-09-2012 at 08:21 PM by smith 29-2
Updated 09-09-2012 at 08:24 PM by smith 29-2 - Thank you very much for this part of gun history! One of the most interesting bit of gun lore I have read in a while!Posted 09-22-2012 at 07:54 PM by cellllman
- cool.......................Posted 02-23-2013 at 02:12 AM by ddixie884
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