The barrel on my Model 29-2 .44 mag measures 5 and 7/8 inches from throat to muzzle. Is that considered a 6 inch or is this odd? To my knowledge the gun has not been rebarreled and it fits the presentation case perfectly. Am I being nit picking or just ignorant?

Thanks, Roger.

Welcome to the Forum

Barrel lengths are nominal.....you have 6" revolver

Roger,
I do NOT think you are being picky or ignorant. You are being accurate and factual. Based upon my less-than-expert experience I think a barrel measured at 5 7/8" is not atypical for a barrel described as 6". I seem to recall many posts of actual measurements of barrel lengths with 1/8" discrepancies from described lengths. Hopefully we will get more seasoned members to support or refute my claims.
John
Scoundrel and Ne'er-Do-Well in Training

I would have thought that with modern manufacturing the length of a barrel would be closer than 1/8 th inch. I know there is a lot of hand fitting but I come from an industry Where +.0003,-.0000 is common place. We have fasteners that must be frozen to fit into precision holes. I guess I just got a little too picky working with smaller tolerances.

Roger.

S&W is well known for not wanting to waste anything... if a barrel is only 1/8" off spec, I could see them going with "close enough" and using it.

I was going to say that this is a M29-2... advertised barrel length was 6-1/2 inches, and that would make the OP's barrel off by 5/8", not a mere 1/8"... but the SCS&W says the barrel on the 29-2 was standardized to 6" in 1979.

So my vote is S&W did exactly that... "close enough... send 'er out".

__________________
Conrad
SWCA #1830 SWHF #222

Corad. the guy I got the gun from, (my brother) said that it was one of the many that were sold to guys just after the Dirty Harry movie came out. He picked it up when it was traded in for a less powerful pistol. The guy who brought it in (5'5". 140 lb) admitted that it was just too much gun. After the initial shortages just after the move release there were a lot of used M-29's in the shops. Some fired as few as one or two rounds. The wooden grips on the them could be a real bear on the averaged sized hand. I probably would have traded it in too if not for the Pachmayr grips.

Roger, S&W believed that + or - 1/8" (for the tape measure guys) or + or - .125"(for the rest of us) was the standard for any barrel length for any revolver.

Welcome Roger from Republic. Is that close to SPFD, MO?

Colt SAA 1st hit it dead center.

I had a M 27-3 6" Nickel that was an 1/8th of and inch short too.

Barrel lengths are always nominal - at least that's what I tell my wife......