Which barrel length is considered more desirable, collectable, and/or harder to find...the 6-inch or the 6.5-inch? And if you want to give reasons, that's fine, too.

Thanks for your time.

...the 4.0, 6.5 & 8.375" was all that was available when I bought my 29-2 around 1977.
all else was special.

The 6.5 inch barrel is more collectible than the 6-inch barrel because the longer barrel is associated with the original configuration of this model. The 6-inch barrel was introduced in 1979 when S&W standardized the barrel length for the Model 29 at 4, 6, and 8 3/8 inches. The Model 29-2 was made with a 6-inch barrel from late 1979 to sometime in 1982 when the Model 29-3 was introduced and is considered a collectible by some.

Bill

Doc all Other things being equal, if you had an opportunity between a 6" and a 6.5" 29-2, which would you prefer?

Thank you for all that. I've always tended to go for the older guns, and with the 6.5-inchers being pre-'79, that just reinforces my thinking on that.

...Clint liked it too.

Up until the last two movies when he went wit a six

IMO...
5 screw, 4 screw, 3 screw "S" serial, diamond grips over non, 3 screw N serial ,
After that "Endurance Package" over non, Pre MIM/IL over IL/MIM.

Barrel length desirability 5", 3", 4", 6.5", 6", 8 3/8" and longer.

ALl just IMO

Watchdog...as Doc44 has stated the 6.5 being the original length is important to collectors.But equally is important is the Dirty Harry stigma of the first three films using a 6.5.Most of my 29-2 in the past were the 6.5 length which I prefer over the 6 inch.However I did hang onto an unfired 6 inch when I sold off a good portion of my collection years back.Reason being as Doc stated having been made for just three years, plus the majority of ones made in the time frame mostly had dull blue finishes.Some six inchers are around with high luster blue finishes.and they would be worth grabbing if you spot one.I think in time more interest will be giving to not only these but other last of the .P&R models.

When I was looking in a firearms blue book at the value of my 4" 29-2, it read to add $100 for the 4" bbl....

Tom R...I would only pick a 6-inch over a 6 1/2-inch if I was trying to collect all variations of the 29-2 and did not have a nice 6-inch. Other than that, I would have little interest in that barrel length. Nothing wrong with a 6-inch, but I always associate the 44 Magnum with a 6 1/2-inch barrel.

Bill

Thanks Doc, all my Smiths are of the 4" variety, except for a 686 which is 2.5.

I want to get a nice 29-2, and get one with a longer barrel, b/c life is just too darn short not to have one.

And there is a somewhat local Gun Store that has a lot of 29s, and one of them is a 6"er. Price is not bad, and I think there is some room. But I value your input.

It's just a shooter, no more, no less, but I view that as a good thing.

There you go.