Blue steel with a ported barrel. Was this a factory offering?

A Model 29-3 with the bright blue finish and an 8-3/8" barrel was a standard catalogued item. The porting was not a standard appointment or listed option, as far as I know, and I don't believe barrel porting was done at the factory at the time your gun was made.

I would opine that the barrel porting on your gun was done by an aftermarket outfit like Magnaport, but there were many other qualified gunsmiths that would do the porting on request.

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FBINA, 204th Session

Thank you, I did not purchase the gun. The ports were one cut per side, about half the length of the front sight.

If the cuts were in the shape of a trapezoid, it would have been done by Mag-na-Port.

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VCDL, GOA, NRA

Many magnum pistols and rifles went to magna port back in the early 80's. Including one pistol and rifle of mine.

My 8 3/8" 29 Classic isn't ported. But I sent my Super 14 Contender to Mag-na-port in the early 80's. It has the same 4 ports that my magnum rifles have. My ported 357 on has two.

Only a little recoil reduction! But stops muzzel climb very well!

Ivan