For my purposes, I most enjoy looking for (and sometimes finding ) a nice 29-2 made up through the late-60s, but others have pointed out logical reasons why earlier, and later, guns have desirable characteristics.

If I wore the gun everyday and had need to use it with real 44 Magnum loads, I would be looking for a 29-5, with the standard barrel profile, or a similar 629, probably a 629-3, or even a 629-4, since some of those can be found with square-butt frames.

Some time ago I quit using 44 Magnum loads with >275-grain bullets. 29-2s will handle these reasonably well, but I think they are right on the edge for most 29-2s that I have. The improvements in the later guns do seem to be effective. Since these guns are usually not finished quite as nicely, they are logical candidates for holstering.

I do not care for the Python-type barrel of the Classic guns, but admit it does make them nice to shoot when firing more than 25 rounds or so in a short period of time. I also do not care for round-butt guns, which just seem inappropriate for a belt gun, and needlessly complicate the stock making process - unless one wants an enclosed backstrap.