As someone who owns a Model 29-2 with 8 3/8" barrel who very seldom shoots it, I would suggest that if you only have one of the two barrel lengths, stand pat with the hand you have already been dealt. The 5" will be fine for any kind of hunting except the very long range shots that most of us don't take anyway, and you will have a more useful gun the rest of the year. The extra long 8 3/8" barrel was mighty seductive when I was shooting silhouettes with it 30 years ago, but I wish now I had kept the 4" I traded for it! The foregoing is JMHO, and of course YMMV!

Froggie