Has the model 29 lost it's mojo?

[bmcgilvray]

The .44 Magnum just feels more ".44 Magnum-y" when fired out of a Model 29.

I bought a new Model 29-2 in 1980 with the intent to shoot the hooey out of it. I've tried but it still has some hooey in it.

I'm willing to own a Model 29 and unwilling to own a .44 Magnum of any other brand.

 

[ibewbull]

Over the years I have had Ruger Redhawks and Super Redhawks too. They are gone and not really missed much. Mainly because of unnecessary added weight com paired to the 29/629. If you pack it enough you will find it matters.
I still have the 629 and my wife has her 29. I don't shoot anything as much as I did in the past. Cost and time are holding me back.

A bit off subject but I still recall Taps being sounded for the .45 Colt back in the late 60s. It is still going strong as I expect the .44 Mag and M 29 will also.
Has there ever been a production fixed sight 29 or 629? Something similar to my M 58 but in .44 Mag. I still remember the M 28s being converted to .44 Mag when the frenzy was at its peak in the 70s. A 29 was hard to find thanks to Harry back then.

 

[AlaskaDawg]

Quiana (thanks)

Dawg,
Great photo!

Quyana(thanks)

 

[Pilgrim]

Has it lost it's Mojo? Not as far and I or any sane person is concerned.

Both have been shot. The blued version, a little, the Nickle version a lot and they still look like new.

 

[S&W500 MAG]

As long as the Dirty Harry movies are on T.V, Someone will always want a 29, I for one have a 29-2 6.5,a 29-3 6" and a 629-4 5" I shoot 44 mag 240gr JHP in front of 20.5 gr of accurate#9 hand loads in all of them. I just never liked the feel of the Ruger. Either one of the 44 mags. One thing I can say. S&W and Ruger are well made weapons. As far as safe queens, well that's up to you. I have one, But it's a 110 years old.

 

[Redlegvzv]

...

And no the S&W M29 will never lose its luster. I'm sure every time the dirty Harry movies are on tv the sales of the S&W M29 soar all over again.

More than a little truth in that. Those movies are timeless.

I like my Ruger revolvers a lot but I dearly love my Smiths.

 

[TrueTexan]

Nice guns, zombie!
I notice that on the Ruger.....the cylinder bolt notches are slightly off-set from the chamber center, so as to have a bit more steel underneath. Although I don't own a Ruger .44, I confess I never noticed that before in looking at them.
Smart engineering on the part of Ruger. Do ALL Ruger magnums have this feature? A bigger question would be why Smith didn't do this on their M29. Obviously they must have deemed it un-necessary.


Russ

Just looked at my Ruger Super Redhawks and they are offset, just like my S&W 686 Pluses

 

[2hawk]

Need more photos

 

[LimaCharlie]

I have a 4" 29-2, an 8 3/8" 29-2, an 8" Colt Anaconda, a 6 1/2" Ruger Super Blackhawk, and a 10 1/2" Ruger Super Blackhawk. I also have a Marlin 336-44 in .44 magnum. They are all great shooters. I don't push any of them with super hot rounds. If I want more energy, I will get out my Desert Eagle 50 AE, go buy an S&W X-frame, or get out my rifles.

Buffalo Bore and Garrett Cartridges have 340 and 330 grain +P+ rounds that they say don't use in an S&W. Garrett mentions cylinder length being longer in the recommended revolvers. They both also say the rounds are too long for use in rifles. My guess is they are too long for S&W cylinders. I think that may be where the internet experts got the notion that the Rugers will handle more than the S&Ws

 

[jtcarm]

Has there ever been a production fixed sight 29 or 629? Something similar to my M 58 but in .44 Mag.

No and I'm lobbying for the same thing: M-29, 22, 21, and maybe an 8-round 520 heavy barrel. They'd sell like crazy.

Maybe we should start a petition with Lew Horton or TALO.

 

[Redlegvzv]

Has it lost it's Mojo? Not as far and I or any sane person is concerned.

Both have been shot. The blued version, a little, the Nickle version a lot and they still look like new.

Fantastic and hilarious picture, Pilgrim.
Darn you people in this thread. Now you got me wanting a Model 29 for the collection. Does it ever end?

 

[2hawk]

...
Has there ever been a production fixed sight 29 or 629? ...

Check out the Cocked & Locked post (#18) here:

http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-revolvers-1980-present/328953-629-snub.html

 

[fyimo]

I don't think so as I recently sold all my S&W Model 29-2's and two of my S&W Model 629 no dash revolvers and they all brought huge bucks on GB so to me the interest is still there. I kept my Model 629 no dash with 6 inch barrel as my only shooter 44 mag.

Model 629 no dash 6 inch

 

[ISCS Yoda]

Interesting thread.

I had a beautiful 629, 3" barrel, paid around 300 or 350 bucks for it around a dozen or so years ago, maybe more. Yeah, for sure, a year or two more. A Lew Horton special, 5000 made I guess, etc. I could say a lot of nice things about the gun but even though it was good looking, and fun to shoot if you stuck to .44 Special ammunition, it was a BEAR with .44 Magnum rounds, and it felt clunky to me. Always. Selling it for 900 bucks was a happy outcome.

I'll stick to my .38s and .357s. Better looking, less clunky, more accurate, etc. YMMV

***GRJ***

 

[shawn mccarver]

I've been considering getting a new 44 mag as a range gun.

Lots of target shooting, probably more 44 special than full mag, but some of both.

I've been reading up on 629's, 29's, Ruger Super Blackhawks, Redhawks, Super Redhawks, and the 329PD.

Mostly these are guns that one LGS or another has in stock.

Every article I read says that M29's were the first guns out there, but the Rugers are stronger, and if you shoot your M29 (or 629) much is will loosen up.

Some guys say they have a SRH that they shoot every week -- a full box or two or 44 Mag hot loads at a time.

But their old M29 sits in the safe so it won't be damaged by shooting.

But if you can't shoot it, why have it, I wonder.

It seems like the consensus of what I read is that the Model 29 is some kind of geriatric basket case and needs constant TLC.

But I got my first M29 back when Clint Eastwood was making movies.

Back when the S&W 29 was the "most powerful handgun in the world".

Back when it could blow a scumbag's head "clean off" -- at least according to Harry Callahan.

What a comedown.

Now it's just a has-been -- good only for sitting on a shelf in a safe.

Or so I read.

Dave

I seem to recollect that S&W did better than Ruger in an over pressure test to determine which cylinder would blow up first using increasingly powerful loads. H. P. White did the test, I think, although I cannot find it now. Seems that forging really is better.

I think that as long as you are using 44 Magnum loads in the original configuration (240 to 250 grain) and NOT those crazy heavy 300 grain looney-loads you and your gun will be fine for a LONG time.

 

[LimaCharlie]

The S&W 29 .44 magnum is no longer the most powerful handgun in the world. The S&W X-frames are the most powerful now. However, the S&W 29 .44 magnum will still blow your head clean off, while the X-frames will kill your soul.

 

[steamloco76]

The Model 29 series still has its mojo in my book!.

29-10 6.5 inch wearing checkered Hogue wood in place of the reproduction S&W Target grips.

29-5 Nickel 4 inch with Ahrends Tactical grips.

Last but certainly not least, the 29-2 4 inch I recently traded two Rugers and a bit of scratch for.

 

[Gorenut]

I love M29s. Especially if you get a newer one.. you are unlikely ever shoot it out unless you shoot tons of heavy loads which far exceed the cost of the gun multiple times over. I had a 29-10 6.5" and that thing felt like I was cheating because it was so easy to shoot. I know S&W recommends shooting lower than what I was shooting (300gr), but I had no issues with it. I also owned a Super Blackhawk Bisley and while its durable/fun... I could never get that thing to shoot as comfortably as the M29. A Super Blackhawk with standard plow handle was even worse. I guess I'm just too accustomed to DA revolvers. Unfortunately I sold my M29 as well to fund some other more "practical" firearm projects (couldn't find enough reloading components for 44mag and it was taking up loads from my precious 357s). If I were to get another 44mag though.. I'd probably get a 629 simply because I prefer stainless due to the rust resistance and I'm kind of OCD about cleaning. Residue shows up more on stainless so I know how clean the gun is. Also helps that there are more round butt options.

Heard Redhawks had bad triggers and Super Redhawks are just ugly as sin.. which is saying a lot for me since I actually like Rugers.

 

[brucev]

First, I've never been a big fan of the .44 Magnum. But, over the years I've owned and shot both S&W 29's and Ruger Redhawks. I never really warmed up to the Rugers. There was nothing wrong with them. I just simply never found one that I liked. It's that simple. I liked the S&W's. But, here in the southeast, I never found much use for them. All the talk about how effective it was on deer and hogs was true. But, I never had any problems with the .357 Magnum on deer and hogs. Black bear... never found one to shoot. Targets... a hole is a hole is a hole. And when it comes to making holes... the .38/.357's and .45ACP's were way cheaper to shoot... and generally more accurate.

So... nowadays I own a 21-4... just about ideal in every way possible for a handgun. It shoots big bullets, which I like. It makes big holes in targets. It is cheap to reload. It is light enough to carry easily all day long in a common hip holster. It has fixed sights that are perfectly regulated to 240 gr. LSWC ammo. And... if I want more power, I can just heat things up with handloads to where no deer or hog is safe on the downrange end of the muzzle.

For the more common purposes that people today associate with handguns... i.e., SD/HD/CC, the .44 Magnum is an also ran. Of course that is the case also with any of the other larger calibers. They simply are not what anyone commonly considered. That market is dominated by semi-automatics firing rounds such as the ubiquitous 9mm, the .40 S&W (excellent idea and development) and the .45 ACP. Anyone carrying a revolver for such purposes will with justification be looking primarily at the J and K frames... maybe a L frame very occasionally.

Meantime... the shock and awe crowd will be attracted to the latest whatever that is being produced by whoever, be it a .450, .460, .500... you know... whatever. Some of those whatever's will be shot. Most will sit on a shelf... like some .44 Magnums. Gee! Maybe they all have something in common... people who buy them. Cool.

 

[W.E.G.]

"I gots to know..."