Model 29's issued to police departments?
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barbsaurus
US Veteran
Dirty Harry had one. 
Hair Trigger
US Veteran
I couldn't say for sure, but I doubt it due to cost.
I'd sure stay within the bounds of the law in any jurisdiction that gave its officers a .44 magnum as a duty gun. Can you imagine a whole force of Dirty Harry's running around?
"Go ahead, run that red light, and make my day."
"Do ya feel lucky, shoplifting those Nikes?, Well, do ya, Punk?"
I'd sure stay within the bounds of the law in any jurisdiction that gave its officers a .44 magnum as a duty gun. Can you imagine a whole force of Dirty Harry's running around?
"Go ahead, run that red light, and make my day."
"Do ya feel lucky, shoplifting those Nikes?, Well, do ya, Punk?"
Too much gun for the average officer as well as the cost. Also, public perception would likely be negative... after all, it took years for police to even adopt hollow point ammo for a .38.
Marshal Tom
Member
No. As stated above but I am sure that there were some officers who carried their own if allowed to do so under dept. regulations. Years ago when I was the UnderSheriff in Eagle County CO we had a Jail Administrator who had been the UnderSheriff in another County where he carried a 6 or 6.5" 57 .41 Magnum in a shoulder holster as his duty gun. He carried it while on transports with us also.
Probably a bit of a PR problem..... back in the 70s huge outcry when some Depts. authorized .357s.......gave birth to the +P+ .38 special HP!
I could see it actually being a feasible choice if used as a .44 special service revolver, with a magnum option for extreme circumstances. The .44 special or light magnum is a better choice in my eyes than a .357 without all the blast and flash.
minconrevo
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I have first hand knowledge of an Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper who carried a personally owned 29 4" on regular duty back in the day. Big guy who was a firearms instructor; definitely could handle that revolver well.
Not issued, but we were allowed to purchase and carry our own. in 1995 Dept went to .40 semi, but you could still carry older weapons' if you kept your qual up to date. We had one guy carry an 8 3/4" 29. I only saw one officer involved shooting with a .44mag and it was was up close and into the gut. Ick.
:while in the Academy they made use shoot a .44mag with full power ammo to help us decide.
:while in the Academy they made use shoot a .44mag with full power ammo to help us decide.
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murf205
Member
My first wife's uncle was a County sheriff and he carried a 4" nickel 29. A very good friend who was a Birmingham PD officer carried a Triple Lock 44 spl. Both of them had a problem with the bad guys out gunning them and rightly so. The both of them were very capable marksmen and never complained about the weight of the gun in a duty belt.
Having been active LE during the the 70s on, on the pistol team and interested in all things like what guns are in what holsters, I never heard of any department that issued the model 29. I could be that a few small agencies did, that I would never hear of, but I never heard of a large agency doing so. I do know of, or heard of, individual officers carrying the model 29.
At one time in the 70s, Remington produced a police load .44 Magnum round, with a 240 grain bullet rated at around 1000 fps, sorta like the police .41 Magnum load. I carried that load in my SWAT gun, as we were allowed a wide latitude for handguns on swat duty.
At one time in the 70s, Remington produced a police load .44 Magnum round, with a 240 grain bullet rated at around 1000 fps, sorta like the police .41 Magnum load. I carried that load in my SWAT gun, as we were allowed a wide latitude for handguns on swat duty.
When I was a deputy back in the ‘80’s, we had to provide our own weapon. I carried a Colt Government Model 45acp, one of the deputies carried a 4” Model 29, most everyone else carried 9mm.
mexicanjoe
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now that you mention it................
I have carried a custom Redhawk on duty in the rural county which I worked at. I carried a 3.5" Redhawk, with .44 special silvertip ammo. and had two speedloaders carrying 240 grain SWC and 180 JHP. Sometimes when your back up is 30 minutes away , it is comforting to carrry a large caliber. My sheriff was OK as along as we could qualify with said firearm as per state standards.....
I have carried a custom Redhawk on duty in the rural county which I worked at. I carried a 3.5" Redhawk, with .44 special silvertip ammo. and had two speedloaders carrying 240 grain SWC and 180 JHP. Sometimes when your back up is 30 minutes away , it is comforting to carrry a large caliber. My sheriff was OK as along as we could qualify with said firearm as per state standards.....
Didn't the DC Police Dept. issue the M29 for a while? Or is that fake news?
When I was a youth, Houston PD required all new officers to purchase and qualify with the Smith .357 revolver. After a year as a probationary officer, they could if they wished purchase and qualify with other duty guns.
Most all officers stuck with the Smith .357. It was what they had, they had confidence in it, and it was known to work.
A few that wanted "more stopping power" bought the M29 with four inch barrel.
Some switched to the Colt 1911 in .45 ACP. A very few visionaries went with the Browning Hi-Power for greater capacity.
Once I saw an officer with a Smith M10 in .38 spl. I asked him and he said, "it's enough."
When I was a youth, Houston PD required all new officers to purchase and qualify with the Smith .357 revolver. After a year as a probationary officer, they could if they wished purchase and qualify with other duty guns.
Most all officers stuck with the Smith .357. It was what they had, they had confidence in it, and it was known to work.
A few that wanted "more stopping power" bought the M29 with four inch barrel.
Some switched to the Colt 1911 in .45 ACP. A very few visionaries went with the Browning Hi-Power for greater capacity.
Once I saw an officer with a Smith M10 in .38 spl. I asked him and he said, "it's enough."
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Interesting! I didn't know that anybody ever made a midrange load for the .44 Mag.
I got a Smith M29 a few years ago. My handload is exactly that, a 240 grain hardcast SWC going about that speed. That's the way to go if you have a .44 -- it's still a thumper but it's easy on the shooter and the gun.
ggibson511960
Member
Back in the 70's I saw a lot of Houston PD officers sporting grip butt medallions that made you think they had a M-29 in the holster. Gorgeous pieces of jewelry. Revolvers could have been any S&W model, but those flashy medallions made them look big. Haven't seen one in years. Wouldn't look as impressive on a Glock.
I've recently seen Harris County sheriffs with their star on the magazines of Glock and S&W.
lppd4
Member
I carried a 4" model 629 for a couple of years as my duty sidearm. It's the only pistol I ever carried that I could not shoot a perfect score with on the department qualification course. I transitioned to a Government model. Carried one for the bulk of my 38 year career. More recently we are making a gentle transition to the Glock 17 as the primary duty weapon at my agency
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