I still have all mine and shoot them more than I do any other revolver.

If it wasn't for Highway Patrolman's and Mod 27's, there wouldn't be any N frames on the front page!

I know, I'm eat up with the K 22's like everyone else is, but what got me INTO S&W's was those big ol' 44 magnums.

Did you trade yours away for 357's and 22's or do you still keep one or two for old times sake?

Mod 29-2


More 29-2's


More... well you get it.


GF

Those are very nice. I have never owned one but hope to one day.

Where's Curtis?

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Misty

I've owned a few 29's and 629's over the years, but I don't currently. While they are beautiful to look at, shooting them was never a lot of fun for me.

well two weeks ago I put 50 rounds thru my new to me 29-3 in 66 inch. I really love those 29's so no reason for this to be a past tense thread. I'm looking forward to some of those p&r 29's in the near future. oh yeah, got a few layers of skin rubbed off but really the recoil was not all that bad. I think a 29-2 6 inch in nickel is one of my favorite guns to look at.

oh did you catch that? I'm shooting 66 inch revolvers.

Thank you 29-14! I was hoping a few of the 240 gr crowd would show up.

Please forgive me for I have lusted in my heart! I must have another even though I know it is sinful!

Yes, I remember them
Chuck

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SWCA1517 SWHF256
Rangers LTW!

29-1, all I can say is WOW! I thought I had alot of 29's. Anyway here is my favorite 29-2.

I have several 357 K an L frames...But my N frames are 45acp....I want another 45LC of 44mag..with a 6" barrel. ONE DAY!!!!

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M.J.Hanna

Misty...I am far and away from having as many as I used to, but here's the first one for me

A much modified from the original I bought 29-3


My Tulsa bargain 4 screw pre-29


Wait another 4 screw pre-model


Ok how bout a 5 screw??


5 Screw with its Bonafides



Another 4 screw


And a group of a few

I would NEVER trade a 44 for a 357

My lone Model 29. I am not nearly as advanced as you collectors, but I guarantee I give my only .44 all the attention it can handle.




Just today, another member and I were rolling bowling pins around at the 100 yard line with our .44s. No better fun that that, at least with your clothes on.

I think that's the first time we've seen that pic Chuck. I ain't seen that many cokes since the last time i stopped at the grocery store.
f.t.

I only have two S&W .44 magnums, a four inch 29-3 and a six inch 629-1. I will be ruled a heritic for this but I am more accurate with my Ruger Super Blackhawks with the Mag. I think it's a recoil management thing as the single action is much easier on my hand!

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Stay safe people!

Elmer Keith rides again!

Sir, I have kind of a love/hate thing with .44 magnums. The guns themselves are lovely, and I absolutely hate shooting them with full-power ammo. I've owned a half-dozen or so, but never shot any of them much or kept them very long. I'm much happier with .45s, .38s, and .22s. Yes, I could handload the big .44 down to a reasonable level, but then it's into .45 Colt territory, and I already have a .45 Colt.

Still, the lure of the .44 mag is strong, and I'm probably about due for another. It's a sickness, I think.

Hope this helps, and Semper Fi.

Ron H.

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Wishin' don't make it so.

M629-1

gil.

GF,

I see that you are taking good care of my other set of N frame targets on that blue 29.

Chuck,
Holy mackeral!


My grail gun is a 5" 29-2. Some day.......
Here is my 29-4. I sold my 29-5 classic hunter pictured at the bottom, but the combats on it are now on my 29-4. BTW, my other 29's are 25's-

Here is mine.



I love the 29. I would like to get as 4" or a 3".

I traded a Ruger redhawk for my 629, it was my first S&W and has traveled many a mile hunting and goofing off.

I have my Model 27's my favorites and Model 28's but I still buy Model 29's and have 3 and 2 629's.

Model 29-2 with 6.5 inch barrel

Model 29-2 with 6 inch barrel

Model 29-2

Model 629 no dash with 6 Inch Barrel

Model 629 no dash with 8 3/8 inch barrel

Actually I think you have the chronology a bit wrong.

Had there not been the 1st Model Hand Ejector Triple Lock in 44 Special, the first true "N" frame, then there wouldn't have been the 2nd and 3rd Model 44 Special Hand Ejectors and thus no Pre 24 44 Specials for Elmer and the boys to fuss with and therefore end up at the 44 Magnum.

The Parents of the 357 are without question the Pre War, Pre 23 Outoorsman in 38 Special and the good old HD. Without them they wouldn't have developed the 357 and the Registered Mag and then the Model 27s and Model 28s. So the 357 actually owes it's existance to the 44 Special.

I suspect they may have in fact come to the 44 Magnum even if the 357 Mag hadn't already existed for 20 years or so. That 1/8 of an inch was more to do with the prevention of use in older guns than actual velocities and pressures as I understand it.

Just a thought.

By the way I own several Model 27s, pre 27s and even a Pre War Non Reg Mag and like the 357 in the "N" frame platform just fine. ;-)

One of my few remaining Grail Guns is a Reg Mag but I'm just too cheap. I just need to win the lottery first and then....

Just picked this up a few days ago. Wearing the wrong grips but am trying to take care of that...

Model 29 4-screw.

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Barry, youngest son of Claud

I have a 629 as well.

I think you misunderstood his post. I believe he meant that if it weren't for the posts on 27/28's, there wouldn't be any threads on the front page of the 1961-1980 forum about N frames.

Yes G4F, that IS what I meant.

But the guy is very good on the cronology (does that mean history!?!) of the magnum!

I'm gonna' go shine up your grips.

Thanks! I appreciate that.

I can't answer the question about "history". I don't even think I can pronounce chronology.

I have a few 29s and a couple of 629s. They are all fine revolvers; like many here, I don't like to shoot them with full loads. A 240-250-grainer at around 1000 fps will get most jobs done just fine (as will a .44 special loaded to the same velocity). At any rate, the guns themselves are works of art. Here are some of mine:

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- Cogito, ergo armatus sum -

I've bought and sold quite a few 29/ 629s over the years. Currently I only have this five screw Pre 29 in my small collection.It's one gun I doubt I'll ever part with.I have had it lettered, it left the factory in March, 1957.
Rick rfo1

That is a nice one too, Rick!

After years of thinking the .44 Mag was "TOO MUCH GUN" for me to deal with, I finally shot one. Two months ago I got the chance to shoot a handload that was a bit on the mild side. I loved it. That same day I shot a full house 454 Cassull. I wasn't so crazy about that one and what the trigger guard did to my finger with a full house load. It did make me realize I could more than handle a .44 Magnum.

Several years on this forum, and I knew if I was going to buy a .44 Magnum, it was going to be a 29-2. Funy how things happen, but a few days after I decided I wanted one, the one pictured below "appeared" and I bought it.

My first time shooting it had me flinching a bit and wondering if I did the right thing. The second time shooting it I fell in love.

I know there will be others coming along. I need a 29-2 6" blue one, and I want a 6" 629 at the very least. But this is my first, and I will always have it. I just love touching off those heavy loads, so I'll keep the rubber on it for now, though I have the original stocks. I'm sure it's the first of several, if not many. I love this gun.

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S&WCA #2018

I did finally jump in and get a 1992 model, with the full lug. Sports Herrett's Shooting Masters right now.

Chuck-

Hope there's at least a Master Lock involved there somewhere. Looks to me like there's room for a few more.

Jim

I have a 29 bought in the 70s. It sports an 8 3/8" barrel and is blued. I used it originally for IHMSA and hunting. I traded a 57 6" for it. I began hunting with it after I shot Silh for a while and became good enough to put a few deer in the freezer. I still like shooting it. The barrel is a little unhandy now. A couple years ago I returned to revolvers after shooting autos for 12-15 years. I had forgotten how nice it was not having to chase brass all over the place. I bought a 629 Mt Gn because it closely resembles my Mod 28 4". They handle alike. It shoots good too. I just cant stand that stupid lock. I have been thinking of trading it for a pinned N frame with a shorter barrel in blue. Maybe a 4 or 6 inch barrel

Jim, you're right there's always room for more, but these days I'm only looking for certain guns that may never actually turn up. The picture shows the results of my not really being too focused on which guns I drug home. Don't worry, in front of the steel door leading to my gun room is a major vault door that it'd take longer to get into than it would for me or my gun toting little wife to intervene.
Chuck

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SWCA1517 SWHF256
Rangers LTW!

Some "action" shots:

5" Classic

4" 29-2:

Same gun after I took a dive in the deep snow while negotiating some high desert rocks and sagebrush. I brushed it off, but the action was pretty much froze up. As I recall, it was in the negative numbers that day. Hunting was excellent though:

Another bright winter day back in ought 6 with my 5" gun.

Head shooting:

Man I love those pics of the rabbit hunt! What ammo do you use for small game in a 44 mag?

Presently, I own but one 44 mag. An unfired 29-2 with 6" in bbl. I used to hunt with other S&W 44 M's I've owned and may do that again in the near future. I've also owned several Ruger single action 44m's, but that's a different story. S&W model 29's are alive and well with my friends too.

The preferred load is 8.5 grains Unique with a 240 grain LSWC. Often I use 10 grains Unique as it is my standard all around load. The picture of the pile o rabbits with the 4" gun were taken with some 305 grain cast loads and heavy doses of H110. I had not intended to be rabbit hunting that day and quickly ran out of my standard load and all I had in the truck were my elk loads.

Normally though, for rabbits I prefer 8.5 grains Unique and a 240 grain cast SWC.

I've posted this before but since you asked....

1973 6.5 incher

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ASA/NSA 67-71
NRA Benefactor

Over the years, I have acquired nine 29/629 Smith's in all barrel lengths from 3" to 10 5/8's but I am humbled by the collection of 29-1! I am clearly a light weight by comparsion. Apparently, nine 44 magnum Smith's is just a modest collection at best! Oh well, hopefully I still have a few years to acquire additional samples. IMO, all 'N' frame Smiths's are wonders to behold, but the 29's were the finest, having the most versatile caliber. And yes, hard to beat 9 grains of Unique with a hard cast250/255 grain Keith 429421. The perfect revolver/ammunition combination....again IMO.

How many of you use a 29, or 629, as a carry gun? I can't be the only one.

This is my one and only Smith and Wesson Model 29-2.

It's sporting the 8 3/8" barrel and is my favorite. I liberated it from a guy that was turning it into a deer gun. I don't shoot it as much as I'd like to, though, but I fondle it way more than any of my other guns.

I refer to it as my "waving around gun".

deadite

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