His information, while factual, starts from the premise (as I see it) that the S&W 29 is too lightly designed and one is better off buying a Ruger - BALONEY.

The caveat is - use the ammunition the gun was designed for and you won't have a problem. If you are one of those who must shoot heavier bullets and the highest pressure loads because you need to or because it just satisfies some testosterone high that validates manliness, then get a Red Hawk or a Blackhawk or spring for a Freedom Arms revolver.

While nothing said in his reply is necessarily "untrue", it ignores the fact that the problems stem from using heavier loads than the gun was designed for. I never got into silhouette shooting, and I don't encounter brown/grizzly bears when I stroll down to get the morning paper so for my purposes standard velocity/weight/spec 44 magnum ammo treats my model 29's just fine and seems to punch big holes in whatever needs it while giving me as much recoil as I care for.

On a side note, the old chestnut tossed in about the "Dirty Harry" character acknowledging the weakness of the gun and using light 44 special loads shows me this is someone who really doesn't understand what he's talking about and buys into movie myth and misinterpretation to make a point. That whole subject has been grist for other entire threads and it's one of those movie myths that just won't die. It was the result of a flubbed line by the star and wasn't considered grievous enough at the time to re-shoot the scene. But all the "experts" love to pounce on that to stir the pot . . . .


YMMV

ANY revolver will develop problems if you consistently shoot loads that are more powerful than it was designed for. I qualify with a Model 29-2, 4 inch barrel, and I can handle the recoil quite well for the 75 round course.

Concerning that Dirty Harry line I think John Milius spoke out and said he ment a lighter Magnum load, not specials (probably a 180 rather than the 240 loads) and he said it was a writing mistake that it actually said special

and I can tell you from experience the remington 180's sound alot like the shots from the film and for me their easier to hit my target with, plus they sound great!

FYI the only trouble my M29-2 has given me was with the extraction of PMC ammo, where after those rounds had been shot they just woundnt come out easily, the rest were fine and its like you guys have been saying only shoot the ammo the gun was ment for and it'll last you a lifetime, specifically with the M29 the remington 180 44 magnums and magtech 240 magnums

Hell someone oughta direct that guy towards hickok45 and so he'll sound off on this recurring discussion and set him straight with his 8 inch 29 -2 and the huge amount of MAGNUM rounds he put through it since he bought it new in 1974.


and in shootability you just cant beat the M29 with a doube action ruger, the smith easily trumps in that and the shootability department, I pick up my redhawk and it feels like a downgrade in those departments, the trigger just aint nowhere near as good as the 29's and that's the most important thing about a gun!

and the 29 feels natural to my hand while the ruger feels cumbersome

I saw an interview with either John or Clint several years ago when that question came up and that was the gist of it - though my recollection was that Clint said he was supposed to say " it's a special light load" instead of " a light Special load" and he got the line backwards - no one paid much attention to it at the time and filming proceeded. Like I said, that's one myth that the "experts" will never let die . . . . besides, the context was for a competition shoot - not what he was carrying on the street.

I've been working my way up in power, and I am now controlling a 240gr lswc over Unique 10.0 gr, which chronographed about 1090 out of my 4" 629. I have been able to shoot 200 at a session and maintain most of my accuracy (with some resting)

At this medium level of power, do I have any worries for the gun? How about the 19 gr of 2400 loads? I'm hitting the range every weekend and I love my 44 magnum.

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NRA Benefactor Member

You have the same "worries" the owner of any other S&W revolver has. Keep the gun as clean as you can. Hold your amount of really fast double-action shooting to a minimum. Check your weapon frequently for any signs of disrepair, viz. excessive cylinder- and yoke-endshake, timing problems, straight extractor rod, etc. Anyone should do that with any revolver. In other words, just do the normal things.

Others may disagree but I don't consider the 19.0/2400 load a "medium" power 44 Magnum. That is a pretty sturdy load and should approach 1300 FPS in a 6-inch gun. Nothing to sneeze at.

I have a Mod 29 which I purchased new approximately 30 years ago. I have never fired a factory .44 mag round in this firearm, I have fired thousands of mild handloads thru it. When it was relatively new the rear sight screw sheared off in the frame and the rear sight when flying past my head. I sent it back to S&W and they removed the broken screw and reinstalled the sight and returned it to me n/c. I have had the hand break twice and the last failure was with a piece I believe is called a cylinder lock. It rides in a groove in the frame under the trigger and is retained by the stud on the hand. The part broke in half and locked up the revolver solid. I checked with Numrich and Brownells looking for the part and neither could find any listing of such a part on a model 29. I finally called S&W and the tech I got ahold of new exactly what I was talking about. Apparently it is a part that is not used in all model 29's. He sent me the new lock and a new hand at no charge. Even with the failures I have experienced over the years it is still my favorite revolver.

I have another N frame Model 25 in .45 acp that was purchased new for my father at approximately the same time. It has had exactly 12 rounds put thru it. It's packed away in it's presentation case and I shoot the snot out of the model 29 instead.

I have and will only fire 44 mag rounds in my 629-6 5". For me anyway that is the only reason I got a 44 mag in the first place. I don't want be caught with my pants down or less than Garrett Defender 44 mags in my gun if I should run into a bear. My gun may only see 30-40 rounds a year through it and maybe even less some years so I am not going to worry about it being able to handle the ammo I am using in it. The Garrett Defender ammo I am using is within the SAMMI recommended limits.

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44 Garrett Defender Ammo 4 me.