M29 Endurence Package

[65Whelen]

Looking for another 29. Trying learn about each dash #. Correct me if I'm wrong, -2 is P&R (1980), -3 is not. Is -4 the endurance package? And what is an endurance package?
I have the opportunity to buy a very nice -3 but wouldn't a 29 with the EP be more desirable? Both from a collector stand point and a shooters perspective?

[amazingflapjack]

-3 on is e package I believe on the 629. don't know about 29.

[D Brown]

Originally Posted by amazingflapjack

-3 on is e package I believe on the 629. don't know about 29.

Correct. Dash 5 on for the Model 29.

[Kingspoke]

The endurance package would start with 29 E3 (1987), and then 29-4 (1988) onward.

[cowboy4evr]

Brian Pierce wrote a great article yrs ago for Handloader mag about Smith 44 mag . It's available on line . He explains in detail the upgrades and what dash #'s . I just googled " Brian Pierce article on Smith and Wesson 44 magnum " . It came up under the Goodrich Famly Assoc link .

[Joed49]

I own a few .44's, in particular a 29-2 and a 629-1. These do not have the endurance package. I remember when I bought the 629, my first .44 Mag. The gunsmith told me it was a good gun but warned me that when it was made it was made to shoot 240 gr ammo. He told me to stay away from 300 gr or it would need service sooner then later.

I've lived by that advice and only shoot 240 gr bullets or 250 gr LSWC out of them. Had them for 10 years and they are still in spec.

One thing that has probably helped is I do most of my shooting at the range with a load that is between the .44 Spl and .44 Mag. It's comfortable and I can shoot a lot of rounds without beating myself up. I like the velocity around 1100 to 1200 fps for general shooting. The heavy stuff I use only for hunting.

[iPac]

Originally Posted by cowboy4evr

Brian Pierce wrote a great article yrs ago for Handloader mag about Smith 44 mag . It's available on line . He explains in detail the upgrades and what dash #'s . I just googled " Brian Pierce article on Smith and Wesson 44 magnum " . It came up under the Goodrich Famly Assoc link .

Thanks for the article, going to check it out. FYI, the article is this link, not the Goodrich link:
https://www.riflemagazine.com/magazi...20(LO)%202.pdf

I don't know if the model 29 was the same as the 629, but the 629 received endurance upgrades sporadically over the -2/-2E/-3, depending on what variation it was.

My 629-2E is from the 103650 product code run of 3200pcs. This run has -2 and -2E marked examples but all of them have the total endurance package of a -3.

So model 29s may have these upgrades spread out too and not exact.

I personally feel that any average enthusiast will be served just fine by ANY model 29 or 629, but it never hurts to have a "stronger" gun.

[StakeOut]

My 629-3 Mountain Gun and my 629-4 Backpacker both have the full endurance package.

A 3" 629-1 Lew Horton does not.

[H Richard]

There is no relationship between the 629 and the 29 as far as dash numbers are concerned. The 29 was introduced in 1955 and was at the -2 level before the 629 was introduced in 1979.

[cowboy4evr]

I have a 629-4 , 4" barrel . It has the endurance pkg , no mim parts and no key lock . That said I have often wondered if todays load data , seemingly lessened than many years ago , could make any difference on wear and tear of the older 29's ? I truly feel that a cast bullet @ 1200 fps is sufficient for all that we need . I often have considered an older 29 , but stop and wonder , if the truth be known, how many really hot loads has it digested ? I have had some bad experiences buying on line .

[BigBill]

The new s&w m29-10 is suppose to be the best m29 ever built. It has all ten upgrades done to it. I was able to find one nib unshot for $699 in blue.
With presentation case too. I’m not fond of the blue but what a deal.

[grip frame]

Being a -10 does not mean it has ten upgrades, it means its revision 10 of the model.

A 29-10 is no stronger or better for a shooter than a 29-6 and has the negatives of having MIM parts, lock feature etc.

[Kingspoke]

I have a 29-2 (P&R) and the 29-7 with all the endurance upgrades, mim, but minus the IL(). I know I'll never get anywhere close to needing the endurance components.

[Nightowl]

I bought my 29-2 in 1968. I have shot several thousand rounds of 20 grains of 2400 through it. It still has a great action and is still tight. I have shot very few factory loads through it. I took it to the range last week and shot some cowboy loads and 12 rounds of my new modern load of 19 grains of 2400 coated 240 SWC from Missouri Bullet co. It is still a great gun!

I have other .44s to shoot, so I don't shoot the old one very often. If I planned to shoot a lot of heavy loads through a Smith, I would get a 629-3 or -4 just for increased durability.