longevity of 29-10 with regular factory load

[Front Sight 357]

Hello everyone,

I bought one of the new S&W Classics in the model 29, the 29-10. Gorgeous and fun gun. Love shooting the revolver. I have about 250 rounds of 44 mag through it.

I recently heard from our rangemaster who is a collector of S&W revolvers that he has destroyed a couple of model 29's in the past by shooting a regular diet of factory 44 magnum ammunition through them. Now he primarily shoots just the 44 specials through his model 29s.

Will shooting the standard factory load of 240 grain bullet at 1200 fps wear out my new revolver? Anyone have any reports regarding the long term durability shooting standard factory loads? And if the guns wears out, is it fixable by S&W?

I would hate to damage my model 29. I would rather buy a Super Redhawk than damage it. Other the other hand, I really want a 44 magnum, not just a pretty gun which is best off shooting 44 specials.

Thank you,

Dave

 

[Gorenut]

I asked the very same question about a month ago. General consensus is that you're fine with the 29-10 and models with the endurance package. Even with the earlier models, issues only came up when people were shooting crazy amounts. Factory loads you're good, but would not reload more powerful rounds.

 

[TheMystro]

The short answer is .....no. Modern 29/629 has NO strength deficiencies. Shoot away.

 

[Pisgah]

Unless you win a nice lottery jackpot, you will never afford enough ammo to wear it out.

 

[steamloco76]

Any 29-5 to 29-10 has all the strength upgrades and should outlast the shooter firing normal factory ammo or handloads replicating such! After selling or trading away a 629 and a 29-3 I didn't like, I bought a 29-10 and couldn't be happier with it.

 

[CWH44300]

Fire it up, its got the lifetime warranty, if it does fail they'll fix it

 

[Chop]

I have a 29-3 four inch that I bought used in the early 90's. I have put maybe 2500 rounds of factory .44 mag loads down the tube without a issue.

Chop

 

[kwselke]

The (6)29-3 models and higher resolved any 'shooting loose' issues which may have existed before dash 3. I hand load my .44 ammo and pretty much load all of it heavy. I also own a Super Redhawk. I fire my hand loads in either my 629-3 or my Super Redhawk with no worry. Any commercial .44 Magnum ammo you buy at retail should be perfectly safe to fire through your 29-10 without worry about undue wear. If I were to work up a 300+ grain grisly bear load I'd use the Super Redhawk, but I also have Freedom Arms .454 Casull which would be a better platform for such a load.

 

[fyimo]

Unless you win a nice lottery jackpot, you will never afford enough ammo to wear it out.

+1 on what he said