S&W 29 MagnaClassic 1 of 3000

[whitecoyote]

Recentally aquired, a S&W 29-5, .44 mag. On the barrel is "29 MagnaClassic 1 of 3000".
This MagnaClassic has a 7.5" barrel, bright blue finish, and Combat Goncalo Alves grips. It appears the 29 has never been fired (except factory). Manufactured in 1990. It came with a very nice wood display case, certificate, factory sight in target (sighted in at 50 yards), and several different front sights.

On the certificate it states the MagnaClassic has a "Registered Serial No." Serial #MAG108x.
Also on the certificate it states the finish is Bright Blue/Stainless Steel". What would be stainless steel on this revolver?

Were these revolvers made by the Performance Center, or a special run by the S&W factory?
Can anyone here shed more light on excatly what I have?
Thanks!

 

[Joni_Lynn]

The Magna Classic was made to introduce the new Classic series of 29-5 & 629-3 revolvers. They had the complete endurance and accuracy package and an easy change front sight.
They were available in a very nice high polish stainless or a nicely polished blue. Retail was $999 or $1000 and a small box was included that contained a bunch of extra front sight blades.
The front sight can be changed by hand with no tools.
Nice guns and 7.5" production revolvers aren't made all that often.
These guns had nothing to do with the performance center.
They were the first revolver I know of to use the rear sight with a rounded front edge. All had a round butt.

 

[TiroFijo]

Very nice gun, and they shoot great

I never understood why S&W put the small combat grips on them (even on 8 3/8" barrels!), they are extremely uncomfortable in guns of this weight and lenght and look disproportionate to me.

 

[Joni_Lynn]

I didn't like the grips that were on mine, tried a Hogue and didn't care for it either and then had these Herrett's made.

 

[WILL TERRY]

These magna classic revolvers are truly one of the classiest s&w 44mags of all times.

Mine is even rarer than a blue or stainless steel "1 of 3000". Mine is a stainless 7 1/2" MAGNA CLASSIC [ with all the correct markings..] which was one of the four final prototypes for the gun and was a demonstration model for the SHOT SHOW that year. It was shipped to me for T&E the week after SHOTSHOW complete with no firing pin !!! I put in a firing pin meant for a blue gun but they all work the same, as it were.
I hated those stupid combat style stocks on such a substantial revolver and had Deacon Deason of BEARHUG STOCKS make a set of roundbutt-to-squarebutt conversion stocks for it pronto. A short while later I stood at a range outside Buena Vista COLO and from 900am to 1200 noon put a full case of FEDERAL 44MAG 240JHP and a full case of BLACKHILLS 44SPL 240SWC ammunition through it shooting two handed offhand at 100 yards. I have owned rifles that do not shoot as well.

 

[Bullet Bob]

+1 on Herrett's.

I remember the magazine article that introduced these; the S&W rep called them "the most accurate revolvers you'll never shoot".
Obviously he hadn't met this crowd!

Here it is before the factory grips were shelved. That's one heck of a polishing job by someone who knew their business.

 

[tate razor]

I agree, the factory grips are a little small. I put a set Hogue grips on mine.

 

[Nightowl]

Darn, those are beautiful.

 

[kcoruol]

What happened to the square butts?

 

[Bullet Bob]

They started going to Curves

Really, there used to be quite a gunsmithing side business converting Squares to Rounds, and at some point S&W must have decided it made economic sense to make them only one way. Since Rounds can easily be converted to square-butt style with a pair of grips, while the reverse is obviously not true, they decided in favor of the Rounds. And don't we all, really?

 

[mac2]

I can remember Guns & Ammo magazine (think I still have it) reviewing several (think it was 7) of these; a shop had one (629) and I was tempted to buy it but didn't quite have the money - bought a 29 Classic instead. Beautiful and would have been a pleasure to own, then again they banned them here so maybe for the best, I didn't get it.

 

[LOBO]

Those are some gorgeous S&W's!!

 

[whitecoyote]

The Magna Classic was made to introduce the new Classic series of 29-5 & 629-3 revolvers. They had the complete endurance and accuracy package and an easy change front sight.
They were available in a very nice high polish stainless or a nicely polished blue. Retail was $999 or $1000 and a small box was included that contained a bunch of extra front sight blades.
The front sight can be changed by hand with no tools.
Nice guns and 7.5" production revolvers aren't made all that often.
These guns had nothing to do with the performance center.
They were the first revolver I know of to use the rear sight with a rounded front edge. All had a round butt.

Thanks Joni,
You answered all my questions regarding the MagnaClassic. You are a wealth of knowledge!
Also, thanks for all the replys, and photos.

 

[7tenz]

I just acquired one. This answered the questions I posted.

Guess I should have googled instead of going to Wikipedia.

So they made them in both stainless or blue. Mine (to be come Oct 27th) is blue.

 

[Davetti]

Magna Classic

For those of you that do not care for the round butt grips, try Culina.com. I have several sets on my revolvers to include my Python. My 29 Magna Classic wears the round to square butt conversion target grips in Olive wood. Beautiful and the craftsmanship is second to none.

 

[Davetti]

Correction

As you were: Culinagrips.com