Smith & Wesson 29-5 Questions

[SP45]

If I am reading the Standard Catalog correctly the 29-5, came out in 1990 and was the Magna Classic with 7 1/2" full underlug barrel, round butt and the serial numbers were all marked starting with MAG----. I just acquired a 29-5 but it has a 4" barrel, square butt and the serial number starts with BFT---- which would be the correct production date of about 1990. It is a pre mims gun. It's a nice gun in 98 to 99% condition in the box.
Any thoughts? Thanks Tom

 

[woodsltc]

Not all 29-5's or 29-6's had full underlug barrels, but it seems that more with the full underlug show up for sale. I think the 4-inch 29-5's are also sort of rare as you don't see them very often at all. My understanding is that most 29-5's were square-butts & 29-6's were mostly round-butts.....however, you just never know with Smith & Wesson, they made a lot of different configurations of various guns.

I have both a 4" and 6" 29-5 (see below). I've not seen any 29's with a MAG serial number prefix. The serial number prefix for my 4" is BFM and the prefix for the 6" is BHN.

I like the fact that the 29-5's have the full endurance package and are pre-mim and pre-lock.

Don

 

[grip frame]

29-5's were made in all variations of barrel lengths in standard non full lug models in 4"-8 3/8" and in the mentioned Magna Classic and Classic models with full lug barrels.

 

[CH4]

Does anyone have an 8 3/8 29-5 with a square butt? Mine's round as well as all my 629/29 from about 1988 forward.

 

[CLASSIC12]

My 29-5 is a Classic Hunter SB made in 1991, full underlug barrel and unfluted cylinder