New to me S&W mod 29-5

[ken98k]

A few days ago I picked up this 6" (actually 5-7/8) model 29-5. I ordered some new grips for it because the stock grips remind me of holding a baseball bat by the wrong end.

Read More

 

[Stomper]

A few days ago I picked up this 6" (actually 5-7/8) model 29-5. I ordered some new grips for it because the stock grips remind me of holding a baseball bat by the wrong end.
View attachment 2254645

WHOA.... Dirty Harry look out!


I have the Highway Patrolman (mod 28) version of this in .357.

 

[64MercurysRule]

Very nice Sir .
Clint Approved

 

[WAYNO]

Harry Callahan:
I know what you're thinking: "Did he fire six shots or only five?" Well, to tell you the truth, in all this excitement I kinda lost track myself. But being as this is a .44 Magnum, the most powerful handgun in the world, and would blow your head clean off, you've got to ask yourself a question: "Do I feel lucky?" Well, do ya, punk?

 

[64MercurysRule]

Interesting:

In 1971, there were three contenders for the most powerful handgun round. The .44 Magnum, .45 Colt, and the Wildcat .454 Casull.

The .454 wasn't really available in any form until 1983. While the round itself did, there was no revolver available until then, so it's out.

The .45 Colt was able to be loaded with a more powerful round, however, there weren't any in 1971. In fact, the .45C at the time was hamstrung by the limitations of existing frames and lower power commercial loads. Interestingly, Ruger released their Blackhawk in 1971, which was strong enough to take the best a .45C handload could offer. So in 1971, a handloaded .45C Ruger Blackhawk would be the more powerful round. However, again it wasn't until the 80's that a .45C round more powerful than the .44 Magnum was available commercially.

So for what was actually commercially available, the .44 Magnum was the most powerful handgun in the world from it's introduction in 1955 until 1983. An Impressive Run.

 

[bionic knees]

Interesting:

In 1971, there were three contenders for the most powerful handgun round. The .44 Magnum, .45 Colt, and the Wildcat .454 Casull.

The .454 wasn't really available in any form until 1983. While the round itself did, there was no revolver available until then, so it's out.

The .45 Colt was able to be loaded with a more powerful round, however, there weren't any in 1971. In fact, the .45C at the time was hamstrung by the limitations of existing frames and lower power commercial loads. Interestingly, Ruger released their Blackhawk in 1971, which was strong enough to take the best a .45C handload could offer. So in 1971, a handloaded .45C Ruger Blackhawk would be the more powerful round. However, again it wasn't until the 80's that a .45C round more powerful than the .44 Magnum was available commercially.

So for what was actually commercially available, the .44 Magnum was the most powerful handgun in the world from it's introduction in 1955 until 1983. An Impressive Run.

but dont forget that you can also step the .44 mag up a notch or two by handloading!!

 

[WAYNO]

Remember too, back in the seventies and eighties, the Model 29 was severely sought after by the pipeline workers. A Model 29 was scarce, and folks would pay double or triple the MSRP. When I finally found one of my own, and paid dearly, seemed the next day production caught up with demand and our 29's took a huge value dump.

Story of my life.

 

[titsonritz]

but dont forget that you can also step the .44 mag up a notch or two by handloading!!

And the smaller diameter leaves more meat between chambers of the cylinder aiding in strength of the revolver to contain such power.

 

[orygun]

And the smaller diameter leaves more meat between chambers of the cylinder aiding in strength of the revolver to contain such power.

And is the reason Ol Elmer changed from hot rodding the 45 Colt to hot rodding the 44 Special.

 

[ron]

Beautiful N frame with the three "T"s. Color case harden hammer and trigger. Very nice old school you done well.
Spent over a year in Alaska working out in the 'Bush'. Inside the Artic Circle, Aleutian Islands, Pribilof Islands and on the
Kuskokwim river north of Bethel. Whare are you at? Working for a oil company on the north slope?
9 months of winter and 3 months of bad weather.

 

[64MercurysRule]

" 9 months of winter and 3 months of bad weather."

CLASSIC

 

[jordanvraptor]

I remember James Caan used the .454 Casull in Alien Nation.

 

[po18guy]

A few days ago I picked up this 6" (actually 5-7/8) model 29-5. I ordered some new grips for it because the stock grips remind me of holding a baseball bat by the wrong end.
View attachment 2254645

Well done. I have yet to see one worn out. Medium-to-hot .44 Specials are quite nice to shoot forever.

 

[64MercurysRule]

Also reminds me of the 1986 police comedy show ......

 

[ken98k]

New grips for my new to me model 29.
They measure only 3/16 thinner but they feel considerably better than the factory grips.

 

[ken98k]

Beautiful N frame with the three "T"s. Color case harden hammer and trigger. Very nice old school you done well.
Spent over a year in Alaska working out in the 'Bush'. Inside the Artic Circle, Aleutian Islands, Pribilof Islands and on the
Kuskokwim river north of Bethel. Whare are you at? Working for a oil company on the north slope?
9 months of winter and 3 months of bad weather.

I've lived in Alaska for 35 years. I've worked all over the state as a Sprinkler fitter, facility maintenance, but mostly doing plumbing and heating for a large fuel company. Very happily RETIRED now. I live in the Fairbanks area, known for extreme winters but the best summer weather in this part of the world.

 

[gmerkt]

I ordered some new grips for it because the stock grips remind me of holding a baseball bat by the wrong end.

These are the shape grips original to this gun. I have the opposite opinion, I prefer these to the ones that are made now.

Remember too, back in the seventies and eighties, the Model 29 was severely sought after

Yes, and not just pipeline workers. The 29's were hard to get all over. My cousin got taken badly on a gun he thought was a 29. It wasn't. It was a 28 frame that had everything else from a .44. Put back together and reblued.

New grips for my new to me model 29.

See above. These are the new style that are a different shape. N Frames from the factory now (to the extent that they have wood, not rubber) have grips this shape.

Smith and Wesson used to make their own wooden grips. But they gave up this function and sold their wood working equipment. At least some of their grips they now get from Altamont. I have one pair from Altamont on a Model 15; I like them well enough but I like the older ones better. These are not quite like those shown in post no. 15, above. For one thing, they are on a K Frame, not an N. They don't have the straight down drop on the front strap area. But they aren't as rounded in the same place as original S&W target stocks, either. This revolver originally had simple magna service stocks. Which I can shoot well enough with. But as a poor man's target gun, I wanted an upgrade on the stocks. And I didn't want to pay for S&W collectible originals.

 

[ken98k]

Beautiful N frame with the three "T"s. Color case harden hammer and trigger. Very nice old school you done well.

What are the "three Ts" ?

 

[64MercurysRule]

What are the "three Ts" ?

Target trigger, hammer, and stocks.

Trigger is .400" or .500" wide, usually serrated. The hammer spur is wider and longer than a standard one and the 'oversized' target stocks cover the front strap and bottom of the grip.

 

[DirectDrive]

Love those 3 T's