Easy M-29 S&W question for Magnum gurus

[ATAShooter]

I know that the Model 29 started in production in '55...I saw that in my Amer. Rifleman magazine, What year did they stop production? ( Referring to the Dirty Harry type ) I know that they make an anniversary one now, but I'm going after the old one, hopfully I can trade my rifle for one.

 

[Checkman]

According to Supica and Nahas the last Model 29 was sold at the S&W store in April (or maybe it was March, don't have my copy) of 1999. Almost forty-five years. Not too shabby.

 

[ATAShooter]

Thanks Checkman, Hopefully with that long of a run, it shouldn't be too too hard to find one.

 

[P95Carry]

Expect to pay a pretty fair old price these days - depending on condition - they are holding value well and appreciating. I have a M629-6 which has the nasty lock - and wanted to find an earlier one when at Tulsa gun show recently - ideally a dash 2 or earlier, pinned and recessed.

I did tho find a nice dash 3 which was so tight I went for it. bratch, another member here did IIRC also there find a nice dash 2 in 4" and someone else found a well used 8 3/8" with scope which was cheaper but - as said, well used and quite loose.

Good luck with the search - be patient and be fussy too - find a good one and keep it.

 

[Majic]

If you are looking for originality then the Dirty Harry models had 6 1/2" barrels. S&W dropped the 6 1/2" barrel in favor of the 6" barrel in 1979.

 

[SaxonPig]

If you want a correct pistol you will need a Model 29-2 with a 6.5" barrel. The 29-2 was made from 1962 until 1981 but the 6.5" barrel was changed to a 6" barrel around 1978 or 1979. The 29-2s typically came with 3Ts (target hammer, trigger and grips) in the fitted wooden case.

This is a 6.5" blued 29-2 made around 1975: -

 

[ATAShooter]

All these 29 pics are making me wanna touch myself... I, I, mean pull out the wallet and get one......
So, one other thing, where can I go to find out how to tell between like series 2, series 3, ect. I don't know much about that, plus, I have been told that ( I think they said 6 ) had a lockup problem... I don't know...

 

[SaxonPig]

S&W began stamping the model numbers around 1957 and they are found on the frame beneath the cylinder crane. The 29-2 is considered by many to be the classic .44 Magnum (the earlier versions are way too pricey for most shooters) and this is the gun used in the Dirty Harry film.

Look Here for Model Number

 

[Majic]

Lockup problems only happened with the older models when consistently shot with the heavy 300 grain loads that were pushed to max velocity. S&W developed the Endurance Package starting with the M29-3E to cure the problem.

 

[ATAShooter]

Oh man, thanks... a picture is worth a thousand words. Hopefully, I can make somebody a trade at the next gun show for a 29 for my rifle...