I have an 8" S&W M29 - I want a 5" barrel

[the naked prophet]

I picked up an 8 inch .44 mag Smith & Wesson model 29 at an estate auction. I had been wanting a big bore revolver for some time, and upon doing the revolver checkout (thanks to Jim March for that! After about 50 revolvers both here and previous gun stores/pawn shops I had a pretty good feel for good vs. bad revolvers by now) I discovered that it had been worked over by a good gunsmith. It was very tight, had a very smooth, consistent double action trigger with a crisp break. Not pinned or recessed, but at least it lacks the lock and full underlug of the new S&W revolvers.

I love the gun, but the 8 inch barrel is just so long that it makes carrying difficult even in the woods (especially if I have to sit down), and it's so front heavy. There's also some scratches on the last 2 inches of barrel (as if the first owner carried it in a holster meant for 6" guns). The blue has worn off the muzzle end of the barrel, but the blue is nearly perfect everywhere else.

Is it somehow a horrible thing to get a S&W revolver barrel cut down? I doubt it's collectible, but I wouldn't want to ruin the gun anyway.

I'd like to have cut down to 5 inches. I doubt I can just get a new barrel put on it (it's blued, and has the short underlug), but how much will it cost me to get the existing barrel cut down? I'm guessing around $100-150, but I don't really know. Would it be cheaper to just buy another 5" model 29, and not have the nicer smithed trigger?

 

[wcwhitey]

I had my Ruger Super Blackhawk 7 1/2" taken down to 5" for some of the same reasons you mentioned, just a little too long. It cost me $150 for the barrel chop and new front sight (weigand replaceable front blade set up). Mine being stainless was probably a bit easier in the finish department. The end result was a gun Ruger should have made, perfect balance, great sight picture and I shoot it better than I did before. Bottom line, it's your gun. I would not kill a collectible either, but run of the mill guns turned into customs as long as it is practical and tasteful is ok in my book. BTW, I had a few looks of discouragement when I told people what I was going to do. Since I did it about six months ago I have had more than one inquiry about which gunsmith I used and how nice the gun feels. Bill

 

[LHB1]

TNP,
Check with S&W. If you can get the barrel shortened or replaced for a reasonable fee, I think you will really like the 5" length. When I got into S&W 29/629 revolvers about 15 years ago, I owned and tested guns with barrels of 4", 5", 6", 6 1/2", and 8 3/8". The 5" is by FAR my favorite size for general use and the 6 1/2" my choice for hunting (with scope).

Good shooting and be safe.
LB

 

[461]

I've got a friend with a 629 in 5" and it just feels great. I'd go for it as you're really not ruining any collector value.

 

[Jackal]

I have an 8" S&W M29 - I want a 5" barrel

Then sell it and buy a 5" barrel model.

 

[the naked prophet]

Jackal, I want to keep this gun because of the gunsmith work already done on the action. That and used blued smiths in good condition are really hard to find. Actually, I bought the first one I found, after about two years of searching. It turned out to be a great deal - exactly what I wanted (minus the barrel length) for a bit less than I expected to pay.

I wouldn't count on finding another one any time soon. By the time I do find one, I'll probably have enough saved up to get that John Ross/PC .500 mag I've been wanting ( http://www.john-ross.net/store.php )

 

[mnrivrat]

Make it into something that you want - don't worry much about collecter value or re-sale as the thing is meant to give you what you want in a shooting gun. Shorten it and don't look back - enjoy shooting it !

 

[HuntAndFish]

NP,

Have you gone here and looked for a 5" barrel? If yours is a 29-3 they have 5" bbls for about $129.


http://www.e-gunparts.com/model.asp?idDept=230

EDIT: I take it back. They are sold out.

 

[the naked prophet]

Dang. I'd pay a little more to get a new barrel, if it was blued with the half underlug.

 

[copaup]

I've got a 5 inch barrel for a 29-2 around here somewhere. Its a full underlug though. I had it taken off my 29-2 and replaced it with the original 6 and 1/2 that it left the factory with. Drop me a line if you think you could use it. It has a couple of minor scratches, but is in otherwise great shape, provided of course that I can remember where I put it.

 

[meh92]

A couple of guys at my club had S&W shorten their 625's (stainless) from 5" to 4" so they could use them for IDPA. I don't see why they couldn't shorten yours. They might even be able to re-blue the entire gun for a decent price.

I have a 5" 625-4 and think that it balances wonderfully. I don''t shoot IDPA with it, so I'm keeping it at 5".

 

[Baba Louie]

http://www.gunsamerica.com/97695815...n-Revolvers/Model-629/S_W_29_CLASSIC_44MA.htm
Quite the dilemna. Personally, I'd keep the 8" and mount a scope for deer hunting, using a shoulder holster for woods walking and buy the above 29 Classic (or one like it) getting the trigger sweetened up if that proves to be necessary. 5" 29 Classics aren't your everyday find however.

Or... send your 8" back to Smith & Wesson and have them cut it down to 5".

tnp, what series is your 8"?

 

[the naked prophet]

Don't remember what series it is. I know it's got an unpinned barrel and an unrecessed cylinder. It's not new enough to have a lock, and it's old enough to be blued (didn't they only offer stainless for a while or something?).

Do the different versions of non-pinned barrels have different barrel threads?

 

[pogo2]

5 inch vs. 8 inch barrel

I have a model 27 with 8-3/8 inch barrel and I agree that it is too long for holster carry. I take mine to the range in a guncase that accomodates the long barrel.

But there are 5 inch model 629s out there, from the factory. I bought one about 10 years ago and it is the perfect barrel length in this type of gun. But I think I would keep the long gun intact and just look for another gun with the 5 inch barrel. It is going to cost something to cut off the barrel, get a new front sight, and refinish the gun.

Here is mine:

 

[the naked prophet]

Apparently I'm just getting a new 5" barrel! Woohoo, maybe I can have it installed in time for deer season as a backup/mountain lion gun.