Larenegade
Member
I bought my S&W 29, 8 3/3" around 1975 and have shot factory 44mag 240grain rounds every year since for hunting & when getting ready to hunt about 100 rounds per year when I was physically able to hunt, questimating around 1,500 rounds of magnums thru it. I have shot some reloads in 44spcl & light magnum loads maybe 1,500 rounds total also. I don't know about everyone else but going to the range and shooting a box of 240gr magnums isn't something that is enjoyable! I don't do it! I shoot 12-15 rounds in various hunting positions, then always close my shooting session with my hunting loads, shooting 6 rounds from my favorite shooting position, sitting, to end my session. And no, I don't use a bipod. By the time I've shot about 20 magnums I have had enough! Or my arm has. Any more than that I'm not accurate, as my arm is done for the day. I repeat this schedule regularly during hunting season when possible and shoot Specials/light mags as often as I can when I have them available. I love shooting my 29, and hit targets with it out to about the same distance I can with a 30-30 lever action. I can consistently hit a milk jug at 100 yards and have taken whitetails also. I do use JHP bullets for hunting as the 240gr Soft Points do not expand reliably or they pass thru & out other side unless they hit bone. JHP's have always put the deer down faster and the wound channel is more obvious & devastating before exiting the other side. I like to aim just to the rear of the shoulder area and SP's just don't do as well IMHO.
I love my nickel 29! Oh, another thing, I use the factory sights and have never had a scope on mine. Haven't needed one, though my eyes are getting old so I am considering a Red Dot or scope.
With all the magnum rounds I have fired there has been no drop in accuracy and the cylinder is as tight as it was when I purchased it. The only wear noticeable is at the muzzle where the nickel plating has either worn off from holster wear and/or muzzle blast. And that is on each side of the barrel, same as I've noticed on other revolvers, blued or nickel. Maybe the rubbing of the holster plus the exhaust blast together causes this but it is only about 1/4" of the plating worn off, so I live with it.
With that many magnum loads and the gun still shoots like it always has I would say that Smith & Wesson has the right ingredients! I also just recently got a model 686, 8 3/8" barrel with the 4 way adjustable front sight. I have not shot it yet though had a 6" barreled S&W 686 and it was excellent also. Ended up trading it for the longer barreled 686. Hope I like it as much as I did the 6 incher. Time will tell.
Hope this helps. Model 29's are Excellent, and will "Make Your Day!"
