Smith & Wesson Model 29

About the Smith & Wesson Model 29

The Smith & Wesson Model 29 is a six-shot, double-action/single-action revolver chambered for the .44 Remington Magnum cartridge, built on Smith & Wesson's large N-frame. Introduced in 1955 as the most powerful production handgun in the world at the time, it was developed at the urging of handgun writer and wildcat cartridge experimenter Elmer Keith, who had spent decades pushing the .44 Special to its limits and lobbied Smith & Wesson and Remington to create a factory-loaded magnum version. The Model 29 features a carbon steel frame and cylinder with a blued finish, adjustable micrometer-click rear sight, red ramp front sight, and hand-checkered walnut target grips. The double-action trigger pull is approximately 10 pounds (44 N), while the single-action pull is approximately 4 pounds (18 N). The cylinder chambers accept both .44 Magnum and .44 Special cartridges interchangeably. Standard barrel lengths have included 3, 4, 5, 6, 6.5, 8.375, and 10.625 inches over its production run, with the 6.5-inch barrel being the most iconic configuration. The revolver's rifling is right-hand twist at 1:20 inches (508mm) with 5 grooves. The current production model is designated the 29-10, reflecting ten major engineering change orders since the original design, and is sold with a wooden presentation case at an MSRP of approximately $1,379.

Clint Eastwood's use of the Model 29 as Inspector Harry Callahan in Dirty Harry (1971) made it the most famous revolver in cinema history. The film's iconic line about 'the most powerful handgun in the world' caused such a demand surge that dealers charged enormous premiums and waiting lists stretched for years.

Smith & Wesson Model 29 specifications

The Smith & Wesson Model 29 is arguably the most famous revolver in cinematic history, immortalized by Clint Eastwood as Inspector Harry Callahan's sidearm in Dirty Harry (1971) and its sequels. The line 'the most powerful handgun in the world' caused an enormous surge in demand that persisted for years, with dealers adding massive premiums to the already expensive revolver. Pre-Model 29 revolvers (1955-1957) were simply marked '.44 Magnum' before S&W adopted numerical model designations in 1957. Key engineering changes through the variants: the 29-1 (1960) changed the extractor rod to left-hand threads to prevent loosening under recoil; the 29-2 (1961) eliminated one cylinder-stop spring screw for a three-screw frame; the 29-3 (1982) was a significant cost-reduction step that dropped the pinned barrel and recessed cylinder chambers in favor of crush-fit barrels; the 29-4 (1988) and 29-5 (1990) improved durability for sustained heavy use; the 29-6 (1994) added rubber Monogrips as standard; and the 29-10 represents the current production Classic series. The Model 629, introduced in 1979, is the stainless steel version of the 29 and has become the more common production variant. Base specifications listed are for the 6.5-inch barrel (165mm) Classic model. Weight varies by barrel length: 4-inch approximately 1191g (42 oz), 6.5-inch approximately 1369g (48.3 oz). The loaded weight estimate includes six .44 Magnum cartridges at approximately 20.2g each. The .44 Magnum cartridge produces significant recoil in the Model 29, making it one of the most challenging handguns to shoot accurately in rapid fire. Typical factory 240-grain (15.55g) loads achieve approximately 1350 fps (411 m/s) from the 6.5-inch barrel, generating roughly 1504 joules of muzzle energy.