“Tag: Model 29”

An exploded view diagram of the classic Smith and Wesson Model 29 revolver, one of the first firearms chambered for the powerful .44 Magnum cartridge. Companion piece to the article with disassembly instructions "Smith & Wesson Model 29."

Out of production and somewhat obscure, the Smith & Wesson Model 29 was once well known only to serious big-bore handgunners. Then in 1971, it became one of the most famous and desirable handguns of all time. Do you know why? Well, do ya?

First introduced as the Smith & Wesson .44 Magnum in 1955, the Model 29 was the original .44 Mag. revolver—and it would go on to attain nearly unparalleled levels of fame in the wheelgun industry.

The classic Smith & Wesson Model 29 revolver is what spawned the big-bore magnum handgun frenzy.

When I reminisced about Smith & Wesson's grand magnum—the Model 29—a heck of a lot of readers chimed in with their recollections and impressions.

In the years immediately following World War II, experimenters had been developing ever more powerful loads for the .44 Spl. cartridge. It was natural that a more powerful counterpart to that round should be developed in the same way that the .357 Mag. evolved from the .38 Spl.

Everyone knows the line—the S&W Model 29 was “the most powerful handgun in the world.” But before the big revolver was numbered, it was simply the “.44 Magnum.” Here, the author takes a “Pre-29” to the range.

When did we invent the speedloader? To answer that question, we have to go back to the 19th century.

Gun of the Week: Smith and Wesson Model 29