Smith 29-6

[waco]

Tonight, I bought a 99% 5" Smith model 29-6 .44 Mag. I have a couple of questions. First, can this revolver handle hot loads, i.e., 429421 over 20gr. of 2400, or should i baby her?
Second, can anyone tell me when this gun was made? Serial # is BSS29XX
I think i got a good deal. $575 was the price.
Not even a ring on the cylinder, and zero bluing wear.
Knurled target hammer, and target trigger, original box and paper work.
Thanks again guys for the help.
Waco:-
http://i886.photobucket.com/albums/ac63/waltercoats/f8aec8f9.jpg

[ReloaderFred]

How do you keep stumbling into these great deals? You practically stole that Model 29 in that condition. It will handle factory equivalent .44 Magnum loads just fine, but I didn't look up your particular load, since I'm still in shock over the deal you made.........

Hope this helps.

Fred

[WARD O]

The 29-6 would include all of the endurance package upgrades so it would be as durable a 44 mag as Smith and Wesson has ever made. Without looking at a serial number list, I would guess that it was made sometime around 1995 or so. I have two 29-5's in the 5" in the Classic underlug style and they are my favorite 44 mags to shoot. If I want to push it to max I usually choose the H110/296 powder. A favorite substantial (but not max) load is the cast 250 gr SWC over 19 grains of 2400.

You are going to have to be a very serious shooter to wear that gun out with SAAMI spec loads. Shoot it and enjoy.

Ward

[44man]

Yes it will handle all loads. It was never pressure that caused a problem with the S&W, it was recoil and inertia of some parts.
Heavy boolits were not friendly with the added recoil.

[Wally]

I have one and shoot it with mainly medum loads with 220 grain bullets just below subsonic levels. I noticed a strage occurrence--every so often when shooting single action, when you pull the trigger the hammer doesn't fall right and "slips" not sure what is going on, but this doesn't happen in my other "N" frames S & W's in other calibers. The MO-29 is my newest one. For heavier loads I shoot the Ruger Superblackhawk.

[MtGun44]

Your Keith load will do fine and the gun will last a very long time.

Bill

[waco]

thanks for the input guys
i'll be headed out in the morning to go shoot the 29
i'll be taking 429421 loads with,
8gr unique
10gr unique
19gr 2400
24gr H110
i'll let you know how the shoot

i wonder if there is enough sight adjustment to shoot the lee 310rfn???

[parisite]

Yes, your revolver will handle loads that are not over the listed max loadings just fine. If that is what you mean by "hot"? Going over max I wouldn't recommend. I've experimented and done it a lot in the past and I saw no advantage whatsoever in destruction of intended target or in accuracy, just a lot more battering of myself and the gun.

[MtGun44]

I'm betting on 19gr 2400 and 10 gr Unique as the winners.

Bill

[waco]

thought I'd add a pic.

[ColColt]

I'm betting on 19gr 2400 and 10 gr Unique as the winners.

Bill

Ditto

[HeavyMetal]

I think this is the nicest looking of all the 29 variations.

Price was decent as well!

I've actually got my eye open for this particular 5 inch Barrel for a future conversion of a model 28 to 44 special, which is also something I have my eye open for!

As for the loads you've shown? I realize that 2400 has been the go to powder, as suggested by Kieth, for years but I have never been able to get it to this powder to burn clean and not leave a ton of unburned flakes all up under the extractor star!

I gave up trying and switched to WW296 / H-110 for serious magnum loads in the 44.

Remember standard primers, not magnums, and good boolit pull and you'll find the 296 will really shine.

The 10 grain Unique load is my go to all around load! You can shoot this load all day, still claim your using a magnum, and not scare casual shooters or kids with it.

Looking forward to your thoughts on the gun and loads, by the way I hate those Hogue grips they "Bite" as bad as the factory wood. I switched my 29 to a set of Pachy's in the 70's and never looked back!

[HDS]

That is indeed a very nice looking gun. The best grips I've ever had on my 629 are by far the Nill grips it has now. Phil Hemphil model with the closed backstrap.

[Mal Paso]

19g of 2400 should be around 1275+ fps and is my regular load. Beyond 21g I believe the cylinder starts to expand as cases get sticky. I can shoot 22g in the Colt and the cases drop out like Specials out of a 29.

[mtgrs737]

I use 10 grs. of Unique as my "mid-range" load, it is very pleasant to shoot a lot of. H-110 and WW296 are the same powder and what I like for max loadings, I also like the smell of that powder.

[got_lead?]

That's a jewel waco. I baby my smiths, they don't make 'em anymore like they used to, and probably never will. Redhawks and Blackhawks, them's fer beatin on.

[Snapping Twig]

Very sweet 29!

My load for magnum is the 429421 (250g from WW) or the 429244 (265g from WW) over 22g W296/H110 and a WLP.

Try it and I'm certain you will like it too.

Also, in a magnum case using those same boolits, try 7g W231 for @ 900fps and a very pleasant "useful special" as EK called them. He also called them a gallery load. :)

[wcp4570]

Waco
I think you will really like the 10 grains Unique load. The load of 24 grains H110 is going to be stiff. I use to shoot allot of H110 with the Keith boolit, I used 23 grains as my standard Mag load. Nice looking 29 you got there. I saw a signature of a forum member over on http://smith-wessonforum.com/ that said, "life is too short to shoot anything but a smith", made me laugh. I enjoy both Smiths and Ruger old models myself.

wcp

[waco]

thanks wcp4570
the 24gr h110 was stiff. it shot well though. ran loads with the 429421 loaded over
10gr unique
18gr 2400
24gr H110
all shot good, but the H110 load was best, as far as the first time out with the gun.
ran a total of 200 rounds through it, zero leading!
boolits sized to .431, lubed with BAC BHN approx. 16
what a sweet action and trigger. this is only my second Smith.
the other is a 1968 14-2 K-38 Target Masterpiece.
i have a new found love for Smith revolvers.
i love my rugers, but these are something special!
waco

[fatelk]

Hello neighbor! I'm in Springfield too.

I sure like my 29's, have three of them. Maybe they can't handle the heavy Ruger loads, but I don't load them that hot anyhow. That is a real nice looking 44.

For many years I loaded 21gr 2400 and a Lee 240 SWC. I ran out of 2400 but have a jug of WC820, so I worked up a good load with that and a 265 gr SWC.

A friend of mine bought a real nice old 29-2 4" locally last year, for $600. I didn't see him for a while, and when I did I asked him how it shot. He said he never shot it, decided he needed a rifle instead and traded it for a Rem 700. I asked him why he didn't call me as I would have made him a better trade or bought it from him. He said he knew things were tight for me and he didn't want to tempt me to spend money out of the family budget. I told him I keep some set aside for such things.

I saw him recently and he said he ran into money trouble and sold the rifle for $250. I asked him why he didn't call me first. He said he knew things were tight for me and he didn't want to tempt me to spend money out of the family budget.:(

[rintinglen]

I saw him recently and he said he ran into money trouble and sold the rifle for $250. I asked him why he didn't call me first. He said he knew things were tight for me and he didn't want to tempt me to spend money out of the family budget.:(

Any friend who won't lead you into temptation ain't much of a friend.

[wcp4570]

I bought my first 29 in 1977 and it was an 8 3/8 inch. The trigger was and still is very crisp with no over travel. Shot it in allot of IHMSA matches in those early days. Enjoy your Smiths and be very careful because they will multiply.

wcp

[FN in MT]

I've got a few 29's and 629's but this old guy has to be my favorite. A circa 1957 pre 29 (before they gave them moddel numbers) thats still unfired.

They don't polish and BLUE them like that anymore.

FN in MT



http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h274/montanaguy375/DSC_0083_edited-1.jpg

[fatelk]

They don't polish and BLUE them like that anymore
That's true. Here's my first 29. I sure wish it was still in the same condition as when I got it. Gun and box were both pristine. I love the grips; they may not be the best for shooting comfort, but they sure look nice.

[T-Bird]

I also have a 29-6, looks identical except has a 6in bbl. I bought mine used, with a Leupold 2x in top for $691 back in the early 2000's. I shoot 12gr AA#5 under the Ly 429244gc for about 1100fps. I thought that I researched the serial no. right after I bought it and it was made in 1994 (BSC 71xx) but I may be misremembering. T-Bird

[9.3X62AL]

Most of my Model 29s have been 4"-barrelled, and I wouldn't mind another one of older age. The 29-6s may well contain the SAAMI-level loads/pressures, but my shooting hand is the weak link of the assembly I guess. 240-250 grainers running past 1200 FPS in a S&W start banging my hands a bit more than I care for. Mr. Keith said "1200 FPS is all you need" with his caliber, and in the S&W I think that is good advice. The Redhawk? That battleship anchor can run 'em well past 1400 FPS, and it's almost comfortable to do so. 50 of those, at the end of a range day, suit me right to the ground.

Ruger Redhawk = 1-ton pickup, for heavy hauling. S&W 29-series = Cadi Escalade, stylin' SUV.
Colt Anaconda = best of both worlds, maybe the best mass-produced 44 Magnum ever birthed. If ever a revolver design screamed for a remake, it's the Colt Anaconda.

[waksupi]

I've had one for years. I shoot a Keith, with 17.5 gr. 2400 for my most accurate, and pleasant load.

[waco]

this was the 24gr H110 under 429421
http://i886.photobucket.com/albums/ac63/waltercoats/1ed5b8c7.jpg
these are the new grips i just got.
http://i886.photobucket.com/albums/ac63/waltercoats/5dc72913.jpg

[BLTsandwedge]

I have one and shoot it with mainly medum loads with 220 grain bullets just below subsonic levels. I noticed a strage occurrence--every so often when shooting single action, when you pull the trigger the hammer doesn't fall right and "slips" not sure what is going on, but this doesn't happen in my other "N" frames S & W's in other calibers. The MO-29 is my newest one. For heavier loads I shoot the Ruger Superblackhawk.

Ditto Wally- back off the mainspring tension just a hair.

[targetshootr]

I'm also in the "baby my 29s" club. Wonder if S&W can do the endurance package on older guns?

This pic is for 9.3X62AL.

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b233/targetshootr/DSCN4781-1-1.jpg

[wcp4570]

In my younger days I shot allot of Mag loads of 23gr H110 that slowly eroded the back of the forcing cone. The forcing cone is no longer nice and sharp but rolled over from the steady diet of hot loads and now spits lead, as a result my baby does not get shot much anymore. I agree with 9.3 as this model being the "Cadi Escalade" of 44Mag guns. I don't have a problem shooting mag loads when necessary but choose to shot something a little milder for the fun of shooting. Enjoy that nice model 29 Waco. I really like those grips, they look sharp.

wcp