Naszman:
Is it a three screw or four?
What Caliber?
Bbbl Length?
Barrel Ported?
Stainless or blue?
1st 3 digits of SR?
According to my records, in the early 1950's there were several folks who were loading the .44 Spl to high performance levels and firing them in the existing .44 hand ejectors. They talked S&W into producing a revolver strong enough to consistently fire these heavy loads. In 1954 Remington, at the request of S&W, produced the .44 Mag. As with the case of the .357, the cases were longer so that they would not fit in the chambers. of the older guns. The first .44 Mag became available for sale in early 1956. The first 500 were made with the 6.5" bbl, the 4" became avail later that same year. In 1957 the model designation change to the Model 29 and the 8.3/8" bbl was introduced. The model 29 is available in blue or nickell-plate..
The early models were produced from 1956-to 1958 and approx. 6,500 were sold. In 1993 the 4" bbl was discontinued. 500 of the 5" bbls were mfg'd in 1958 and are very rare.
HJN
[This message has been edited by Harley Nolden (edited April 01, 2000).]
