Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Whats your favorite barrel length on a Smith 629?

For packing on a belt, a 4" is about ideal.

For hunting and long range work, I find I do my best work with a 6.5" Model 29.

For an "all around" that is comfortable to pack on a belt, yet still has a sight radius that allows precise longer range shooting, as well as better recoil management than the shorter 4" tube, I have yet to find anything better than a 5" Model 29.

The full underlug -4s and -5 blued versions make for some phenomenal hunting guns that are easy to shoot well, and have the modern upgrades. They command a premium when you find them but are worth the price of admission as far as I am concerned.

The flip side is my hands down favorite is an old 29-2 8 & 3/8ths" that I had customized, to include being cut down to 5"s.

It is funny this subject has come up, as the day before yesterday (the day of the eclipse) I had some guests at my cabin (including one some of you might recognize) and we were discussing Model 29s and snapped this pic on the porch:



Both of us are fans of 5" Model 29s, as well as Elmer Keith/the .44 Magnum.