Model 29 barrel length question?

[Otony]

Gentlemen,

some of you may have noticed a classified wherein I am offering a new Model 29 barrel for sale. I listed it as 6" or maybe 6.5" as I had never really measured it. I bought it as a 6" barrel but then just tucked it into the safe after it arrived. It is a half lug barrel BTW.

Well a fellow forum member here made an inquiry about it, and requested an accurate barrel length. Imagine my surprise when I found it a fat 1/8" or so shy of 6"!

Imagine my further surprise when I measured the length minus the threaded section, and came up purt near exactly 5".

Now these measurements were made in a poorly lit garage, and will have to be verified with something other than a tape measure in the morning. Still, can anyone explain what I have?

Are Smith 6" barrel just a wee bit shy inlength, similar to the 1 & 7/8" J-frame barrels that were advertised as 2" for years? Or is this what Smith would call a 5" barrel (I think not, but I am not a S&W collector by any means).

A little advice would certainly be a nice thing. For the record, this is a new barrel, never mounted.

Otony

[taffin]

I HAVE A "6-INCH" MODEL 25-5 THAT IS THE SAME WAY. MANY OF THE SMITHS FROM THE BANGOR PUNTA ERA WERE SHORT IN MANY WAYS. I HAVE TO CHUCKLE WHEN SOMEONE CLASSES BANGOR PUNTA ERA SMITH AS CLASSICS; AT THE TIME EVERYONE COMPLAINED ABOUT THE LACK OF QUALITY.

[taffin]

PS 4-3/4" IS THE COLT STANDARD SAA WHILE RUGERS ARE 4-5/8". SOMETIMES ONE STUMBLES ACROSS COLTS THAT ARE AS SHORT OR SHORTER THAN RUGERS, AND RUGERS WHICH ARE AS LONG OR LONGER THAN COLTS.

[Otony]

Thank you Mr. Taffin. I had it figured (guessed) as per your first post, but wanted "official" confirmation.

Doesn't get much better than your reply sir.

Otony

[Bowenbuilt]

I purchased a 6" model 29 back in the early 80's. The barrel measured 5 5/8" long and the front of the cylinder was rubbing the back of the barrel. I tried shooting it and it looked like a 12 Ga. buckshot group at 25. When I slugged the barrel it measured .426 and the cylinders averaged .430. To make a long story short. I sent it back with all this information and all they did was to correct the barrel to cylinder gap.
I had Blake Gann fashion and install a Shilen slab sided barrel with a full under lug and it became one of the most accurate model 29's I have owned. I used it as a Pin gun for years after that. The humorous part of this story, Blake asked me how I wanted to pay for the modification, I jokingly said, Bill S&W for the repair. He did and when I went to pick up my gun, they had paid the invoice in full with no questions asked. I guess their book keeping dept. at the time was no better that their quality control. Go figure.

[bigmuddy]

Oct 14, 2009 8:58:45 GMT -5 Bowenbuilt said:

The humorous part of this story, Blake asked me how I wanted to pay for the modification, I jokingly said, Bill S&W for the repair. He did and when I went to pick up my gun, they had paid the invoice in full with no questions asked. I guess their book keeping dept. at the time was no better that their quality control. Go figure.

Now that there is funny. ;D