The Smith & Wesson Model 29. by James S. McLellan; posted on February 8 ... 1958, a drawing for an 8 ¾” barrel was completed. Production on the long-barrel version started soon thereafter.

The 4.1-inch barrel is made of stainless steel for accuracy and long life. The 329PD weighs just 25.2 ounces. The all-steel Model 29, by comparison, weighs 43.8, a savings of more than a pound.

Developed by U.S. Army Land Warfare Laboratory, Aberdeen Proving Ground and the AAI Corporation, the QSPR was a commercial Model 29 fitted with a 1.3-inch barrel. It fired specially developed ...

The classic Smith & Wesson Model 29 revolver is what spawned the big-bore magnum handgun frenzy. ... The 8 3/8-inch barrel was made available in 1958.