So, I bought a big boy pistol...

Haha well, its ridiculously big. My original plan when I bought it was to cut it down, but I think I will leave it as is. A 4" would be my dream 29, but I'd have more chance of finding a 5" for sale than getting a 4 (legally). Now I guess I need to find a second one, or a donor barrel for a chop job.
 
Imagine how hard it is to mill that barrel, with that rib on top. If it weren't so shiny, you might not even notice it. I had a 629, 20 years ago, but it had a satin finish. I lugged that thing through the bush(legally), through the worst conditions. There isn't a better revolver out there. The ruger can handle heavier loads, but the trigger is horrible. My brother's redhawk had such a terrible trigger, it really affected accuracy. If I had a big bear coming at me, I'd take shootability over ballistics any day.
 
If you can afford to feed a .44Mag regularly you should both A) get used the the trigger and B) be able to afford the $50-$100 trigger job on it.
 
I'll speculate there was a scratch there and to remove the scratch it was polished... as the scratch is deeper it had to be held on the polishing wheel longer in that area creating the "dent"; again, just speculation on my part.
I definitely have discovered that I am very OCD with handguns, not so much with long-guns.
 
deadman said:
Haha well, its ridiculously big. My original plan when I bought it was to cut it down, but I think I will leave it as is. A 4" would be my dream 29, but I'd have more nice chance of finding a 5" for sale than getting a 4 (legally). Now I guess I need to find a second one, or a donor barrel for a chop job.
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Hey DM, while I know you can cut down that barrel quite nicely, please do not even think of it. The 29 is a beauty as it is. Some guys like the proportions of a 5 inch N frame. Personally I prefer the looks of a 6 inch Nframe, JHMO. Grip frame is big for my hands but if my 6 inch 27-3 were a woman, she'd be a "38-24-36".

"38" is also too big for my hands:p but I surely would love holding it, or them.
 
With your eyes closed lightly pinch your barrel and slide your fingers slowly from forcing cone to muzzle. You should be able to feel it. From my amateur knife polishing experience, I'd bet that's a dip, not a bulge at all, probably only cosmetic.

As for worrying about it, I would let your groups do the talking. If it groups well, it's up to you to decide if you want a well grouping, slightly flawed revolver or not.
 
The biggest reason I haven't started cutting is because I haven't found a replacement sight to use. I mistakenly thought all of them had a pinned-tenon front sight base, but this one seems to be integral. I don't know where to get a replacement, can't find a source anywhere. On the other Smith I shortened, I reused the existing sight.

My other reason is that I can't decide what length to make it. I want a 4" (or 4.25 in my case), a 5", a 6". Too many choices so I haven't done anything. I could wait and find a factory 6" to buy, so that narrows it down. My chances of finding a factory 5" are slim to none, and I'm pretty sure the Gov't isn't going to grant me the necessary change to my PAL in order to buy a 4". Either way, this might be a good candidate simply because of the blemish in the barrel.
 
This is my 29-3 shortened to 5":

DSC00330.JPG


The sight base appears to be a Weigand that can take interchangeable blades. Brownells lists them.
 
Here's my latest, she is a 29-2 that lead a rough life prior to me picking her up.

Murray Charlton worked his magic on the action, cut it to 4.5" and did a matte blued finish.

New shoes too ;)

Love it now!

 
Thanks for the pics guys, if I cut it down I really would like to retain the same style sight as the original. Those both look good, really didn't help my decision at all haha!
 
That barrel chopped of that beautiful gun made me feel like I witnessed a gruesome murder.

I just can't look away!
 
corney said:
That barrel chopped of that beautiful gun made me feel like I witnessed a gruesome murder.

I just can't look away!
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I eagerly await the next installment of this revolver being liberated from its excess barrel!
 
I watched some FBI show with my bride the other night about a nut bar chopping people's legs off and trying to sew it on another person! That's what that looked like!

Please post when you clean that up so I can sleep at night.

As for cutting off excess barrel I have a model 29 with the 10 5/8 barrel. Sure turns head when you drag that MF out!
 
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