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70-609: Built on a new and heavier ‘MM' frame, the Anaconda was brought out to compete with .44 Magnum contemporaries such as the Smith & Wesson Model 29 , the Sturm, Ruger & Co. Redhawk and Blackhawk , and the Dan Wesson Firearms Model 44. Considering that many of these models had been marketed and sold for fully 35 years upon its introduction, the Anaconda was a very late entry into

140-429: A red insert front and fully adjustable white outline rear. Some models were factory drilled and tapped for telescopic sight mounting, while others shipped with recoil reducing Magna-Ported barrels . The trigger actions on these guns are rated as very high-quality, and the heavy-duty solid construction and weight tends to absorb recoil, making the Anaconda relatively easy to shoot with heavy loads. Introduced in 1993,

210-471: A "Drilling". These are highly complex hand-made long guns with several joined barrels. These are firearms that combine both rifle and shotgun barrels sharing a common breech and buttstock. Since these are completely hand crafted by Master Gunsmiths, these can be made in almost any combination of rifle calibers and shotgun gauges. The most popular arrangement is a Side-by-Side shotgun with a high-power rifle barrel underneath with various firing mechanisms housed in

280-464: A common breech. Another firearm type demanding the highest skill levels is the completely custom-made Side-by-Side or Over and Under double barrel shotgun. These "Doubles" are referred to in the British Gunmaking trade as "Bespoke" firearms and are referred to as "Best Guns". Their starting prices are commonly in the $ 150,000.00 (US) {2024 pricing} range, with customer-specified changes adding to

350-402: A favorite scene, a revered hunting dog, or even family members and residences. The engraver must have a thorough knowledge of human and animal anatomy, perspective, botany, and composition. The smallness and geometry of the parts must also be considered, and harmony between all these factors must artistically agree. These designs must then be cut freehand into the tough hardened steel surfaces of

420-430: A federal prison. Gunsmiths who lack sophisticated machine shop capabilities must understand the law. Enlisting an unlicensed machine shop (one without an FFL) to create gun receivers can be illegal. Other common parts such as grips, barrels, triggers, sights, magazines, recoil springs, and stocks can be manufactured freely, but all receiver development work does require licensing. Generally, gunsmiths cannot undertake

490-492: A firearm or firearms or a sword or swords", and very few exceptions are allowed. The United Kingdom makes some of the most expensive hand-crafted firearms in the world, despite a highly restrictive ownership environment. Decoration of these arms, typically double-barreled shotguns, is on par with the plates used to mint currency and is priced about the same. Several of the other European countries follow this pattern, as in Italy, where

560-461: A firearm that is capable of much greater accuracy than the standard versions of the same arm. A more advanced job a pistolsmith may called on to perform is to construct a completely hand fitted target arm using a serial numbered frame as the base (as required by law) with the rest of the parts supplied with excess metal in certain areas by specialist manufacturers so the pistolsmith can fit these parts together to exacting tolerances. Using these methods,

630-408: A firearm that may require a very high level of craftsmanship, requiring the skills of a top-level machinist, a very skilled woodworker, and even an engineer. Gunsmiths perform factory-level repairs and renovations to restore well-used or deteriorated firearms to new condition. They may make alterations to adapt sporting guns to better fit the individual shooter that may require extensive modifications to

700-451: A full-length underlug. Finish options available included a highly polished blued or nickel - plated surface. At the time of its introduction, the Model 29 was the most powerful production handgun, although it was later overtaken by handguns chambered for the even larger .454 Casull , .50 Action Express , and .500 S&W Magnum cartridges. It was made famous worldwide by association with

770-574: A gunsmith is to ensure that guns work and function safely. Gunsmiths accomplish this by always properly observing and demonstrating gun safety in their handling procedures, both in their own actions and the actions of their customers and the people around them. They accomplish that task secondly by inspecting guns to ensure safe mechanical operation. Gunsmiths use their in-depth knowledge of firearms and manufacture gun schematics to guide inspections: repairing deficiencies, notifying customers of unsafe conditions, or preventing catastrophic failures. Some of

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840-405: A high-powered single-shot barrel below. These typically have highly sophisticated breech mechanisms, precise fitting, and are hand-engraved by artists specializing in this work. The stocks are usually fitted to the individual and are very expensive wood with highly figured grain. It also is one of the few countries that allow people to consume beer while working on guns. Firearms ownership in Italy

910-433: A parts fabricator, a metalworker or blacksmith , a woodworker and an artisan ; be knowledgeable in shop mathematics, ballistics , chemistry , and materials engineering; be knowledgeable in the use and application of a variety of hand , power , and machinists tools and measuring devices . Those who are (self-) employed in small gunsmith shops must also possess skills as small business operators; work effectively with

980-433: A pin driven through the frame and a notch in the barrel. "Recessed" denotes the rear of the bored cylinder holes being countersunk, so that, when loaded, the cartridge rims are fully enclosed by the cylinder. In 1982, the cost-cutting Model 29-3 dropped recessed cylinders and pinned barrels for crush-fit barrels. The -4 and -5, produced from 1988 and 1990, respectively had changes to improve durability for heavy use. In 1994,

1050-509: A piston to trap the gases. This pistol was developed from 1967 to 1972 to be used by tunnel rats in the Vietnam War . The QSPR was tested on the battlefield in 1969, and an improvement and testing program ran from 1969 to 1972. It never officially entered service. The US withdrawal from Vietnam reduced interest in the QSPR weapon, and the program ended in 1972 although unsubstantiated rumors claim

1120-485: A premium price when encountered as well. In 2024, Colt reintroduced the Kodiak, a variant of the newer Anaconda (reintroduced in 2021), with the same style of Magna-ported barrel and unfluted cylinder of the originals, available with a 4.25-inch barrel. Smith %26 Wesson Model 29 The Smith & Wesson Model 29 is a six-shot, double-action revolver chambered for the .44 Magnum cartridge and manufactured by

1190-432: A slab (stock blank) of walnut; steel tubes with rifled or smooth holes ("bores") drilled their length. Many smaller detail parts are fabricated in-house and are fitted by the maker. The highly skilled gunsmiths that craft these masterpieces commonly use nothing more than an occasional lathe or milling machine for roughing the parts to their final fitting stages plus a heat treating furnace for making springs, hardening parts to

1260-421: A thin, very hard surface layer with a tough, malleable core. This process can be done solely for the mechanical properties (hardness and toughness) it imparts, or, by packing the parts in bone charcoal and other chemicals and heating in a heat treatment furnace for varying time periods, it is possible to introduce rich colors into the carbonized surface. This type of case hardening, known as color case hardening, and

1330-492: A wide variety of customers; and remain abreast of, and comply with federal , state, and local laws, ordinances, and requirements. Due to the great breadth of subject matter to be mastered, many gunsmiths specialize in only a few of the skills required of the general gunsmith. Alternatively, some gunsmiths learn many of the skills of the trade but only apply them to a few weapon types (e.g., only pistols, only shotguns, only specific brands or models). The primary responsibility of

1400-418: Is a stainless steel version of the Model 29. The 629 model designation derives from Smith & Wesson's practice of denoting a stainless steel version of one of their already existing designs by placing a 6 in front of the model number of the original weapon. The 629 Classic variant features a full-length barrel underlug, other variants include the 629 Stealth Hunter. Some S&W model 29s were rebuilt by

1470-448: Is a reprise of the original design. Early version 29-4 backpacker with 2.5" barrel (very rare). A Smith & Wesson Model 629 with a 3" barrel called the "Trail Boss" was produced for the distributor, RSR. Gunsmith A gunsmith is a person who repairs, modifies, designs, or builds guns . The occupation differs from an armorer , who usually replaces only worn parts in standard firearms. Gunsmiths do modifications and changes to

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1540-470: Is frequently combined with that of the Stockmaker) Uses checkering tools to create an ornate pattern of small raised diamonds in the wood surfaces which are to be gripped. The checkering tools are in effect tiny saws, designed to leave a v-shaped groove (of approximately 60 to 90 degrees) in the surface of the wooden gunstock. Special checkering tools consisting of two saw blades in parallel are used to set

1610-399: Is granted the power by the U.S. government to initiate the prosecution in U.S. federal court of gunsmiths that wilfully omit or violate these provisions. Punishment can range from losing their FFL (and therefore the privilege to engage in any firearms-related business), to fines and in severe cases, such as conspiring to supply the criminal element with black market weaponry, imprisonment in

1680-503: Is permitted but limited or restricted to those individuals able to afford the costs of acquiring and owning a firearm, the firearms that are allowed tend to be fewer in number and possess levels of craftsmanship and decoration that approach that of an art object instead of simply a device to expel a projectile. Gunsmithing in these regions (as in Germany and Britain) is concerned with the hand-crafting of completely custom-made firearms tailored to

1750-404: Is prized for its rich mottled blues, purples, browns and grey tones. It is possible, with highly skilled craftsmen using proprietary processes, to control the hues and patterns so closely that one familiar with high grade custom firearms can usually recognize the maker of another shooter's firearm solely by the colors and patterns on its parts; an important distinction on extremely costly firearms of

1820-453: Is regulated by the Italian government but private ownership of various types and numbers of firearms is allowed after proper vetting of the prospective purchaser. Italy has a hunting tradition dating back several centuries. It is the location of some of the finest upland (game bird) hunting in the world. Italy also has a rich history of gunmaking and gunsmithing going back several hundred years with

1890-483: Is the primary federal agency overseeing all legitimate businesses that deal with firearms , with the exception of firearms made before January 1, 1899, or muzzle loading firearms. The ATF is in charge of the licensing of all legitimate firearms dealers and gunsmiths in the US that engage in business with the public. The issuance of a Federal Firearms License (FFL) involves a thorough background investigation and an inspection of

1960-439: Is therefore typically restricted, licensed or regulated. In some circumstances the only legal firearms-related repairs are by individuals trained and employed by the military or police. These individuals are known as armorers. Typically, their skill level is usually far below that of the private or artisan gunsmith. Where the gunsmith frequently has to design, manufacture and fit parts ranging from small internal parts and assemblies,

2030-427: Is vital, as the shot cloud's impact is largely determined by the way the stock fits the shooter. Very high grade firearms may have stocks fashioned from very costly blanks, mostly of one of the walnut varieties, specially chosen for its rare and highly figured grain. The fashioning of high end gunstocks calls for an extremely high level of skill and craftsmanship, as the finished product must be pleasing aesthetically, fit

2100-604: The AAI Corporation to make the Quiet Special Purpose Revolvers (QSPR). These had a new, short, smoothbore barrel length of 35 millimetres ( 1 + 3 ⁄ 8  in), with an overall length of 170 millimetres ( 6 + 3 ⁄ 4  in), and a 10 millimetres (0.39 in) bore, in addition to having the cylinder chambers reamed to accept the special QSPR ammunition which externally resembled metal-cased .410-bore shotgun shells, but internally worked as

2170-549: The Python's . Initially marketed with a satin brushed stainless finish, a highly polished mirror-like option known as "Ultimate Stainless" was catalogued for a time through the Colt Custom Shop. Anacondas came equipped with four, six, or eight inch barrels, neoprene synthetic rubber finger-grooved combat-style grips with nickel colored 'Rampant Colt' medallions, large target type hammers and triggers, as well as open iron sights with

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2240-607: The Tokugawa period in Japan, starting in the 17th century, the government imposed very restrictive controls on the small number of gunsmiths in the nation, thereby ensuring the almost total prohibition of firearms. Japan, in the postwar period , has had gun regulation which is strict in principle. Gun licensing is required, and is heavily regulated by the National Police Agency . The weapons law begins by stating "No one shall possess

2310-403: The fleur-de-lis . Uses hand-gravers or die-sinker's chisels to cut designs or pictures into the metal surfaces of the gun, primarily the receiver. The firearms engraver must first be a highly gifted and capable artist that can first compose the desired design freehand on paper. In many cases, the customer must be consulted and must approve the design. In some cases, the engraving may incorporate

2380-476: The 29-6 began production, now fitted as standard with rubber Monogrips from Hogue to replace the previous wooden items, standard tapped holes also being provided for attaching scope mounts . The 29-7 started production in 1998 with changes to the locking mechanism, the firing pin's attachment, and a hammer and trigger produced with a metal injection molding process. Introduced in 1978, the Smith & Wesson Model 629

2450-407: The Kodiak was similar to the Anaconda in that it was constructed entirely of stainless steel, but offered the additional features of a recoil-reducing factory magna-ported barrel and unfluted cylinder. There were 2000 Kodiaks made as a special run of Anacondas, breaking away from their long history of naming revolvers after snakes. A special run of 1000 King Cobras was made about the same time, having

2520-437: The Model 29 designation was applied in 1957. At the time of its introduction, the Model 29 was the most powerful production handgun. There were a number of custom calibers that were more powerful, as in the old Howdah pistols of the 19th century. It remained primarily the province of some handgun enthusiasts, law enforcement personnel, and hunters until 1971, when Clint Eastwood made it famous as "the most powerful handgun in

2590-570: The QSPR may have been used by CIA assassins during the Cold War and continues to be used by so-called "Black Book teams". A Russian handgun introduced in 2002, the OTs-38 Stechkin silent revolver , is described as using a system virtually identical to the QSPR. The Mountain Gun was introduced in 1989 as a lightweight version of the Model 29 designed to be "carried often and shot little". The barrel profile

2660-524: The United States company Smith & Wesson . The Model 29 was offered with 3, 4, 5, 6,  6 + 1 ⁄ 2 ,  8 + 3 ⁄ 8 and 10 + 5 ⁄ 8  in (76, 102, 127, 152, 165, 213 and 270 mm) barrels as standard models. Other barrel lengths were available either by special order from Smith & Wesson's Custom Shop or custom built by gunsmiths . The 5-inch (130 mm) barreled variant had

2730-423: The armorer usually only has to replace standard interchangeable parts belonging to only one type, series, or family of military-related firearms. They typically are furnished a large inventory of standard parts that are known to wear and cause malfunctions in the weapons they will encounter, and they are simply trained to replace these items until satisfactory function is restored. In the regions where ownership

2800-461: The art of the gunsmith has also reached a high level of sophistication. These craftsmen may specialize as in the case of the gun engraver and stockmaker. Generally, these craftsmen serve long apprenticeships under master gunmakers. They may also be members of Guilds which set up apprentice programmes (often sponsored by the Governments in these countries as highly crafted firearms are important items in

2870-409: The barrel, receiver, trigger assembly, and magazine. They are often used by gun enthusiasts, manufacturers, and gunsmiths to diagnose and fix problems that may arise with the firearm. (listed in approximate, but not exact, order of increasing difficulty) Top-end custom gunmaking: A good example of a firearm type requiring the skills of a Master Gunsmith is a Combination Gun, commonly referred to as

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2940-507: The conditions a gunsmith looks for when inspecting a firearm brought to them for repairs are improper assembly, missing parts, cracks, bore obstruction, improper headspace, improper timing, safety malfunctions, worn sear edges, and deformed firing pin tips, among other problems. *Gun schematics , also referred to as firearm schematics, are technical diagrams that display a firearm's internal workings and parts. These schematics usually feature detailed illustrations of significant components like

3010-411: The cost. Close examination of any examples of these rarified firearms by one knowlegable in this field will show why these firearms are priced in this range. It is some of the highest level of wood gunstock blank selection, shaping, and fitting combined with flawless metal crafting. These firearms are commonly also hand engraved to a level of artistic design, layout, and execution that rivals (or surpasses)

3080-446: The development of corrosion resistant surface treatments for steel, gun surfaces were engraved to retain more oil to prevent rust. In modern usage, guns are engraved purely for artistic reasons. Top grade engraving is very expensive but well executed, tastefully designed engraving always adds significantly to the value of quality firearms. Many of the world's foremost art museums have highly decorated firearms in their collections because of

3150-540: The export trade), supervise training, and conduct exams where the journeyman-level gunsmiths submit sample firearms of their own work in order to be admitted the Guild membership. Many of these can only be regarded as "gunmakers" instead of gunsmiths, and do repairs only on the very highest grade firearms. Many are able to make a substantial livelihood. In the United States, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

3220-418: The fictional character "Dirty Harry" Callahan . The Model 29 will chamber and fire .44 Special and .44 Russian cartridges, as the .44 Magnum was developed from the .44 Special and the .44 Special was developed from the .44 Russian. The Magnum case is slightly longer to prevent magnum rounds from being chambered and fired in handguns chambered for the .44 Special. Elmer Keith 's achievements in maximizing

3290-525: The finest printing plates used in currency printing. These firearms overall are time intensive in their execution and demand the highest quality workmanship as the customers purchasing these arms are invariably highly knowledgable and communicate within their select group. Less than the finest work will become quickly known and this customer base will abandon any future business with that gunmaker. The highest level of custom-made firearms usually start out as several pieces of blank steel stock or rough forged parts,

3360-423: The firearm's stocks and metal parts. Repairs and redesigns may require fabrication and fitting of unavailable parts and assemblies constructed by smiths themselves. Gunsmiths may also renew metal finishes or apply decorative carvings or engravings to guns. Many gun shops offer gunsmithing service on the premises. Gunsmiths may be employed in: To pursue the entirety of this trade, a gunsmith must possess skills as

3430-520: The firearm. Pneumatically driven engraving systems, such as the Gravermeister , developed by GRS Tools , may be used to replace or supplement hand-powered engraving, but the guiding of these powered tools is still provided by the artist. Other metals (especially gold and silver) may be inlaid and engraved to further the design. Designs usually consist of elaborate scroll-work based upon Acanthus leaves or vines, or may be of purely abstract spirals. Before

3500-481: The gun continued to be available from the Colt custom gun shop until approximately 2003. In 2021, Colt resumed production of the Anaconda, using a new design with a stronger frame and an oversized Python action. Originally chambered for the .44 Magnum cartridge, in 1993 the Anaconda began to be offered in .45 Colt as well. Its fit and finish resembled an upsized King Cobra married to a ventilated-rib barrel reminiscent of

3570-517: The gunsmith's premises by an Agent of the ATF. The ATF requires all gunsmiths to record all repairs, noting the serial numbers, type of firearm, caliber or gauge, and full particulars of the owner, with an accepted form of Identification ID to be presented and recorded. Gunsmiths are required to maintain these records in a permanent, non-alterable form. The ATF inspects the premises of all licensed gunsmiths with unannounced visits at periodic intervals. The ATF

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3640-439: The high artistic merit and craftsmanship of their engraved, chiseled, and carved decoration. Many books exist on the subject of highly decorated firearms, with detailed illustrations showing their "art in steel". Specializes in work on pistols and revolvers. Pistolsmiths should be proficient in a range of skills such as woodworking, checkering, machining, metal finishing and metalworking. They must have an excellent understanding of

3710-404: The highest grade. Typically, its use is usually restricted to receivers and non- stressed small parts. Although providing corrosion resistance, the colored surface layers are subject to wear and may also fade with time. Antique firearms for sale frequently note the specific percentage of the factory original case coloring remaining on the receiver and lockplates. Renewing this color case hardening to

3780-423: The industry helping them. This is likely the most highly skilled of gunsmiths, as they are required not only to have proficiency in the other areas of gunsmithing, but must also be well educated in firearm finishing and machining , in order to manufacture the individual components and even springs before assembly takes place. Applies various chemical processes ( browning , bluing , Parkerization , among others) to

3850-673: The large-bore handgun market. Unlike most other pistols introduced in the 1980s and 1990s, the Anaconda was never offered with a carbon steel blued finish, but was available only in stainless steel . When originally introduced, Anacondas were plagued with poor accuracy, but changes to the barrels quickly corrected the problems to the point that Colt billed its new pistol as among the most accurate .44 Magnum revolvers in production. Anaconda revolvers were primarily marketed for sport enthusiast shooters and hunters, as they are too large for law enforcement general duty use or concealed-carry , although made-to-order limited production versions of

3920-424: The largest and best known. Italian shotguns are noted for their precise fitting, their precision craftsmanship, and the higher grades feature exquisite hand engraving. The Brescia area has several training facilities for the education of apprentices gunsmiths for the crafting of high grade shotguns and rifles. There is also a training academy for engravers and many freelance engravers are located in this area. During

3990-490: The mechanical characteristics and function of the guns they work on. Often a pistolsmith is called on for extensive customization of a handgun making it better suited for its intended purpose. A good example of this is changing the factory sights for new front and rear sights more suited to the purposes of the user. A wide variety is available as aftermarket parts. Target pistols usually start out as standard models but receive extensive reworking by skilled pistolsmiths resulting in

4060-414: The metal parts of guns to develop corrosion resistant surface layers on the steel. They may also apply case hardening to low carbon steel parts. Case hardening is a combined chemical and heat-treatment process which introduces carbon into the surfaces of low steel alloys that does not contain sufficient carbon to allow total ("through") heat treatment. This carbon rich surface is then heat treated resulting in

4130-425: The most highly skilled and talented gunsmiths typically spreads by word of mouth, based on the quality of their work. The very best and most talented gunsmiths command premium prices for their services, and may have waiting lists booked for several years in advance. In many countries of the world, the possession and ownership of firearms by civilians is highly restricted or outright illegal. The practice of gunsmithing

4200-789: The pistolsmith can build highly accurate firearms that greatly exceed the usual accuracy of standard models of the same model. Some gunsmiths used their experience and skills to become small-operation manufacturers, specializing in making only a few types of gun parts, for sale to other gunsmiths and gunmakers. Some of the more important part categories are barrels, trigger assemblies, receivers, and locks. In general, gunsmiths develop and expand their skills through years of experience. Some common ways to get started in gunsmithing include: Basic machinist skills, while not limited to gunsmithing, are of great help to aspiring gunsmiths. These may include both machine and hand-tool operations, such as metal turning, drilling, filing, stoning or polishing. News of

4270-438: The power and performance of the .44 Special was the inspiration and driving force behind the introduction of the .44 Magnum by Smith & Wesson. His intention for the new round was for it to be used in sidearms for hunters of large, dangerous game, rather than for self-defense, though with today's specialty cartridges, it can be a good defensive round. S&W's production of a large N-frame revolver in .44 Magnum began in 1955;

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4340-488: The production of matchlock , flintlock , and caplock rifles and pistols. The city of Brescia, Italy and specifically its suburb of Gardone Val Trompia is historical home to a number of firearm manufacturers and gunsmiths. Italy is noted as one of the world's leading manufacturing centers of custom-made highly crafted double shotguns. The city of Gardone is the home of several manufacturing firms that sell their products worldwide, with Pietro Beretta (founded in 1526) being

4410-1067: The proper hardness, and color case hardening. But the majority of roughing, fitting, and finishing is done completely by hand using files, scrapers, abrasive paper and cloth, woodcarving chisels and rasps. While some gunsmiths are general practitioners in this trade, some of the more important specializations are: Builds guns to customer's specification, from raw materials and shelf parts. Gunsmiths specializing in custom areas can be called upon by professional target-shooters, avid sports shooters, or anyone that wants custom attributes added to their firearm to create highly accurate or custom looking firearms. A Custom Gunsmith also builds high-end firearms for hunters and shooters with needs and desires that cannot be served by standard catalogued firearms offered by gun manufacturers. They may work in partnership with engravers and other specialized artists to produce unique finishes and decorations not possible on regular mass-produced firearms. Some highly specialized gunsmiths can complete all firearm modifications without anyone else in

4480-422: The requirements of the owner. Germany has a tradition of hunting, but this is generally a complicated undertaking that limits its participation. Firearms possession is highly regulated by the police, and most hunters own only one long gun and perhaps a single pistol. One of Germany's more distinctive firearm developments is the drilling , a multi-barrel gun that may incorporate a double-barreled shotgun above with

4550-479: The same Magna-Ported barrel and unfluted cylinder and were called the Grizzly. There was an uncatalogued 5-inch (130 mm) barrel version of the Anaconda, with reportedly less than 150 made. These 5-inch (130 mm) versions command very high prices when they are encountered. Additionally, Colt made an extremely low number of 4-inch (100 mm) barrel Anacondas chambered in .45 Colt. This ultra-rare variation commands

4620-459: The shooting customer like an orthopedic device, all the while having the ability to withstand high levels of recoil from the firing of many thousands of rounds. Wood gunstocks may be fashioned with automated machinery (for production firearms) while high end gunstocks are hand made using saws , chisels , gouges , rasps , and files . The surfaces are then finished by sanding , scraping , staining , oiling , or lacquering . (This specialization

4690-464: The spacing, usually between 16 and 24 lines per inch (1.0 mm to 1.6 mm line width). The area to be checkered is covered by one set of such grooves parallel to each other. A second set of parallel grooves is then executed across the first set, at approximately a 30-degree angle, leaving the area covered with small, pointed diamonds. The edges of the checkered area are frequently ornamented with simple bas-relief wood carving, frequently variations on

4760-401: The specific patterns of the firearm when it was new has become an important sub-area of the gunsmithing field. Carves gun stocks from wood (usually walnut; although birch, maple, and apple wood, among others, are frequently seen). Fits stocks to the metal parts of the gun (receiver and barrel), as well as to customer's body dimensions. With custom made shotguns, the fit to the individual shooter

4830-428: The world" in the movie Dirty Harry . After the release of the movie and its sequels , retailers had difficulty keeping the Model 29 in stock. In the late 1990s, Smith & Wesson discontinued production of many models of revolvers, including the "basic" Model 29; since then, at various times, the model, in limited or "custom" configurations, has been manufactured in as many as 10 evolutions. The original Model 29

4900-428: Was superseded by the Model 29–1 in 1960, with modifications made to the ejector-rod screw. The Model 29-2 replaced it the following year, with one screw that had secured the cylinder-stop spring being deleted. The barrel length was shortened from 6 + 1 ⁄ 2 to 6 inches (170 to 150 mm) in 1979. These two versions are known as "pinned and recessed". "Pinned" means that the barrels are screwed in and secured by

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