I think the 6.5" barrel was a later option (stock barrel length being 6"),
I think the 6.5" barrel was a later option (stock barrel length being 6"),
You have that backwards, as released in ~1955 they were 6-1/2” barrels of 4-screw models, w/ an ‘S’ serial number; not called the N-frame nor Model 29 at that time. The Gun Control Act of 1968 resulted in the S-frame designation being changed to an N-frame prefix, and in 1979 the 6½-inch barrel was shortened to 6 inches in order to standardize production, according to Roy Jinks, their Historian.
More info here:
An Official Journal Of The NRA | Dirty Harry's Model 29: America's Shooting Star
Had an early ‘58 one in the black (pre the all wood one) presentation case with the fully knurled screwdriver tool, where those alone can fetch $100 to $200. Book on this one at the time, in the condition, was $2,500. Sold it for close to that, many years ago, along w/ a factory letter from Roy.
My current ‘29’ is an early 70s pinned barreled and recessed cylinder model that still wears the 6-1/2” barrel.
Like others said, I load it down to 44 Special loads and fire it w/ zero issues. If a big, magnum-only ‘full throttle’ load was my choice, I too would not pick the S&W 29 in any version as the option. As an aside, I used to place 1st or 2nd in the local/regional 2nd Chance bowling pin shoots, using that 44 Special load, when those shoots were the vogue in the 70s/80s, and if I took 2nd that would be to 191145 ACP shooters, who normally would fill out the other top 5 to top 10 spits.