Guns of the Decades – 1970s: Smith & Wesson Model 29

Welcome back to Guns of the Decades. Here, we’ll pick a firearm from a decade, and briefly talk about where it was at the time. It’s not meant to be an all-encompassing detailed record of the firearm or a claim that it was the best firearm of the decade. It’s a fun read with a different take on a gun at a specific time. In this week’s article, the decade will be the 1970s, and the firearm will be the Smith & Wesson Model 29. The Model 29 is a .44 caliber handgun, made incredibly popular by the films of the time. The most notable film the Model 29 appeared in was the Dirty Harry series of films, but it also appeared in several other movies including Taxi Driver.

The 1970s were a period of pretty significant cultural shifts in America. Traditional parents that may have been shocked by their teen’s long hair in the 60s, were now accepting the change of style. Bell Bottom pants were in fashion. Pet rocks, mood rings, and disco were in. The 70s were full of fun fads. Some of them were short-lived and fell out of popularity. Some trends punched their way into the 90s like the beanie baby craze.

The decade also created long-standing legends and icons that are still held dear today. The music was some of the best music we’ve ever seen introduced. Hotel California by the Eagles, Free Bird and Sweet Home Alabama by Lynyrd Skynyrd, Piano Man by Billy Joel, The Gambler by Kenny Rogers, and even Margaritaville by Jimmy Buffet were released in the 70s. We’ve seen a lot of music produced since the 70s, but to be honest I’m not sure if we’ve seen better music. The decade definitely produced some high-quality stuff.

The 70s also saw a rise in the quality and popularity of film production. People went out to see movies in theatres, and there was some really good cinema hitting the big screen. The big screen experience was also a spectacle to behold at the time. Nowadays, most can buy a 65” high-definition color TV for $400. In the 70’s, you had a small TV at home, with a fuzzy picture and mono sound. The theatre experience must have been mind-blowing. Many films of the era had excellent story writing, and are considered to be classics to this day.

The Smith & Wesson Model 29 was first produced in 1957, but it wasn’t until Dirty Harry uttered the words “Do you feel lucky punk?” that the revolver reached mainstream popularity. Before it hit the box office, the revolver was aimed at firearm enthusiasts, law enforcement, and hunters. The firearm itself was expensive and generally had limited appeal to the general public. When everyday people saw the firearm, and its high-powered, non-intentional sales pitch, they wanted one themselves.

It’s no mystery why one would want a Smith & Wesson Model 29 in the 1970s. The semi-auto pistols of the time were considered to be lacking in the reliability department by today’s standards, or at least that’s the way I understand it. Bullet technology and hollow point technology were also not at the level it is now. If I was around back then, and my options were between a revolver that was steady as a rock, true as the sunrise, trustworthy as the day is long, and a semi-auto with a mixed reputation, I would probably lean towards a revolver. If I were stuck with a six-shooter, my motto would be “There’s no replacement for displacement,” and I’d probably attempt to carry the largest caliber revolver I could.

The .44 Magnum was the largest caliber handgun in the world at the time. Popular cartridges at the time included .32 ACP, .38 Special, .9mm Parabellum, .45 ACP, and .357 Magnum. The data that I have on hand estimates the .44 Magnum was around 76% more powerful than what was considered a larger caliber at the time, the .357 Magnum. It’s estimated that one .44 Magnum round could deliver over 4.5 times the energy of one .38 Special round. In the age of limited capacity, delivering one well-placed, high-energy round could have the same effect as firing multiple low-energy rounds on a target. If you were worried about bears or wolves in the 70s, and even now, the Model 29 would be a great choice. But could I even find one of these on the shelves at the time?

I thought it was pretty interesting that you couldn’t find a Smith & Wesson Model 29 to buy after Dirty Harry came out. You would think that someone would’ve called Smith & Wesson and told them that they were making a film that featured their rare revolver as a main character, so they could ramp up production. The unavailability of the firearm most likely led to people wanting to buy it more, which in turn led to it being even more unavailable. The firearm was also considered to be a relatively expensive and premium revolver at the time, and I’m sure its newfound fame didn’t help its sticker price for the buyer. I’m sure it was pretty fun to window shop the local gun shops, hoping one showed up in inventory. Nowadays, anyone can buy one online and have it shipped to their local FFL. If you look at modern-day prices for the Model 29, it is an expensive firearm. Adjusted for inflation, it was in the 70s as well. Speaking of nowadays, how does the Model 29 compare to modern firearms?

In the modern day, the 44 Magnum is still a very powerful cartridge. Its power has been surpassed by other cartridges like the 500 Magnum, but it’s still a hand cannon. There are much better firearms for self-defense in 2024, unless you want a traditional revolver that shoots 44-caliber projectiles with style.

Smith & Wesson does offer newer revolver models that fire the .44 Magnum cartridge. Some are smaller for concealment. Some are larger for hunting applications. I’m sure there are engineering advancements included in the newer revolver models, but there’s a mystique that surrounds the Model 29. The mystique and notoriety of the Model 29 make it impossible for me to consider any other .44 Magnum revolver. The Model 29 was an excellent choice in the 1970s and remains a relevant icon to this day.

If you’re interested in an in-depth review of the Model 29 or want to take a look at the actual firearm used in the Dirty Harry movie, TFB has you covered with the articles and video below:

Wheelgun Wednesday: Enduring Legacy of the Smith & Wesson Model 29 TFB Review: Smith & Wesson Model 29 Classic 6.5″