Early 1950s, handgun writers under leadership of Elmer Keith, were in the habit of loading .44 Special cartridge to high performance levels and firing them in existing .44 Hand Ejectors. They urged S&W to produce a revolver strong enough to consistently fire these heavy loads. In 1954, Remington at the request of S&W, produced .44 Magnum cartridge which were longer so that they would not fit in chambers of older .44 Special guns. First .44 Magnum became available for sale in early 1955. First 500 were made with 6.5-in. barrel; 4 in. became available later that year. In 1957, model designation was changed to 29 and 8.375-in. barrel was introduced. Available in blue or nickel-plate. Came standard with all target options. Offered in a fitted wood case. Model 29 is considered by many knowledgeable people to be the finest revolver S&W has ever produced. Older Model 29 revolvers are in a different collector category than most modern S&W revolvers. Early four-screw models can be worth 100% premium in excellent condition. These early models were produced from 1956 to 1958. Approximately 6,500 were sold. One must regard these revolvers on a separate basis and have them individually appraised for proper valuation. In 1993, the 4-in. barrel dropped from production. 10 Engineering changes with multiple variations. Rare 5-in. barrel will bring 3X to 5X standard values for Model 29, 29-1, and 29-2. Nickel worth premium, especially on early guns. Note that many model variations exist, values posted below are for standard configurations. Premiums for short barrels (5 in. or less), unfluted cylinders, and limited editions.