Herb, <img src="graemlins/offtopic.gif" border="0" alt="[offtopic]" />
I agree completely about the accuracy... I also have a S&W M29 with a 6.5" barrel and it is one of my favorite guns. although it came with a wonderful set of Goncalo Alves wood checkered stocks, I also outfitted mine with Pachmayr grips about 15 years ago and it takes the bite out of the recoil. It sure turns heads on the range when you cut one loose.
I have owned mine since about early 1970 (long before Dirty Harry was a household word). It has the finest trigger pull of all my guns with the exception of my Steyr SSG 7.62mm Nato rifle with doubleset triggers.
I bought it used and remember paying about $30 MORE than retail for it because they were so scarce... It would one of the last to go if I had to get rid of my guns... I am sure you are familiar with the words "cold dead fingers"... well this would probably be one of the guns they would have to pry out of one of my hands.
My most accurate load: 22 grains of 2400 behind any kind of 240 grain bullet... It's like shaking hands with King Kong... but I sure enjoy it. Those who tell stories about nearly planting the front sight in the middle of their forehead obviously held the gun like it was a .22 auto when they pulled the trigger. Just use a firm grip and you will hit what you are aiming at... and you won't even feel the recoil if you are hunting...
Firing 9mm after a box of .44's at paper targets is like using a BB air pistol. <img src="graemlins/roflmao.gif" border="0" alt="[hiha]" />