I would like to know if there is much difference in felt recoil between the Model 29's with the original barrel contour and the heavy full lug barreled guns. I have a hand injury and can't shoot heavy loads in my old 29's (4" & 6"). If there is a serious difference in felt recoil I'll rebarrel one of my guns.

Please note that this question is only about Smith & Wesson 29's.

Blind folded, THINK I could pick out which is which....then again, you can feel the difference in the way the gun handles, so you build some expectaions, and those expectations change your perception...there is a differnce, but not a "drastic" one.

It's just weight...can wrap a few ounches of solder arround your existing barrel and get the same aproximation of recoil reduction.

Unless you are shooting something like the Mountain Gun, I doubt you would feel an appreciable difference. If you shot the same identical load in a standard 629 with 8-3/8" barrel and a 629 Classic DX with the same barrel length, I would be amazed if you felt a difference...at least one that matters.

I tore a ligament in my right thumb to hand joint. After about 12 years it still hasn't healed right. I used to shoot my 29's a lot, but since the injury I cant shoot more than about a 240 gr @1000fps load in them. Took a number of years just to get to that point. I'd like to be able to shoot decent bear loads again in the double actions. Single action gun I can do OK if not too many at a time. Double action gun I just can't. Was hoping if I rebarreled to the lugged barrel it would make the difference.

learn to shoot left handed. Seriously. Alot of guys have lost the ability to shoot right handed and found out it wasn't that tough to change hands. I have a freind that lost his right eye and learned to shoot his rifles left handed. I shoot both hands and anyone who considers themselves any kind of a defensive shooter does too.

I can shoot left handed, and have practiced some left handed shooting for years, but not to the same level as right hand. For the first year or so after the injury I could only shoot a pistol left handed, even a 22. Over time it has gotten better, just not to the point where I can shoot full magnums in a double action right handed. I do fine with a single action gun, they don't hurt unless I shoot a lot of very heavy loads, I'm just wanting to shoot heavier loads in the double actions again. I suppose at contact distance a 250 or 300 gr hard cast bullet @ 1000 fps would do the job for bear defense. This is a level I can take in the DA