It was made famous worldwide by association with the fictional character "Dirty Harry" Callahan.

Elmer Keith's achievements in maximizing the power and performance of the .44 Special was the inspiration and driving force behind the introduction of the .44 Magnum by Smith & Wesson.

[1] S&W's production of a large N-frame revolver in .44 Magnum began in 1955; the Model 29 designation was applied in 1957.

The 29-7 started production in 1998 with changes to the locking mechanism, the firing pin's attachment, and a hammer and trigger produced with a metal injection molding process.

Some S&W model 29s were rebuilt by the AAI Corporation to make the Quiet Special Purpose Revolvers (QSPR).

A Russian handgun introduced in 2002, the OTs-38 Stechkin silent revolver, is described as using a system virtually identical to the QSPR.

The Mountain Gun was introduced in 1989 as a lightweight version of the Model 29 designed to be "carried often and shot little".

A Smith & Wesson Model 629 with a 3" barrel called the "Trail Boss" was produced for the distributor, RSR.