Yep. And just because he said “the most powerful handgun in the world and can blow your head clean off”, the model 29 with the 6 1/2 inch barrel more than doubled in retail price, nearly overnight.
That gun had longevity, at least in his work. Didn’t he pull that out of a case for his final blast’em scene in “Sudden Impact”, the movie where a rape survivor played by Sandra Locke is out for revenge?
Not only that, but Smith did everything they could to make .44 Mags. I’ve seen a Smith .44 Mag from that year marked Mod. 57 in the frame (.41 Mag). They grabbed every N Frame part they had.