.44 Caliber Tunnel Weapon in Viet Nam ?

[lenoxmi]

An author asked this question on another forum
"In 1969 the Army tested a weapon called the caliber .44 tunnel weapon.  It
was a revolver and used cartridges of a trapped piston design containing 15
shot pellets and was a low noise weapon.

Anyone have any idea as to what make and model of revolver provided a basis
for this?  I assume it was some commercial design.

I've done various google searches with no luck."
  Anyone ?

[unspellable]

This was an N frame S&W with a smooth bored barrel, I believe four inches.

At one time there was a rumour to the effect that the shortage of Model 29's in the 70's was due to S&W production of N frames being devoted to the tunnel gun.  However, there were never any where near enough tunnel guns to account for any shortage of Model 29's.  The tunnel gun was an experiment that never came to much.

The shot cartridge did have a piston to keep noise down.  Contrary to what we are used to seeing in the movies, conventional suppressors do not do much to for a revolver because of the sound produced at the cylinder gap.

[unspellable]

It might have been 3 inches.  When I say four I am trusting to my memory.  Wife says I never remember what she sent me to the store for.

I think the designation as a model 29 would have been part of the rumour about the shortage of model 29's and not an actual model number.  S&W changes their model numbers with rather minor differences.  For example the 29 is a 44 Mag, a 57 is the same revolver in 41 Mag, and the 58 is the 57 with fixed sights.

Such a revolver would have no use for adjustable sights.  I don't know what the actual caliber was, but 45 caliber would make more sense than 44 as it would allow for more shot.

[Mohawk]

Never heard of that one but my partner was issued a J-frame .22 Magnum 2" for his first tour. Said this was tunnel rat standard issue.

[Rustyinfla]

There was a slightly experimental weapon used in limited numbers by  some tunnel rats. There was nothing special about the gun it's self to speak of. The experimental part was actually the ammo. The shells were made in such as way as to not allow the gas to escape from the cartridge. It was more like a piston in a closed unit that propelled the bullet. The idea was to cut the noise level the tunnel rats had to endure.

            Rusty <><