I guess you guys remember the "original" pre29 I bought a few months ago with smooth Presentation stocks. Turns out the frame is stamped as a factory reblue, 1976 I believe. The nylon tie also managed to hide the slight Dremel tool buffmarks along the recoil shield, where some private repair and reblue had been done since the factory reblue. And I wasn't smart enough to clip the tie until I got home. Whew! I need some school-housin'. Anyway, here's the link...
pre29 "with issues"
Well, I'm headin' off to that gunshow again this weekend. I'm gonna try to find this guy, but if not...I may sell it or trade it...just don't know. I have cleaned it very, very well (looking for any other flaws). The gun is very nice, for what it is, but I have a minimum of $1200 in it, and it upsets me that I got taken so badly. I really know better than that...but my blood got hot when I saw the gun, and emotion overcame reason.
Anyway, what is the reasonable retail value of this gun? It is a nice-looking 4" gun.
I know it's zero as a collector's piece, but what is its value as a shooter? If it's worth $900 or so, I might hold onto it, but gosh, I'd hate to eat $500-600 because of a gunshow crook.
I would appreciate your help on this, and I thank you for your reply.
I know, with that past link, that you guys advised me to eat my pride and suck it up and shoot it, but here we go with that Orlando show coming up again...
Sonny

Kinda like picking a gal up in a bar. You're excited that she's going home with you but get over all that when you see her false teeth floating in a glass of water the next morning. I've done it. (the gun thing) It's all part of collecting. Lick your wounds and get as much back as you can while honestly representing it to the next buyer. Life's lessons are sometimes expensive. Mine always were.

HI Sonny. Like we all told you before, HANG ONTO IT!! In a very short time, it will catch up to what you had to pay for it, even if it is re-finished. At least the work was done by the factory, which doesn't hurt the value too badly, and it is a less common version of the 29. Don't dwell on it. Just let it set for a while, and enjoy it for what it was really designed for which is not sitting in some safe wasting away! They are never going to make them like that again. Don't take a bath for prides sake. Take one only because you really should every day.

sonny,
thats the hell of it.you want to recover at least close to what you have in it.
then you have the moral issue of the dishonest dealer.
sonny,you might know this, but i will tell you anyway,you will never make a dishonest person a honest one.i am sure your gun is not the first one this dude has bushwacked somebody with.and the natural compulsion is to knock this guy alongside the haircut,just for the principle of screwing you.
whats the minimum on a lawyer retainer you will have to get if you do tap the guy 500.00??1000.00? the loss you take will only get bigger.
you do have the right to confront this guy,and show him where he screwed you,and you have the right to tell everyone you know.
but i honestly feel, if you do good things in life,good things will happen to you.keep learning from the great guys here on the forum,like i have, heed thier advice and thoughts,and you will luck into some gun deals,make a few bucks,that will make the loss on this a little easier to swallow.good luck friend,and let us know how things work out

Kinda like picking a gal up in a bar. You're excited that she's going home with you but get over all that when you see her false teeth floating in a glass of water the next morning

Good analogy Charlie. I needed that.

Charlie,
Are you sure it's only been the gun thing that you've done???

Many

I read both this and your previous posts on your Pre-29. Perhaps I'm not that knowledgeable, but one would think that it might just be possible to find a good, used side plate, or even one new in the box and/or wrapping. That should cost far less than a complete re-blue. If you do find one, be sure to ask for an inspection period and the right to return it if it doesn't match up. Just a thought. Good luck and God Bless. -Ed.

Sonny, We all are always looking to score. There are those among even us that can see this and will take advantage(hose) us when they can. Don't go looking for this *** as he probably suspects you are looking for him. Hells bells, he might be reading all that has been posted on here! It isn't worth a felony assault(though perhaps deserved) to "even the score" . Shoot the gun, and enjoy it. Something my Dad always had to repeat to me.... "Don't get your hands dirty" Still, you have a nice gun you can really use and not worry so much about the "first dent or rock chip in the finish"... Kyle

Okay ,here we go. Do you want to feel better? I'll tell you the horror stories from my 'learning' days .
A nicely re-finished 44 H.E. 2nd. for approx $1200. in trade. A $700. shooter at best.

A 4" 629 no dash that looked great at the gun show light level, but on close inspection had been over polished ,and had parts of the crane barrel ground!

My learning pieces still sit in the safe as a reminder of what not to do when inspecting a gun at a show.

If you must get rid of your 29, set your limit for a fair price in your mind and stick with it. Sounds like $900. is your number.


THEN ,, look in the safe at all the treasures you've scored on and WoW, see how it balances out?
Hopefully in your favor.

Be smart ,, be schrewd , say no a little more often, and ,, Good LUck!

Regards , ,Allen Frame

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NRA cert.instructor&R.S.O.

If it makes you feel any better, I just traded off a K-22 Outdoorsman that I purchased on line. I paid close to $700 for it. Upon inspection, it was re-blued - maybe even several times, but it had some decent grips. Traded it to one of my local dealers, who is a knowledgeable S&W collector for $300 in trade (his offer was about $100 less than I thought that it was worth) towards something that I really wanted - a pristine RM box that had been on his shelf for a long time... I also traded a couple of other guns, one of which he gave me more than I had into it. As it turns out, I'm happy and he is happy.

I have come to believe that sometimes things are better than represented and sometimes not. I have paid the "stupid tax" several times, when I purchased something in haste. Anymore, the only person that I get frustrated with when that happens is myself - because I know better. I try and learn from my mistakes and when I am a seller, I always try to give full disclosure.

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Richard
Engraved S&W fan

What would the factory re-blue look like and where would it be located on the gun? I'm going to start checking all my SMITH's. Thanks.

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Charlie

Did he represent it as original,or did you assume that it was,based on the price?Did he refuse to let you pull the grips or the tie? Guns on a dealer's table,at a show with bar lighting,with just a model number noted:caveat emptor.Yes, you got rooked in your haste to buy it(I've done the same)but everyone knows a gunshow is a minefield,a place where plenty of second rate goods are sent to be unloaded(sorry for the pun).Strangely, that's part of the charm in sorting out the treasures from the rest.You joined him in the dance,no reason to confront him now.Enjoy it if you can or sell it.Over time, the rookings and the bargains all even out.I no longer frequent gun shows.When I see a nice gun in a shop,my usual course is to look it over,go for lunch,reinspect it with fresh eyes when I return.Saves me a whole lot of "oops".

Gun Show horror stories. I bought a Colt 6920, NIB off a large dealer's table. Looked at the sample, gave $1150(this was a few years ago), and he pulled one out from under the table. Got it home, took it out of the box, put it in the rack. Wasn't going to shoot it because I have others. About 6 mos later, realized it was an aftermarket upper. Ser# on lower matched box. Lesson learned, make sure you hyave what you paid for. I have a $700 AR with a Colt lower. It doesn't hurt anymore. I don't stop at their table anymore, either. Joe

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Wisdom chases me; I'm faster

I am sorry that this has happened to you. I am not new to guns but new to the horse trading... Thank you for sharing. These lessons will save countless others.
Russ

Most all of us have bought a gun that we shouldn't have and later on took a hit when selling or trading it. I did that on two guns that I bought last year and in my case neither one was misrepresented by the seller. I just bought two guns at way high prices that later I ended up selling for way less when I researched the market. I kind of think I should have done the research part up front but one was an impulse gun show buy and the other was just an uniformed auction buy. In my case both of these we on me so after a while I sold them and moved on.

I still still agree with Tim and I would keep it and enjoy it as a shooter and at some point your potential loss will be less and then sell it if you want. However, if everytime you look at it your blood pressure spikes then go for it and take the loss and move on.

echo the rest of the flock, the real thing is to shoot it all you want with reasonable loads and enjoy it for what it is. that said, if you really,really, can't stand to look at it then send it on it's way and salvage what you can with full disclosure. was in the business for over 25 yrs. and mistakes are made on both sides of transactions.

If I were in your shoes, I would feel like confronting the guy too, but I don't think that will accomplish anything now. It might even lead down a path you don't want to travel.

The guy will no doubt say he did nothing unethical, and gave you ample opportunity to examine it prior to the sale. Some used gun dealers are sharks. Enough time has elapsed so that he may say that you caused at least some of the flaws yourself, since you did not detect them before you bought it. If things get a little heated, you may be asked to exit the show and even be told you are not welcome to future shows.

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You're shy a few manners.

I've been an FFL Dealer for over 25 years and have been selling guns on the net since it's inception.
I've made the same mistakes as you have over the years and have learned much by making them.
However, I have NEVER found it necessary to intentionally misrepresent a gun to anyone I've ever sold anything to.
I've also learned enough to ALWAYS check under the "skirt" for any unwanted surprises! (take that one however you want to Many!)
I almost got into a REAL donnybrook with a guy twice my size at the Recent Tulsa show for just ASKING to look under the grips on a pre-29 4-screw!
If I EVER sold something to someone, and they later found it to be something other than what I said or even implied that it was, I'd fully expect them to return it to me for a FULL REFUND. I'd also expect them to be really PO'd !
I'll be the dissenter here and urge you to take the gun back to the show with you, find the guy and calmly explain to him your dissatisfaction with your purchase.
Who knows....he may just give you a refund.
Contrary to popular belief, not ALL Dealers are Shmucks!!

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tjsguns

Win some - lose some.
When it's all said and done, you'll probably end up ahead of the game

Like so many others have already said, I'd hold on to it and enjoy shooting it (isn't that what this hobby is about anyway?)

If you do find the dealer at the show, DON'T do anything stupid.

That gun will end up costing you much more in attorneys fees.
You might even end up losing your right to own a gun.

I'm sure that most of us have either been taken or seriously over paid for something we really wanted.
Keep it, shoot it, enjoy it.
Sooner or later it will be worth what you paid for it. They don't make those any more.

EXACTLY what he said.. +1

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SWCA #2306
DAV in honor of POP

I have a couple that were not exactly correctly represented when I bought them. One was not overpriced, one I spent too much for and then put another $125 into fixing the timing. I still have them and have found them useful as carry guns that I would not want to use my better guns for.

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Richard Gillespie
FBINA 102

Some of lifes best lessons come from our biggest mistakes. Not only have I been there and got the shirt, I have a WHOLE drawer of those shirts.

Actually I like it! I may use it from time to time. With your permission of course!

About a year ago I got carried away at an acution and bought a Winchester Md42 for $1700. The sun must have been in my eyes and I did not see the stock had been cut and a pad added. I got a $900 gun for 17 hun. But I picked up my $4500 Reg Mag for pennies on the dollar. It will work out in the long run...........but it does piss you off.

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Jim
SWCA #2246

Hey Sonny,I know you are reading what everyone is writing.But you have to take it to heart,just the fact that this is bothering you enough to start another thread tells me that you and this 29 should part ways.Why stress out every time you look at it.Life's too short and as the others have said , If you see the guy and can keep your head fine,but it's not worth any amount of legal problems.Just my 2 cents worth.Good Luck.

Thanks, Ed. Your suggestion is a good one. However, there is Dremel repair burnishing and reblue (after the factory refinish) which is apparent following along the recoil shield on BOTH sides of the gun. It is slight, but becomes much more visible after you take the gun home and examine it in a good light.
Thanks to all for your kind suggestions.
Sonny

Allen, you are right. I do have some nice buys in my safe. Not a lot, but they do help balance out the bad stuff.
Thanks, Sonny

I'd buy a beer for a rarity like you. Good man!
Sonny

In theory, I'd like to calmly ask the seller if he knew of the issues... I'm a pretty calm person. But given the large amount of money involved, I do not think I could promise to remain calm.

Might he refund your money? A cold day in H*ll. Possible but unlikely. If / when he doesn't, then you are right back to where you are now, with nothing accomplished.

My hat's off to the reputable sellers here & everywhere who honestly represent their wares.
Russ

If it were mine, just my opinion and thoughts, if it bothered me to look at it each time it would have to go. Life is too short to be annoyed constantly by a mistake. Make sure the person you sell it to knows the issues and move on.
Be safe

I do appreciate all of your replies. I may approach this fellow, if he's there, and explain my disappointment with the gun, as posted by tjsguns. And ask whether he will buy it back, even at a reduced price to minimize my rather severe loss. I could handle that okay.
CT Smith Fan had a good point that it must bother me if I felt the need to start this new thread, and that perhaps I should just get rid of it to clear the air. I did take it out of the safe last nite and look at it, and it is a pretty gun, a nice barrel length. Probably a great shooter.
Saturday should be an interesting day. I don't do "physical" so no concerns about that. Thanks again. You're all a bunch of straight-shooters.
Sonny

sonny, there are not many shows Saturday. Are you going to Melbourne show? If so, I can meet you there.
Ooops, I see Orlando has one too.

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Dick

I once purchased a 29-2 from a long time/current seller in Gun List. It was described as 99% to me. I couldn't get to my FFL for 2 weeks,and when I did, I was extremely disappointed. The gun was more like 93-95% in appearance and even had some mechaical issues. Since I was past the "inspection" period, I decided to not make an issue of it.
It bothered me to no end for something like 6 months. Finally I decided to send it off to S&W for a re-blue and checkup. The factory did a mechanical overhaul including turning the barrel, and sending back a bunch of internal parts.
The gun was just like new now, though I was into it for another 250. It STILL bothered me even after having the work done, so I sold it on GB. I advertised it as refinished, with a mechanical tuneup. After the sale I sent the gun to Florida with receipts for the work done.
About 3 months later I see the gun posted here, on this Forum, with the owner saying he's had the gun for 30 years and it's brand new condition.
I bit my tongue, but swore if I ever saw it in the classifieds that I would call him out for misrepresentation.
Haven't seen him around in a couple years now.
I've since picked up a NEW blue 29-2 with box, presentation case and shipping carton from a Forum member.

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Sure you did

Hi Dick,
Yeah, I'll be at the Orlando show. It's usually a good show, two buildings, $9 entry but free parking. Hope you find your Holy Grail.
Sonny

The right thing to do, IMHO. Glad you finally got the gun you wanted.
Sonny