Found a nice Pre-29 today!

[Flyin Brian]

Hey guys, I don't get over here too much as my S&W collection is mostly newer ones so far... until today.

I was at one of my favorite shops today and the owner offered to sell me one of his personal revolvers that he had proudly shown me in the past. He's never even suggested a price before today, and we were able to come to an agreement that we were both happy with.

I believe it's a pre-29, as there is no model number. The serial is S170XXX and he thinks it was made in 1956. It's a 6.5" barrel and is probably 90% I'm guessing? It has quite a bit of holster wear on the muzzle and a deep turn ring, otherwise it is in good shape.

I'm curious if it is normal to have a wide & ridged target trigger on a model of this vintage?

It includes an old box and some other neat extras:


Here's my new girl:

[quinn]

Great find! Not sure I know the answer to your question about the target hammer and trigger, though. Now you get to start looking for the matching tools. Took me a while when I got my pre-29... but the items are out there.

[JeepRacer]

I have a Pre-Mod 29 with serial number S170xxx, it is a 1957 vintage.
It looks like you have original style Cokes grips and the correct case.
Did you receive the tools and paperwork with your case?

Outstanding find.

David (JeepRacer)

[19leben]

Nice .44 Magnum! That's actually the name Smith & Wesson gave them until they started assigning numbers to their revolvers in 1957. I'm jealous as I only have a pristine 29-2.
These were brought to market with the 3Ts: Target stocks, Target trigger and Target hammer so yours is typical of the model.
Congrats on your new old treasure.
Just for clarification, does your Pre 29 have a screw in front of the trigger guard?

[DWalt]

The closest SN to yours on my list is S1709xx which shipped in 5/57. Conventional wisdom is that N-frame model numbering started at about SN S183xxx. So this one is a pre-29 (.44 Magnum). The football Coke target grips on it are a big plus, so is the case. Although standard equipment at the time, many early 29s (and pre-29s) are found to have replacement grips. As said above, the 3-T configuration was standard.

[Flyin Brian]

Originally Posted by 19leben

Nice .44 Magnum! That's actually the name Smith & Wesson gave them until they started assigning numbers to their revolvers in 1957. I'm jealous as I only have a pristine 29-2.
These were brought to market with the 3Ts: Target stocks, Target trigger and Target hammer so yours is typical of the model.
Congrats on your new old treasure.
Just for clarification, does your Pre 29 have a screw in front of the trigger guard?

Yes it has the screw in front, but I didn't take the grips off to see how many screws total. I am guessing it is a 4 screw?

[19leben]

Yes its a 4 screw. Probably shipped not too long before they started Model marking with numbers.

[Flyin Brian]

Originally Posted by DWalt

The closest SN to yours on my list is S1709xx which shipped in 5/57. Conventional wisdom is that N-frame model numbering started at about SN S183xxx. So this one is a pre-29 (.44 Magnum). The Coke grips on it are a big plus, so is the case. Although standard equipment at the time, many early 29s (and pre-29s) are found to have replacement grips. As said above, the 3-T configuration was standard.

I haven't researched it yet, so maybe you can tell me if it's possible to get a factory letter on this revolver?
Is it worth doing?

I hope I didn't pay too much for this one, but here in CA they are hard to find.

There were no tools included but there is something neat that I will post up a photo of when I get a few minutes here

[DWalt]

You can request a letter for any S&W. Whether it's worth the $50 expense is up to you.

[Homie]

Originally Posted by DWalt

The closest SN to yours on my list is S1709xx which shipped in 5/57. Conventional wisdom is that N-frame model numbering started at about SN S183xxx. So this one is a pre-29 (.44 Magnum). The football Coke target grips on it are a big plus, so is the case. Although standard equipment at the time, many early 29s (and pre-29s) are found to have replacement grips. As said above, the 3-T configuration was standard.

FWIW- 6 1/2" .44 Mag # S170096 lettters as shipped 4/14/57.

[Flyin Brian]

Ok, here's something neat that was included. It's a copy of the CCW permit of the original owner from New York City. It also has his NRA card. There is a receipt from 1995 when he had it shipped out of NYC by an FFL, and the store owner told me that's when he transferred it to his son.
It's pretty amazing to think someone carried a 44 as a concealed weapon!

[g8rb8]

Originally Posted by Flyin Brian

...my S&W collection is mostly newer ones so far... until today.....

Well, I guess if you're going to start collecting older ones you might as well start somewhere near the top.
Congratulations. That's a nice one.

[Candrews86]

How much did you give for it if you don't mind me asking?
Beautiful package regardless!

[M29since14]

I have to doubt the man carried that .44 for self defense purposes in NYC - but you never know. Since he was also an NRA member it seems more likely that this was one of several guns he may have owned. Would be interesting to know who he was and a little background info on him. In any case, it is a nice collection of memorabilia and a great revolver. Congratulations on adding that one to the stable.

[jackvs1]

Great find. I bought my pre29 with box about 19 months ago, S154506shipped in November 1956. It is a 5 screw with original Coke grips; I found the original type tools here on the forum. The case was original to the gun. Does yours have the serial number written on the bottom in a grease pen?

There is a lot of info on this forum about the Pre 29 and again congratulations.

[boykinlp]

Originally Posted by jackvs1

The case was original to the gun. Does yours have the serial number written on the bottom in a grease pen?

I could be wrong, but I don't think they were doing that by the time the 4 screws came out.

[Stirling]

Nice find. Imagine carry that in NYC!

[S&W ucla]

Originally Posted by Flyin Brian

It's pretty amazing to think someone carried a 44 as a concealed weapon!

Was his name "HARRY"?

[05CarbonDRZ]

Originally Posted by boykinlp

I could be wrong, but I don't think they were doing that by the time the 4 screws came out.

It was hit or miss at that point.Some had them and some did not.

[Flyin Brian]

Originally Posted by Candrews86

How much did you give for it if you don't mind me asking?
Beautiful package regardless!

It paid $1800.

[Candrews86]

Sounds like a helluva deal to me!
Hope you enjoy it

[Flyin Brian]

Well, here she is, safe & sound and enjoying the new surroundings

I picked it up Saturday and cleaned it up a little Sunday. There was a tiny bit of corrosion starting on the frame under the grips, so I applied a very light coat of paste wax to the underside of the wood where it touches the frame. That and a very light cleaning with a soft nylon brush to loosen the corrosion should stop any further damage.

The barrel had some lead fouling, and the cylinder still has a bit of fouling but I am not going to get aggressive with it. I will probably shoot some jacketed loads and see how it looks. I'm sure with regular care it will start looking better.

Here are some better photos, along with a better photo of the CCW permit. I found that the permit is for NY state, and specifically says NOT A PERMIT TO CARRY IN NEW YORK CITY on it. Figures

I looked up the name and the gentleman passed away in 1996 so I doubt if there is a need to hide his name and address.

[tlay]

Use the wax on the gun also. A lot of us use a product called Renaissance wax. But any good car wax will work.

[SPEEDGUNNER]

Wow, just wow...

[Flyin Brian]

Originally Posted by tlay

Use the wax on the gun also. A lot of us use a product called Renaissance wax. But any good car wax will work.

I use Johnsons paste wax on all of my finer toys. I've never tried renaissance, I wonder if there is any noticeable difference?

[tlay]

Renaissance can be used on just about anything! The gun, grips, and even the cardboard box!

[iskra]

Congrats Brian! Are the accoutrements as shown below approximately correct for Brian's gun? (Longer cleaning rod of course!) This piece SN 1932xx is designated Model 29 as the visible literature suggests.
Thanks!

[dennis2146]

Originally Posted by Flyin Brian

Ok, here's something neat that was included. It's a copy of the CCW permit of the original owner from New York City. It also has his NRA card. There is a receipt from 1995 when he had it shipped out of NYC by an FFL, and the store owner told me that's when he transferred it to his son.
It's pretty amazing to think someone carried a 44 as a concealed weapon!

I am from New York and the permit was not called a CCW permit as people do these days. Back then to even own a handgun a permit was needed. We simply called it a Pistol Permit. NY had two permits, one to carry and one to stay at one place, such as home or business. If you had the home permit that is where the gun had to stay. You could not even take it target shooting. With the carry type permit you could carry it throughout the state EXCEPT for New York City. That practice is still carried out today. A permit good in every other section of New York is not valid in the City of New York.

We lived about 60 miles North of NYC and at 16 my twin brother and I, heavily into firearms, talked my dad into getting a pistol carry permit basically so my brother and I could own, through him, a handgun. It was one of the most fantastic days of our lives when we took the first handgun, a Colt 4 inch Official Police, out to shoot. A year later we both joined the USMC and both qualified expert with the Colt 45 ACP as well as the M-14.

Dennis