I recently acquired a 4" M29-2 with serial number S3173XX and from what I gather from my forum search this gun was made sometime in 1969. Is that correct? If so, can someone give me some help with the month? Also, the 2011 Blue Book indicates a higher value for "S" prefix guns over "N" prefix guns. Why is that? Thanks for the help.

ab7wh, that is probably a 1969 gun, but you cannot use the serial number to determine the month or even year. S&W did not ship in serial number sequence, so even if you found a gun that was one number before your serial number, the shipping date could be months apart or even years. The only way to confirm the exact shipping date is by requesting a factory letter (cost is $50). That will give you a nice, brief history of the model along with the shipping date and name of the store, distributor, or individual who received the gun. For a 29-2, it most likely went to a S&W distributor.

The S-serial numbers command a higher value for a number of reasons (some real, others perceived). Since S-serial guns usually shipped in the 1950s and 1960s, many people feel the quality was higher and quality control was better. I own guns from the 50s, 60s, and 70s and can tell you from my experience that the difference in quality between late S-serial and early N-serial guns is difficult to observe (and perhaps impossible to find). But, I will also tell you that I only own one N-serial gun (a birth year gun for me) and many S-serial guns. But for me, the reason is that I prefer the early 44 Magnums over the ones made in the 70s, 80s, and 90s.

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Kevin Cowherd
SWCA #2271

SigKev, Thank you very much for the information.

Congratulations on the purchase of the 29-2 with 4 inch barrel.

S317873 shipped on September 22, 1969. This one, S316488, shipped on August 19, 1969.

Bill

Very much appreciate all the useful responses re my new M29-2. Mine is serial number S317301, so "probably" shipped late-summer or early-autumn 1969. My revolver is very similar to the condition of the one in the excellent photo. Thanks again.

Congrats ab7wh!

I've got a 29-2, with serial #S2845XX, does anyone have a ballpark estimate on age? It still has its original diamond targets.

drewjh...Your 29-2 probably shipped in the second half of 1968.

Bill

I dig this old thread out, i baught this Gun at an Auction. The Gun is stamped Mod.29 no dash #S 299633. Curious,the Serialnumber dates the Gun as a late 1968 Mod.29-2 and not as a Mod.29. Here some Pic`s:




Greetings from Austria
Georg

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Loyalty Above All.. but Honor

Frangible- Somebody at S&W forgot the -2 when the gun was stamped. Incomplete and incorrect model numbers happen with regular frequency.

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No life story has happy end.

Here's one not too far off in the S299 range with NO model mark. But it is the Tunnel Gun😉
Chuck

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SWCA1517 SWHF256
Rangers LTW!

And noe with a set of Curacs in Bocote:


Still looking for Cokes
regards,
Georg

With all due respect. Can you back up this statement?

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Don Mundell

Those are beautiful stocks you have there. Spectacular might be a better word. Very nice combination of revolver and wood.

An hour ago i sniped this Coke bottles on a German Auction for * 190,- plus shipping. I hope this are real Cokes, maybe Rosewood? Had all the Cokes the black Washers?


Regards
Georg

I would love to find any early 4 inch N frame, but especially one from 1964.

Look real to me and that's a good price.

Misstamped guns are fairly common, though I doubt there would be a lot of documentation on them. I have seen, on this forum, factory .44 magnums stamped with M 57, guns stamped with a dash and no number afterward, overstamps Iindicating model changes, and more.

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Even older, even crankier....

My 29-2 4 inch version is S/N S300083. I think it is a 1968 version also.

Now i received my cokes, they are not period correct to my 29-2 from 1968, but who cares? Now i payed $ 860,- for the Gun & the Cokes, Gun came without the presentation Case. Deal or Steal?


Regards,
Georg

Beautiful gun Georg! Sounds like a steal to me. I'll give you $900 for it.

Hello. Looking at a nice 15-3 nice. But the cylinder is plum!
Your opinion please. I mite by it correct.
Neil

As was intimated above, serial numbers cannot be used in dating S&W revolvers because the frames are serial numbered when manufactured but not used in numerical order. If stock is not rotated the last ones in a bin will be the first ones out.

Then there is the computer crash of 1994 that erased production records prior to that year. As an example of how that can affect their reporting, I purchased a 686-3 Classic Hunter a few years back and called S&W to find out how many were made. The lady with whom I spoke told me that only three had been shipped since 1994 and stupid me took that to mean only three were made.

Only a month or so later, I had an opportunity to buy another one but thought I could not be lucky enough to own two of only three guns made so I called again. The computer crash was explained to me that time and of course I have learned since then that about 5,000 686-3 Classic Hunters were made.

In the time since then, I have communicated with several other 686-3 Classic Hunter owners and some that were lettered to having been made many months after mine have lower serial numbers.

Long story short, as other have said, a factory letter is your only trustworthy source for production information.

Ed

Georg: your grips are beautiful. Keep them.
Neil

Georg-I like the color case on that one.