Short of getting a S&W letter is there any
clues to look for concerning a 29 5 inch...?

It is a 1963 vintage..Serial # S231xxx
Nickel with a 5 inch barrel.
I will not be able to put my hands
on it til this weekend.

Thanks in advance..

NEWS DOES NOT LOOK SO GOOD.
Here are some pics from today.

Few details:
No N on the cylinder.
*star stamped on the barrel.
Finish looks original...to me anyway.
N stamped on the grip.
Does it look to have been cut and re-crowned ?????

Take a look any opinions appreciated.

"Clues" regarding what? I'm not sure what information you are asking for. Please clarify.

A nickel plated, 5" Model 29-2 with an S prefix serial number sounds intriguing to me (assuming it is in decent shape and the barrel is its original length)!

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Jack
SWCA #2475, SWHF #318

I did not know if they were random
in receiving the serial number or if
they were in a specific serial number
range.
The gun is very clean...but wrong stocks.

Will a 1963 gun still have a star and date if returned for work?

A factory nickel 5" would be a great catch.
One sent back to be sawn off and plated is just pretty.

Are you trying to verify it's an original 5" M29?

On a rare and pricey gun like this I wouldn't touch it without a letter. Unless it's priced as a modified shooter. If it's $600 I grab it. If it's $3,000 I want the letter.

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No life story has happy end.

Seller and I have agreed to wait
on the letter before money changes
hands.

Thanks for the info.....I finally found my
reference books 30 minutes ago.

Do You have a magical Horse Shoe?

I have a list of over 200 44 Magnums with an original 5-inch barrel. I don't have access to the list right now, but don't remember one finished in nickel in that serial number range. A letter is a must!!

Bill

I just looked at your List in the SWCA Journal and there are not any Nickle 5" Guns listed in the range.Am I safe to assume that this list is not every 5" Gun the Factory made?

There were some 5 inch model 29-2s made in the S231xxx serial number range, so the 5 inch barrel length is possible.

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Richard Gillespie
FBINA 102

just curious what the seller is saying or thinking. either he was the original owner and knows 100% what the deal is or he is a subsequent owner who either paid crazy money for a super rare piece or he paid reasonable money for a nicely done rework. I don't see much middle ground on this one.

Current owner has had the revolver since around 1974-75.
He owned and operated a gun shop for 35 years.
Purchased the Smith from an individual who had
bought it from a family member that had been
a S&W employee.

I saw the 29 nearly 15+ years ago and it was crisp.
Has not been used or carried since.
However, at that time I did not know what to look
for concerning refinish issues and such.

So.....that is the "story" concerning the gun.
I feel it is a VERY LONG shot on being righteous.
But I have been given the first shot at the purchase.
Gonna be a long 20 week wait on the letter.

I feel it is a VERY LONG shot on being righteous.

Your aiming high.....that helps.

Best of luck on the shot

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Paul
S&WCA #2726

If it does not letter as a Factory Original 5" gun, I still would be interested in it, at the right price. Especially if it "Looks Right" and was a good conversion.

A 5" N Frame is a beautiful gun, and is very, very well balanced. I had a chance at two different 5" model 27-2s, passed on both, and I kind of regret it.

If that 5" 29-2 looks right, and the Nickel is nice, you may be able to get a nice deal on it.

Did You have Him take the Stocks off to check for rework stamps?

Have not got that far yet.
We are going to hook up this
weekend. His vision is nearly shot.
I will check for the proper markings for
a nickel Smith.
Hopefully get a few pics.

Good Luck! The fun and excitement of the hunt! lol.

Fingers crossed!!

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Miss My Buddy crsides!!

You might try phoning or emailing Roy. He verified my 5" by email within minutes on a Saturday, but that was several years ago. He might be able to verify the barrel length for you.

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Richard Gillespie
FBINA 102

Added some pics...

That sure looks like a good gun. The N stamp is encouraging and while I am certainly no expert, the muzzle looks factory to me. Is the extractor blue or nickel? The ones I have seen are blued. I hope that it is an original nickel 5 inch and that you can purchase it for a fair price.

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Richard Gillespie
FBINA 102

I would guess a factory cut barrel given the star

It's still a very neat gun and I'd be happy to own it (at a reasonable price)

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Kris
OGCA, NRA LM

Man this is awesome, I was over at my cousins house today. He has collected smiths since the 70's. I have been bitten by the smith & Wesson bug bad this year and he likes to show me some of his collection to make me jealous. I was going to inquire about his 29-2 5" s serial # today. It looks just like the one listed here but it has diamond grips, the trigger is smooth and the front sight is Amber in color instead of red. Does anyone know anything about this gun? The serial # is s317XXX. I will try and figure out how to post pictures of the 29 asap? I am no expert just a novice but man it sure is slick!

Any tips on how to post pictures? I took a few of his gun today.

No matter what anyone here says you know you have to wait for the letter.

I see nothing wrong with it. But I am not an expert. The experts say there is no record of a nickel 5" 29 so I would be very suspicious. Factory work stamp elevates suspicion level. A barrel cut at the factory would be hard to spot. Maybe impossible. Again, we're back to waiting for the letter.

It is a beautiful revolver and I would love to own it. Like I said before, if modified I'd drop $600 for a very cool shooter and never look back (if the seller would take $600, of course). If original then I'm out because I couldn't afford it (even missing the correct wood).

I hope it turns out the way you want.

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No life story has happy end.

Hi I'm trying to post the pictures I took yesterday. Hope this works

Welcome! As noted above, if your friend wants to find out it is unaltered/original, a factory letter documenting this is a must:

Firearm History Request - Smith & Wesson

If you can post photos there are subtle details that may point to it being a factory 5". Hope this is helpful.

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

*
The employee connection might mean that the deviation from standard was an unrecorded special by the employee for himself. I have seen more than a few reports here of employees doing stuff like that, so it could be a) legit, and b) impossible to confirm.

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NHI, 10-8.

Like Kris stated, the star in the extractor rod shroud suggests the barrel has been cut or is a replacement for the original. A letter is a must if a premium price is being asked. A factory employee would have no trouble having a barrel replaced. It is still a very nice 29-2 (original or not) and a good one to own.

Bill

Question from a newbie, would the roll mark on a 5 or 6 inch gun be in the same location in regards to the shroud. Thanks

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Take my advice Im not using it

Just looking at the photos with the star I would guess that your gun started life with a longer barrel. The barrel likely was cut and the gun or just the barrel may have been re-nickeled.

Original or not only a collector would care if they wanted a lettered gun to add to the collection. Of course that letter adds more than a bit of value.

Which brings the question; if all of the work is factory it would make sense the value would be more than one done by the local gunsmith. The really question is just how much more. It is kind of one of those, who knows kind of things.

I have a 5 inch pre 29 with the weird forward barrel roll stamp ( I kid of like the oddly placed stamps) that has a rework date code of 963 and a barrel with diamond stamp indicating replacement or rework. It has also had the ejector rod thread change update of a -2. I didn't pay a 5 inch price but I did pay more than your average shooter price. Guess what; I'm happy and the seller was happy. I guess what I paid was its value for a strange one of a kind .44 Magnum.

Someday I might get it lettered but it is down my list of things to do.

Today I wouldn't part with mine unless offered a pretty penny.

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Bill Bates

Thus my question a couple of posts ago. The rollmark location on yours Bill seems like it is more likely a cut down barrel but the OP posters is more centered.

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Take my advice Im not using it

Bill's was cut down from a 6" barrel. If the OP's was cut down at all, it was done from a 8 3/8" barrel

Mine if cut down, which I'm pretty sure it was, came from a run of about 100 barrels which have known anomaly of having a forward roll stamp when compared to the norm. I just shows that Smith & Wesson didn't toss anything out even when someone messed up.

The 6 1/2 inch and 8 3/8 inch barrels are normally roll stamped in same location when measured from the back of the barrel. I suspect that the 5 inch barrels were roll stamped in about the same position as the longer barrels.

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Bill Bates

Ahhhh, I see said the blind man An 8 3/8 barrel would make the roll mark look right at 5"

__________________
Take my advice Im not using it

Gosh guys, I think I am sitting at 50/50 that the barrel is original. The finish obviously is and if the factory had cut that barrel I would have expected to see a corresponding rework date and mark on the frame under the grips.

Call Smith & Wesson tomorrow and if you ask nicely you may get all the info you need.

I'm gonna go out on a limb here, possibly showing my ignorance (won't be the first time), and say that I think that barrel's been shortened.

Look at the photo that shows the muzzle and the front of the front sight. That front sight is just sitting on top of the serrations on the barrel rib. I don't think that's right...every front sight I see is smoothly blended into the rib at the front. And the double sight pins don't look right to me.

Apologies if I'm wrong.

Thanks everyone for your thoughts.
It is a pig in a poke until I get the letter
or other info.

My take is that it will letter as an 8 3/8's barrel.
Then back to the factory and cut.
However, "The Story" concerning the S&W employee
being involved adds a slant.

At any rate, it was done right and is a nice Smith.