8F022034-9889-4D44-A514-95E24339892D.jpg

C5A81E10-2E6F-4C7C-A4AA-83DC009F2B36.jpg

E2DAEAB7-602F-4D53-913E-0374F9BDF4FE.jpg

FF6D947E-DA81-4A1A-AA4F-F43E9BD866EE.jpg

1442AB29-18DC-402C-97C5-C4A96834A5BA.jpg

I have a nickel 29-2 that has 2 interesting characteristics. First is that the barrel is 5-7/8” long. 2nd is that there is a double stamping on the right side of the frame. The serial number is N785693 as confirmed on the crane and the bottom of the grip frame. My questions are does the barrel length add value to this 29-2, and does the double stamping add or detract from value.
Thanks in advance for your replies.

Looks like a 6" to me.

Double stamping would bother a collector for sure.. I don't like it.

I don't see the double stamping making the gun more desirable or more valuable.

Walt

A lot of barrels fall short of being tru size.This is common due to getting the crown just right.That is why some with a tru 6 inch and a 6.5 inch which falls short look almost the same length.

S&W's are not coins, so manufacturing flaws, double stamps, incorrect stamps shorter than advertised barrel lengths don't add to the value. I guess if you could get a factory letter stating it was special ordered that way, then you would have something.

It was my understanding that 29-2’s came in barrel lengths of 4”, 6-1/2”, and 8-3/8”. A 5” barrel is extremely rare, and supposedly there is only 1 known 5-1/2” made in nickel finish. My barrel is way off the 6-1/2”. Was wondering if I had some strange variant.

6" barrels were also made & pretty common.

It was my understanding that 29-2’s came in barrel lengths of 4”, 6-1/2”, and 8-3/8”. A 5” barrel is extremely rare, and supposedly there is only 1 known 5-1/2” made in nickel finish. My barrel is way off the 6-1/2”. Was wondering if I had some strange variant.

1979 brought out the 6 inch barrel length on the N frames.The 29-2 was made for a little less then 3 years with a 6 inch barrel.It is also the scarcest barrel length next to the 5 inch to find.

Did not know that, thanks for that information! Would you have any input as to what the 6” barrel length adds to value?

Currently the market is still driven by the collectors who favor the original 6.5 length.Or Dirty Harry fans who also want his original 6.5 length from the first three movies.As an interesting note Clint Eastwood in an interview for the release of the Dead Pool was asked about the shorter 6 inch barrel 44 magnum used in the film.
and Clint went on to say that the 6 inch made more sense to him to carry since the extra half inch seemed to make drawing the 6.5 more difficult.Maybe in the future the 6 will gain in collectability since this current generation does not even know who Dirty Harry is.

I appreciate all the replies! Thanks!

Clint went on to say that the 6 inch made more sense to him to carry since the extra half inch seemed to make drawing the 6.5 more difficult.Maybe in the future the 6 will gain in collectability since this current generation does not even know who Dirty Harry is.

And what kind of life is that???? To grow up with no knowledge of Dirty Harry? Bullit? The Duke? Liberty Valance or The Mechanic?

Worse than that ,they dont appreciate or respect any guns made from steel and wood.Plastic guns ,apps, and computorised movies action scenes are the interest today.

Heirs of dads gun collections dump them for some real good deals.

I have had a few come my way.

Never seen the double stamping before. I'm surprised that it did not go into the redo bin.