Just picked it up yesterday and I'm pumped. I've always wanted one of these since I was a boy growing up in the 70's. The letter from the S&W Historical Foundation says it was shipped on September 26, 1962 and delivered to Wisler Western Arms Co. in San Francisco. She's got some holster wear near the muzzle and some scratches on the right side of the frame from a holster snap I'm guessing but the crown and bore are perfect. I can't wait to shoot it!!

Nice! You know, when you shoot it, you'll be thinking, "Did I fire six shots, or only five?"

Not bad for your first S&W revolver!

You sure got a good one for your first Smith!

Congratulations and welcome to the Smith disease!

Heckuva start!!! Congrats.

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Jack
SWCA #2475, SWHF #318

There are about forty Model 29-1s reported by collectors, so you have a rare first S&W. Well done!

Bill

Thanks Bill.....you just answered my next question. I heard production on these was low but I didn't realize that low!!

Congratulations on the 29-1. Not a lot of folks have one of those. Nice case too. Enjoy!

Welcome to the Forum. Stay on here for awhile and I’m betting this one won’t be your last.

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SWCA 3255 SWHF 615

Very nice! Judging by the way the 1 is stamped it sure looks like it was done at a different time than the rest meaning this gun started out as a Model 29 but then they ran out of right hand thread ejector rods.

That crossed my mind as well.

All 29-1s are stamped this way. The 29-1 shown has an extractor rod with an old style right-hand thread (no relieved area behind the knurled tip) and a "newer" 3-screw frame. Only two Model 29-1s with a 4-screw frame and an extractor rod with a left-hand thread are known. The Model 29 is the only model that shows these anomalies which probably are a result of production scheduling and availability of older parts.

Bill

You started right at the top for your 1st S&W. Excellent Job!!! Excellent Pictures.

Anyone have thoughts as to what projectiles will fly the best out of her? I used to have a Ruger Super Blackhawk (Bicentenial model) with a 8.5" barrel. Off a rest, she would put 180gr JSP into a 3" group at 50 yards.

Mine like the "standard" 240 grain and my 629 Classic DX really likes the Hornady XTP 300 grain. XTP's shoot very well out of my 4 inch 629, as well as the 6.5 inch Classic DX in the 240 grain range.

Beautiful Mod. 29! Enjoy!!

In my experience, it is best to experiment separately with each revolver. Find the load that works best in that particular gun.

For the most part, my several .44 Magnum revolvers get a steady diet of hard cast, non-gas check 240 grain semi-wadcutters. When my Super Blackhawk or Model 29 is loaded as a backup gun while I'm hunting in bear country, I use a Hornady 240 grain jacketed silhouette bullet (now discontinued) with a heavy charge of Hercules/Alliant 2400.

Maybe this helps.

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Jack
SWCA #2475, SWHF #318

You may want to try some lead semi wad cutter hard cast bullets as well. I wouldn't want you to rattle that 29-1 to hard. Berry's plated bullets, with loads similar to the lead cast bullets, perform well for plinking and target shooting.

Congrats, beautiful gun. Wax it up with some Ren-wax while watching Magnum Force and enjoy.

For the occasional outing I would recommend the somewhat standard 240 grain swc over plus or minus 10. g. Unique. You will get some "oomph" and good accuracy without the shattered wrist syndrome. Nice, unusual -1 by the way.

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Some collect art; I shoot it!

It is like I have heard said about something else. Once you have had one you want them all.

Well, you really started into S&W with a BANG. (double entendre intended)
Enjoy, and double up on hearing protection.

Where did you find it? There are collectors who have spent years looking for such an example.

Those are RARE. Amazing piece OP- thanks for sharing

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Some Might Say.

Dang--that's my birth year gun! Congratulations, that's a great start.

Gunbroker auction. With 16 minutes before the end of the auction I took a strong shot of Irish whiskey for courage and rolled the dice.

Any chance we could get a couple close up photos or the end of the ejector rod to help determine left hand or right hand thread? Just curious.

Hope this helps:

Congratulations!! I think I'm safe to say it won't be your last 29-x after you've had a chance to get to know this one. Heck, I didn't even know there was a dash one!

Congratulations on finding a very rare gem. Given the scarcity of the 29-1, I'd hesitate to shoot it unless you are certain a previous owner shot it. I certainly would not put any hot loads through it, nothing more than factory 240 grain loads, not the specialty Buffalo Bore or Underwood loads that are loaded to the very maximum safe pressures.

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VCDL, GOA, NRA

Thanks for the advice and I would NEVER fire BB or any other super hot loads down the tube. I did purchase it to shoot and hell, even carry and she sure looks like she's been fired although very little. I don't do safe queens for what it's worth. I had one which was a verified Springfield M1-C Garand with USMC provenance from the Korean War. I put one enbloc of M2 ball through her to properly sight her in and put her away. I got boored with just taking it out and admiring it so I sold it on gunbroker for almost 7k.

PS
FWIW.....I'm not gonna shoot her that much. Definitely will zero her hin at 50 yards.

I gotta get me some of that Irish whiskey.

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Charlie

It was Tullamore Dew that I was drinking. It’s about a smooth as the action and lockup on this 29-1 which is the smoothest I’ve ever felt. 😊

No Irish Whiskey for me, thank you. S&W Revolvers have already put enough of a dent in my bank accounts. I don't need any added encouragement... lol

Wow! Fantastic gun, especially for your first Smith.