I believe there are only 3 documented model 29-1’s with a 5 inch barrel but am not positive. The reason I’m asking is I have just found the 4th one, and she’s 58 years Brand New in her presentation case with all the tools, even the warranty card and rust paper. I’ll post some pictures in a bit. Has Roy Jinks letter confirming special order 5 inch barre, it left the factory August 7, 1962.

Hmm, this could be interesting.

I wondered the same thing when I saw one in a RIA auction last week. Sounds like the same one, at least having the same shipping date, letter and accessories. I wonder if that one is included in the known 3, since it is lettered. I really wanted it, but the bidding reached the stratosphere before I could even get my mouse pointer over the bid button.

Three Model 29-1s with a 5-inch barrel have been reported by collectors and verified in factory records. There are probably a few more out there to be discovered. Below is a photo of one of them, S228176, I had in my collection for about ten years before moving it on to another collector. Click on the photo for a better look.

A complete discussion of the Model 29-1 is covered in my book on the 44 Magnum published in December 2019, pp. 8-9, 15-16. You will also see photos of 29-1s with the various known barrel lengths, 4, 5, 6 1/2, and 8 3/8. The rarest Model 29-1 known is one with a bright blue finish and 4-inch barrel.

Bill

Thank You. Appreciate your information. Why is the 4 inch rarer than the 5 inch? Was there fewer made?

There is only one known with a 4-inch barrel and bright blue finish. Two are known with a 4-inch barrel, 4-screw frame, and nickel finish. All the Model 29-1s known finished in bright blue have a 3-screw frame and an extractor rod with an old style, right-hand thread. The two finished in nickel have a 4-screw frame and an extractor rod with an improved, left-hand thread and are a true -1 model variation. There are approximately thirty-five Model 29-1s known in total, so the -1 is rare in its own right.

All but one or two of the Model 29-1s were shipped in 1962. Probably based on production scheduling, implementation of the improved cylinder stop with the deletion of the cylinder stop plunger screw resulting in a 3-screw frame was made before the supply old style extractor rods and stems was exhausted, thus resulting in the "odd" configuration for most of the Model 29-1s reported to date.

Bill

I’m getting the popcorn ready!

I hope pictures will be forthcoming, along with some history.

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Veteran Paratrooper, '86-'90

Here’s a few pictures

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jvall...Your 29-1 is the fourth one reported! Like I said, there are more to be found. There was a $10 charge to cut the barrel on your Model 29-1.
Very nice package!!!!

Bill

Whew! Now I can quit searching for that one!
That's SWEET!!

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Mike H

I've gotta ask! What is the value on a revolver like this?

Depends on how badly collector wants it. 5 figures!

The first 44 Magnum with a 5-inch barrel was shipped in July 1956 and has a 5-screw frame (it has not been reported by collectors, yet). The second, third, and fourth 44 Magnums with a 5-inch barrel were shipped in July and September 1957, respectively, and have 4-screw frames. S170040 is Class A-engraved by Russ Smith and is the only known factory engraved 44 Magnum with a 5-inch barrel. H. H. Harris ordered a significant quantity of 44 Magnums with this barrel length with the first order being delivered in mid-March 1958.

Bill

So, there should be quite a few more out there, lying in the depths of some collectors' safes, waiting for the prices to go even higher, right? What is a "significant quantity"? ten more?, a hundred more?

How do these "unknown" guns affect the value of the known ones, when they finally see the light of day? I mean, if you have the only one, it becomes almost priceless; the value would reasonably drop a little when a second one is discovered, a little value from both when the 3rd one shows up, and so on.

Bill is referring to 29 no dashes. Mod 29-1 had a very short production run.

44 Magnums with a 5-inch barrel (and other barrel lengths) shipped in 1956, 1957 and 1958 do not have a model number stamped in the yoke cut (model numbers for the 44 Magnum began to be stamped around serial number S184000 in late 1958). There are probably around four hundred plus 44 Magnums with a 5-inch barrel (of several variations with the MOD-29 and the MOD. 29-1 being the most rare). However, any 44 Magnum with a 5-inch barrel has sold for a significant premium as far back as I can remember. I paid $2500 for a mint Model 29-2 with a 5-inch barrel in its mint presentation case with all the documents and accessories over thirty-five years ago and the prices have only gone up. I bought a Model 29-1 with a 5-inch barrel (mint with no case or accessories) for $5,000 in 2000, and again, the prices have only gone up and up.

Any Model 29-1 in excellent to mint condition, regardless of barrel length, is a great investment for the S&W collector.

Bill

This gun is for sale again! It is complete and beautiful! I have a question about its lineage! The letter states there was a $10.00 charge to cut the barrel and the gun was a single gun shipment! This implies to me it was a special order and the gun was originally built with a longer than 5" barrel! My question is, can we call this one of the rare 5" barrel lengths of the 29-1?
If you say yes, I ask why do we not call a mod 53 that was removed from stock and changed to a nickel finish, before being shipped, a "factory original"!....? Mr Jinks has stated many time this was the protocol for an ordered nickel 53!
jcelect

When a 44 Magnum (or other model) was ordered with a special, uncataloged barrel length, S&W cut a longer barrel to fill the order and identified the charge on the invoice. All of the special order guns are factory original since that is how they were shipped and will letter as such. I would point out most of the 44 Magnums with a 5-inch barrel were not made by cutting a longer barrel.

Regarding the Model 53s shipped from the factory with a nickel finish; if a blue Model 53 was taken from inventory and refinished in nickel to fill an order and shipped with a nickel finish, I would consider it as factory original and expect it to letter with a nickel finish. I think the confusion is due to the factory stamping these guns with an R-N which to collectors means a "refinish in nickel". The invoice for these guns should show them as being shipped with a nickel finish and possibly an extra charge for the refinish. I have never seen an invoice for one of these guns, so I don't know what it states.

Bill

I'm still kicking myself for not buying a five inch Model 25-2 some years back. It was something like $1000 at the time, it looked "right" but I didn't want to gamble that it wouldn't letter. And that was at a time that the letters were still $35.
The balance and handling felt really good and I remember thinking how great a Model 29 or Model 57 in a five inch would be as well. Too bad that S&W didn't offer them as standard catalog items.

That's one of the reasons I bought a 544 a couple of months ago. I think ole Skeeter got me started on 5 inch barrels a few years ago, well, ok a lot of years ago!! I'm having a ball with it!!

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Richard Gillespie
FBINA 102