Serial number N781xxx
The felt in the presentation box is disintegrating.
Thoughts on value, age, and how to fix the felt.
Owner says unfired other than the factory but it has a turn line?
I will post pictures tomorrow.
Probably 1980 according to the Standard Catalog. You don't tell us barrel length or whether blue or nickel. Last one I saw sell that was pretty much as described was an 8 3/8 blue with presentation box with deteriorated interior. Not offered as "unfired" but looked 98+% condition with a light turn line. Sold by LGS a few weeks ago for $1499.
6 .5 inch, #N73583, dated, may 9, 1973, blue was gone also, I put red in but one of our members remakes the cases, mine is about 95%, reason being I let it sit in the case and it picked up a fleck and corroded one small spot about 1/8 inch which I've done a repair and going to leave it that way until I sell with a full account and if the buyer wants to reblu he can but even for my anal eye I can't justify it.
Unfired with a ring is common I believe, I have a 19-4 unfired and it has a fine ring from the factory testing, now I'm saying this and I have very little knowledge, so hopefully one of our in the know members will step in and correct anything I've mentioned.
One thing about presentation cases from 1980 is that the gun points to the right. It is my understanding that S&W only oriented the guns to the right for a few years surrounding 1980 and before/after the guns pointed left.
My 29-2, 6 inch, blue is unfired by anyone after the factory as far as I know, yet it has a turn line (very, very slight) due to a single LGS clerk who just had to dry fire this gun, and worse yet..."flip" the empty cylinder closed. This was the day I picked it up and I know the gun never made it to the display case.
The gun Letters as going to a gun store less than 4 miles from my home now, however it was New Years eve 8 years before I moved to Virginia!
The blue flocking was gone top and bottom, but everything else was there.
I have flip-flopped back and forth over the years trying to decide whether to send the case to Joe Cebul for re-flocking but keep it as is...if it does get re-flocked...it will look beautiful....BUT...I don't display in the case anyway...so there you go. I have seen his work and it is just simply gorgeous.
OP: Would love to see some pics of your gun and case...we are always interested in others good fortune, and owning a 29-2 is indeed good fortune
With everything "as-is" (case, bagged tools, no paper documents) and gun I would say $1,000 to $1,100 around here. Maybe more if posted on one of the big auction sites, but then you have to pay fees, so your net would be lower in all probability. Of course that is just my opinion.....these days there are some crazy high prices with equally high crazy bidders.
If you really want to see what "close honest" value is, AND you have decided to sell....then pick a price for the package and list here in the WTS (Want to Sell) sub-forum and see what offers you get...IF your price is "fair" then you'll maybe get an instant "I'll take it" BUT FIRST read all the rules before you post and be sure you want to sell.
Model 29-2
Linear Mode
