.44 Magnum

[Northeast kingdom]

Hi Gang,
I'm sort of new at this so i will do the best i can... I am looking for a older .44 Magnum (S&W) I'm doing this for a friend of mine who wants to get one for her husband who had to sell his when they were going through some hard times... She does not recall what model it was other than it had a really deep rich bluing and the length was around four inches... If anyone has one that they would like to sell (about twenty to twenty five years old) i would love to hear from you... Thanks for your time... RRL

[BC38]

The nicely blued 44 magnum would probably be a model 29. The most common barrel lengths are 6" and 6-1/2" I believe, with the 4" being the next most common and the 8-3/8" and then the 3". If it was an older one, it would probably have been a model 29-2 or 29-3.

The best place to shop for one for selection would probably be Gun Broker, though it wouldn't hurt to put an ad in the "Wanted to Buy" section of the classifieds on this forum.

Good luck in your search, and welcome to the S&W forum.

[Kernel Crittenden]

If it was "about twenty to twenty five years old" it would be a Model 29-5 or -6 (pronounced "dash five" or "dash six"). The dash numbers represent small engineering changes that occurred over time, and aren't really that important.

A 4-inch Model 29 from that era is not very common. The 6-inch guns are easy to find. Expect to pay something in the $650 to $1,000 range depending on details. Condition being most important.

[zogger]

I recently bought this Model 29-3 (Vintage 1982) for $800 at a LGS. I think this is something like the OP is looking for.

[Northeast kingdom]

Thank you for the quick reply, very helpful........ RRL

[Northeast kingdom]

Thanks for your help, much appreciated........ RRL

[C J]

The S&W .44 magnums from the era you describe are the most sought after versions. Later versions have a locking mechanism that is not a popular feature among shooters. So the guns from that time period are generally as expensive as brand new .44 magnums.

The 29-4 might be the best choice (according to the shooters here - most don't like the locks). If you're interested there are also stainless versions of the guns which are given the 629 model name. There are also various dash versions of those guns. Many prefer the blued guns for their looks. Some prefer the stainless models because they resist rust better. You shouldn't have a lot of trouble finding one. S&W built a lot of them.

Here's an example of what a current production 29 costs. Prices are between $889.99 - $1,119.99.

Smith & Wesson Model 29 Revolver | Sportsman's Warehouse

Here's a gun from the time you describe listed on Gunbroker, which is basically eBay for guns. It's not a blued gun. It's nickel plated. It's a 29-2 in very good condition. It has a 4" barrel and their asking price is just over $665. Blued models generally are more expensive than nickel plated models I believe.

http://www.gunbroker.com/item/637030245

[zogger]

Originally Posted by Northeast kingdom

Thank you for the quick reply, very helpful........ RRL

Ur welcome! BTW, it has a 4" barrel.