Went looking for Cokes

[Pocketrocket]

And I found some at my lgs. I wanted them for my 5 screw because I wanted it to look original. I was prepared to pay for them as I know they're pricey. The ones I found were screwed on a battered 29-2. After inspection, the stocks were pretty nice but the gun looks like it was dropped on the top. The red ramp looks new but the top of the sight ramp was fairly well scratched up. It appears to have a HP rear sight and the hammer looks like it's been filed on. Shoots pretty good but the Cokes are hard on the hand with full house loads. I'll probably put some pachs on it and make it my shooter as my other .44 mags are pretty nice. SN S280XXX so likely '66 or so. I think I want to find an original sight and hammer. What should I be looking for?

 

[Model29-26.5]

The stocks on that gun are not cokes.
Unless I read wrong.
Those are diamond Target football cut.
Cokes have a wider checkering

 

[toddimusnimski]

Not cokes but nice nonetheless (cokes would have a larger checkered area). They do appear to be period correct for that SN. Good pickup!

Todd

 

[Capt. F.]

The rear sight appears to be from a Model 28 Highway Patrolman.
And no, those are not Cokes.
However, I’d still give it a home if it was looking for one!

 

[Model29-26.5]

The rear sight appears to be from a Model 28 Highway Patrolman.
And no, those are not Cokes.
However, I’d still give it a home if it was looking for one!

This hammer spur seems to be more rounded and either worn or made differently at the edges than I have seen before.
What am I looking at here?? Somehow, it doesn’t look like a standard target hammer Spur? I think it’s been bubba filed?

 

[Pocketrocket]

Hey guys thanks for the ID on the stocks. They do appear to have a palm- swell - probably due to the diamond centers. But yes they are not cokes .They do seem to be the right vintage though.
.
Any ideas on the hammer and sight?

 

[THE PILGRIM]

One mo time - Coke and non-Coke comparison.

 

[toddimusnimski]

And a pig! Remember that real cokes will have a pig.

Todd

 

[THE PILGRIM]

Way back in my Puppy Dog Days, I worked on a Pipeline.
The Old Guys talked about Shooting the Pig.
Regret to report that I never saw it happen.
‘Pipeline “pigs,” short for “pipeline intervention gadgets,” are devices used to clean or inspect pipelines in upstream, midstream, and downstream O&G operations. The name may have originated from the “squealing” sound of early pig models (made of straw, wire, or leather) produced while traveling through pipelines.’

 

[Muley Gil]

Hey guys thanks for the ID on the stocks. They do appear to have a palm- swell - probably due to the diamond centers. But yes they are not cokes .They do seem to be the right vintage though.
.
Any ideas on the hammer and sight?

The hammer has either been ground or filed to that rounded shape. And the rear sight is for a M28 or a Highway Patrolman.

Make sure of the screw hole location when buying a replacement, as it was moved during the years of production.

 

[Doc44]

Coke bottle stocks were phased out in favor of diamond target stocks beginning in early 1966 so the stocks you have could certainly be correct for your Model 29-2.

Bill

 

[StrawHat]

The hammer has been nicely reshaped. Possibly for carrying but likely for a single action shooter.

Nice job, whoever did it.

Kevin

 

[handejector]

What should I be looking for?

Hammer- Any N frame Target Hammer from their introduction in the 1950s up to the frame mounted firing pin will be correct.

Sight- Any N frame rear sight with the same screw hole spacing will work.


BUT, if the gun is "battered" as you say, why buy parts when what you have works?

 

[Nightowl]

My first Smith & Wesson revolver was a model 29-2 I bought in 1968, with serial number S 2828xx. It had the diamond targets like yours. While they do feel like "cokes", they are still a nice set of stocks and feel much better than the poor fitting blocks of wood they used toward the end of the wood stock era.
The hammer is a nicely modified half inch wide target hammer found on all 29s. I would probably leave it as it is since it looks like it would be easier on the thumb than the full sized one. However, if you wish to replace it, they show up for sale from time to time. Replacing the rear sight body may be a little more difficult.
That one looks to have been carried more than shot. They made some fine guns back then.

Edited to add: I just checked that large on line place that has stuff for sale. They have plenty of sights and target hammers listed. So, whatever suits your fancy!

 

[imakmst]

Nice. I'd shoot the bajeebers out of it.

 

[mod57]

That 29 does not look that beat up to me. Needs some clean up. That rear sight is indeed from a Model 28. As an aside the sight leaf has the same dings that I have seen in almost all of the Mod 28 I have seen that were used by LEO. I would replace it in favor of the correct one, which begs the question, what happened to the original? When you get it off, be careful and use a correctly fitting screw driver with the small leaf screw, look for extra holes under the sight. someone may have mounted a scope and over time lost the rea sight thus necessitating a replacement.
Looks good and I would keep it and love it and shoot it a lot. The Model 29-2 is the quintessential S&W .44 Magnum. Enjoy!

 

[dave1918a2]

I wouldn't change anything but the grips if the gun shoots well. It's definitely a shooter so why bother changing parts.

 

[cgt4570]

PM sent if you decide you want a correct rear sight and full target hammer.

 

[The Gila Bender]

Couple three years ago a nice 1966-67 S-prefix 28-2 blue 6" with diamond football target stocks came my way at a fair price, and with it came a holster modified for an optic. Looking at the 28 I pointed out that the rear sight leaf belonged to a Model 27. The Seller handed me a box with a (vintage) Bushnell Phantom optic and other stuff. He had no idea where the original rear sight assy had wandered off to. I found a correct rear sight assy on fleabay and now my old 28 is right as rain. I may even mount the Bushnell just for fun!

 

[Retired W4]

John Jovino would do that to the hammer spur on his custom guns. I'm sure many other gunsmiths did it as well. The letter for this M-25 shows that it went to Jovino.