Today I closed the deal on the Pre-29 that I asked advice about several days ago. On second inspection, the gun had a couple of issues that I hadn't noticed at first, but I decided to take it anyway. I was not looking for a collector-grade Pre-29, and this one certainly wasn't because of muzzle wear and some damage to the cokes. But it was still a high-condition shooter, and that is what I wanted.

After I got it home, I found that I had made a tyro gun buyer's mistake -- trust the gun without pulling the stocks. Turns out this gun got a factory refinish in October 1975; the R-B stamp is on the frame, and a 10 75 date code. If I hadn't seen the stamp, I would still think it was the original finish in about 95-96% condition.

Nonetheless, I am happy. I got it at a serious discount from the asking price, the refinish was well done so it is a pretty good looking gun, and the action is superb. Timing and lock-up are as brand new, and the trigger feels as though it was given attention by someone who knew what he was doing. Single action releases right now with a 1.5 pound pull, and there is no sense of creep. There is some post-release trigger travel, but that is easy enough to fix with an overtravel stop applied non-destructively to the back of the trigger. There is no push-off sensitivity, either. The trigger is one of the best I have felt on any large frame S&W.

A previous owner whittled a small groove for his little finger on the front corner of the cokes, an ugly alteration that I may seek to have repaired by one of the forum's master stock fixers.

Pretty much a standard feature four screw. S172491; 6.5 inch barrel; red ramp front sight with square white outline rear. Wide trigger and hammer.

So: a somewhat heedless purchase, but one I don't regret. I will undoubtedly find a better Pre-29 at some point, and I will probably let this one go to get into that one. I'm looking forward to taking this one to the range and seeing what it can do.

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David Wilson

Nice one there David! Yeah sometimes with the rush of buying we do overlook a few things till later but I feel ya done good. I know we all would like that pristine revolver and you have just what I look for, a nice revolver I would feel comfortable shooting. You know Im a pinky under the grip shooter and I think I would sorta like that stock modification although with the coke's it is regrettable. Enjoy that one and let us know how it shoot's!

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Stay safe people!

VERY nice David. That is exactly the type of pre-29 I would love to own. She looks real pretty. Nice pictures also. Enjoy your new 44mag. and thanks for sharing.








Let me know when you dont want her anymore. Take care.

Very nice, good shooting!

Good going David. Welcome to the Pre-29 club.

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Living a dream - S&WCA #2364

Whooo-eeeee....I'm happy for you.

Congratulations David! The 44 Magnum is a special gun and, to me, represents the very best of S&W.

However...I'm betting that after you've played with it for a while, you might not let it go when you get another!

Enjoy!
Craig...

I like it. Congrats!

Congrats on the pre-29!

David, that is a very sharp looking revolver and I would not regret buying it at all. That minor stock modification was required by a prior owner and is part of the guns history now. This just underlines that we never really own these guns, we are just caretakers for a period of time.

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James Redfield
LM #497

I agree...sharp and solid looking .44 Magnum. I would keep the grip mod as well. As stated, it is a chapter in the gun's history. Enjoy!

Congratulations on your first Pre-29 David, I'm sure you will enjoy it. I'm with JSR III, my first Pre-29 has some bluing wear and such but I don't think I will sell it even with a little "character".
Steve

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Birds like shiny new toys too.

An N frame? Sounds like you may soon be in the market for a Model 39 semi auto. Congrats on a nice looking .44.

It's about time...geez I thought you'd never get here
Nice gun, and I like the grips the way they are.

FWIW S172439 Shipped April 1957

Ya done good Dave, I'm still looking for my first pre-29.

Good looking gun ! The grain on those cokes is VERY nice !
Since the gun has been refinished I think I would give the stocks a light refinish as well to bring out the
grain detail.

Jerry

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.38/44 Outdoorsman Accumulator

Looks very good to me. I learned a valuable lesson last year....never buy a gun when you don't have your glasses.

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Wayne
Torn & Frayed

Nice gun David. I hope to get into one later this year too. Did you get any of the accessories with it or just the gun? I bet you will be pleased with how it shoots.

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Miss Buddies crsides & fat tom

A shooter grade 4" pre 29 is on my short list.

Congrats, David. That's a "real" gun you don't have to worry about shooting, ... and speaking of that - I'll look forward to hearing your report from the range. Enjoy,

Jerry

congrats david...looks great!i too love those 44's

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SWCA#2208
KK4EMO

I like it, I am on the hunt for a Pre 29. Nice gun!

Nice gun! Your going to enjoy it.

I've got the same configuration 2000 numbers away from yours. Mine was a Reno Gun Show pickup a few yrs back. It's suffering from some holster wear, but times up fine, with a very nice SA trigger.

It's turned into my favorite M-29 shooter.

FN in MT

You seem to be on a bit of a roll. Good for you. I hope she shoots as good as she looks.

Congrats, very nice.

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Have guns...will shoot'em.

jesus that is beautiful, you must spend most of your free time just fondling the thing saying go ahead make my day with that thing down in the basement or whatever.

Nothing wrong with that one. You won't have to worry about shooting
the heck out of it. Very nice pre-29. I'd like to add my name to the list
for when you find a better one.


Chuck

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They hold no Quarter

Well, maybe I was not as heedless as I thought I was. While I should have noticed the R-Bi stamp before buying the gun, I hve just learned that this stamp is not a marker that exclusively designates a refinish. There is no doubt the gun went back to S&W in October of 1975, and it is still possible that a very well done refinish was part of the package. But if the return was for a repair or adjustment, the present finish could still be the original one.

The logo on the sideplate of this gun is deep and strong, with raised ridges clearly visible and even perceivable with a finger-tip swipe. It just doesn't look to me as though this gun (or this piece of the gun, at any rate) was secondarily polished. The four line address is a little thin on one side, but I have other mid-'50s N-frames with an address block that fades to one side.

For the moment, I will return to my first belief that this is the original finish on this revolver. But I am a realist, not a dreamer, and I will abandon that notion if someone can point out to me features that unambiguously say "refinish."

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David Wilson

i was always under the impression that R-Bi mean a refinish and the "i" meant it was the high polish blue.

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Kris
OGCA, NRA LM

About this time last year I joined the Pre 29 Club, kind of got the best of both worlds. I had wanted to find a shooter grade 5 screw 4" and lucked into a 4" with an extra 6 1/2" barrel. The 4" barrel is serial numbered to the gun and the correct vintage 6 1/2" barrel is un-serialed. Since the barrel was obviously a parts barrel, I had no problem having it cut to 5". So now I have what I really wanted, a 5 screw 5" Pre 29 shooter.

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David

R-B is suppossed to mean refinish in blue, so I would assume that is
what was done. Dave Chicoine told me, several times, that a
standard factory refinish did not involve cleaning up the surface of
the gun - they just reblued it. This is why the roll markings remain
sharp, and its also why any surface pits will now have blue in them.

I'd leave the grips as is. Its true that we have several skilled folks
on this site who do wonderful woodwork, but there is always the
possibility that, under certain light conditions, the repair might be
evident. With those large stocks, I think you will find the grips very
comfortable. And its only a very small modification anyway.

Regards, Mike Priwer

I guess I might as well chime in as well. I am currently making a deal on a real nice M29 no dash # 216254, no XXX's, that I used to own over 25 years ago. It is a 8 3/8"er with a pretty set of cokes. The guy I sold it to died last year and his kid wanted to know if I would like it back. That was a no brainer. No box, but I may get about $1,200 in it in trade. Big Larry

Miike, thank you. That makes a kind of sense. If the company didn't repolish guns that came in for a refinish, or polished only selectively for trouble spots, that would certainly leave the original rolllmark edges sharp and proud.

OK, I once again think the gun is refinished.

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David Wilson