pre-model 29 nickel

[Jeep 1]

Does anybody have production numbers on the pre-model 29 nickel it is an S170xxx?
I would greatly appreciate input, also I have a set of grips I have not ran across before they came on this gun but I do not believe they are original to this gun.
I have seen them on K frames but never an N frame
And I know people like pictures so here they are.
Thank you in advance!
Tom

[weatherby]

Hi Tom they are N diamond targets made of Walnut.
You are correct in that your gun would have come with something different.
Your gun would have shipped with what we call cokes.
Roy often call them oversized diamond targets made of Goncalo Alves.

Very nice Tom I know I for one would like to see the whole gun....especially the front sight.

[murphydog]

Doc44 will be along shortly with information about the gun.

The stocks are N frame Targets, not the "Special Target stocks" (aka Coke bottle variety) that were original to the .44 Magnum. This style with the uncheckered diamond around the stock screw and extractor cutout on the left panel was made between about 1955 and 1968.

[Jeep 1]

Originally Posted by weatherby

Very nice Tom I know I for one would like to see the whole gun....especially the front sight.

I am going to post the pictures here for you of the rest of the gun it is and very good clean mechanical shape but the nickel is coming off of it severely, it has no pitting and no mechanical issues I just ran 50 rounds through it and it is extremely accurate and has a superb action, but I wanted to find out about those grips first because I had never ran across them on an N frame.
And yes it does have a white front sight.
Tom

[Dave from Pa]

Tom if I was a betting man I would bet your pre model 29 started out as a blue gun.

[Jeep 1]

Originally Posted by Dave from Pa

Tom if I was a betting man I would bet your pre model 29 started out as a blue gun.

I kind of suspicion that at the time that I made the purchase, but for what I wound up paying I figured at worst it would just be a shooter but it is so nice mechanically that I may consider some type of restoration and if it is factually blue originally that would probably be my choice
Tom

[22hipower]

Originally Posted by Dave from Pa

Tom if I was a betting man I would bet your pre model 29 started out as a blue gun.

Agree, aren't the hammer and trigger nickel? Don't think S&W would have done that. Nice gun though.

Jeff
SWCA #1457

[JP@AK]

I bet the extractor star is nickel plated also.

I also doubt that front sight is original.

The walnut N frame target stocks with the football shaped extractor relief were common in the 1950s and 1960s, until the diamond was dropped by management order #1032 on December 28, 1967. That style minus the diamond continued in use until the early 1980s. There is nothing uncommon about target stocks for an N frame gun.

That said, at the time your revolver was made, it would have shipped with "Coke" style target stocks made of Goncalo Alves, as weatherby stated.

[Homie]

Tom,
FWIW, Pre-Model 29, 6.5" Blue, SN S1700XX shipped in mid-April '57.

[6string]

Looks like it was plated over a few areas of pitting. The sideplate to frame fit is a bit compromised by overbuffing. I'm not too confident that it can be "restored". Then again, sometime in the past, a forum member showed how he peened the metal to close the sideplate gap and dressed & finished it.

But, if it shoots good and you scored a deal, that's still a big win!!

I can see from the way the nickel is peeling that you'd want to address that somehow. Hopefully, you can get her to the way you want. It can be a bit of journey in its own right. But, that can be fun, too!

Thanks for sharing the clear and honest pictures. This is a really great part of the educational value of the forum.
Maybe someday soon you can post some "after" photos?.....

[Doc44]

Your 44 could have shipped from mid-57 to early 58 and has been nickeled outside of S&W. It started out with a bright blue finish. With the flaking of the nickel, be careful if you shoot it as the nickel may come off the cylinder and you could be hit in the face by fragments of nickel plating. I had a 44 Magnum similar to yours and that happened to me. Just something to be aware of.

Bill

[Hawg Rider]

It's still a nice 4-screw .44 Magnum. The sideplate (right side) appears to have been removed and reinstalled a few times and was over buffed, and isn't fitting too well anymore. The front sight insert has been replaced, possibly with toothbrush or other white plastic material (or something else, I can't tell). Although the walnut target stocks are not original to your revolver, they are still valuable ($250+). The non-factory nickel plating will most likely continue to degrade, and down the road you may want to think about Ford's (Florida), or another reputable company, returning it to being a blued revolver or maybe re-plating with nickel. Your .44 Magnum isn't a beauty queen, but I'll bet it's still a great and fun shooter. Good luck with your decision making, and enjoy!

[Jeep 1]

Thank you guys for all the replies but I knew it wasn’t anything special when I purchased it I wanted a shooter from that era
And it is a far cry from the Crown Prince of my collection.
I had just not ran across that set of grips before on a N frame
I’m just trying to figure out what model they would’ve came from the factory on. They are in near flawless condition and look much better than later grips

[22hipower]

Originally Posted by Jeep 1

I had just not ran across that set of grips before on a N frame
I’m just trying to figure out what model they would’ve came from the factory on. They are in near flawless condition and look much better than later grips

The grips look like fairly early N frame football targets perhaps in walnut. Assume they have black washers? Probably came on later model 29s ,-2s or perhaps 27-2s or any N frame from that era (mid 60s?). Nice.

Here's a set that came on my S sn 29-2 from about 1967. I think these are Goncalo Alves though and not walnut.

Jeff
SWCA #1457

[Doc44]

Coke bottle stocks were phased out in favor of diamond targets made of Goncalo alves beginning in February 1966. By mid-1966, most 29s and 57s were shipped with diamond target stocks, not cokes.

Bill

[Jeep 1]

Thank you Bill
I do have multiple sets of very nice cokes, I had just not ran across the later diamond grips on N frames and I have two sets of them on K frames
I think they are much better looking set of grips than one was on the later – 2 guns
Tom

[Engine49guy]

Agree that the stocks on your gun are from the mid 1960's by the checkering pattern,
In the 50's the pattern made a sharp turn at the heel where in the early to mid late 60's that pattern had a round turn at the heel like yours.

[Jeep 1]

OK I hope the following post do not get me banned or moved to a different section this is just a follow up and I guess a way of introducing myself to some of you guys.
I am still in the learning process of the earlier Smith's
I am well healed in the 629 world and my favorite thing is anything Magnum Smith & Wesson that is a freak but here’s my Model 29’s
Starting with my 4–screw model 29 no dash 6 1/2”
And my 8 3/8”
These are not professional pictures and I did not take time to wipe them all up
I hope you guys enjoy them and I’m looking forward to learning a lot more about them.
Tom

[Jeep 1]

Next would be a little newer than this crowd but it is what I call my Dirty Harry Collection They are all N serial numbered but the blue 6 1/2 inch on the left is a five digit serial number The one on the right is from 1973 and the nickel is somewhere around 1975
Tom

[Jeep 1]

And the newest of my dash two collections two 6” and an 8 3/8”

[Jeep 1]

And my odd one in the crowd
A model 57 no dash With the presentation box and the original cardboard shipping box unfired other than factory
So I’m quite a ways behind you guys and want to learn
Thank you
Tom

[Hawg Rider]

It's seems to me that you're not that far behind, particularly considering your love and acquisition of .44 Magnums! Just FYI...I learn something new every time that I log into the Forum. The assembled knowledge that you can find here is astounding! Don't be shy to ask questions because our resident experts are always willing to share their knowledge and their opinions.

[jcelect]

Originally Posted by Jeep 1

And my odd one in the crowd
A model 57 no dash With the presentation box and the original cardboard shipping box unfired other than factory
So I’m quite a ways behind you guys and want to learn
Thank you
Tom

Sir, I'm nosey! I would like to see a pic of your case inside and a serial number, if you would care to share that! Just trying to determine how "odd" your 57 is!
jcelect

[Jeep 1]

Originally Posted by jcelect

Sir, I'm nosey! I would like to see a pic of your case inside and a serial number, if you would care to share that! Just trying to determine how "odd" your 57 is!
jcelect

Don’t mind a bit but the reason it’s an odd duck is that it is the only 41 Magnum I own……
I will try to post them this evening

[Jeep 1]

Originally Posted by jcelect

Sir, I'm nosey! I would like to see a pic of your case inside and a serial number, if you would care to share that! Just trying to determine how "odd" your 57 is!
jcelect

OK you asked for them! I am extremely proud of this model 57 for a variety of reasons besides it being a complete set and unfired other than factory I’m sure
This particular gun was in my Smith and Wesson mentor’s personal collection he has sold it to a one time editor of shooting times brother and that’s who I purchased it from many years ago
And it is one that my grandsons can fight over when I’m gone
And yes they have been raised right.
So here are a few more pictures of model 57

[Jeep 1]

And here is a few of the tags and box pictures along with the original grips.

[Jeep 1]

And the outside of the presentation case and the original cardboard shipping box

[Hawg Rider]

Interestingly enough, I also have a bunch of .44 Magnums but only one Model 57 .41 Magnum. Mine is quite a bit younger than yours (s/n N834280, ca. 1980), yours appears to be ca. 1973 (N143890). My first ever S&W revolver was a ~1978 Model 57, blued with 4" bbl., that I bought brand new. It was an excellent revolver and a hoot to shoot. I reloaded hundreds of rounds for that .41 Magnum. Unfortunately it was stolen a year or so later. I didn't replace it with this one until last year. I still had the original mahogany presentation case from my first Model 57, and Joe (jcelect) refurbished it for me a few years ago. If you're considering relining your case, Joe is the craftsman to do it right. You might want to consider shooting that Model 57 before your grandsons do! Enjoy!

[Jeep 1]

Originally Posted by Hawg Rider

I still had the original mahogany presentation case from my first Model 57, and Joe (jcelect) refurbished it for me a few years ago. If you're considering relining your case, Joe is the craftsman to do it right. You might want to consider shooting that Model 57 before your grandsons do! Enjoy!

That’s a nice looking gun
I have some presentation boxes that are decent on the inside but I have about a dozen that need to be redone
So I don’t know where to start but I have heard he does really good work
Tom

[AC Man]

Originally Posted by Jeep 1

And my odd one in the crowd
A model 57 no dash With the presentation box and the original cardboard shipping box unfired other than factory
So I’m quite a ways behind you guys and want to learn
Thank you
Tom

Pretty cool! I to have a model 57 no dash unfired in presentation case and cardboard shipping container.