Happy Birthday Nickel 29-1

29-1 · #1 03-21-2009, 05:52 AM

Happy 46th birthday to S219982, a 4 inch Nickel 4 screw 29-1 shipped 3/20/1963. I posted some pictures of this one a while back, but didn't want it's birthday to go by without letting you folks get another look at one of the 2 known 4 screw 29-1s found to date. Both of these -1s are identical in their configuration and shipped only 3 months apart. Bill, it would be neat if you would post a couple of shots of S220004 for comparison sake if you have the time.
Regards
Chuck

29-1 · #2 03-21-2009, 05:52 AM

Happy 46th birthday to S219982, a 4 inch Nickel 4 screw 29-1 shipped 3/20/1963. I posted some pictures of this one a while back, but didn't want it's birthday to go by without letting you folks get another look at one of the 2 known 4 screw 29-1s found to date. Both of these -1s are identical in their configuration and shipped only 3 months apart. Bill, it would be neat if you would post a couple of shots of S220004 for comparison sake if you have the time.
Regards
Chuck

Gun 4 Fun · #3 03-21-2009, 06:23 AM

Chuck, that is another fantastic piece of history! I noticed that in the address on the right side, the ampersand is the newer upright style. I thought all of the guns from this time frame had the lazy version on both the barrel, and address. Any thoughts?

29-1 · #4 03-21-2009, 07:44 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Gun 4 Fun:
Chuck, that is another fantastic piece of history! I noticed that in the address on the right side, the ampersand is the newer upright style. I thought all of the guns from this time frame had the lazy version on both the barrel, and address. Any thoughts?

Well, I do know that all of the nickel 4" 44 Mags i have from this period have the smaller ampersand on the right side. Why, who knows? I'll bet Bill will have some more concrete observations however.

Doc44 · #5 03-21-2009, 11:41 AM

Model 29-1, S220004, shipped by S&W on December 13, 1962. The upright ampersand was used on the Model 29 and its model variations in 62 and early 63 and is most often seen on revolvers finished in nickel (probably because 44s finished in nickel were in the schedule at that time). However, I have seen this style of ampersand on revolvers finished in bright blue that date to 1962. I don't know if other models are stamped similarly, but I would not be surprised if they were. By later in 1963, a shorter style of ampersand was used and is seen on 44s and the early 41 Magnums. By late 64 or early 65, the longer and flatter, or lazy ampersand was back in use. Why S&W changed so often during this time is anyone's guess, but it may be their tooling was wearing and had to be replaced on several occasions. You also see this style of ampersand on the early Jets (61/62 at least).

Bill

Gun 4 Fun · #6 03-21-2009, 12:00 PM

Thank you gentlemen. I guess I've become fascinated with the varitions of the ampersands. It's interesting to me, to see all the back and forth with them on guns from basically the same time period. On top of that, some guns have the upright in one spot on the gun, while the "lazy" version was employed in another spot on the same gun. I guess it's really true, one never knows with S&W.

29-1 · #7 03-21-2009, 01:15 PM

Bill, thanks for posting the picture of 004. What a beauty!

Chuck

JayCeeNC · #8 03-21-2009, 01:54 PM

Chuck, I wonder what the chances are that this was a "special" gun for a S&W employee?
You and I had an email conversation about the days when Smith & Wesson didn't have an FFL to sell. When an employee bought any firearm through Employee Sales they had to pick it up at Camfour's in Westfield, MA. I'm not sure of the time frame when this occurred, though.

29-1 · #9 03-21-2009, 02:03 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by JayCeeNC:
Chuck, I wonder what the chances are that this was a "special" gun for a S&W employee?
You and I had an email conversation about the days when Smith & Wesson didn't have an FFL to sell. When an employee bought any firearm through Employee Sales they had to pick it up at Camfour's in Westfield, MA. I'm not sure of the time frame when this occurred, though.

John, I think there's a good chance this is exactly what happened in the case of this particular revolver. It came out of a gunshop close by in New Hampshire and the dealer told me he'd taken it and a Model 41-1 in on trade from an older gentleman from Springfield, MA.

Chuck

Rad29 · #10 03-21-2009, 02:57 PM

Hi Chuck:

Great gun! Another 4-screw 29-1 in 4 inch nickel????

Bob

29-1 · #11 03-21-2009, 07:27 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Rad29:
Hi Chuck:

Great gun! Another 4-screw 29-1 in 4 inch nickel????

Bob

Bob, yep another one. I'm not one to believe lighting strikes the same guy twice but it did.

I just wish it had been in a different barrel length. But , I'm beginning to believe that in 1962, the factory tooled up for certain barrel lengths and finishes during one short window and in one of those produced the 4" nickel revolvers. I have 2 other Model 29s that are identical to these -1s yet are stamped MOD.-29 I don't believe we'll ever get that year (1962) sorted out .44 Magnum-wise. At least I won't. I've given up!
Chuck

Rad29 · #12 03-23-2009, 02:58 PM

Chuck:

Are the two 29's 4-screws also? The different variations seen in that serial number range will never cease to amaze me. Sure makes it interesting!

Congrats on the double lightening strike!

Bob

29aholic · #13 03-23-2009, 08:32 PM

Another great one Chuck...whats the chances of being written into your will??

29-1 · #14 03-24-2009, 02:01 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Rad29:
Chuck:

Are the two 29's 4-screws also? The different variations seen in that serial number range will never cease to amaze me. Sure makes it interesting!

Congrats on the double lightening strike!

Bob

Bob, yes they are both 4 screw guns. I'm still hoping someone will stumble across another one in a different finish and barrel length though. There had to be more than just 2 of these things made.
Chuck

Curtis ok, you're in line right behind the wife, 3 sons, 1 daughter and 3 grandkids

You still have a 1/9 chance!
Chuck