1968 S&W Model 29

[daroncraig]

My dad gave me his old 44 for my birthday back in May. I remember shooting it with him as a kid. He bought it from the original owner in probably 1979 or so.

 

[Hawg Rider]

Welcome back to the Forum, and congratulations on receiving an outstanding birthday present from your Dad. It's a very nice 6-1/2" bbl. Model 29-2, that was probably manufactured early in 1968 or sometime before since it still wears the diamond center target stocks (diamonds around the stock screw were eliminated in 1968). This is a great example of the "Dirty Harry" .44 Magnum. If you post the s/n (bottom of the grip frame under the stocks and in the cylinder yoke recess along with the model no.), which should be S xxxxxx, we can better date when it was manufactured. Your Dad obviously took good care of his revolver because both the finish and stocks are very nice. There are lots of .44 Magnum and Model 29 fans here on the Forum, so you're in good company. Enjoy!

 

[Model29-26.5]

29-2 6.5 in Blue. The “Dirty Harry” gun.
That’s the one that got me started.
Would it happen to be an S prefix on the serial number?

 

[Model29-26.5]

Welcome back to the Forum, and congratulations on receiving an outstanding birthday present from your Dad. It's a very nice 6-1/2" bbl. Model 29-2, that was probably manufactured early in 1968 or sometime before since it still wears the diamond center target stocks (diamonds around the stock screw were eliminated in 1968). This is a great example of the "Dirty Harry" .44 Magnum. If you post the s/n (bottom of the grip frame under the stocks and in the cylinder yoke recess along with the model no.), which should be S xxxxxx, we can better date when it was manufactured. Your Dad obviously took good care of his revolver because both the finish and stocks are very nice. There are lots of .44 Magnum and Model 29 fans here on the Forum, so you're in good company. Enjoy!
View attachment 764447

It also seems that the diamond center targets have a slightly smaller thumb cut out. Just a little different shape

 

[bigggbbruce]

Happy Birthday and thank you Dad..!!

S serial prefix. Would be real nice.

 

[daroncraig]

I’ll take a picture after work to confirm the serial number.

 

[daroncraig]

I have the box with the blue felt also. Not sure if that is original or not.

 

[bigggbbruce]

I have the box with the blue felt also. Not sure if that is original or not.

Presentation Box..Probably original.. let's see it..tools?

 

[dobegrant]

Very nice gift from your Father

 

[FatDogEarl]

Wow, what a great father!

 

[Bayou52]

What a beauty!

 

[Nightowl]

I have one from early 1968, S282323 that I bought new. Still have it, will never part with it. It has fired several thousand rounds, a lot of them with a 240 grain cast bullet and 20 grains of 2400. Smith was still making great guns in there era!

 

[marlin58]

really nice .. the 29-2 pre-1980 is my absolute favorite gun of all time and I love shooting them. I own an original Dirty Harry Circa 1974 and also a newer m29-10 which has its own great characteristics but my favorite of course is the old pinned & recessed ones

 

[daroncraig]

Ok guys sorry for the delay. Got a pic of the box. It wasn’t blue felt after all. But the scope he had with it was in there. Serial number is S281178. Let me know what you guys think.

 

[Hawg Rider]

S281178 places it's manufacture date about 1967, and the mahogany presentation case is correct. However, it looks like the case may have been refinished at some point since it's darker than most cases I've seen. The original liner material would have been blue. Are the original tools in the case? The fact that your Dad mounted a scope on it may negatively affect its value, but I hesitate to say by how much. The diamond-center target stocks are in VG condition. Overall, it's a great revolver and prices have risen quite a bit in the past few years. Early 29-2s with their presentation case are bringing in the neighborhood of $2k. Enjoy!

 

[daroncraig]

I don’t believe he ever mounted that scope. He bought it for some reason but it just sat in the box. The only tool I saw was a bristle brush. Thanks for the info though. I’ll be taking it to the range when the weather clears up.