I need research on a pair of unique model 29's

[Northern NM Shooter]

Hello all,

I must introduce myself before asking for your assistance. I'm a lifelong shooter/enthusiast of anything firearms. I'm a retired science geek in northern NM and am heavily involved with what I consider to be the best shooting range south of Whittington Center. NRGSC if you're interested.

Being a science nut, I am on a history journey to understand 2 unique S&W .44's which I inherited from my Dad 25 yrs ago. I understand that your knowledge base is immense and would appreciate your help.

I don't know if I should use a name but an individual at SWHF has provided amazing insight into factory records. I'm very grateful.

Basically, these were a limited run for Accusport in 1989. They're full-lug, smooth-cylinder, hogue grips, 7 1/2" barrels. One blue, one SS. Oddly, corresponding serial numbers. Supposedly, a limited run of 500 sets but there were 500 blue & 750 SS units shipped.

They're pristine, beautiful, huge, have boxes, and the blue is unfired. My Dad and I ran 50 rds. through the SS from new, a true pleasure to shoot.

I'm trying to decide what to do with them but want to understand their story first. I have pictures and boxes with numbers. The blue still has it's wax paper, it's spectacular.

Seems like the story may lie with Accusport which appears to have gone out of business a few years ago.

I'd be grateful if you all could help me.

Best regards,

Paul

 

[Supadupa69]

Where are the photos ?

 

[Northern NM Shooter]

Glad you asked. The apparent blemishes are just glare. The finishes are 100%.

 

[reddog81]

Cool guns. It sounds like you have the full story. What else are you looking for?

 

[robertrwalsh]

How can they be UNIQUE if there are TWO of them? Or 500 and 750 of them?

 

[daveyc]

I have one of the blued versions like you have. they are called the "Classic Magnum II" Mine is very nicely finished and is very tight.

I think they are somewhat Unique because to my knowledge, they are the last S&W revolvers to have recessed cylinders. That would be about 7 years or so after they officially dropped recessed cylinders from the catalog.

The blued version also has the endurance package. I dont believe the stainless one does however.

I am not sure if these revolvers were commissioned with these features or were made from leftover parts.

 

[jcelect]

The blued version also has the endurance package. I dont believe the stainless one does however.

That statement is true! The blued gun has the longer cylinder stop notches but the SS gun doesn't. We must assume the internal changes for the Endurance Package were completed on the blue gun.
jcelect

 

[daveyc]

That statement is true! The blued gun has the longer cylinder stop notches but the SS gun doesn't. We must assume the internal changes for the Endurance Package were completed on the blue gun.
jcelect

I have always been interested as to how they came about making one last small run of Recessed cylinders so many years after they were discontinued. Does it seem possible that they had 500 extra new/old stock recessed cylinders left in the factory, or would they have produced these new?

 

[murphydog]

Welcome! With the distributor no longer in business your best bet for more information would be to obtain letter(s) of authenticity from the S & W Historical Foundation.

 

[Northern NM Shooter]

A lot of good feedback so far, thank you.

I was originally going for letters of authenticity through SWHF but reached out to them about how to research two but supposedly part of a group.
He told me what was available and suggested that there wasn't more to be gleaned from requesting the letters. He pulled the all the available info from the main S&W computer system. Saved me $200

I didn't mean to imply that the serial numbers were unique, they're just oddly similar. They story I was told over the years was that there were supposedly 3 in the set of 500 but it's looking like Accusport merely purchased lots of these built to their specs. and packaged them together. If they were truly identical other than the finish, they'd have more similarities rather than just smooth cylinders and barrel length, I would suspect now.

I guess the question is coming down to; does anyone know anything about Accusport offering these as a set or is it all just coincidental. Maybe they just loosely grouped serial numbers that looked similar?? Why the smooth, recessed cylinders and 7 1/2" barrels. Was it a special promotion?

I don't know anything about Accusport in general and they closed up a few years back. Anyone know what they were about?

Thanks again

 

[Northern NM Shooter]

Additional info: as stamped on the frame below the cylinder.

The SS is M629-2 per S&W shipped from the factory 5/89
The blue is Mod29-5 per S&W shipped from the factory 12/89

 

[murphydog]

Additional info: as stamped on the frame below the cylinder.

The SS is M629-2 per S&W shipped from the factory 5/89
The blue is Mod29-5 per S&W shipped from the factory 12/89

If you look at the box photos and end labels, the Special Order codes are Julian dates for when the guns were packed and ready to ship.

9 - the last digit of the year (1989)
129 for the 629 - May 9
355 for the 29 - December 21

It does not absolutely indicate their ship or sales dates, but with a popular gun it is likely close to that date.

 

[Northern NM Shooter]

Some interesting tidbits, thanks. Dates are consistent with what SWHF told me, Julian makes sense.

Interesting point about recessed cylinders 7 yrs. after they quit production.
As I was told, smooth cylinders were just a thing S&W did from time to time. Some people love them, some hate them.

The 7 1/2" barrels are still interesting, full lug is somewhat different but good for the magnum hunters.

I'm still trying to understand their release through Acusport. The only thing I'm sure of at this point is that they were a special order and release.

Acusport's been bought, a couple of bankruptcies and restructuring by the buyers etc.

Anyone know how to deep dive into Acusport's records approx. 1990?

 

[Northern NM Shooter]

Final information and thanks to all

The trail grows cold at Acusport but I have to add an interesting piece of the puzzle in response to daveyc's interest in the recessed cylinders.

I ran across an auction on GB for one of the 629-2 SS guns from this run the other day. It's within the serial number range of the 750 made.
Oddly, it clearly doesn't have recessed cylinders.

I figured by now that they just tooled up and did custom cylinders for these production runs as I was told that S&W would do if the buyer was big enough to order a bunch.

To see one definitely from the same run, smooth but without recessed makes no sense unless they missed a machining step.

Thanks to you all for the input and insight you've given me.

 

[BC38]

The trail grows cold at Acusport but I have to add an interesting piece of the puzzle in response to daveyc's interest in the recessed cylinders.

I ran across an auction on GB for one of the 629-2 SS guns from this run the other day. It's within the serial number range of the 750 made.
Oddly, it clearly doesn't have recessed cylinders.

I figured by now that they just tooled up and did custom cylinders for these production runs as I was told that S&W would do if the buyer was big enough to order a bunch.

To see one definitely from the same run, smooth but without recessed makes no sense unless they missed a machining step.

Thanks to you all for the input and insight you've given me.

A non-recessed cylinder would require more than just missing a machining step. If the cylinder chambers aren't recessed, then the face of the cylinder would have to be shaved 0.060" to make space for the cartridge rims.

 

[CH4]

Some interesting tidbits, thanks. Dates are consistent with what SWHF told me, Julian makes sense.

Interesting point about recessed cylinders 7 yrs. after they quit production.
As I was told, smooth cylinders were just a thing S&W did from time to time. Some people love them, some hate them.

The 7 1/2" barrels are still interesting, full lug is somewhat different but good for the magnum hunters.

I'm still trying to understand their release through Acusport. The only thing I'm sure of at this point is that they were a special order and release.


Anyone know how to deep dive into Acusport's records approx. 1990?

Yeah, I’d like to know more about Acusport, especially the value of their 5” 625-5 in .45 Colt. Only 48 made.

 

[Doc44]

I can't really add to the information you have, but can confirm it is accurate. The bright blue revolvers were serial numbered SWN1001 to SWN1500 and the stainless revolvers were serial numbered SWN0001 to SWN0750. I don't believe the guns were sold and shipped as pairs, but I am not certain about this. Beginning in the early 80s, S&W began making special runs of 44 Magnums for various distributors including Lew Horton, Hill Country Distributors, Accusport, Ashland, etc.

Bill