Mod 29-1 questions

[valbehaved]

Just acquired a mint Mod. 29-1 in S227XXX serial range...
A couple of questions:
What would be the correct stocks for this gun?(it came with diamond target relieved stocks)
Secondly, the side plate has distinct vertical polishing marks that are more pronounced than on the frame. That being said, the fit of the side plate to the frame is perfect with no evidence of reworking, buggered screws or dished out areas...
The S&W logo is perfect as well.
The gun has no rework marks and has the age correct pin point spots of patina under the blue as you would expect on a 50 year old gun.
The rear of the barrel appears to be dull and unblued.
There are no proofmarks on the rear face of the cylinder.
Serial numbered on the butt, inner face of the extractor star and on the frame, as you open the cylinder.
Matching assembler's numbers on the yoke and on the side of the grip frame..
Unfortunately, the polishing on the side plate is barely showing up in the photographs... - the sideplate appears lighter blue because of the light reflecting off the polishing marks at a certain angle - it is actually the same color blue as the frame
Curious if other members have similar polishing of the side plate on their guns...
Looking forward to your comments.
Thanks!
Val

 

[66Park]

Unfortunately, the polishing on the side plate is not showing up in the photographs...

Actually, nothing else is showing up in the photographs either. ;)

 

[VM]

valbehaved
Congrats on Rare find... looking forward to pics.
The proper stocks are the "Coke" Diamond Targets.
Not suggesting that sideplate has been altered or changed but it should have same assembly number on inside that you have already found on the bottom of the grip frame and in the yoke

 

[valbehaved]

Sorry...
I did not post any photos as the polishing is not visible in them..
I will try to make some photos..

 

[valbehaved]

pictures added to the original post

 

[weatherby]

The correct stocks as VM stated would be cokes and from the bit of checkering I do see it looks like you have them....nice ones too.

A better picture of the grips please

 

[bamabiker]

We would love to see the whole gun. Hint, hint.

 

[SLT223]

Until I see the entire gun, in proper gun porn etiquette, I will be forced to believe you only have 1/3 of a 29-1 :)

 

[bamabiker]

I'm sure no expert but the S&W emblem looks kind of faint to me. Maybe a light strike by the factory? I don't know.
You do realize that's a pretty rare gun, right?

 

[valbehaved]

Ha-ha!
Here we go!.Pics attached.
I don't want to chance buggering up a screw by taking off the sideplate...
yes, I am aware of the rarity of this variation.
The gun is nearly new with just a hint of the cylinder ring.
The logo is nice and sharp with no parts of it missing..

 

[valbehaved]

additional pictures...

 

[bamabiker]

That is very nice. Congrats to you and thanks for the added pics.

 

[lowriderfxr]

Those are the correct stocks.

 

[Gun 4 Fun]

They are the correct stocks. Too bad about the discoloration along the back strap, and be careful when removing them as it appears there's a cracked piece at the bottom of the frame on the right panel.

It also appears to have the right hand threaded ejector rod without the relief groove just behind the knurling, though it is hard to say for sure from your pics. The dash on change was for the change to a left hand thread on the rod. I know there were transitional pieces in that time frame from reading 29-1's posts.

 

[SLT223]

That sir is a pretty nice example of 29-1. I like your gun quite a bit.

 

[valbehaved]

Thank you for your input, fellows...

 

[05CarbonDRZ]

Did you just get the 29-1 from Cabela's?

 

[Rugskipper]

Just acquired a mint Mod. 29-1 in S227XXX serial range...

Congratulations!
You are now a member of a pretty small club. I think that there are only a couple of dozen 29-1's accounted for at this time. There are some very distinguished members in your club, and I'm sure that they will be along to welcome you personally. (I'm a member too, though not very distinguished.:() Welcome!

 

[lowriderfxr]

I hate to be a party pooper, but it certainly appears that the side plate was removed and refinished.

 

[Gun 4 Fun]

I hate to be a party pooper, but it certainly appears that the side plate was removed and refinished.

....or replaced with a later. less polished one.

 

[lowriderfxr]

My guess is removed and refinished based on two things.
1) The perfect fit of the sideplate within the frame.
2) Even the later -2's, -3's etc dont seem to show the visable , one direction buff marks. I think this was more than likely done by a gunsmith rather than the factory.

My 2 cents, worth about that much!

 

[Sebago Son]

29-1

I hate to be a party pooper, but it certainly appears that the side plate was removed and refinished.

My wager would be that the entire gun has been refinished. The color and gloss do not look right to me...

This is my 29-1.









Maybe its just the lighting... for the OP's sake, I hope I'm wrong.

 

[Gun 4 Fun]

lowrider-

You could very well be right. However, I based that comment off of the fact that I have seen replaced sideplates done by the factory that fit like a new one. I also had (until recently) a -4 M 29 that had a finish almost exactly like that sideplate over the entire gun right from the factory.

I'm guessing that maybe someone had had something inscribed, or a bad scratch received while trying to turn a screw on the sideplate that was later remedied this way.

 

[lowriderfxr]

lowrider-

You could very well be right. However, I based that comment off of the fact that I have seen replaced sideplates done by the factory that fit like a new one. I also had (until recently) a -4 M 29 that had a finish almost exactly like that sideplate over the entire gun right from the factory.

I'm guessing that maybe someone had had something inscribed, or a bad scratch received while trying to turn a screw on the sideplate that was later remedied this way.

I think you may be onto something Gun 4 fun. It may be my 50 year old eyes or even my imagination, but it almost looks like something may have been on the sideplate under the cylinder near the front screw. That would certainly explain why someone would opt to refinish the sideplate.

 

[valbehaved]

After the recent comments, I examined the gun closely again:
The vertical buff marks on the side plate do carry on to the frame, above the side plate,but not as pronounced as on the side plate, as if someone was very careful while polishing- so those marks had to be placed there with the side plate on the gun. Then the buff marks on the frame disappear forward of the sideplate forward edge,under the cylinder, with just a few visible on the frame in that spot, as you would expect if the buffing/polishing was done vertically and carefully, but with the sideplate on the gun.
I have to assume then that the whole gun was blued after the side plate was fitted and buffed/polished, while on the gun.
This makes the possibility of only the sideplate being refinished less likely if not impossible.
The blue on the gun looks perfect in every respect, with sharp edges, markings, specks of patina under the blue etc, even with an unblued breech face.
So, assuming that the gun was not refinished, is it possible that it was polished that way on the factory?
I will try to take the sideplate off tomorrow to verify the assembly number.
Any suggestions, as to what precautions I should take while doing so?
Thank you for your help.
Val

 

[bamabiker]

Any suggestions, as to what precautions I should take while doing so?
Thank you for your help.
Val

Use the correct screwdriver. If you don't have one get one before you start.

 

[Gun 4 Fun]

After the recent comments, I examined the gun closely again:
The vertical buff marks on the side plate do carry on to the frame, above the side plate,but not as pronounced as on the side plate, as if someone was very careful while polishing- so those marks had to be placed there with the side plate on the gun. Then the buff marks on the frame disappear forward of the sideplate forward edge,under the cylinder, with just a few visible on the frame in that spot, as you would expect if the buffing/polishing was done vertically and carefully, but with the sideplate on the gun.
I have to assume then that the whole gun was blued after the side plate was fitted and buffed/polished, while on the gun.
This makes the possibility of only the sideplate being refinished less likely if not impossible.
The blue on the gun looks perfect in every respect, with sharp edges, markings, specks of patina under the blue etc, even with an unblued breech face.
So, assuming that the gun was not refinished, is it possible that it was polished that way on the factory?
I will try to take the sideplate off tomorrow to verify the assembly number.
Any suggestions, as to what precautions I should take while doing so?
Thank you for your help.
Val

I don't know if you've ever taken a side plate off or not, so.....


Make sure to do it correctly. Do not lift or pry the plate itself. Thump the grip frame on the side with a plastic mallet or the plastic handle of a screw driver. A few good whacks will pop the plate up so that it can be removed. Make double-triple-fourple sure that you are very careful on how you lift it off, and in how you set it back in to start it. If not, there will be burrs that appear at the top radius behind the sight, and you do not want that on any gun if it can be avoided, but definitely not on a 29-1.

You will need to make sure the sliding hammer block is in its groove and the correct location in the groove to get the side plate to seat back down. Don't force it, work it with thumb pressure only. It should be a snug fit, but you shouldn't have to force anything. Get it down with thumb/finger pressure as much as you can, then finish seating it with the side plate screws, and as noted above, use the correct tool for the job. Good luck!:)

 

[valbehaved]

Thank you!

 

[Gun 4 Fun]

One other thing that is important- don't mix up the forward most screw with the one just behind and above the trigger. they look the same to the naked eye, but they aren't. the one to the very front is a fitted screw, and needs to stay in that location.

 

[valbehaved]

Thank you!
Will report on the results