Model 29-3 serial AHJ8992 info please

[David Milisock]

The model number and serial number appear on the cylinder yolk, the serial number also appears on the grip. This is a 44mag with a 6" and 10" barrel sets. I have been unable to locate any information on the AHJ8992 serial number or what it may mean. Any help greatly appreciated. The revolver is in pristine shape and will never leave my family.

 

[Kernel Crittenden]

AHJ8992

I don't have a AHJ in my s/n collection, but based on numbers that are real close I'd put it in April of 1985.

with a 6" and 10" barrel sets

What does that mean? Changing the barrel on a S&W revolver is not a simple thing.

 

[David Milisock]

AHJ serial barrel sets

The handgun came with a 10" and a 6" barrel. Agreed changing the barrel requires a real gun smith. Lucky for me in PA there are several. I got it used with the 10" installed, shot it for awhile and had the 6" installed along with some trigger work and a 2x6 scope. Makes a good short range deer rig. As is the case with us coffee drinkers the revolver shoots better than me. BYW any idea what's up with the AHJ XXXX short serial number? Thanks for the reply.

 

[Kernel Crittenden]

That s/n is perfectly normal. S&W uses a triple-alpha/four-numeric on 99.99% of all their hand guns. (Actually, I only pay close attention to revolvers, so it might be 99.9%). They began that practice in 1980.

Is the 10" barrel factory? That's an odd length.

 

[David Milisock]

10" barrel

I don't want to blow smoke so I'll tell you what I know. I bought the revolver (at a legitimate gun shop), a leather (triangular) lined case with barrel pouch, the 10" barrel mounted, a 6" barrel and wrench to adjust the sights on the end of the 10" barrel (4 preset positions for the front blade) for $250. Both barrels are stamped Smith and Wesson, 44 magnum, the finish on both barrels matches the revolver perfectly. The long barrel measures 10.5" from crown to forcing cone.
I shot if for about 2 years and did not enjoy the long barrel so I had a smith who was a competitive silhouette shooter mount the 6" barrel and a 2x6 scope. I left the trigger alone because as it was it is the best revolver trigger I've ever seen.
I will say this I have 2 Smith and Wesson revolvers, this 44 and a model 10-5 in 38 special I'm 60 years old and have been shooting firearms before I could ride a bike and these Smiths have me spoiled.

 

[Kernel Crittenden]

That's an interesting story and I don't doubt a word of it. The M10 and M29 are two of the greatest revolvers S&W ever made. If you paid $250 for a M29 and two barrels you did real good. Sounds like the 10" barrel has what's called a Silhouette front sight. It's a factory sight that's not very common. (I'm sure you could sell that barrel alone for well over $100 if you ever cared to). If you could post some in-focus pictures, I'd really like to see your set up!

 

[David Milisock]

posting images of my m29

I'm new to this forum and right now I'm in the process of rebuilding a laptop so I will try and educate myself enough about this forums controls to post some images. If I'm too stupid to do that we'll figure out something so you can see it. BYW the m10 was given to me by a guy I was doing some work for, he said I could have it because it didn't work. I paid the transfer fee, tightened the spring adjustment for the hammer 1/2 turn and used some blue locktite. Shooting it for over 20 years and it's my favorite defend myself from Coke cans hand gun.

 

[Kernel Crittenden]

Coke cans

Oh, yeah. I like to take a Coke can, find a little stick about 8" long, push the stick into the ground, then put the Coke can on the stick. That way you can shoot the can over and over, it stays in one place, and jumps around every time you hit it. I'll put one at 10 yards, one a 20, one at 30 and so on. Then shoot them all in turn.

 

[David Milisock]

coke cans are evil!

I'm trying the picture upload thing

 

[5Wire]

I don't have a AHJ in my s/n collection, but based on numbers that are real close I'd put it in April of 1985.

Sounds right to me, 1985 covers it in the SCS&W,3rd.

Jan. 1985 AHA 0667 [after this date]
Jul. 1985 AHS -AHT [before July 1985]

Supica, Jim; Nahas, Richard (2006-12-20). Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson 3rd (Standard Catalog of Smith and Wesson) (p. 387). F+W Media, Inc.. Kindle Edition.

 

[Kernel Crittenden]

Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson .... Kindle Edition.

There's a Kindle Edition?

One of the reasons I started my own s/n collection was because of the gaps in the SCSW.

David, that's definitely a factory barrel with Silhouette sight. The Bushnell Trophy is one of the better handgun scopes in it's price range. I have a couple of them on Contender barrels. I believe the one you have there was actually made in Japan.

 

[5Wire]

There's a Kindle Edition?

Yup. Free software for PC or MAC if you don't have a Kindle. The text and photos, as far as I know, are the same as the print edition, although filling in gaps and updating stuff would be easier and nearly instantly accomplished. I have both the print and Kindle.

The Kindle is searchable and finds every occurrence of whatever character string you're looking made navigable by clicking. Highlighting text (click & drag) pops up some options including "Copy" and automatically appends source annotation when pasted.

That feature alone implies permission to quote as I did above. I think it's handy and if the publishers want to keep a good thing going and Jim Supica and Richard Nahas concur, the electronic version is least expensive to manufacture and distribute. I say this as a 30 plus year printing and publishing professional.

The Blue Book of Gun Values has a secure hypertext (htpps) electronic subscription which is more or less constantly updated. It's not as easy to navigate as the Kindle but it, too, is searchable.

Both good, convenient, and sometimes relatively inexpensive.

No connection with either other than as a customer.

 

[Stirling]

Interesting 10.5" barrel you have there. I thought it was one with the underlug.

 

[David Milisock]

a link to better images

Try these guns