My conscience nets me a 4 screw 29 UPDATED WITH PICS

[JSR III]

The SCSW 3rd edition is an excellent reference book for S&W collectors. There are also several books by Roy Jinks that are a must have if you are into S&W's.

I think that you have to remember that this widow was going to turn these in to the police and they either would have been cut up or gone home with some of the officers. Any money that she recieved was a bonus however, you went one step higher on the karma ladder. You had no prior knowledge of what the gun was worth so there was no attempt to deceive, even if you had sold the gun and kept all of the money. Even offering to split the proceeds was more than many would do.

I would suggest that you buy some lottery tickets as you have much positive karma in your life account now.


PS: You can get the SCSW from the S&W store for $39.95 and you can find copies of the History of S&W by Roy Jinks on eBay for anywhere from $50 to $120.

 

[Patrick L]

JSR III,

Funny you should mention lottery tickets. I did win $55 on Friday morning on some scratch offs, but I didn't make the connection to my "gun karma."

I'm actually not much of a lottery guy, just do scratch offs that we all stick in each others' birthday cards, father's day cards, etc. I wonder what even possessed me to buy a ticket on Friday morning? I guess now we know!

 

[model70hunter]

You did the right thing. When you do the right thing you feel much better about yourself. I know one guy who was given a SAA Colt by an old widow, a 1900 era 45 Colt. He took it eveywhere showing folks. He did not offer her a dime or try to help her sell it. There was a deacon in a local church who used to hit up farm widows at the funeral and in weeks he had bought a farm for pennies on the dollar. One was my great Aunt. The family did the right thing by not coming in like vultures, didn't bother him. His son lived on the farm and was busted for raising weed. By the time they paid all the leagal fees they lost this and another farm they cheated a widow out of. Then all of us who have a consciense smiled. My dad and I were moving from one deer hunting spot to another, I saw a glint in the sun where some fellows had camped opening weekend. The Glint was a like new BAR 30-06 with a 3x9 Leupold scope. One fellow had set it against a stump and left it after they broke camp. I had talked to them and knew the next camp down was friends of the 1st camp. There wasn't enough room for all to camp in one location. I sat the gun between my dad and I. Dad said what are you going to do with it? I said the right thing. I did not know none of them by last name nor exactly where they lived. I stopped at the next camp, they were packing up. I shot a little breeze with them and casually asked the name of the fellow that had the new BAR, they gave me his name and home town. I asked them if there was an honest man in their group, I got funny looks but was told they were all good friends, I asked if they would like to do their buddy a favor, but they could make him suffer a little up front for leaving the BAR behind. They bought in and gave him some grief before they handed it over. I stopped by next year. He was thankful, he said they discussed it, most said before me returning his gun they would have kept it if they found it, now they say they would do all to get one back. As we drove away when I dropped off the gun my Dad said what if they keep it or sell it and don't tell their buddy? I told Dad it doesn't matter, I'm driving away with a clean conscience, what ever they do is on them. They did the right thing and I'm sure the story was told to many more. Hopefully it was one to grow on many people. OH! Another one, one guy in a group that camps close to us showed up with a like new Weatherby MArk V 300 WBY MAG with a Weatherby Scope. He was proud of it, he was prouder of his acquisition story. His life long friend passed, they were about 40 years old, and the widow called him to help fix a hole in the sheetrock so she could get her $200.00 deposit back. She said she'd give him one of her late husbands guns to fix it. For an short drive and 2 hours of labor he chose the Weatherby. I asked why he did not work with his friends widow to get her the money the gun was worth? He said that's her problem. The following year he fell out of a tree stand and landed on the Weatherby breaking the Lazermark stock in many places and ruining the Weatherby scope. He showed up at deer camp with it, a $19.00 Wally world scope and HE HAD GLUED THE STOCK WITH ELMERS GLUE! I looked at it and offered to buy it. He said no, it's his only deer rifle. He had also hurt his back in the fall and had been off work for a while. I mentioned the fact that if he had helped sell the rifle and split the money with the widow this might not have happened. He said he would have fallen with a cheap rifle, I said no, the angel who booted you out of your tree stand would have done the right thing if you had also done the right thing.

 

[Patrick L]

Wow, the ammendment to my permit went through fast, so I took a drive to pick up my new treasure. Here are several pics.

Here she is

Trigger guard and cylinder blue wear

Muzzle blue wear

Diamond Cokes

The case, which I knew was in bad shape

This is all good news. The condition of the gun makes it a perfect candidate for a shooter, and that's why I was able to get it for the price I did. The throats measure .432, with one just taking a .433 plug gauge. I have not slugged the bore yet. A lot of what I percieved to be finish wear turned out to be dried oil residue, which cleaned off with a bit of solvent.

I knew the case was a mess, but I plan on trying to restore it. I'm pretty handy at such things. I'm embarrassed to admit it , but I thought that "speckeled stripe" down the left side of the lid belonged there until I saw correct pics of one of these boxes on this forum. It looks like a previous owner had set something on top of this box, with the left end sticking out, and then painted something nearby. The stripe is actually dried paint specks.

They clean off with a needle point and some rubbing alcohol (one at a time!!). I need to replace the satin lining, but the wood/cardboards are in good shape. Of course I need to acquire the correct tools. Does anyone on this board sell them?

The one bad thing (not really bad for a shooter) is that the top strap had been drilled and tapped for a scope mount. I can't believe I didn't notice that before. It doesn't affect the gun's shooter status, but collector value is officially shot. The really ironic thing is, I bought a gun of similar vintage (my pre 25-2 5 screw) from the very same shop about 18 or 19 years ago, and it ALSO had a drilled top strap (I noticed on that one but still bought it. Again, a shooter.) How screwy is that?

The new pre 29

My pre 25-2

I hope to have a range report either today or tomorrow.

This is what I am envisioning for my new treasure. My plan is to live with and love this .44. It will be treated primarily as a .44 special, with maybe a few moderate level Magnum handloads just to see what she'll do. It will be fed a strict diet of cast lead only. Since I only have $500 into it so far and it's collector value is already shot, maybe next year I'll have S&W do a reblue and make it pretty. I can refinish the stocks myself. I'm thinking an oil finish, or maybe I'll stick to the high gloss to keep it correct. And I'll be working on restoring the case slowly. Like I said, does anyone here have any expertise on that, or know where I can pick up tools?

Opinions please?

 

[johnfly45]

Hi Pat - great story, will look for you on the range and expect to see tight groups from you! Work up some light loads and bring it to the next ICORE match... ;-) John

 

[AkRay]

If I was going to refinish it anyway, I'd have a good gunsmith properly fill those holes with weld first. I know of another 4 screw 29 that is in nice shape other than being drilled and tapped for a scope. It also has the cokes, but one grip panel has a big chunk knocked out of it. Your 29 will make a first rate hunting and shooting gun.

 

[Patrick L]

John,

Do we have a stage entitled "Did I fire 6 shots, or only 5?"

Pat

 

[lonegunman762x51]

Nice story, nicer gun. You sure did a lot of mind wrangling to get it figured out. It was nice of you to be kind to the widow. My plan is to be buried with all my toys and let the wife avoid such problems.

 

[A10]

Great story and a beautiful gun. Honesty pays! Those are some of the prettiest cokes I've seen.

 

[boykinlp]

Nice story, nicer gun. You sure did a lot of mind wrangling to get it figured out. It was nice of you to be kind to the widow. My plan is to be buried with all my toys and let the wife avoid such problems.

Have you bought the plot yet and where are you located? I hope I have a along time to buy my metal detector!

 

[ElToro]

my buddy (of 16+ years and stood in my wedding) who manages a gunshop sees this a lot, ( widows with guns) sometimes he only hears the aftermath, widow turned them in to the police to be made into manhole covers but usually they get a box of guns. They are honest at that shop and will taketeh time to accurately realisticly price stuff out. realisticly meaning what it will probly sell for in 30 days or less, not 100% of blue book on some common thing and see you in a year and its still on the rack. they tell them we take 20% for our time and trouble or we will give you $x cash now.. its all about priorities for some people who want o rneed teh money. you can wait or you can get cash now and then the shop has to wait for a buyer.

anyway, nice .44 and good for doing the right thing. hopefully my wife has the sense to at least look at my excel sheet i keep on the 'puter of everything in the safe including serials and prices (paid and my estimate of value) if i meet my untimely demise.