Need some help please on pre 29

[sophie]

I am trying to help a guy who has what looks like a 44 magnum pre 29. I am away from my home town and don't have my S&W 3rd edition with me and can't look up the serial number for the gun. My friend is in Missouri and has sent me some pictures. I will attach what I have and maybe someone can help me on the production year and give an opinion on the rear sight. The gun is a S&W 44 magnum, 4 inch barrel, nice diamond target grips, target hammer and trigger. It has a red ramp front sight. The serial number is S 181002 and is on the grip frame and on the rear of the cylinder and on the crane. I hope the pictures turn out. The rear sight blade is quite odd and almost looks like it is upside down in the groove. I only have pictures and have never seen the gun. Any help you can give me is appreciated.

 

[jackvs1]

I have a Pre 29, S154xxx, shipped in Nov 1956, 5 screw, with red ramp front sight. So 1958 for your friends? Are your grips non-Coke? Can't help you on the rear sight.

 

[sophie]

I have a Pre 29, S154xxx, shipped in Nov 1956, 5 screw, with red ramp front sight. So 1957 for your friends? Are your grips non-Coke? Can't help you on the rear sight.

I don't have a real good picture of the grips except a side view of the left side and can't tell much. He supposedly has sent me about 6 more pictures but I am in a location that has a sorry internet and haven't gotten them so far.

 

[srsmyth]

To me, the rear sight blade appears to be broken off, as in dropped revolver, or bumped.
1958-ish MAYBE on the serial #. They are so weird.
Steve

 

[IraIII]

It appears the rear sight blade is broken, but is an easy fix I believe. side view of the grips will show whether "coke" or not by size of checkering. According to Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson
1957-1958 S176000 - S181999

 

[jackvs1]

Yeah your sight is strange. Just looked at mine and there is a square cutout outlined in white.

 

[DWalt]

The closest SN I have listed is S1864xx which shipped in 4/59. I can't tell much about the rear sight, but it appears to me also that the blade is missing. If so, the blade is easily replaced.

 

[sophie]

It appears the rear sight blade is broken, but is an easy fix I believe. side view of the grips will show whether "coke" or not by size of checkering. According to Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson
1957-1958 S176000 - S181999

I will attach the only picture I have of the grips taken from the left side and I can't tell if they are a "coke" style grip or not. I too believe the rear sight blade is broken and that would be a simple repair but all I have is a picture so really can't inspect the gun. See what you can tell from this picture and thanks for the serial number range. I thought it might be before 1958.

 

[jackvs1]

They are Coke grips. Ok, I am pretty confident your friends Pre 29 was shipped in March or April 1958. I just saw S181079 shipped in April 1958. This is a 4-screw correct, any SN on the front of cylinder? Does he have the original box?

 

[DWalt]

From the picture it appears to be a pair of "Coke" target stocks, and would be consistent with the date of the revolver. Those contribute greatly to value.

 

[DWalt]

Note that predicting the shipment date from the SN alone, without any other documentation, is not very precise, as S&W did not ship in SN order. Only a factory letter can be precise. It seems likely this one was produced sometime late in 1958, and would have likely shipped in early 1959. However, on my SN list, I have one with an even earlier SN than yours which did not ship until 9/60. So it's all a guess without a letter.

 

[boykinlp]

Serial number S18012X shipped 4/8/58.

 

[sophie]

Thanks to all the members that helped me on this gun belonging to a friend.

I did receive a few more pictures of the gun and the target grips are definitely "Coke" grips. It is a 3 screw sideplate and in very good shape. All my friend has is the gun and no box or tools. The rear sight blade is still a mystery but I believe it is broken.

Thanks again for the help.

 

[jackvs1]

Are you sure it is a 3-screw? What about the screw under the grip?

Thanks to all the members that helped me on this gun belonging to a friend.

I did receive a few more pictures of the gun and the target grips are definitely "Coke" grips. It is a 3 screw sideplate and in very good shape. All my friend has is the gun and no box or tools. The rear sight blade is still a mystery but I believe it is broken.

Thanks again for the help.

 

[sophie]

Are you sure it is a 3-screw? What about the screw under the grip?

After receiving the last pictures which I will post 3 of them it is a 4 screw gun. I couldn't see the screw in the front of the trigger guard but in the exploded view I can see the recess hole in the front of the trigger guard. If you look close you can see it. In describing what pictures I needed from my friend it is difficult to get someone to take the pictures needed for correct identification. My mistake, but that makes it even better.

I thought I had posted a right side view without the grips but had not, so added it now.