I'm pulling for you, hope the price and the gun are "right" and you wind up with it.
1. Yes must have coke stocks.
2. Unfortunately, the "Pre 29" term covers the entire period from the 44 Magnum introduction until 1958 by which time models became stamped with the model #. It's also a period of several evolutionary changes in Serial # marking locations.
A serial # and whether or not it's a 4 or 5 screw would help pin it down.
However, I'll do the best I can and you'll be able to date it by what you find on the gun compared to this:
SERIAL # LOCATIONS:
Always use optical magnification including a flashlight when looking at or for serial numbers to observe the information accurately.
Here are the 6 serial # locations which are the locations remaining after WW II thru ~1956.
NOTE: Observing serial #s for accuracy or even existence, especially on penciled stocks, requires magnification, bright light, and an attitude that it is there!
1. Gun butt* - or forestrap* on I frames/single shots with grips that cover the butt
2. Barrel - bottom of barrel or in extractor shroud
3. Yoke - on rear face only visible thru a chamber with a flashlight**
4. Extractor star - backside
5. Cylinder - rear face
6. Right stock only*** - on back, except most target stocks; (except most post war target grips because individual fitting not required.)
stamped, scratched or penciled depending on vintage and stock material.
*NOTE: The one TRUE place you can be sure of reading the original serial number for all Hand Ejectors of any vintage with stamped numbers, (which includes any letter prefixed #s after WW II,) is the BUTT of the gun, (or front grip strap on non-round butt .22/32 Kit guns and Targets, .32 & .38 S&W Regulation Police pre Model of 1953 I frames. And the 32 Transitional Targets from 1957).
** s/n on Rear face of yoke:
Photo by CptCurl
*** Stamped since 1857, stock #s, apparently exclusively on right panel only, changed to penciled #s c. 1900 and back to stamped #s in 1929. Scratched, penciled or stamped on hard rubber and premium stocks; numbering discontinued ~ late 1970s. Pre war penciled S/Ns are in the top half of the stock near the backstrap and read with the stock oriented with the back edge down. Post war numbering switched to lower right half of grip; earliest observed ~1960.
We owe the Russians a vote of thanks; having been the 1st to require multi-serial # locations on their S&W #3 contract revolvers.
DECREASING SERIAL # LOCATIONS: The number of serial # locations or if model # is stamped on a particular S&W Hand Ejector has more to do with where it was in the production/assembly stages when change orders were issued, therefore as we've learned to expect with S&W, there are great variances and exceptions galore.
Officially, on May 1, 1957 S&W eliminated the Soft Fitting Operation: So it generally corresponds with model numbers ordered June 12, 1957. It was no longer necessary to routinely stamp the serial number on the barrel, cylinder & yoke arm rear surface and show up unstamped over a transition period. So guns in process or in inventory as of 5/1/57 can still have more than 3 and up to 6 locations, and guns shipped after this time may have some of the former number locations because assembly was done over time and as inventory from the old process was used up.
The 6 serial # locations were down to only 3 left on the majority of models (but not all) from c. late 1957 thru 1959 which are:
1. Butt
2. Extractor star - backside
3. Right stock – backside (except most post war target grips because individual fitting not required.)
ASSEMBLY (factory work) #s: These multi-digit numbers of 3 to 5 digits, are on the yoke at the hinge, in the 'yoke cut' on frame (accompanied with a stamped inspector letter) opposite the yoke near the hinge, and inside of the sideplate, for the pre war and early post war period. Once the gun is shipped, the only use for the assembly is to confirm the three parts it's stamped on are original.
In 1957 the assembly # in the yoke cut of the frame was relocated to the left side of grip frame after model #s were assigned and the serial # was eventually added in the 'yoke cut' where the assembly #, now moved to the left side of the grip frame, used to be. You know they are assembly (factory work) #s because of those 3 locations that always match on guns that are original, and that's the only usefulness for them after guns leave the factory; still used to this day, long after serial number locations decreased.
MODEL NUMBER STAMPING began eventually, sometimes months after being ordered June 12, 1957, but the serial number was not yet stamped in the 'yoke cut', the frame side of the yoke hinge, until late 1959 or early 1960, and then it was only stamped there at first when the revolver model was shipped with target stocks as standard. Soon after, serial #s were stamped on the frame in the yoke cut on all models, except on some smaller guns where it just didn't fit, until later. When stamped in the 'yoke cut', the frame assembly # from the yoke cut was moved to the left side of the grip frame.
YOKE CUT STAMPING of the serial # and assembly # have more changes soon after 1957 and get more confusing. When Model Number stamping began not long after being ordered June 12, 1957, the serial number was not yet stamped in the frame 'yoke cut' on the frame side of the yoke hinge until late 1959 and early 1960. Then the serial # was only stamped in the frame 'yoke cut' when the revolver model was shipped with target stocks as standard. Also soon after, serial #s were stamped on the frame in the 'yoke cut' on all models, except on some smaller guns at first where it just didn't fit well. And when the serial # was stamped on the frame in the 'yoke cut', the frame assembly # from the 'yoke cut' was moved to the left side of the grip frame. The 3 assembly # locations, on yoke, left side of grip frame and backside of side plate remain to this day. The yoke cut serial # location on post 1959-60 guns is the reason for many pre 1957 guns to be incorrectly registered by the useless assembly (work) # on the frame in the yoke cut.
Therefore by about the end of 1959, serial # locations went up to 4:
1. Butt
2. Frame in yoke cut
3. Extractor star until ~ 1980 when the new extractor star shape was introduced.
4. Back of right stock, until ~ 1979 when no longer hand fitted, (except most post war target grips because individual fitting not required).
EXTRACTOR STAR Serial #: "…were numbered from the early Hand Ejector models through about 1980. They were numbered because the ratchet lugs had been fitted to each particular gun's lockwork, and it would be separated from the gun at some points of finishing. This is true for blue, nickel, and stainless guns.
"I've observed a lot more since I made that statement. Oddly, I have often observed all original 4 Screw K and N frames with numbered cylinders when none of the other parts were numbered, including the extractor.
"Obviously, something had changed in the fitting and/or finishing sequence for a short time that did not require numbering the extractor.
"Apparently, that sequence was changed again, and we arrive at the long used process of serial numbers on the frame and extractor only." Regards, Lee Jarrett
There are exceptions like anything S&W, but once the extractor star serial # stamping ceased c. 1980, only the butt and yoke cut stamping locations remained at that time. The new star ratchet shape began in 1996.
