Smith & Wesson Pre Model 29 44 Magnum, Engraved and Nickeled
Description:
S&W Pre Model 29 44 Magnum, nickeled, factory engraved, wide target trigger and hammer, 5 screw frame, 6.5" barrel, case hardened trigger and hammer, blued adjustable rear sight, orange insert to ramp front sight, faux ivory grips
43rd Edition of Blue Book of Gun Values lists nickel finish,11 estimated manufactured and does not list any engraved.
Serial Number S160724
Sent for factory letter, came back "Note from Smith & Wesson Historical Foundation: This firearm is "open" on S&W's books."
I spoke to a founding member (sorry I do not remember his name) of the Smith & Wesson Collectors Association at The Las Vegas Antique Arms Show in January, 2023 about that note, and he indicated that would indicate that it was likely a factory representative/salesperson gun.
Description:
S&W Pre Model 29 44 Magnum, nickeled, factory engraved, wide target trigger and hammer, 5 screw frame, 6.5" barrel, case hardened trigger and hammer, blued adjustable rear sight, orange insert to ramp front sight, faux ivory grips
43rd Edition of Blue Book of Gun Values lists nickel finish,11 estimated manufactured and does not list any engraved.
Serial Number S160724
Sent for factory letter, came back "Note from Smith & Wesson Historical Foundation: This firearm is "open" on S&W's books."
I spoke to a founding member (sorry I do not remember his name) of the Smith & Wesson Collectors Association at The Las Vegas Antique Arms Show in January, 2023 about that note, and he indicated that would indicate that it was likely a factory representative/salesperson gun.
But probably not factory engraved. Almost always, if a gun left the factory as an engraved gun, it had the small roll mark on the left side under the thumb release, leaving the right side plate blank for engraving. In addition, that engraving pattern does not look like any engraving I have seen from the 1950s. At some point it has been nickeled after the factory, as the front sight/sight base on nickeled 5-screw guns were blued and pinned to the barrel after the barrel was nickeled, resulting in exposed pins. Here is an example of a nickled 357 Magnum of that same era...
...Ben
