Unfired 29-3 came home today

[A10]

I've been without a 29 for a number of years now, and in the past I've only had one 4 incher. It was nickel and I've kicked myself for selling it. I've never had a -3, all my past ones were -2s of various vintage. When I saw this in my LGS I knew it would come home with me. This is one of the Elmer Keith commemoratives, been sitting in someone's safe since new. I had thought seriously about replacing the stocks with a pair of my Elk stags, but honestly these presentation magnas are gorgeous!

It will not remain unfired.....

 

[Peak53]

Beautiful! WWED? Shoot it 'til it breaks. Probably a long time from now.

 

[Kingspoke]

EK 44 Magnum - 4" Beautiful Blue with Gold inscriptions

Beautiful!

 

[bananaman]

That is so cool! I can see why it is unfired. Bob

 

[stansdds]

I have mixed feelings about firing an unfired limited production, special edition, commemorative firearm. On one hand, it's unfired and that puts it at the very top of the monetary value spectrum. On the other hand, commemorative firearms tend to be treasured by a very small portion of the firearms collector world, so they tend to be hard to sell. Personally, I would not shoot it, but trade/sell it and buy a Model 29 that has been used, but not abused.

 

[A10]

I have mixed feelings about firing an unfired limited production, special edition, commemorative firearm. On one hand, it's unfired and that puts it at the very top of the monetary value spectrum. On the other hand, commemorative firearms tend to be treasured by a very small portion of the firearms collector world, so they tend to be hard to sell. Personally, I would not shoot it, but trade/sell it and buy a Model 29 that has been used, but not abused.

I know Elmer was all about using his guns, so I think he would prefer anything honoring his memory would be used. But that's just me. I've honestly seen commemorative guns being valued lower than standard models in lower condition. Weird....my buddy works at the gun shop where I got this and he said the reason he didn't buy it was because it was too pretty to use.

 

[Jack Flash]

A few thoughts:

"I've only had one 4 incher. It was nickel and I've kicked myself for selling it."
I'll bet it kicked you more than you kicked yourself.

"Personally, I would not shoot it, but trade/sell it and buy a Model 29 that has been used, but not abused."
Yes and with a 6" barrel. Or longer.

For shooting, target stocks help me a lot. Or ugly ol' Pachs. I love P&R revolvers, but this 29-3 sure will do.

 

[A10]

Gotta be honest Jack, that nickel gun I had with magnas was more controllable with 270 grain Hornadays than any of my 6 inch guns with targets were (at least for me)!

 

[wproct]

I would not be able to bring myself to shoot that one. Such a beautiful revolver commemorating a shooting icon! Keep it if you get enjoyment out of owning it, otherwise sell it to someone who will appreciate it. That is one very special revolver indeed.

 

[A10]

Hmm....so shooting a revolver precludes appreciating it? THAT's an interesting philosophy.....personally I think an unfired .44 dishonors Elmers legacy. But that's probably just me.

 

[Hair Trigger]

I have mixed feelings about firing an unfired limited production, special edition, commemorative firearm. On one hand, it's unfired and that puts it at the very top of the monetary value spectrum. On the other hand, commemorative firearms tend to be treasured by a very small portion of the firearms collector world, so they tend to be hard to sell. Personally, I would not shoot it, but trade/sell it and buy a Model 29 that has been used, but not abused.

I feel much the same way about commemoratives, but the thing I look at most is how many of a type were made. The EK is limited to 2500, not a big number when you look at all the M29-3's made, so maybe a bit more special. I think I'd keep this one unfired and find another one to shoot.

Two questions about this one. SCSW mentions a "Deluxe Edition", with gold inlay and ivory magna stocks. Is this one a "regular" EK, and if so, what is extra special about the inlays on the Deluxe? If OP doesn't mind, what is the SN on this one? This commemorative has sequential numbering, which also makes it a bit more special, I think.

The other question is where it says "1 of 2500" under the cylinder on the left side. Does that mean it is #1, or just one of the 2500 made? I have a commemorative M29-2, of which only 1080 were made, and mine has the number 0835 in that spot, signifying it is the 835th of the 1080 made. Seems like the EK would have done the same numbering.

Man would that be something if this one IS the Number One. The Deluxe Editions were the first hundred made of the series.

 

[A10]

This one is EMK2323, late in the production of the commemorative. The Deluxe versions had additional gold inlay, an inlay surrounding Elmer's likeness, and more on the cylinders. They also had factory ivory magnas.

It's interesting in cruising SCSW4 that the value of a standard NIB 29-3 is the same as listed for the standard EMK guns. Of course, Jim and Richard both hate putting values in the book since they are outdated almost by the time they are published.

This particular gun sat in the LGS for a couple months from what I understand. No one wanted to buy it because they were afraid to shoot it.

On commemoratives: My dad was an officer in the Washington State Patrol. In about 1982 the WSP contracted a commemorative 28-2, bright blue finish, WSP badge stamped on the side plate, 6 inch barrel indicating the 50 year anniversary of the Patrol. Dad treasured that gun, and almost never took it out to look at it. It sat in the basement unfired for most of it's existence.

Dad became disabled and couldn't get up and down the stairs at the house any more. One year, unknown to him, the basement flooded. I had gone to visit him and went down to check on the guns he had stored there (I would do that a couple times a year) and found the gun storage area soaking wet. The display case for the 28 was ruined and the gun was a rusty mess. I took it to see what could be done with it, and after finding a 3.5 inch 27 barrel I sent it to a gunsmith to have it worked over. It came out OK, but it sure wasn't what it had been.

I carry and shoot it to this day.

Shoot your guns......Dad never got to.

 

[mikeruns]

I think Elmer would shoot it. I don't think that as a commemorative that these revolvers will be worth much to anyone, and in a couple decades nobody is going to hardly know or remember EK except for us folks who grew up learning and idolizing him from our youth. I have seen these revolvers many times for sale and more often than not, the price was so low that I had to do a double take. There is a niche group who collects stuff like this and they will acquire a bunch of Winchester commemoratives and similar and show them off to their friends and anyone who may be into firearms and they will be proud that someone tells them how cool this or that is and then be on their way…..truth is, most of us love a mint original and even sometimes engraved specimens, but truly the best finds are clean mint or near mint or excellent guns that we can fire and cherish and dream about where this or that revolver has been through the decades whether on the street or outdoors trail on hike or hunt or remote cabin companion..
Elmer is cool and these guns are still cool but, I think they make great shooters and I would buy one at the great prices we find them at just to use it as it was designed for and then that well used but cared for "wear use" will be seen and appreciated maybe by my descendants one day, or somebody with a wandering mind of the out of doors world. Cheers and cool find!

 

[Shibadog]

That is so cool! I can see why it is unfired. Bob

I dunno, I can't have an unfixed anything. If I've got it, it'll be sending rounds downrange

 

[Hair Trigger]

I dunno, I can't have an unfixed anything. If I've got it, it'll be sending rounds downrange

I can't bring myself to shoot my M29-2 commemorative or my M520. Both are ANIB and unfired since the factory. They are the only two unfired guns in my safe. I've had a couple of other ANIB revolvers that now see a fair amount of range use, a M27-2 and a M58. Maybe one day I'll break down before I die and shoot the others.