What is this?

import-ant · January 4, 2010, 06:44 PM

Recently picked up an old, very dirty .44 magnum revolver cheap. Assumed it was a model 29. Weeks of cleaning off years of neglect revealed a beautiful gun. Took to range to experience one of the most enjoyable shooting experiences I've ever had. Gun came with old ammo in funny looking old ammo boxes. Started with old .44 special. Moved to .44 magnum 180 grain, then went to 240 something grain. Amazing blast. Incredibly accurate. quite manageable. Someone seeing the gun started giving me creepy weird looks, asked if the ammo was flush with the cylinder. Said was a collectors item. Gun has no model number anywhere; just says smith and wesson on one side, and .44 magnum on the other side of barrel, has a nice blue finish, came in like a cedar wood box with imprints in felt for gun and cleaning tools. In comparing it to photos of a model 29 I'm not so sure it matches. What exactly do I have?

SDC · January 4, 2010, 07:53 PM

S&W built the "pre-Model 29" from 1955 to 1957 (after which everything was given a model number) and called it simply, the "44 Magnum". Can you put any pictures up?

Mike40-11 · January 4, 2010, 09:24 PM

Does sound like a pre-29. If so, you probably got a heck of a deal. In good condition those are in the $2-3 K range. The original box alone is worth a hundred bucks or more.

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/Vie...Item=148831461

import-ant · January 5, 2010, 01:45 AM

Here is one photo; ill put more up soon, thanks for responses.

import-ant · January 5, 2010, 01:46 AM

It has custom grips on it; ill check with previous owner for original. Photo is before heavy cleaning...

10-96 · January 5, 2010, 02:03 AM

It has the colored front sight insert, so it should have some numbers on the frame. When you open the cylinder, look at the flat area where the crane meets the frame. This area will not be machined or polished as smooth as the rest of the firearm. Tell us what numbers are there. Yes, it's a 29- but it could be a pre-29 with a new front sight or sight/job. Also, you can take off the grips and tell us what the serial number is (replace last two digits with "XX") and we can also tell you pretty close to when it was made.

import-ant · January 5, 2010, 08:38 PM

Darn. It says it's a mod 29-2 in the place you indicated. There are 4 sets of numbers.

N6036@@ (I omitted last two numerics)
mod 29-2
52@@x (I omitted numeric characters, last is letter x
c11

curiously, amongst other things, it says "marcas registradas" (trademark) on right side...

hickstick_10 · January 6, 2010, 09:47 AM

........................does it have any other spanish writing on it?

Look REAL hard for a made in spain somewhere

Rodger_p · January 6, 2010, 01:09 PM

As far as I know, which is not all that much. All S&W revolvers had the "Marcas Registradas" on the frame.

Rodger

import-ant · January 6, 2010, 03:58 PM

Anyone know the year of production for the sn given n6036xx ?

10-96 · January 7, 2010, 02:05 PM

According to my handy dandy S&W book, it looks like a 1980 model to me Sir.
My humble opinion? Shoot it a lot and enjoy it even more.

import-ant · January 7, 2010, 05:29 PM

I thank you sir. I want to do just that. From what I read, the 29 had some bad versions which can beat themselves to pieces. Hopefully, 1980 was a good year...

January 4, 2010, 06:44 PM	#1
import-ant Member Join Date: November 10, 2009 Posts: 33	What is this? Recently picked up an old, very dirty .44 magnum revolver cheap. Assumed it was a model 29. Weeks of cleaning off years of neglect revealed a beautiful gun. Took to range to experience one of the most enjoyable shooting experiences I've ever had. Gun came with old ammo in funny looking old ammo boxes. Started with old .44 special. Moved to .44 magnum 180 grain, then went to 240 something grain. Amazing blast. Incredibly accurate. quite manageable. Someone seeing the gun started giving me creepy weird looks, asked if the ammo was flush with the cylinder. Said was a collectors item. Gun has no model number anywhere; just says smith and wesson on one side, and .44 magnum on the other side of barrel, has a nice blue finish, came in like a cedar wood box with imprints in felt for gun and cleaning tools. In comparing it to photos of a model 29 I'm not so sure it matches. What exactly do I have?

January 4, 2010, 07:53 PM	#2
SDC Senior Member Join Date: January 23, 2001 Location: People's Republic of Kanada Posts: 1,652	S&W built the "pre-Model 29" from 1955 to 1957 (after which everything was given a model number) and called it simply, the "44 Magnum". Can you put any pictures up? __________________ Gun control in Canada: making the streets safer for rapists, muggers, and other violent criminals since 1936.

January 5, 2010, 02:03 AM	#6
10-96 Senior Member Join Date: October 19, 2005 Location: Tx Panhandle Territory Posts: 4,159	It has the colored front sight insert, so it should have some numbers on the frame. When you open the cylinder, look at the flat area where the crane meets the frame. This area will not be machined or polished as smooth as the rest of the firearm. Tell us what numbers are there. Yes, it's a 29- but it could be a pre-29 with a new front sight or sight/job. Also, you can take off the grips and tell us what the serial number is (replace last two digits with "XX") and we can also tell you pretty close to when it was made. __________________ Rednecks... Keeping the woods critter-free since March 2, 1836. (TX Independence Day) I suspect a thing or two... because I've seen a thing or two.

January 5, 2010, 08:38 PM	#7
import-ant Member Join Date: November 10, 2009 Posts: 33	Bummer Darn. It says it's a mod 29-2 in the place you indicated. There are 4 sets of numbers. N6036@@ (I omitted last two numerics) mod 29-2 52@@x (I omitted numeric characters, last is letter x c11 curiously, amongst other things, it says "marcas registradas" (trademark) on right side...

January 6, 2010, 03:58 PM	#10
import-ant Member Join Date: November 10, 2009 Posts: 33	Year of production Anyone know the year of production for the sn given n6036xx ?

January 4, 2010, 09:24 PM	#3
Mike40-11 Senior Member Join Date: January 8, 2005 Location: Missouri Posts: 842	Does sound like a pre-29. If so, you probably got a heck of a deal. In good condition those are in the $2-3 K range. The original box alone is worth a hundred bucks or more. http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/Vie...Item=148831461

January 5, 2010, 01:46 AM	#5
import-ant Member Join Date: November 10, 2009 Posts: 33	It has custom grips on it; ill check with previous owner for original. Photo is before heavy cleaning...

January 6, 2010, 09:47 AM	#8
hickstick_10 Senior Member Join Date: August 8, 2009 Posts: 477	........................does it have any other spanish writing on it? Look REAL hard for a made in spain somewhere

January 6, 2010, 01:09 PM	#9
Rodger_p Senior Member Join Date: December 15, 2004 Location: East TN. Posts: 207	As far as I know, which is not all that much. All S&W revolvers had the "Marcas Registradas" on the frame. Rodger

January 7, 2010, 02:05 PM	#11
10-96 Senior Member Join Date: October 19, 2005 Location: Tx Panhandle Territory Posts: 4,159	According to my handy dandy S&W book, it looks like a 1980 model to me Sir. My humble opinion? Shoot it a lot and enjoy it even more. __________________ Rednecks... Keeping the woods critter-free since March 2, 1836. (TX Independence Day) I suspect a thing or two... because I've seen a thing or two.

January 7, 2010, 05:29 PM	#12
import-ant Member Join Date: November 10, 2009 Posts: 33	I thank you sir. I want to do just that. From what I read, the 29 had some bad versions which can beat themselves to pieces. Hopefully, 1980 was a good year...