Posted: 10/15/2007 6:58:17 PM EDT
| There is an ad here locally,a guy is selling this .44,6 1/2",nickle plated,Hogue monogrip,good condition....asking $475. Is this worth the price? |
|
If it is a 29-3, then the barrel should be 6 ". S&W went to 6" from 6.5" in 1979 during the 29-2 run. Product code on the gun you are asking about is 101212. SCSW (Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson (3rd. ed.), which shows this model in 'Good' condition at $375. This info is good as of the date of publication. Prices on 29's keep going up. It depends on what you are calling 'Good' condition. Plus, I don't know how many nickel 6" 29-3's were made. That might have an impact on price. If it hasn't been fired much (light turn ring on the cylinder, clean recoil surface, good forcing cone, barrel and cylinders, with only slight finish wear), yeah, it could go for $475 or more, depending. 29-3's aren't in as much demand as the 29-2's and earlier guns, but as I said, it depends on your market. Since you are in MO, like me, things are probably similar. The Hogue grips don't do much for the value. If the guy has the original woods, it would be ok. Like I say, the 29 prices keep going up as it is a no-lock, no-MIM gun. You might check the Smith & Wesson forums. They have this stuff down pat there. http://smith-wessonforum.com |
EDITED TO REMOVE CRAP POSTING. CASE OF HUA SYNDROME! |
With the -3, it breaks down even more into the -3 and -3E guns, as well. |
29-3's are not pinned & recessed.  That was one of the engineering changes that caused the -3 revision. If you look on pp 198 of the SCSW 3rd ed (latest ed.), you'll note this and also that the 6.5" barrel was discontinued as standard in 1979 during the 29-2 production. That does not necessarily rule out a special order, but the only way to determine that would be to letter the gun with S&W. None of what I say rules out retro-fitting a gun with another barrel or cylinder, but the 29-3 frame is not pinned from the factory, and the 29-3 cylinders are likewise not recessed from the factory, unless it was a special, or one of those 'transitional' guns at the end of 29-2 and the beginning of 29-3 production (if such a critter exists with this model). As far as the barrel goes, this is unlikely, but I guess anything is possible. Like a mis-marked -2 that shows a -3.  I'll stand by my post, as I have the SCSW 3rd ed. at hand right now, as I did when I first posted. I didn't leave it at the book store.  And I have a 1985 production 29-3 available, too. Now, if the OP has misread the model, and he is in fact looking at a 29-2 nickel finished gun, then it is worth much more than $475 in excellent condition or better, and at least that much if just in 'good' condition. It may also have a 6.5" barrel and be P&R from the factory. A partial serial # would date the gun, and establish a better point of reference. Finally, as I noted, the real 'experts' are over on the S&W Forum. 
|
Hey, it's not that big a deal (except you probably have a much more desirable gun , from a sale/resale perspective)   .As I implied, I'm no expert, either. There are so many variations, serial # runs, etc., that it can be hard to figure out what you have sometimes. That's why I always qualify what I say with a recommendation to join the S&W forum and ask the guys there. Jim Supica is a member there, and those guys can usually get it right in very few posts. I just read the book and relate what I can from it, or from my limited knowledge of what I may have in the safe, or have owned in the past.
|
| It was just a case of old timers disease. I confused the -2 with the -3. I KNEW what I had but didn't confirm before posting. All that info I posted applies to the -2. I just wish I had been lucky to get one with the 6-1/2" barrel. That was always the holy grail of Model 29 goodness! |
|
There were some oddities with the -3. As S&W used up old stock with the -2s you'd find some variations where there were pinned frames and non-recessed chambers. Don't think it was the other way around though where you'd have non-pinned frames with recessed chambers. I've got a nice collection of blued N-frames and the odd man out is my 29-3 that I am waiting to find a good condition 29-2 to replace it with. I recently found a 4 inch barreled nickel plated 29-3 here locally for 450, bought it with about 10 seconds of thought when I saw it came with 2 sets of grips and 4 speed loaders. That was an excellent price for a California gun, since it wasn't blued I didn't keep it and I quickly turned around to use it in a trade for a higher value gun. Older N-frames are climbing at an insanely fast rate across the country as people figure out what a value they are, deals are not as easy to find as they once were as the older guns are nearing and even exceeding the price of a comparable model new S&W. |
|
Hello The model 29-2 was offered with the 6-1/2" barrel until 1979 and the 29-3 Came out in 1982. The same year S&W dropped the Pinned Barrel and recessed cylinder in all their magnum handguns leaving only the K-22 with a recessed cylinder. I have seen what I call A Transition revolver they may have a Pinned barrel and May Not have a recessed cylinder or they may have a recessed cylinder and their Barrel may not Pinned. This is not an Oddity it is Just S&W's way of exausting it's parts that are left over in stock bins designed for that certain Model.We must remember S&W is all about making money and selling In Volume like an other Manufacturer and they have Little regard for the collector.By doing this, They just don't throw away parts left over from a certain series revolver. That is why we see these feature's in some guns after a design Change has been ordered. Finding a 6-1/2" Barrel on a Model 29-3 would not be out of the question if they had them left over to use on this series. I have a model 29-2 and a model 29-3. my Dash Two revolver, was shipped in 1972 and has an Odd Pinned in front sight blade. All The prior and after models of the model 29 that I have Come across, have a soldered Red Ramp front sight blade on them until they came out with the more modern universal quick change front sight blades which are totaly different than the earlier one's. Another thing that is not Uncommon to see on these design changes is when they switched from a Five screw configuration in 1957 to a Four screw model series for that Year, it is not Uncommon to find one with the trigger Guard screw but it does not have the Upper side Plate screw or Bug Screw as it is called. This Too was a design change feature and they had some frames of that model left over with the frame drilled and Taped for the trigger Guard screw which is the trigger return spring, so they used those frames up until they were gone and that is why we see Four Screw models out there. On Later models this trigger Guard screw is not Present because they made the spring without a Plunger an Internal part and those revolver frames will not have this trigger guard screw, or the Upper side Plate screw so these are called a Three screw revolver. Here is my Model 29-2 that shipped in 1972 and my Model 29-3 that shipped in 1982 It does not have a Pinned Barrel nor recessed cylinder, nor does it have a 6-1/2Barrel it is 6" Long, so this tells me they did not have a whole bunch of Large-N-Frame Barrels left over with this Pinned recess feature to use in this Model after the design change of 1982. All Barrels will be Non Pinned and held in Place by a Crush fit thread. I hope this Helps, Hammerdown Nickel Model 29-2 with 4" Barrel and Pinned front sight Blade http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v258/hammerdown-7/c280f73b.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v258/hammerdown-7/aa315ea7.jpg Blued Model 29-3 with 6" Barrel http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v258/hammerdown-7/PICT0001a.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v258/hammerdown-7/PICT0004a-2.jpg |
|
|
That is a really sweet pair of N-frames. I had a 57 (blue) but I sold it to my brother, with the understanding that if he ever decides to get rid of it, I get dibs. I know what you are saying about the recoil. I prefer the 6" gun in .44Mag, but I have a 29-4 3" (my avatar) that I'm still working up (down) a load for. I'm looking for something in .44Mag, but on the light side, but a bit stouter than .44Spl. I'll get there, it's just a matter of finding a powder wt. I like. It needs some DA trigger work, too, but that's easy.
|
Hello I have recently taken on some Powder made by Hodgen called "Tight Group" It is a nice clean Powder that takes very Little to load an caliber and I use it all my centfire calibers since it is so universal. I have been working on a Load for the .45 Colt with it and max loads with it in that caliber are only 6.4 so you can see how Little it takes to load with it. You should try some, as the cost of Powder keep climbing Tight Group gives the most shots per Pound of any other Powders I have found... Hammerdown |
I've been going in the other direction, a lower power, higher volume powder as I am trying to stick with the magnum case. But I know what you are saying about the price of powder, heck, all components. I'm reloading some calibers for what I could have bought loaded a year or so ago.  So far, I can afford it.
|
|
| The problem with the low-volume powders like Tite Group, Bullseye, etc, is that it is a LOT easier to accidently double-charge a case with this stuff than with 2400 or Unique. Heck a double charge of those would spill all over the bench, a clear indication something is wrong. |
Hello Very true, But if you check all your Cases like they should be before dropping a bullet into them, This is not a Problem.. Hammerdown |
|
Older N-frames are climbing at an insanely fast rate across the country as people figure out what a value they are, deals are not as easy to find as they once were as the older guns are nearing and even exceeding the price of a comparable model new S&W. Lord I hope so! I have 10. Bought a pre mod 44mag 5 screw 8yrs. back in about 90% condition for $450
|