Pictures of my pre 29 S&W "Good Conscience" gun

[Patrick L]

About a week ago I posted a thread of where I told the story of helping a widow dispose of her late husband's guns and NOT cheating her. Here is the Smith 29 I acquired as part of that process

Here she is
http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb157/patrickl_01/Pre%2029/Pre29012.jpg

http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb157/patrickl_01/Pre%2029/Pre29001.jpg

Trigger guard and cylinder blue wear
http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb157/patrickl_01/Pre%2029/Pre29003.jpg

Muzzle blue wear
http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb157/patrickl_01/Pre%2029/Pre29005.jpg

Diamond Cokes
http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb157/patrickl_01/Pre%2029/Pre29009.jpg

http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb157/patrickl_01/Pre%2029/Pre29008.jpg

The case, which I knew was in bad shape
http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb157/patrickl_01/Pre%2029/Pre29013.jpg

http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb157/patrickl_01/Pre%2029/Pre29017.jpg

This is all good news. The condition of the gun makes it a perfect candidate for a shooter, and that's why I was able to get it for the price I did. The throats measure .432, with one just taking a .433 plug gauge. I have not slugged the bore yet. A lot of what I percieved to be finish wear turned out to be dried oil residue, which cleaned off with a bit of solvent.

I knew the case was a mess, but I plan on trying to restore it. I'm pretty handy at such things. I'm embarrassed to admit it , but I thought that "speckeled stripe" down the left side of the lid belonged there until I saw correct pics of one of these boxes on the S&W forum. It looks like a previous owner had set something on top of this box, with the left end sticking out, and then painted something nearby. The stripe is actually dried paint specks. They clean off with a needle point and some rubbing alcohol (one at a time!!). I need to replace the satin lining, but the wood/cardboards are in good shape. Of course I need to acquire the correct tools.

The one bad thing (not really bad for a shooter) is that the top strap had been drilled and tapped for a scope mount. I can't believe I didn't notice that before. It doesn't affect the gun's shooter status, but collector value is officially shot.

I hope to have a range report either today or tomorrow.

This is what I am envisioning for my new treasure. My plan is to live with and love this .44. It will be treated primarily as a .44 special, with maybe a few moderate level Magnum handloads just to see what she'll do. It will be fed a strict diet of cast lead only. Since I only have $500 into it so far and it's collector value is already shot, maybe next year I'll have S&W do a reblue and make it pretty. I can refinish the stocks myself. I'm thinking an oil finish, or maybe I'll stick to the high gloss to keep it correct. And I'll be working on restoring the case slowly.

[danski26]

very nice!

[Doby45]

If'n you don't "want" the scope mount holes, just have them welded and cleaned up before you have it reblued. Not for resale value or anything but if you go through the effort to reblue it go the extra inch and have those holes welded before the blueing goes on. That is one nice 44..

[Echo]

What a sweet gun. Since the collector's value is down the drain, why don't you get some good stocks, to make it a more pleasant shooter? You could refinish, and keep, the old stocks, but Smith grips are notorious - look good, but not optimum for shooting, especially the target stocks (that I see you don't have).

In any case, you have a real shooter, and I know you will love it, for a long time. Color me envious.

[JesterGrin_1]

Yep you have a shooter there. But I would just down load 44 Mag than go with 44 Specials. That way you do not have to worry about the carbon ring in the chamber from the 44 specials. But hey that is just me lol.

But a very nice load is a 240Gr SWC with 5.5Gr of Tightgroup. In the .44 Mag case.

[frankenfab]

Nice gun! If you send it to S&W, you will be very happy when it comes back. I sent them a Model 27 that was in very poor shape and it came back looking like new for $255.

[Bill*]

Very Nice Catch....I'm surprised no-one has chided you for that big can of WD-40 within three feet of a firearm [smilie=1:

[Patrick L]

Bill,

Lots of "Guns and Ammo" readers do tell me about the evils of WD40. I have used it as an after handling wipe (not a lubricant) on all my blued guns for 30+ years now. I got no complaints.

Echo,

These old Cokes are a far cry from the "Target Stocks" S&W went to in the lat 70s. They are actually very comfortable. I think when I do work up some Magnum loads I'll slip on a pair of Packies, plus when I carry it hunting I'll do likewise so I don't mess up these.

[AZ-Stew]

I don't see anything wrong with the left grip panel. It just looks "seasoned". Used but not abused. Can't tell about the right one, since you didn't provide any shots of that side of the gun. That said, if they both look about the same, I'd give them a good bath with soap and water and a tooth brush before I considered refinishing them. They may clean up real nice. Nothing good can come from sanding them. You'll round-off the checkering.

Regards,

Stew

[gray wolf]

So tell me punk---are you feelin lucky ?? ( Callahan--dirty Harry )

Great pistol and you earned it the good way.

Sam

[deltaenterprizes]

Change the grips to something comfortable and shoot it! leave the blue alone, when you get it back you will not want to shoot it!

[JesterGrin_1]

I have to agree with Delta just give it a good cleaning and put some Hogue Grips on it and shoot it. I feel you will enjoy it more if you are not worried about the finish. As they say with Cars Chrome will not get you home. :)

[GLL]

Nice find !

Leave it and the grips "as is" and shoot it ! :) :)

Jerry

[Patrick L]

GLL,

Right on regarding the grips. Many people don't realize that S&W grips from the 50s and 60s, the so called "Coke Bottle" grips, are very comfortable. Even though they look similar, they are far superior to the "Goncalo Alves Target" grips that replaced them in the 70s. I personally can't stand Hogues, and even though I do like the feel of Packies, I'm becoming more conservative in my old age an the thought of rubber on a classic blued gun just gives me the willies!

Gray Wolf,

I'm not ashamed to say that I could not resist performing that entire monologue as soon as I got the gun home.

[lathesmith]

I'm not ashamed to say that I could not resist performing that entire monologue as soon as I got the gun home.


Mmmm...so you did feel lucky,eh? I know I sure would have, if I had stumbled on to a great old N-frame like that, the way you did. Great find, and a great story too! Thanks for sharing!

lathesmith

[frankenfab]

Mmmm...so you did feel lucky,eh? I know I sure would have, if I had stumbled on to a great old N-frame like that, the way you did. Great find, and a great story too! Thanks for sharing!

lathesmith

[smilie=l:

:drinks:

[smoked turkey]

That Smith certainly is a nice one and it deserves to be shot. Go ahead and just try to wear it out. I also love the old Smiths. Congradulations. This is one of those outcomes that is as it should be.

[frankenfab]

I went to the Dollar Store tonight, and they had M29's with a holster and star badge for $1.50!

I almost bought one, but the diamond in the grips was off center. But it had a really cool Orange Blaze barrel!:D

[AZ-Stew]

GLL,

Right on regarding the grips. Many people don't realize that S&W grips from the 50s and 60s, the so called "Coke Bottle" grips, are very comfortable. Even though they look similar, they are far superior to the "Goncalo Alves Target" grips that replaced them in the 70s. I personally can't stand Hogues, and even though I do like the feel of Packies, I'm becoming more conservative in my old age an the thought of rubber on a classic blued gun just gives me the willies!

Well, I agree with you on rubber grips, but here's the question:

Below are photos of my ca. 1974 M-29 (I bought it new during the "Dirty Harry" craze), and it's fitted with Smith's target grips. These are the ones that came on the gun. They are made of Goncalo Alves wood (it's a wood, not a style) that grows in Brazil. At the time, Smith was owned by Bangor Punta, a Brazilian company. Can some one tell me the difference between them and the ones on the gun at the top of this thread that make them so vastly inferior? The only thing I see that's readily apparent is that mine don't have the diamond. I doubt that this detail contributes anything to their utility. Personally, I find them quite comfortable. I own a fair number of Smith's so equipped and really don't like anything else on my revolvers.

Regards,

Stew

[Patrick L]

AZ Stew,

Didn't mean to come off insulting! If you like your grips, by all means stick with them.

The difference between the two grip styles is very subtle. You almost can't see it, but if you handle them side by side you can feel it. The contouring is just a bit thinner, and maybe tapered a bit differently. Actually, yours don't look too bad. I may be off on my dates; I thought the Cokes were phased out in the late 60s or maybe S&W still had an inventory of older grips through the early 70. By the late 70s/early 80s they got even blockier. I have a few pairs from that era and they really are fat. And I do realize Goncalo Alves is a wood type, not a grip style.

Here's a link to a thread with people far more knowlegable than I on the subject

http://http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-hand-ejectors-1896-1961/104700-coke-grip-info-needed.html

[GLL]

This link works a little better! It includes a number of photos that show the differences !

Jerry


http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-hand-ejectors-1896-1961/104700-coke-grip-info-needed.html

[frankenfab]

The "Cokes" have a pronounced palm swell, and better lines. I never had a factory pair, but I had a pair of Nill Coke replicas, and they were super nice.

I can shoot ok with the taget stocks, but I would just as soon have a pair of Hogue finger groove rubber or wood grips on a shooter.

Eagle Grips makes nice replicas:

http://www.eaglegrips.com/guns/Heritage-Series.html?osCsid=156a4e442cb83ba3d7e63f035b05942 8

http://www.eaglegrips.com/guns/images/heritage.rswd.jpg

[Patrick L]

Thanks Jerry!

I've always had "issues" pasting links, I don't know why.

Frankenfab,

I have a set of the Eagle repros. They're close, but not quite as nice.

[GLL]

Stew:

The "Coke Bottle" grips have a slimmer profile and the slight palm swell. This makes them much more comfortable in my small hand than the later model target grips!

They do have a very serious drawback though ! They are outrageously expensive if in good condition !

Your photos of the target grips are outstanding !

Jerry

.44Special 4th Model of 1950
http://www.fototime.com/13B7F1ADC94952B/orig.jpg

[AZ-Stew]

OK! I concede! There is a difference. The best photos are on the last page of the linked thread, for those who want to look. To me, though, it's a bit esoteric. My hands are just a touch larger than average, so the Target grips fit me fine. As I noted in a different thread, I took my J-frame Centennial out the other day. It has the box-stock J-frame wood grips on it and the backstrap to trigger distance is too short for me. I had to disect the revolver and lighten the grip safety spring just to get it so it would fire reliably. My bigger than average hands wouldn't squeeze the safety with the standard spring. Anyway, to keep this on a Cast Boolits tack, I was shooting the 358429 over a book max. (not +P) load of WW 231 and that little gun just pounded the p**s out of my hand. I had a bruise stripe from the grip safety running down the palm for a few hours. I'll have to find a lighter boolit for practice.

Thanks for the kudos on my photos. I'm really enjoying what I can do with the Nikon D-90 I bought just before the 2010 Nevada Cast Boolit Shoot, paired with the light tent I bought a month or so ago. I'm also using a couple of old manual Nikon Micro lenses. Between them and the camera's 12MP, I have a lot of digital data to work with, which makes good images relatively easy. Your shot of the .44 Spl. is nothing to sneer at, either. I have one that's a 1980s version. Except for the grips and the distance from the ejector rod cutout to the front of the ejector rod shroud being longer on yours, it's hard to tell the difference between them.

Regards,

Stew

[AZ-Stew]

AZ Stew,

Didn't mean to come off insulting!

No offense taken. I just don't understand why everyone treats the Target grips like a dead rat that they'd just as soon carry off by the tail at arm's length, while holding their nose with the other thumb and forefinger. I'll be happy to take the "dead rats" off anyone's hands for the cost of postage, if the owners think they're so bad. PM me.

Regards,

Stew