[Beren]

What's a good price range for a used S&W 629 4" "nickel plated" with wood grips? It looks to be in good condition.

[Preacherman]

Around here (Louisiana), $350 to $450 depending on condition. It's got to be a REALLY good specimen to hit the upper end of that range.

[Hutch]

You realize, of course, that the possibility of it actually being nickel-plated is vanishingly remote? (a assume your "quotes" indicate that). Just fyi, if it is one of the P&R 629's (there were a few), then it's prob'ly worth a bit more than PM's range. It is also highly dependent on where in the country you are. Some places, the S&W N frames seem to command higher prices than others.

[Beren]

How can I tell if it's really nickel-plated or not? The tag and the dealer both claim that it is, but I don't know enough myself to say for sure.

[Hutch]

Hmmmm.... I suppose it MIGHT be nickel-plated, but I'm trying to imagine why someone would plate a stainless revolver. Does the shop have other nickel and stainless revolvers you could compare it to? The most "nickel-looking" stainless commonly around are the stainless Ruger Vaquero single action cowboy guns. Sorry I can't be of more help.

[BluesBear]

There should be a model number inside the crane. M29 is Blue or Nickel.
M629 is Stainless Steel.

Does it have a case-coloured hammer & trigger? or does it have a dull silver-gray triger and hammer?

Case Coloured was used on Nickled and silver grat was used on Stainless.

Serial number would also help.

But the easiest way is to...

Compare it to another Stainless S&W and you'll know pretty easily if it's Nickle or SS. They do NOT look the same side by side.

[Majic]

If you find a Colt with the Ultimate SS finish it is polished to closely represent a nickeled finish.
Most likely someone has buffed the M629 to a high luster finish.

[Beren]

I'm going to go back to the shop on Wed. and get the serial #, etc - they're only open part-time. IIRC, the model # stamped on the pistol frame was 29-2.

[Hutch]

Well, if it's a 29-2, instead of a 629, then that's a whole 'nother smoke. If it's a 29-2, then there should be a pin thru the frame near where the barrel screws in, and the chambers should be counter-bored for the rims of the cases. This "P & R" status might make this revolver much more interesting to some S&W fans. If it's a factory nickel job, then the ejector star, the part that pushes out the empty cases when you depress the ejector rod, will be blued. The hammer and trigger should be color case-hardened. I happen not to care for nickel-plated guns, but it's a matter of taste, about which reasonable people might disagree. If this revolver passes Jim March's test, posted in this forum, and if it has the original box, tools, paperwork (unlikely), then I think Preacherman's assessment remains spot on.

[Standing Wolf]

I looked at a stainless model 628 with an old-style light barrel and no under-lug today. I believe it was a mountain gun. The price tag was $399.99. It locked up tighter than the vast majority of Smith & Wessons, and felt right in my hand even with Hogue rubber grips. The trigger wasn't very good, as expected.

I'd have snapped it up, but it had a bad scratch on the side plate, and was dirty inside and out-. I may buy it yet: heaven knows I've always got room in my heart for another project gun.

[Beren]

Well, I wanted the gun worse than the owner wanted to sell it, so I ended up paying $450 for it. Silly me, I should've held out for less. Pictures forthcoming, but it is a 4" S&W 29-2 P&R with nickel finish and wood grips. Seems to be in good condition. Serial # is N7391xx. Hopefully there will be enough daylight left today for me to have time to get to the range and try her out. If not, then tomorrow morning.. ;) Sticker price was $500, but even I wasn't hungry enough to pay that much...

[Beren]

As promised, here's a picture of the revolver with its original grips.

[Beren]

And again, but now in she's got a nice black miniskirt on instead...