I'm drooling. Help me decide to buy it!

[critter]

I have a friend who has a revolver for sale. It is a S&W N-frame, 4-screw frame .44 mag. It has a pinned barrel and recessed chambers, an 8 3/8" barrel, adjustable rear sight and red insert front. It comes in a wooden presentation, green felt lined box with areas fitted to the gun/tools and with all the S&W tools with it.

It would be a model 29, but is apparantly too old to be marked that way. The S# is 171,xxx.

It is the perfect, deep S&W blue but for these exceptions. There is SLIGHT blue wear on the sides of the muzzle and on the forward, square corner of the front of the frame and it has a cylinder turn line. Otherwise, just as when it was born. Beautiful.

Since this is a friend who wants to sell and ME who wants to buy, what would you guys suggest as a price to be fair to the both of us! THANKS!

 

[P90shooter]

I did a quick search on gunbroker and found a 29 classic in .44 with the 8 3/8 bbl and that guy is asking $675. Truefully not a bad price IMO. Like you said this is a friend but always remember that its still business. I would probably offer $500 to start and let him counter. Work from there. Good luck and happy shooting!

 

[Jst1mr]

It would be a model 29, but is apparantly too old to be marked that way

.

I do not in any way pretend to be an expert or S&W historian, but I was unaware that S&W ever produced a .44 Mag that was NOT called a Model 29, (unless it was an EK prototype), though I may be wrong. ????

 

[Shade00]

The Pre-Model 29 was introduced in 1956. It was not stamped Model 29, as S&W had not begun model # stamping yet. Four screw pre-29s began shipping in 1957, and the serial # matches that. The 8 3/8" barrel length seems unusual and I would assume scarcer than the 6 1/2" and 4" barrels. In that condition, I would estimate you could get over $2k from a collector, considering it still has the presentation case.

 

[JCMAG]

Shade00 is right on the money. Pre-29s are hemorrhaging money right now on the online auction sites.

Like P90 said, offer him 500 bucks to start. Work your way up to a thousand if you can afford it.

With some wear, I'd reckon you could net a 500 dollar profit at one grand. That's assuming you'd sell it A thousand dollar shooter is a little stiff when you could get about the same thing (perhaps with the improved screw at model 29-1) for 1/3 as much.

It's up to you, chief. Either way you slice it, opportunity is knocking.

 

[Majic]

perhaps with the improved screw at model 29-1

What improved screw?

 

[Jst1mr]

Is there a possibility this gun has been re-barreled? I know that sounds funny, but I understand the wooden box came somewhat later than this serial, plus I have only heard of 4 and 6.5" barrels until 1958 or thereabouts, which wouldn't match the serial...just curious...