On the fence about buying this

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Alte Schule

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Model 29 S&W. $800 plus tax. Some very minor holster wear and noticeable turn ring. Locks up nice and tight. Doesn't rattle. I would say mid 90's manufacture date.
My dilemma is this. I have a 629 stainless and have been looking for a blue steel Model 29 for awhile now. The person selling me this has always been pretty fair when selling me something that's not in his store inventory (private sale) but I'm thinking he's about $100 above what it is actually worth. I've gone on line to a few auction sites and other places trying to find the same revolver with the same grips but had no luck so I figure I'd put it on here and hopefully get a consensus from you S&W fans.
The other thing is that I've also been looking at a new Model 29 4" from Smiths "Classic" line. $850 plus tax. Blue with wood grips which I prefer. So should I get the older model or new model. I believe the older model may increase in value over the years but that's not why I want it. I want a shooter not a safe queen.
Just to let you know I have several Smith and Wesson revolvers. Mostly "pinned" models but two or three manufactured in the last 20 years.
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Given that, I think I would go for the classic. I have a half dozen 629's (15 - 25 yrs old), a 329 and a 29 and I mostly shoot the newer ones keeping the older ones for value.
 
I would never buy the "classic." It's not a "classic;' it's just a copy. With a lock.

That's a superb looking gun, however, the 629s go for around 800 up here with the Redhawks running about 900. Then again, I never see blued guns going for more than $50 under the price of a stainless.

If you've been looking for a blued 29 for a while, and this one is in such great condition, I'd go ahed and buy this one. The price won't be going down, and we're only talking about a 100 bucks.
 
I bought one classic & that's the last one for me, one & done. Only because it is the only S&W magnum I own
that isn't accurate with any factory or reload ammo.
Model 29-?, that makes a difference to me.
If it had wood Target Grips & Target Hammer & Target Trigger I would buy it, but I have never been a fan
of rubber grips, mostly in a magnum.
I don't buy new S&W revolvers only old ones so I guess I wasted your time, unless you hold out for an
old 29-2 TT-TG-TH from 6" to 8". My advice is hold out, wait.
 
I would go for the older one over a Classic in a heartbeat. It is almost 100% guaranteed that the older 29 will appreciate in value and so far the used Classic models I've seen are selling for $100-150 less than new ones which only makes sense because they are still made. You didn't state which dash the 29 is, but $800 is not a steal but a fair price in my part of the woods. You can buy a nice set of wood grips for $50 and up depending on what you want. Altamont sells some really nice Wood Grips for a bargain price in my opinion. I think their prices start at around $39-49 and you can go all the way up to a Set of Original S&W Cokes and pay $500, but I wouldn't let the rubber grips stope me from buying a nice gun. BTW, the Older Model doesn't have that ugly ass hole in the side either. I've shot some of the newer models with the lock and I'll be the first to say it does not affect the gun one bit, but it is just so butt ugly. It destroys the look of a nice gun.
 
Don't think too hard on this. The prices are fair, both new and used. You might be able to find a better deal, but if price (money) is the issue, buy used, it is more collectible and more likely to appreciate. If that's not the goal, then the difference is $50 dollars, get the one which appeals to you more. If you like the idea of unused new production (assuming no issues which need to be corrected at the factory), and the lock isn't an issue, there's your choice. If nostalgia and the prospect of a well-cared for, nicely broken-in shooter has more appeal, get it. You're not getting the deal of the century, but you won't get hurt financially either way. Not a bad choice to have at all.
 
I wouldn't pay $800 for it. But then again, I hate most pachmayr grips with a passion.

Personally, I am through buying revolvers with pachmayr or Hogue grips for the kind of money that should include the original grips. It irks me to no end when people yank a set of wood grips worth $150-$200 off a gun, sells them on ebay or wherever, replaces them with the cheapest set of garbage pachmayrs they can find, then asks for book value.

If you are trying to sell me a gun that should have wood grips and you have a cheap set of rubber on it, any more I tell people trying that shenanigan, "book value minus $150 to replace the grips" or "no, its a 90% with the grips. You don't have the grips. 90% minus $150 for the cost to replace the original grips"

Then again, I don't have a M29, so whatever you are willing to pay for what you get.
 
Here ya go



The grips that come on them appear to be quite a bit thinner than the original wood grips on the older guns. Hickock starts talking about them at about the 6 minute mark, and you can see the difference is pretty big. Just something to keep in mind. May end up having to purchase different grips if you don't like them.
 
One thing I just notice about the Original Post. If it is a private sale, then why is he asking for tax? Also not sure if this is a Gun Shop or a Pawn Shop or any type other business, but I'm willing to bet there is room to negotiate. I'd offer 7 $100 bills OTD and see where it goes from there. At the worst, I'm betting he says $800 OTD and then you meet in the middle yada yada and it is a done deal. Dealers expect to be lowballed and while I try not to lowball someone, I am not afraid to negotiate. I recently went into a Pawn Shop and they had a nice Dan Wesson marked at $799. I asked the owner if he had any room and of course he said to make him an offer. I offered $400 OTD and the response was "its worth more than that". Might be to someone but its worth $400 to me and I'm standing here with cash in my pocket. I now have the gun and he has $400. That is a rare exception that someone would take that much less than its marked, but it doesn't hurt to make an offer. Worse thing that can happen is you get told no. If I was in the market for a nice Model 29, and $800 was the best he would do, I would probably buy the gun. You can always get your money back. Shoot it a while, keep it clean and don't mess it up and later if you decide to sell it, get your money back and look at the fun you had for free!!
 
Nice looking revolver, 3 t's.

I'd hold out for a 4" bbl'd 29. If you're dropping $800, get what you want. Got some hard earned wear on my 4" bbl'd 3 t's 29. As you can see I changed out the grips to a smaller wood grip for easier carry.
2G8nnTn.jpg

Cast up some different bullets to try in that 4" bbl'd 29. Left, a 235gr cupped hp & a 220gr huge round hp. Right (640), 265gr penta & round hp's. I've had that 232-640 hp mold for 3 or 4 years now, just never got around to testing that bullet in the 4" bbl'd 29. Looking for a +/- 1200fps load with that 265gr hp, should be a real thumper. Actually more interested in that 235gr cupped hp, looking for +/- 1300fps with it.
pSopPma.jpg

Too many good bullet, too much fun with a 4" bbl'd 29.
 
I'd offer 7 $100 bills OTD and see where it goes from there. At the worst, I'm betting he says $800 OTD and then you meet in the middle yada yada and it is a done deal.

I would take Eddietruett’s advice. Offer $700. I would go a step further and say “including tax” then work from there. ;)
 
My opinion, I would buy the used gun and use the $50 you save over the new production and put that towards a good set of suspenders.

As far as grips go unless you are buying a collectors item don't obsess over the grips. There are like a gazillion grip options out there. Again just my humble opinion.
 
I would never buy the "classic." It's not a "classic;' it's just a copy. With a lock.

That's a superb looking gun, however, the 629s go for around 800 up here with the Redhawks running about 900. Then again, I never see blued guns going for more than $50 under the price of a stainless.

If you've been looking for a blued 29 for a while, and this one is in such great condition, I'd go ahed and buy this one. The price won't be going down, and we're only talking about a 100 bucks.

Agreed. I'd buy a no lock gun in excellent condition over a brand new model every time.

The days of cheap used revolvers are gone. I paid $199 for a very nice P&R 19-4 back around 2005, $299 for a 65-3 shortly after. I bought my 686 no dash for $270 a year or two later, and paid $400 for a LNIB 586-4 around that time. Today, any of these guns would be $600-$800.

Offer $700. I would go a step further and say “including tax” then work from there. ;)

I'd do this. If you don't ask, the answer is always "no".
 
With a choice between that gun, and a new one and $50.00, I'd go with the new one, if only because I'd want a 4" barrel, and wood grips. All the things people don't like about the new guns, don't bother me a bit. YMMV.

I recently paid $750.00 for a 4", 629-4, factory grips that looks to be all but brand new. I'd expect a blue 29-2, with a 6" barrel and Pachmayr grips to be less.
 
Howdy

I will never buy one of the 'classic' Smiths.

I don't much mind the lock, I just don't like the idea of MIM parts. I know, they will hold up just as well as forged and machined parts, I just don't like them.

Another thing I don't like about the new Smiths is the stud pressed into the frame to retain the cylinder ( I drew an arrow to it on this photo of my 29-2 ) has been replaced by a ridge machined onto the frame. Yes, it works just as well as the stud, the reason it was replaced is it cost more to press the stud in than machine a ridge onto the frame.

Just personal, nothing truly scientific, just my opinion.

Model%2029-2%2001%20with%20arrow_zps8c1d3ttc.jpg




About the turn line, it is impossible for a S&W that has been fired much to not develop a turn line. Part of the design. If it checks out mechanically, a turn line on a Smith does not bother me at all.

P.S. My 29-2 wears the Oversized Target grips it came with. I like them just fine, they absorb recoil real well.
 
In reference to the cylinder stop, Driftwood's picture shows the old style stud quite well. Here's an example of the new system.

On my 19-9

20180628_1650450_zpsoxal33hg.jpg

Again, not something bothers me a bit, but I can understand why it does others. Shoot, I don't like a Glock for no particular reason. I just don't like them. :D
 
A Model 29, "the most powerful handgun in the world" :D

Like others in this thread have said, if you offered me a good condition no-lock used Smith or a brand new one in the same model, I'd take the used one every time. MIM parts don't bother me, the lock and general lack of QC on newer guns (from all manufacturers) do. You're getting the better gun for cheaper in this case, so I wouldn't even pay a second thought to the NIB one.

The gun looks to be in great shape, honestly. I personally haven't priced used Model 29s, but if a new (worse) one is $850 and he wants $800, I'd take it.
 
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