With a little TLC

[CajunBass]

An ugly duckling, can become a swan.

I saw this Smith & Wesson Model 29 in the case not long ago. It looked pretty rough, and the price reflected that I thought. I put it on layaway for a few days before picking it up.

When I got it home, I wiped it down, then lightly Flitzed it, the applied a couple of coats of Renaissance Wax. To both the metal and the wood.

It doesn't look like new, but I think it looks a lot better. This gun was the victim of neglect more than use. It's as tight as the day they made it, and bore shines like a mirror. No idea why someone replaced the cylinder latch, and the stocks are from an earlier period, but I'm not a collector, so who cares.

Before and after. Yea, the lighting and angle are different but you can get a good idea.









Total time spent was about twenty, maybe thirty minutes. I might do a little more this weekend. Looks like bad weather on the way.

I just noticed in the "after" pictures you can't see any of the roll marks. I assure you, they're there, just the reflection washes them out.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

Nice clean up job! I'm guessing you got a nice shooter there, and if she has little collector value, like you said, who cares? There's collector guns, and there are shooters. Personally for me, a collector gun is just a gun I haven't taken to the range yet.

So all the guns I own, with the exception of an old pinfire, are collector guns............................. for about a day, maybe less.

 

[BWS]

With some mid level loads,these are really fun shooting DA.Love the 4" brrls.Have fun with your "new" 29!

 

[LoneGoose]

Nice gun. I like to plink with mine using .44 Spl and (because I reload) .44 Russian. Enjoy.

 

[CajunBass]

Most likely all I'll ever shoot in it will be 44 Special type loads. Paper doesn't take a lot of killing.

 

[Driftwood Johnson]

Howdy

Nice gun, but I think the thumb piece would have stopped me from considering buying it. Unless it was dirt cheap, and then I would probably be looking for a correct thumb piece.

Which is weird because I have some rifles and shotguns that are clearly parts guns, even my favorite Colt is a parts gun, but something about that thumb piece just jumps out at me.

But I hope you enjoy it.

 

[Blkhrt13]

I live seeing guns get made New and used well. Congrats on your score.

 

[CajunBass]

Howdy Nice gun, but I think the thumb piece would have stopped me from considering buying it. Unless it was dirt cheap, and then I would probably be looking for a correct thumb piece.

One is on the way.

 

[Driftwood Johnson]

Excellent!

 

[tallpaul]

what did ya give for the well neglected beast? I have a pristine one I grabbed several years back with no box for 500.00 I kicked myself for not grabbing a cleanused one up in the late 80's for 285.00 once.They do make great midrange 44 mag guns. The latch would not have bothered me on a user...

 

[Charliefrank]

Great find. My trail gun is a 4" 29.

 

[bannockburn]

CajunBass

Nice job of cleaning up your Model 29! I did the same thing with a couple of rough looking revolvers I got over the years. First one was a Single Six which was a gift from a friend of mine. He had used this revolver for years while he was running his trap lines. Looked the worse for wear but with some Hoppe's No.9, a little Flitz and a bit of elbow grease, and a new used set of grips, this old working man's gun cleaned up right nicely.



The other one was an older model Blackhawk which I got for a decent price mainly because it was a bit neglected and in need of some TLC as well. Again with the help of Hoppes and Flitz, I managed to bring some life back to the finish of this great revolver!