Smith and Wesson has brought back the Model 29

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The Real Hawkeye

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I have an original, but I think it's a great trend at Smith and Wesson to bring back classics. I think they'd have even greater success with their classic revivals if they'd just leave the key lock off the classic remakes. Still nice that people can buy a real Model 29 again. I hope it doesn't negatively effect the value of all the original Model 29s out there. Even if it did, I have to say it's a good trend at Smith and Wesson, and I hope they keep it up.
 
My understanding is that the 29 they are producing is an anniversary gun (I think they're commenorating the birth of the .44 mag). The ones I've seen online have the 6.5 barrel I want, but the company logo is gold plated. I'll have to look at one in person to decide for sure, but that gold emblem may be a deal killer. I'm surprised they didn't realize that with the 21TR.
 
SouthpawShootr said:
My understanding is that the 29 they are producing is an anniversary gun (I think they're commenorating the birth of the .44 mag). The ones I've seen online have the 6.5 barrel I want, but the company logo is gold plated. I'll have to look at one in person to decide for sure, but that gold emblem may be a deal killer. I'm surprised they didn't realize that with the 21TR.
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That's exactly how I feel. Who the hell wants a gold plated logo on there revolver is beyond me.
 
SouthpawShootr said:
My understanding is that the 29 they are producing is an anniversary gun (I think they're commenorating the birth of the .44 mag). The ones I've seen online have the 6.5 barrel I want, but the company logo is gold plated. I'll have to look at one in person to decide for sure, but that gold emblem may be a deal killer. I'm surprised they didn't realize that with the 21TR.
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My prediction is that only the commemorative version will have the gold. It will sell so well, I think (though not to me) that they will heed all the calls for a standard version without the gold, and that will sell even better. I don't see this S&W trend towards a return to classic designs from their past going away. It seems to be, in fact, the beginning of a juggernaut at this point, and I'm glad of it.
 
I used to have one (Dirty Harry Special) sold it in tuff times
Wish I had it back now
 
I tend to agree with Lone Gunman. That hole on the side kinda spoils the nostalgia. I'm sure they'll still sell well, though, which is fine by me. S&W, to their credit, is introducing more new stuff now than they have in a while, and their customer service still kicks butt.
 
Mulliga said:
I tend to agree with Lone Gunman. That hole on the side kinda spoils the nostalgia. I'm sure they'll still sell well, though, which is fine by me. S&W, to their credit, is introducing more new stuff now than they have in a while, and their customer service still kicks butt.
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I wonder how much a custom gunsmith would charge to cut out a neat little circle around that hole and replace it with a perfectly fitting piece of polished steel, make the seams almost invisible, then reblue the whole thing? Really doesn't sound like that expensive a proposition. Wouldn't be surprised if some smart gunsmith out there starts doing that as one of his special services.

To cover himself from liability, this smart gunsmith could create a new lock which would go under the gun's grip stocks, and he could provide a new set of stocks with a hole in one panel. Naturally, the customer is then free to either ditch the new stock with the hole and replace them with the original factory grips or, even better, he can replace them with vintage S&W N-Frame Magna Grips like mine below.
attachment.php

Either way, he can entirely forget the new key lock is there, out of sight out of mind. Even better, before replacing the grips with the hole, he could even permanently deactivate the replacement grip-frame key lock system by filing down the internal tooth/teeth in the lock.

All of this is far preferable to the current system. In fact, if Smith and Wesson was smart, they'd switch to the lock in the grip-frame and use stocks with a hole which can be replaced by stocks without a hole at the customer's choosing. That one's on me, Smith and Wesson.
 

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The Real Hawkeye said:
I wonder how much a custom gunsmith would charge to cut out a neat little circle around that hole and replace it with a perfectly fitting piece of polished steel, make the seams almost invisible, then reblue the whole thing? Really doesn't sound like that expensive a proposition. Wouldn't be surprised if some smart gunsmith out there starts doing that as one of his special services.
Smith and Wesson.
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Sounds like a lot of work, why not just find a vintage model 29 if it bothers someone that much. Myself I don't see a new S&W in my future. Not when you can still find such nice ones from the late 60s and early 70s.
 
I'm with Lone Gunman. If it has that lock in the side it's not going to be in my house.

Thankfully, there are still plenty of old Smith's out there that the current company can't screw up.

As for filling the hole and re-blueing it. I think you would be much better off to pay a premium for an original rather than buy the new one and drop $X on making it the way it should be.
 
Ohen Cepel said:
I'm with Lone Gunman. If it has that lock in the side it's not going to be in my house.

Thankfully, there are still plenty of old Smith's out there that the current company can't screw up.

As for filling the hole and re-blueing it. I think you would be much better off to pay a premium for an original rather than buy the new one and drop $X on making it the way it should be.
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What about S&W putting the locks in the grip frames, invisible except for a small hole in one stock panel, which panels can then be replaced at the owner's discretion, making the lock 100% invisible? Don't you think sales would be improved by that approach, without sacrificing liability protection for S&W? Customers, even if they replaced the stocks, would still have the ability, if they chose, to activate the lock for long term storage by removing one panel and using the key.
 
This is the cover gun in the current American Handgunner. Lots of photos, but Roy Huntington's accompanying article -- to be blunt -- is lame. They didn't even let him shoot the gun, yet he went ahead and made it the cover piece! No data, just a bunch of content-free advertising for S&W. The better thing to do would have been to hold off on an article until you can tell readers whether the thing will shoot.

Anyhow: I can tolerate the lock, though I sympathize with all of the complaints voiced in this thread. What I can't tolerate is the honking gold logo on the right sideplate of the gun. Looks ridiculous. Unless S&W offers the commemorative 29 with an optional plain blue sideplate (as they apparently did for the Model 21-4 "Thunder Ranch Special"), it's no sale.

S&W: please lay off the huge, ugly logos. Jeez. From the .44 "Thunder Ranch Special," disfiguring Clint Smith's original fine concept, to the hypertrophied "TACTICAL Smith & Wesson" logos on the slides of their current 3d gen autos, to the dumb "S&W 1911" billboard messing up the early 1911s, to this weird sunflower plastered on the M29, S&W is harming good guns at every turn with ugly, superfluous logos.

The new M22 Thunder Ranch revolver in .45 ACP is billboard-free, and looks great. S&W also wised up with the 1911s and toned them down to a much more tasteful design. They need to extend this thinking across the board.
 
P. Plainsman said:
This is the cover gun in the current American Handgunner. Lots of photos, but Roy Huntington's accompanying article -- to be blunt -- is lame. They didn't even let him shoot the gun, yet he went ahead and made it the cover piece! No data, just a bunch of content-free advertising for S&W. The better thing to do would have been to hold off on an article until you can tell readers whether the thing will shoot.

Anyhow: I can tolerate the lock, though I sympathize with all of the complaints voiced in this thread. What I can't tolerate is the honking gold logo on the right sideplate of the gun. Looks ridiculous. Unless S&W offers the commemorative 29 with an optional plain blue sideplate (as they apparently did for the Model 21-4 "Thunder Ranch Special"), it's no sale.

S&W: please lay off the huge, ugly logos. Jeez. From the .44 "Thunder Ranch Special," disfiguring Clint Smith's original fine concept, to the hypertrophied "TACTICAL Smith & Wesson" logos on the slides of their current 3d gen autos, to the dumb "S&W 1911" billboard messing up the early 1911s, to this weird sunflower plastered on the M29, S&W is harming good guns at every turn with ugly, superfluous logos.

The new M22 Thunder Ranch revolver in .45 ACP is billboard-free, and looks great. S&W also wised up with the 1911s and toned them down to a much more tasteful design. They need to extend this thinking across the board.
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I agree.
 
Father Knows Best said:
How about going one better, and making the integral lock completely hidden under the grip panels? You don't have any way of knowing it's there unless you remove the grip panels. That's what Ruger did with the New Vaquero model introduced last year.
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I had actually thought of that too, but figured they wouldn't go for it. Didn't know that Ruger did that. What a shame, though, that we have to be even having his discussion. I thought the new Federal Legislation against frivolous law suits aimed at gun companies was going to put a stop to all this nonsense. For gosh sake, just throw a cheap pad lock in the box when you sell the guns if you feel you need a cover for a lawsuit. Don't ruin these nice guns. What a shame. I wonder if we will ever return to sanity on this issue.
 
The Real Hawkeye said:
What about S&W putting the locks in the grip frames, invisible except for a small hole in one stock panel, which panels can then be replaced at the owner's discretion, making the lock 100% invisible?
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How about going one better, and making the integral lock completely hidden under the grip panels? You don't have any way of knowing it's there unless you remove the grip panels. That's what Ruger did with the New Vaquero model introduced last year.
 
The Real Hawkeye said:
Wow, that's wierd. How'd I quote you before you even made the post? :uhoh: Can anyone say Twilight Zone.
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That is very weird.
 
At least Taurus was smart enough to put it on the hammer so one could replace the hammer if you wanted.

Or, as mentioned, Ruger put it under the grip.

About the dumbest idea I have seen thus far is S&W's!! I just don't get what they were thinking. I think a smart high school kid really could have come up with a better answer than cutting a hole into the frame for something that doesn't need to be there in the first place.
 
Well... if this is a 'Commemorative' of some sort, I *think* it's exempt from the lock obligation...

Colt leaves the Rube Goldberg 'safety' out of its Classic stuff... and Daisy BB Guns didn't have that latterday lawyer stuff on their Pump Model 'Classic'...

So... maybe we're off the hook here. Would like to see one in person.

Have to say... the lock bothers me waaaaaay more than the foolish golden logo.

StrikeEagle
 
I found an old stainless one, not bright, looked like a 6" barrel, partial underlug, square butt, no lock, pin on the hammer, in a pawn shop today... been fired for sure, but barrel looks good... I'm not buying it because I just can't... but is $499 in the ballpark for one of the older ones? No idea what "dash" it is, didn't think to look... if I get a chance to swing by there tomorrow, I'll look...
 
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