[GeneB]

The condition of the barrel & receiver match and the barrel pin doesn't have any hammer marks that would suggest it was ever replaced, so I would say it's probably original - there must have been an old barrel still in the 'bin' that finally got used. Very early 29-A's are sometimes found with an 'A' added that doesn't match the rest of the stamp and occasionally the 'A' will be missing on the barrel or receiver and there was one example with it missing on both, but your gun has to high a serial number to fit in with those observed examples.

I have a very early 29-A that has a large very thin font 'A' lightly stamped after the MODEL 29 on the barrel and the receiver just says MODEL 29, but it is obviously a 29-A action.

 

[GeneB]

I found a picture of my early 29-A's counter stamped barrel -

Here is the receiver stamp without an 'A', on these early ones with the added 'A' it will be smaller and not slanted like the rest of the lettering. The serial numbers appear to have started at 1000 and this one is just under 1050.

 

[GeneB]

Here is my 29B...with "AP" stamped on the leading edge of the receiver. No S/N.

DG

There is a date code though, on the barrel just in front of the receiver there should be a small stamp of a one or two digit number with a single letter in a circle - the letter is the date code starting with A=1949. The letters 'O' & 'Q' were supposed to have been skipped. Yours has the last type forearm & should be from the mid '50's or later.

 

[GeneB]

Conelrad, That's not it, the date stamp is on the top of the barrel just in front of the receiver - the letter is the date code. Here it is on one of mine, sometimes it will be more down the left side and sometimes they will not be stamped hard enough to read. This one has an 'S' = 1967

I also see that your gun was re-blued at one time, the lower rear of the receiver will often turn out with that 'plum' color if hot tank blued. Originally that part had a different finish than the rest of the metal parts and was probably a different type steel (for casting?) - it was a dull black that looked almost like paint and was not as durable as the rest, often you will find guns with much of it worn off while the rest of the gun still retains most of the blue. After seeing many times what can happen with attempts to re-blue these, my thoughts anymore are just to leave them the way you find them - gives them character, just like old blue jeans. Here's an example of the difference -

 

[GeneB]

Dennis, 4B would be 1950 and your gun has a forearm that was introduced in 1952, these stamps are sometimes hard to read, I think it is more likely an E or F for 1953 or 1954. They started grooving the receivers for scope mounts later in 1954 which is another indicator of year but your pictures do not show if your gun is grooved or not. Here's a link to a pictures showing changes in 29-B's with the years - http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps5d43013d.jpg

 

[GeneB]

The Model 29 was made into 1938 and based on observed serial numbers the production would have been around 51,000 which includes house brands. Ranger was a brand name for Sears & Roebuck. You are correct that the Stevens 75 was a version of the Model 29 action with some very minor differences that appear done to reduce production costs.

All early 29-A's I've observed have the old Model 29 stamp on the barrel with the -A looking like it was added.

The 29B was introduced in 1950 but did not get a grooved receiver until sometime in 1954. The catalog did refer to the grooved guns as the Model 29-G but you are correct that this was never stamped on the guns, they were still marked Model 29-B. Changes from the 29-A were the elimination of holes in the tang for a peep sight and the lower/rear receiver got a different finish from the rest of the receiver giving them a two tone look, it also appears to be a cheaper process with a dull matte look to it and seems to wear off much faster than the finish on other parts.

John, looking at the pictures of your gun I would leave it as is, I think it has 'character' the way it is and it looks like a refinish would not be able to cover all the problems. Refinished guns never look right to me, I don't mind an old gun looking old, some of the favorite guns I have are older guns with wear and aging.