Another excellent book written by the factory Historion Roy Jinks is also shown and I have it as well and I highly suggest it as a Great choice.
Here is a direct link to the Factory letter I spoke of and the Excellent reference book the Poster before me mentions that can be ordered from your computer and shipped to your front door. I've been trying to date this revolver but have been unable to using the serial number. Going by the Blue Book of Gun Values it is 98 or better condition. Some models are not as fast selling as others and although a reference book shows serial numbers and list's years when they shipped, it can only be considered a general idea of that model as I have seen some that shipped several years after these books show them to due to a less Popular status or demand for them. I purchased a Smith and Wesson Model 19-5, blue, 6' barrel with a Patridge front sight, from a pawn shop for 485 out the door. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 4.0 additional terms may apply. It remained primarily the province of some handgun enthusiasts. There were a number of custom calibers that were more powerful, as in the old Howdah pistols of the 19th century. The Only True way to know when your gun was shipped from the factory is to apply for a Factory letter. The Smith & Wesson Model 29 is a six-shot.
I see another responder has Pointed out an excellent source of S&W serial numbers and it will provide many hours of good reading on all the different models they made and make.