I bought a "registered magnum"!!

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Peter M. Eick

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Ok, I do not have it in my sweaty little hands yet, but I am truly excited about it. To me this is the "holy grail" of handgun collecting, and I never expected to get one.

Now for the so-so news. Its a factory refinished,,,,, SIGH!!!!!!! But at least it was an S&W re-finish. All parts match serial numbers and the frame is stamped with the REG-XXXX number. It does not have a box nor does it have the actual registration papers.

Now back to the good news. The bore is bright, the finish is very nice and the action is tight. Humpbacked hammer and it should be on its way to me on Monday (already paid for and FFL is FED-EX-ed already.

So, to all of you S&W experts out there any advice or comments on this guy? I am going to go shoot it next week and intend upon using it a lot. I mean come on its a registered and that screams out to be shot. It and its other kin in the safe will be photographed and posted next week when I can.

I can tell you it will be in good company. See below:

n_frames.jpg


Pre-27 357 Magnum
pre-28 Highway Patrolman
38/44 Outdoorsman (my current favorite)
 
Congratulations, Peter! I always liked those guns that you show in the pic as well as the holy grail "RM." Kickin little dudes with those wooden Magna grips, though! :eek: :)
 
I'd love to get my hands on a pre-27 5 screw like you've got in the top of that picture....

Reason being I want a nice sibling to match my 38/44 Outdoorsman that is identical to the one you have in that same picture.

Your 38/44 appears to be in excellent shape too, mine is a darn fine shooter.
 
When I take the picture with the registered I will do it with all of the magnas on board so it looks "period".

My 38/44 outdoorsman is my favorite, but frankly it is the hardest worn. It is a 95% gun that has a fair amount of muzzle blueing wear. I really want to upgrade it to a 98% one someday. It is also the one I shoot the best. Someone else wore it in so to speak.

My Pre-27 had a barely noticeable turn line prior to my first day at the range. I would guess based upon the turn line it had only been shot less then 50 rnds. The problem then is I basically have a 50 year old gun that has to be broken in. This is nice to have, but as I shoot it, I keep thinking of the nice soft smooth 38/44 verses the sort of rough Pre-27. Don't get me wrong though. Calling my pre-27 trigger rough is relative. Compared to a 80's model 66 I shot once it felt like slicing through butter, just comparing it to a worn in 38/44 outdoorsman it was rough!

I just can't wait to get the registered though. I have an expert in Smith's coming down to help evaluate it with me. TUESDAY seems so far away!!!!!!!
 
When S&W first started making the 357 they made The Magnum and they made a number of them to order and while doing so they registered them, with a number and letter specifing so. There were 5224 registered magnums and around 1400 magnums made between 1935 and 1939. NIB they are worth around $2500......
 
The .357 Magnum, as it was originally called, was a special order item. The purchaser had a choice of any barrel length from 3½" to 8¾" in ¼" increments. A choice of 2 triggers, 2 hammers, 7 front sights, blue or nickle finish and several different grips. A total of 21,528 different varriations were possible.

A Registration Certificate showing all options as well as the purchaser's name was numbered to match the gun. An original certificate increases the worth of the gun about $500.
 
If I could have found an NIB for $2500 I would not have bought what I did. Most of the really nice ones I have seen with the appropriate papers start in the range of $4500 and up. I recently read over on the S&W forum that one rare barrel length with all of the paperwork intact went for more then $10,000 or there-abouts.

Most of the un-refinished beaters I have seen recently were in the $1500+ range. Let me add that when I mean beater, I mean serious <50% BEATER!

Anyway, I just pray and hope it is as good as the seller says (and he has a very good reputation)!
 
Holy

Shhhhh...eepdip, Peter! What a find! Even though its been factory refinished, I think that you have a winner! ( You lucky stiff!)

Very nice!

Scott
 
I just made a quick search of the auction sites and some of the better interent gun dealers. I found only ONE Registered magnum for sale and that is mine.

I would have liked to find one of the nice ones on auction to show what a good one goes for but no luck in the last 5 minutes!

Good news, I found some on bid.

http://armsbid.com/Prices1396.htm

Nice Registereds like what I was after went for between 3000 and 5000$.
That was without the paperwork and in somecases without the box. Needless to say that was a bit out of my league right now. Maybe if I win the lottery!
 
Well it's not a Registered Magnum but...

My local dealer has a pre-27 in the case
5" barrel
#S2010xx making it late 1954.
Bright shiny bore.
All chambers great.
Bank Vault tight. NO cylinder play.
No topstrap cutting.
Slight blueing wear on right edge of muzzle.
Plain serrated ramp front sight.
.265" trigger, .400" hammer.
Original diamond magna grips. (one small [¾'] very light scratch on bottom)

I'd give it a strong 95-98%.
 
Peter...

Congratulations on a great find!

A great measure of the importance of this find is that Tamara claims to be insanely jealous of you while most of us here are insanely jealous of HER and her collection!

I look forward to seeing a pic of the expanded family.
 
BluesBear, that sounds like a strange gun....

Did S&W actually make 27s without checkered top straps? Seems like a 38/44 Outdoorsman frame more than a frame that would go with something like the 27s.

Sounds like it would be a cool gun, hell if it had a 6 1/2 inch barrel I'd be real keen on it as I am just so smitten with my 38/44 Outdoorsman.
 
i passed on a pre war non reg mag much rarer but not as desirable for 650.. it was 4inches but lettered as a 6.5... had a Kings mirror sight and looked like that Kings did the chop work as well... probly worth it as a shooter but it had seen better days.
 
AH.... You meant flame cutting by the forcing cone.... I was thinking the other side of the top strap...

Hey, I get up early for work so ya kinda gotta slap me around a bit to make me pay attention.
 
Thanks for the info. After i asked this what excatly was the registered magnum i started reading John taffins Bigbore sixguns and it was in there.
 
Well it is not looking good to get it tomorrow! DA**!!!!!!

It does not look like fed ex got the signed FFL there in time for the pickup to make it for tomorrows delivery. I will know for sure in about another hour. I guess I have to sweat it out till wednesday.

It will give me time tonight to put the magnas back on my other N-frames for a picture. I guess that will be my comfort. Cleaning and oiling all of the rest of my 5-screw N-frame 38/357s.......

SIGH.........
 
Peter (and others who are interested)

Go to: www.armsbid.com

They recently had an auction that featured vintage and classic Smith & Wesson's. A small number of registered .357 Magnums were included, along with .38/44's, Triple Locks, etc. both boxed and unboxed.

The excellent pictures from the auction catalog as well as the realized prices are still posted.

Real fans will need someone to hold their hand during this experience.
 
Yeah I wanted that 6.5" registered they have right now, but to rich for my blood. Maybe next year! My one comment is his price ranges are very low to what prices he actually gets for the guns..


I want my registered!!!!!!!
 
Tamara,

Speaking of 5 screws...

Are you interested in a .38 Special Hand Ejector Model 1905 3rd change TARGET ?

circa 1910
About 80% with very, very old aftermarket grips.
6" barrel
Bore is 100%.
Lockup is great.
Action is like buttah.
:D

If you're interested PM me.
 
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