Smith Registered Magnum

[bikemutt]

I've been doing a bit of research into the Smith and Wesson "Registered Magnum", purportedly the progenitor to the model 27. From what I can tell the term has crept along and may still be associated with more modern .357 magnum variants like a 2007 one with the Lew Horton trademark.

Still, I hear some folks talk about the "Registered Magnum" as if it's a point-in-time trademark, the one that started it all kind of thing.

I wonder if some of the the S&W experts here would shed some light on the "Registered Magnum"?

Thanks, from an eager student of all things Smith (and Colt of course )

 

[savit260]

The Registered Magnum was the original .357 Magnum revolver. Hit the market around 1935 ish. It was also S&W Premier, top of the line revolver. The model 27 is it's direct descendant.


I believe Lew Horton did a run of modern "registered magnums" a few years back. A modern version of the 27. No mistaking it for an original one as it has the "Hillary Hole" on the side, and is an 8 shot.

 

[bikemutt]

Thanks savit260.

So, could I still buy an original Registered Magnum (RM) or were few enough made they are in the hands of collectors forever?

If I could buy one, would I want to? In other words, the model 27 is readily available, did Smith take more good than bad from the RM in order to produce the 27?

 

[steveno]

there was only about 6,000 or so made so if you want one bring a lot of money

 

[Dr.Rob]

At the time they cost well over what the average well paid worker made in a month in 1935. These are indeed collector's items made for only 4 years and 'replaced' with the 357 as a standard model in 1939. Wartime production of such civilian arms was greatly curtailed in favor of military weapons. So the 357, while introduced in 1935, was only available as a SW 'custom gun' or in a handful of Colt New Service revolvers until after WW2.

It's possible to find one you can still shoot, but you will pay a premium for it. (Found one for sale @ http://www.collectorsfirearms.com/admin/product_details.php?itemID=29311 ) Yes that's $4500

 

[savit260]

The way I understand it, the Registered Magnum was a factory custom type revolver. You could pick from a number of barrel lengths and sight options. The model 27 and pre-27's were more standardized, regular production guns, but still the "Cadillac" revolver of the S&W line.

You'll pay a substantial premium for a documented RM. You'll still have to give a large chunk O change for a nice Pre-27 of pre-war or post war vintage. Are they worth the difference in price from a newer 27? Only you can decide that. Even the later 27's were still very nice, and finely made premium revolvers. Now the Lew Horton version, IMO isn't in the same class with the original 27's pre- 27's and RM's.
The fit and finish is not nearly to the same standard.

 

[rcmodel]

Now the Lew Horton version, IMO isn't in the same class with the original 27's pre- 27's and RM's.

Neither is it a Registered Magnum, despite what they call it.

Here are some for sale if you want one:
http://www.collectorsfirearms.com/admin/product_details.php?itemID=18374
http://www.collectorsfirearms.com/admin/product_details.php?itemID=29311

rc

 

[X-Rap]

I can't imagine selling mine, I still need to get the history from the factory. I understand that a copy of the original certificate with specs is available as well as the purchaser which could make the value far above the sale prices if it was ordered by a notable individual.

 

[jim goose]

I think there was a kid in here who in inheirited one from his gramps, along with about 7 other mint, 99% in box S&W's. He gave it away for about 2k or something. Someone went down there in 24 hrs and bought them all cash. Verdict was it was a 3500 gun I think.

Pretty stupid. Check the Smith and Wesson site, lots of good stuff come up on there. Just dont lowball, they go quick.

 

[forindooruseonly]

I think there was a kid in here who in inheirited one from his gramps, along with about 7 other mint, 99% in box S&W's. He gave it away for about 2k or something. Someone went down there in 24 hrs and bought them all cash. Verdict was it was a 3500 gun I think.

Pretty stupid. Check the Smith and Wesson site, lots of good stuff come up on there. Just dont lowball, they go quick.

He had some awesome guns and tricked them off. Made me a bit sick inside to think that the grandfather left him those and that happened, but that's been discussed many times in various threads.

If nothing else, the kid didn't even get close to the money he could have.

 

[bikemutt]

Just for the record, I'm not looking to buy one, the selling price is most assuredly above my pay grade.

If we agree to divide things into say old and new, and we direct attention to old for sake of discussion, I see this transitional thing with Smith revolvers: the dash tells the story. History has resolved for us the zenith of the evolution of any particular model. I have in my mind that the 27-2 was, and is, the zenith of the old model Smith 27. That's to say preceding guns were on their way to becoming a 27-2, subsequent dash models eschewed the pinnacle model's attributes, started in a new direction, perhaps because the accountants got hold of the purse, the series declined. Until the new model commenced, maybe.

I could certainly be wrong about my bell curve scenario suggested above, and it's not meant to insult any model.

From what I've read so far though, purely from a shooting gun perspective, the Registered Magnum is perhaps more famous for it's rarity than it's innate properties as a .357 magnum handgun.

 

[rcmodel]

You are right.

Perhaps the average S&W .357 made in 2011 on CNC by unskilled labor, is more accurate then any .357 S&W Registered Magnum made 80 years ago by old machinists on worn out manually operated mills and lathes.
And assembled by old fitters with files, stones, and babbitt block hammers.
And polished and finished by guys who died from the lung disease or cancer they got from their line of work.

In fact todays guns are more accurate. And stronger too.

But to me, that doesn't make them nearly as valuable, desirable, collectible, or shootable.

rc

 

[forindooruseonly]

Well said rc.

BikeMutt, the 27-2 is a great gun, still P&R'd, still good finish, and it's what I own because I think it is the best .357 Smith I can afford right now. I would still rather have a Registered Magnum, but that is unrealistic for me. I think the 27-2 is a great compromise between still being built by skilled craftsmen, even if not at the level that the pre-war or immediate postwar stuff was, and the machinery of today. The guns today maybe be better, but at least the P&R 27-2 harkens back to a different era.

However, my 27-2 and the others I have handled don't have as smooth an action or as nice a finish it seems as the earlier 27s or "pre-27s", a term I use hesitantly. I feel the earlier .357s from the postwar era are better.

That's my .02 cents.

 

[Jim Watson]

Then there is the "Unregistered Magnum."
Sales were better than expected and they quit providing the certificate and original owner registration service. There were actually fewer Unregistered Magnums than Registered Magnums as WW II interrupted commercial sales, but they are not as valuable because Unregistered Magnum just doesn't sound as kewl as Registered Magnum.

 

[DM~]

When you want a quality fit and finish, the really old M-27's are the best of the best,



They close up like a bank vault, and you can "feel" the difference when you close one, and roll it over,



and the finely checkered top strap is beautifully done,



Mines very accurate and a pleasure to shoot,

DM

 

[clang]

For the most part engineering changes (the dashes) at S&W were to reduce cost in manufacture. My order of preference for quality is:

pre-war (WWII)>pre-numbered>>pinned & recessed>>>pre-lock>>>>>>post-lock

Some late 27-2s have been found not pinned and/or recessed. Neither really affects the quality of the gun, but they are nice touches. I also prefer the diamond grips of earlier guns.

 

[Handyguy]

Yes, They are like a Dan Wesson!!!! Beautiful.

 

[trex1310]

This is an unfired 6" M27-2 circa 1978:

 

[Peter M. Eick]

You need to have one like this to be a true Registered.



What happens is you fill out this form and after a while (only about 3 months) you would get your custom made revolver exactly to your specs. Mine is the 1939 Camp Perry Police Field Firing Match Prize. You can see how it was ordered out.



Here is your shipping order.

And finally the gun.



And here is what it can do.



50 shots, 15 yrds offhand.

I have a bunch of pre-27's. No comparison on the fit and finish. The Registereds are just that much better.

If you have the coin, get one. Great investment and lots of fun to shoot.

 

[forindooruseonly]

This thread is killing me. Now I want to sell some things off so I can buy a pre-27. That's a wonderful example Peter!

 

[CajunBass]

I knew I'd never be able to afford to get a registered magnum, so I had to settle for this..."The 357 Magnum" made in 1954.



Then I had this 27-2, from 1978 come along.



I haven't had a chance to shoot the 27-2, but the "pre-27" (for lack of a better term) is a good shooter with anything I've tried in it.

 

[splithoof]

My grandfather ordered his "Registered Magnum" in 1936. It has a 5" barrel, and is in really top shape. Being that he was totally anal about all kinds of paperwork, and a depression era packrat, he kept everything, and was smart enough to keep all the original mailing envelopes, factory box, correspondence, etc. Someday it will belong to my son, as it is a true family heirloom.
The only downside when my grandmother passed away was going through the MOUNTAINS of old paperwork such as grocery store sales slips, boxes of paper bags, cancelled checks over sixty years old, notes, wrappers, bills, etc., etc., on and on.....
Enough to fill a 40' connex.