On November 1, 1938 a new .357 Registered Magnum, Serial# 57091, Reg# 4215, was shipped from the Smith and Wesson factory to George W. Pratt at the Santa Fe Railroad Station in Wanette, Oklahoma. The revolver was shipped with a 5.5" barrel equipped with a Marble ivory bead front sight, medium U notch rear sight, blue finish, hump back hammer, and checkered walnut Magna grips. Prior to shipment it was sighted in as requested at 20 yards with .38 Special ammunition using a dead center hold, and it was billed to Mr. Pratt at the police price of $43.64.
George W. Pratt was born in Missouri on May 8, 1871. He made his livelihood in Missouri as a farmer. Sometime prior to 1920 he moved to Eason, Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma where he continued to farm. In 1925 he landed a job working for the U. S. Postal Service as a Mail Messenger and Carrier in nearby Wanette, Oklahoma. Wanette is a very small town with a population of 350 (as of 2010.) During the territorial era Belle Star and Cole Younger were said to have frequented the area. The population of Wanette peaked in the 1920's/1930's near approximately 800 when cotton and the Wanette-Asher oil field supported the economy. Mr. Pratt continued to work as a Mail Messenger in Wanette through the 20's and 30's. Apparently Wanette was still a little on the wild side during this era, for on October 3, 1938 Mr. Pratt wrote a letter to Smith and Wesson stating that he needed a gun for protection of the U. S. Mail and asking for the lowest price on a new .357 Magnum. On October 5, 1938 Smith and Wesson offered Mr. Pratt the special police price of $43.64 and he subsequently placed his order for a new .357 Magnum on October 10, 1938. As stated above, the gun was shipped to him on November 1, 1938. Mr. Pratt continued to work as a Mail Messenger in Wanette until 1947 when he retired after some 22 years of service at the age of 76! (makes me feel a little guilty being retired at the age of 71). He lived on in retirement in Wanette until February 12, 1962.
Mr. Pratt's Registered Magnum was surely a prized possession and he must have carried it with great care. With the exception of several minor corrosion spots it remains in exceptional original condition, probably rating 97% considering the light pitting, and exactly as configured when it left the factory. I have been able to match it up with an original and correct blue picture box (medium size Type 2 with picture showing the Registered Magnum wearing Magna grips) as well as a proper sight adjusting tool (SAT), an original “Caution Sheet,” “Helpful Hints” brochure, and “Material and Workmanship Guarantee” slip. I have not been able to uncover any stories of where Mr. Pratt might have used his Magnum to protect the mail. The revolver never got far from Wanette as I purchased it just last month from a gun shop in Ada, Oklahoma which is about 30 miles from Wanette. (As a side note Ada is where the notorious "Killin Jim Miller" was hung by vigilantes in 1909).
I may shoot the gun a time or two - very carefully. I must say that the 5.5" barrel balances and points very naturally, and the ivory bead is very easy to acquire against a dark background.
Below are some pictures supporting the above story; click on them to enlarge. Hope you enjoy.
