Go easy guys, this is my very first Registered (non) Magnum. It has a 3 1/2 barrel, nickel finish, and humpback hammer.

I know the finish is not original, but everything else looks to be. It came to me through a friend. It is rumored to have been carried by a detective in Dallas, TX.

I have it paired with a very nice S.D. Myers floral carved holster and a vintage pair of Boxer Patent knuckles......It looks like I am all set for a BBQ







There are no factory service marks under the stocks. I did find the B stamp, which means that likely it was a blued gun when it was new.

The front sight is a Baughman ramp perched atop a King base.

The stocks number to the gun and show more wear on the right hand panel. I take that to mean that the detective was right handed.

I have been looking for a short barreled RM that I could shoot and enjoy. I think that this one fits the bill....what do you guys think?

*** Letter from Roy Jinks arrived today - Gun shipped to City of University Park, Dallas, TX 9-9-1940. It shipped blue, 3.5" with Magna stocks - the letter did not say anything about the hammer.....I guess that I will need to drop Roy a note and see what he says. Still VERY happy to have another Texas LEO gun in the stash

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On the Oak Savannah

I love it!!! Congrats on a real nice non RM! It sure would look fine wearing blue too

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USAF AMMO

What an interesting package! It sure it's got some stories. Clean all original pieces are certainly nice but it's kind of sad to feel you can't or shouldn't use them. It's great to know you plan to shoot your new RM. Modifications/alterations aren't always a bad thing, at least if their done well and work, or relate to the provenance.
Do you think the front sight is original, or would that have to be lettered to know for sure?
Those knuckles are fearsome looking! Makes one wonder about the "serious business" this RM might have seen.

Thanks for sharing,
Jim
PS: that humpback hammer is great looking!

Looks a whole lot better than the cell phone pics I saw. Really impressive rig. Did you check for the date in SCSW?

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Randy
Provenance nerd

It looks great and will make a great shooter. Nice find. Mike 2796

Go easy?? We love it!!

Oh my gosh! What's not to like... short barrel, pre-war magnum, Humpback hammer and numbers matching magna's. "I'll take it"....or at least I will if I ever run into one. Plus, it's not a safe queen (huge plus as I see it) which means you can shoot that bad boy and enjoy. I've got an ole RM that I'll be taking to the range this tuesday for the first time since acquiring it. I'm already grinning. The only reason I haven't rubbed any finish off of mine from fondeling is because there's not much finish left.

Roger

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Eph 2:8-9

Is it a Reg. non-mag. or a non reg. mag. or a reg. mag.???? Inquiring minds need to know...
JIM...............

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SWCA # L-1911

That apple pie shine is some GOOOOOD stuff eh Jim?

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On the Oak Savannah

Awesome gun!! I'm extremely envious, Congrats!

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Paul
SWCA #2864

Very cool, Scott! But you know, Dallas is more my stomping grounds than yours. Maybe it would feel more at home in my hands.

We all love seeing the pristine guns of the collectors but this is a gun I could really wrap my hand around. Congrats and enjoy,

Now, that thar is a dandy........

I like the revolver, holster & the knucks too, just my style.


.

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"IN GOD WE TRUST"

That's a fine looking rig, all the better you can shoot it!

Great looking gun.

That fine old revolver and holster look like they were made for each other. Congratulations on a great acquisition.

Sweet outfit, although with the shape my hands are in the knucks would have to serve me only as a paperweight.

I'm not even that fond of nickel-finished guns, but that's a beauty.

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Oh well, what the hell.

Thanks for all the compliments guys.......I have just gotten off the phone with my dad, who chastised me for the lack of a range report.

I will be taking it out back to see what it will do on the steel plates. The range report will be forthcoming

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On the Oak Savannah

Look forward to the update. Hope it includes more photos of that sweet S&W!

OK - well, we all know that happiness is a warn pile of brass..... but, I think that the first pile with a new and very special gun is just dandy

I ran a box of handloaded 158 gr PHP (pentagon hollow point) with 5.3gr SR4756 through. It was mild shooting and hit dead center and just a hair to the right (shooter error) I corrected my finger placement on the trigger and got dead center.

Second through the gun was a full box of Remington Golden Sabre 125gr (the only real factory Magnum roads available on short notice) It was off the steel at 25 feet....I guess the old magnum needs 158 grains to be happy.

I will be cleaning the NRM today and trying to figure out what I need to do to replicate the original 1930's era 357 magnum to get it hitting exactly where the sights lay.

I did add a Tyler adapter as my big mitts just don't work well with the pre-war magnas very well.

This old NRM is a shooter for sure. I'll be sure to post my results of load development as I have them (and free time to tinker). If anyone has some favorite loads for 158gr LSWC and SR4756 I would love to hear them.



And, YES, it was FUN to get an old gun dirty.....I look forward to a thorough cleaning this afternoon.

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On the Oak Savannah

Nice update to the thread Fireman! Congrats on this real beauty and thanks for sharing it with us here.

Exceptional S&W and rig – congratulations!

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John
S&WCA Life Member

that sure is one sweet gun, im turning green w/envy. the gun, holster & that knuckle duster sure make one heck of a package, congrats. and btw go all the way, 15.2 grains 2400, hardcast swc and you have the original 357 loading, that gun needs to shoot some of what it was built to shoot.

lots of win in that first picture.
Even though it's been refinished, that's a great gun and I'd be proud to have it.

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Rick
SWCA #2727 , SWHF #435

Very nice package! I've been looking for something similar, but no success so far. BTW, considering what they're worth these days, I'd take those pre-War magnas off and put on some less expensive shoes for shooting.

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Guy
SWHF #474 SWCA LM#2629

You're probably right. Every Pre-war .357 I've owned shot its best using a 158gr bullet.

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John
S&WCA Life Member

Scott,
Bring that thing to San Antonio next week, I'll trade you for a shooter grade pre 27...We will talk about how much $$ you will need to throw in.

Yea, and you'll probably want his father to throw in the Austin PD Heavy Duty to make the trade...

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Randy
Provenance nerd

ringo and quinn......you two are going to be the death of me yet....next you will want a Jovino thrown in for good measure

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On the Oak Savannah

Guy,

Those magnas have loads of miles on them already.....I don't think that the gun would have anywhere near the same character if I put Pachmyers on it.....come to think of it, that may be good cause for hanging here in TX

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On the Oak Savannah

You need some H110 or 2400 to make real .357 158gr Loads...Good Luck finding it though!

Letter from Roy arrived - details in first post

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On the Oak Savannah

AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Missed this first time around.....glad I saw it now. Glad to see another like my Reg mag. #40....3.5" gun carried for plainclothes work by serious lawmen of the day. Awesome stuff.

Nyeti - my father has started me down the road to acquiring LEO guns. For a long time I was put off by the wear tear and sometimes abuse that I saw on cop guns.....now I am finding beauty in the holster worn finish and softened diamonds on the stocks. Don't get me wrong, there are a lot of used and abuse guns at the hands of law enforcement officers - they are not all 'gun guys (or gals)'.

I am finding that the history connection is as much of a draw to these firearms as the high level of manufacturing skill and craftsmanship of days past.

I can say for certain that I would rather shoot a pre-war Smith & Wesson over anything produced in the 1980's forward.

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On the Oak Savannah