I'm looking at a Kansas City Police Department Registered Magnum. It comes with a Jinks letter. The gun has been refinished (and subsequently worn to about 75%) and re-barreled with a newer 3 1/2" barrel. Correct numbered magna grips. Can any one give me a value? The gun seems to function as it should with some wobble in the cylinder. Any insight is appreciated.
Thanks

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Any pictures?????? They really help with condition ....... as one man's 75% is another's 85%

It's value is as a shooter only. $750?

Bill

Less than $1000...... that said I'd like to have it as a shooter!!!!!!

If no pitting...... someone might go higher as the basis of a "project gun"!

I'm in at $1,000.

That's a FIRM bid....am I still high?

As one who collects "collector grade guns" and "shooter grade guns", I would be interested in that gun in the $800 - $1,200 range - it is pretty rough, especially on the right side where the side plate has been so buffed on the edges that the seams are very evident and the whole of the "Made in USA" has been buffed off. However, if it functions well and the mechanics work, it would make a great addition to my "shooter grade" collection of N-Frame 357's... For some reason or another - I kind of like it...

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Richard
Engraved S&W fan

You have to look on it as how bad do you want a Registered Magnum and how much can you afford to pay. If you are happy with a shooter and the price is right get it. If you want a pristine gun just look some more and pay more. I don't know what it is offered at but kinda break it down in to the value of the parts. Grips $$, prewar hammer $$, 31/2 inch barrel $$, Prewar N frame rear sight $$ etc and see if the sum of the parts equals the selling price of the pistol. Recently I had two 3 1/2 in registered magnums, One was a factory rebuild from a 6 1/2 gun to a 3 1/2 inch, factory reblue and new l postwar grips. Beautiful gun, rebuild date '72 then I came across a 3 1/2 inch gun in a pawnshop 60% all original . I sold the pretty gun kept the shooter. I planned to do a lot of shooting with the 357 and and didn't want to shoot the new off the nice one.
SWCA 892

Despite its condition issues, I'd bet if it were listed on Gunbroker without a reserve it would draw bids over $1000 just because it's a RM. Just how much more I can't say, nor could anyone else.

Thanks to all. I appreciate the info. Looks like a range of $750 to $1,250.

Good Luck with the purchase! If you would, please let us know the asking price.

FWIW, I think the price ranges given were accurate; I'd personally have to have some work done to the gun if I acquired it. A Period front sight (factory, King, etc.) would need added and that huge sight pin would need to be redone tastefully.

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Kris
OGCA, NRA LM

All I can say is that I hope you guys are all still around when I sell my collection or I should say when the wife does. The gun is refinished and now worn to 75% and the barrel is not original. YES it was a registered magnum but it wasn't registered as a 3 1/2".

To me any N frame shooter is worth $500 but paying more because it used to be a something else registered magnum just doesn't make sense but I put ketchup on scrambled eggs.

I would have to agree with Bill at $750 tops.

By the way, I have a Corvette for sale if anyone is interested. Its pretty badly rusted and the motor is out of a Volkswagon and I put a Rambler body on it. Asking $75,000.

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James Redfield
LM #497

What he said!!

A 3 1/2 " in MUCH worse shape went out the door at $2,200 (+/-) 5-6 years ago. Then it was treated to what had to have been a $1,000-$1,500 repair and refinish session, and emerged as an absolute work of art!!

Ralph Tremaine

My question again, why buy any gun that needs all that work?
just buy a nice 27 or 28.

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Mike 2796
SoFo Bunch member

What really grinds my gears is that the Made in USA markings have been removed. This would be one that I buy, and budget a high end restore from Ford's. I'd be a player for <$1200 or maybe a little more only because the grips match.

SVT28

Yet, the grips seem too nice for a gun that has seen that much use,not once but twice.
Are RM grip numbers pencil marked or stamped?

Because neither of those things will ever be a Registered Magnum. While that obviously does not mean a hill of beans to you, there are others who think differently. I am one of those. And no, it won't do anything that X Y Z or others will do just as well.

Even as a project gun, I would guess it would bring $1500 or so pretty easily.

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

So why wouldn't this be a restoration candidate? Properly restored, it's probably a $4000 gun.

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Robert
SWCA #2906, SWHF #760

Keep in mind that the KC Police guns are marked "Reg. XXX", but none were ever registered. They were a bulk purchase for police dept use. Therefore are not really "Registered Magnums" I would place that gun value closer to a Pre 27 value, around $750.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

The hammer and the grips are worth a thousand. I wouldn't separate them for that, but it does protect the value in my humble opinion.

Just to put it in perspective for everyone, the gun is priced at $1,975.00.

IMHO, that's more than I'd pay but certainly someone would given the allure of the registered Magnum; just too many $'s for me with this many (non factory) mods


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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Kris
OGCA, NRA LM

That's probably not a totally ridiculous asking price for some potential purchasers who just gotta have a RM (but not me!). As previously noted, if you could afford that price, you could also afford the cost of restoration to turn it into a showpiece.

This heavily buffed nickled all over refinished RM with no stocks brought $600.00 a couple of months ago. The guy that bought it is a collector/trader. It looked to me like it had that melt treatment they do on pistols.
Mark

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Again, this is why they make chocolate and vanilla. Different strokes for different folks. Some collectors won't even look at a refinished gun while others are happy. Some folks believe that a gun should be left alone while others are happy to spend thousands on a full blown restoration.

Then there are others that will buy the OP's gun, have it restored and then try to pass it off as a mint original RM.

My comments were based on being somewhat of a purist collector. I try to buy unmolested guns but I do have * marked guns in my collection. The pinnacle of collecting is finding a completely original gun in its original box with the tools and paper intact. As we all know, finding a gun like that is the holy grail of collecting. Some folks are happy finding the gun and then adding a box, tools and paperwork.

It really depends on where you are on the scale of collecting. Many times finances dictate what one can acquire. I personally will probably never own a RM because I won't take $7,000+ and invest it it one gun, assuming that I had $7,000 in one pile. I would rather take that money and buy 14 $500 guns, but that's me. By the same token, I would not buy the OP's gun for $500 even though it is marked as a RM in the yoke.

As the kids say today, "that's just the way I roll". Others will have a different view.....

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James Redfield
LM #497

Had I come across that RM for $600 I would have hurt myself getting my wallet out (LOL). And I'd still be smiling about it!

As far as the RM the OP showed us, $1975 seems way too much given the replaced (incorrect) barrel. But, I'm looking for an affordable shooter so that colors my take on this kind of thing.

Dave

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RSVN '69-'71
PCSD (Ret)

It is Roy Jinks's opinion that since the KC RMs were sold to the City without the paperwork to register them, they are not RMs, even though the REG is present and stamped on the frame.

Or so I vaguely remember reading.

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

I tend to agree with Doc44 and H Richard that the price would be $750 or below. In addition to the flaws discussed above, it is my understanding that all the KCRMs had humpback hammers.

I saw a NICE 3-1/2" Reg Mag at a show a year back for $3600.00

Then turned it over to see that it had been so badly rusted on the right side that the pitting had eaten away all the lettering on the barrel and frame!

It was as if it had been stored with one side in a salt solution 1/4" deep.

I figured it WAS a Registered Magnum and is now just a very bad looking shooter.

I would not buy this, too many issues, wrong barrel. There are better guns out there.