3-1/2” 357 Magnum and Box Question

TheTinMan · #1 05-22-2023, 06:33 PM

I brought this home just a little while ago so forgive me for the hasty pics:

As you can see, this is a 5-screw 357 Magnum. The seller described it as a “Model of 1950” but that isn’t correct, is it? Serial # on frame, cylinder, barrel & right grip all match. Serrated service ~~hammer &~~ trigger and target hammer with beautiful case color hardening- sorry I didn’t really capture that well.

My question is does this box add any value? It’s clearly for a different 357 Magnum. An 8-3/8” nickel finish 357 Magnum to be precise. Would it be worth more to the owner of such a gun than it is to me?

The box is in nice shape and included half of the warranty registration card dated April 15, 1955.

Edit to add: serial number S162131 in grease pencil is crossed off on the bottom of the box, and S197807 is written with a pen below it. My gun has a lower serial # starting with S108xxx.

Chip

Truckman · #2 05-22-2023, 06:59 PM

I think I would wait for an 8 3/8" gun...I have several gold boxes now waiting to be filled...

...Ben

TheTinMan · #3 05-22-2023, 07:04 PM

Thank you for the laugh!

I like the way you think.

Chip

Wiregrassguy · #4 05-22-2023, 07:22 PM

Very nice looking .357! Congratulations!

Quote:

My question is does this box add any value? It’s clearly for a different 357 Magnum. An 8-3/8” nickel finish 357 Magnum to be precise. Would it be worth more to the owner of such a gun than it is to me?

Of course. Even to an era correct 8-3/8" gun's owner.

Hair Trigger · #5 05-22-2023, 09:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheTinMan

I brought this home just a little while ago so forgive me for the hasty pics:

The box is in nice shape and included half of the warranty registration card dated April 15, 1955.

Edit to add: serial number S162131 in grease pencil is crossed off on the bottom of the box, and S197807 is written with a pen below it. My gun in earlier so no “S” at the start of the serial #.
Chip

What year was this revolver made? Yours looks to have the short throw hammer, which is a postwar gun, which ought to have a "S" prefix. Darn beautiful revolver, it don't get no better than 5 screws and a 3-1/2" barrel.

TheTinMan · #6 05-22-2023, 10:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hair Trigger

What year was this revolver made? Yours looks to have the short throw hammer, which is a postwar gun, which ought to have a "S" prefix. Darn beautiful revolver, it don't get no better than 5 screws and a 3-1/2" barrel.

My apologies! The “S” only appears on the bottom of the grip frame. 1954-55? Roy Jinks should be able to tell me…

Malysh · #7 05-22-2023, 11:00 PM

The gun is properly called S&W The 357 Magnum, Model of 1950.

TheTinMan · #8 05-23-2023, 07:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Malysh

The gun is properly called S&W The 357 Magnum, Model of 1950.

Please educate me on the changes from the earlier 357 Registered (and non-registered) Magnums. Is it the short-throw hammer?

The barrel is too short for “Model of 1950” but did that appear on longer barreled versions? The box isn’t for this gun but I think it’s period correct. No mention of that model name on the box either. However, I understand if collectors use that name to distinguish it from earlier 357 Magnums.

Hair Trigger · #9 05-23-2023, 07:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheTinMan

Please educate me on the changes from the earlier 357 Registered (and non-registered) Magnums. Is it the short-throw hammer?

The barrel is too short for “Model of 1950” but did that appear on longer barreled versions? The box isn’t for this gun but I think it’s period correct. No mention of that model name on the box either. However, I understand if collectors use that name to distinguish it from earlier 357 Magnums.

The spur on the short action hammer is easy to see as different from the long action version and is the main change from the post war transitional model to the "pre M27" like yours. The change occurred in 1950. The revolver was a 5 screw until 1956, when the top side plate screw was deleted.

It didn't say "Model of 1950" on the barrel, but simply "S&W .357 Magnum"

mchom · #10 05-23-2023, 08:01 AM

Gorgeous 357 Tinman and Congratulations. Beautiful revolver!

lestert357 · #11 05-23-2023, 08:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheTinMan

Please educate me on the changes from the earlier 357 Registered (and non-registered) Magnums. Is it the short-throw hammer?

The barrel is too short for “Model of 1950” but did that appear on longer barreled versions? The box isn’t for this gun but I think it’s period correct. No mention of that model name on the box either. However, I understand if collectors use that name to distinguish it from earlier 357 Magnums.

Yes, your gun has the short action. No, “Model of 1950” was not stamped on any .357 Magnums. Yes, the gold box was used for most .357 Magnums shipped from 1950 through 1956.

The very first short action .357 Magnums started with serial number S75514 and were in fact shipped from the factory in November of 1949. There are several readily visible differences between the earlier post war Transitional .357 Magnums (all known examples are in the serial range S71XXX and S72XXX) and the later short action .357 Magnums such as yours. They are…..

The “long action” trigger system and hammer with concentric grooves cut to accommodate the new hammer block safety…..

The large ejector rod knob…..

The exposed hammer pin on the left side of the grip frame…..

The barrel markings on the Transitional .357 Magnums are located above the barrel shroud on all barrel lengths, not centered as on the later short action .357 Magnums. Also, the frame is marked with the one line “MADE IN U.S.A.” on most examples rather than the four-line “MARCAS REGISTRADAS” roll mark…..

Also, although not readily visible, the grip frame of your short action .357 Magnum is also slightly shorter than the grip frame of the Transitional .357 Magnums; the grips on your gun would be slightly short at the butt if mounted on the .357 Magnum Transitional pictured above.

rbmac52 · #12 05-23-2023, 11:32 AM

Quoted from the original post:

"Service hammer & trigger but the case color hardening is beautiful - sorry I didn’t really capture that well."

Maybe my eyes are deceiving me, but that hammer looks to be a full target hammer (.500"), not a service hammer (.265") or a semi-target hammer (.375").

TheTinMan · #13 05-23-2023, 08:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rbmac52

Quoted from the original post:

"Service hammer & trigger but the case color hardening is beautiful - sorry I didn’t really capture that well."

Maybe my eyes are deceiving me, but that hammer looks to be a full target hammer (.500"), not a service hammer (.265") or a semi-target hammer (.375").

Good eyes! The hammer is 0.50" wide so target - yay!

Sorry - I was so excited when I got this home that I posted pics before really going over the gun.

Hawg Rider · #14 05-24-2023, 09:13 AM

Beautiful revolver! Your S108xxx was manufactured in early 1954 (SCSW 4th Ed.: S103xxx - S139999). I have a first year Highway Patrolman (S114481, 1954), and a slightly later 6-1/2" .357 Magnum (S140334, early 1955). I really like the 3-1/2" bbl. .357 Magnums, and have a couple of 3-1/2" 27-2s. Still looking for an early version like yours. Enjoy!