Pictures of my newly acquired pre 29". I had a nice 4" black case that I'd bought in hopes of finding the right revolver. I didn't realize these older blued guns are as hard to photograph as nickel guns but I don't pretend to be a photographer. The informative letter is attached as well. We are very fortunate to be able to get this type information.
First year pre 29
- Thread starter RT44nut
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Congrats on the new acquisition- it looks like an amazing piece 
Congrats Randy! That is one sweet looking revolver.
swagmeister
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Won't see that one everyday!! Glad for you and enjoy.
Photographing a dark subject on a white background causes the subject to be underexposed because camera's exposure meter 'sees' and exposes for the white background. There are a couple ways to get better results. Easiest way is to use a darker background. You could also use exposure compensation of maybe +2. I personally avoid using any kind of direct lighting for my gun photos.
Here's a sample of a blued gun on a dark background with only indirect light from a nearby window.
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Very nice. Here is mine that shipped the day after yours.
I also find that a darker background makes the gun easier to photograph.
I also find that a darker background makes the gun easier to photograph.
Randy, that is a beautiful 4 inch, five screw 44 magnum. For it to ship in the first year of manufacture is a big bonus and an added value. Congratulations on your acquisition. I'm so glad you had the right case and accessories for it. Couldn't happen to a nicer guy!
Beautiful revolver, congratulations on your find. The five screw 44 Magnums are my favorite Smith & Wesson handguns.
Engine49guy
Member
Few things in life bring such pleasure as a four inch five screw 44 Magnum!
Just added your serial to my growing four inch 44 database.
There are several interesting things about the early four inch 44 Mags that make them very unique as well as the timing of their introduction especially when putting it in comparison to the other big new SW model introduced just around the same time being the Combat Magnum.
Both early examples have the 6 groove tangs, unfortunately no 5 screw Combat Magnum exists because it was introduced as a 4 screw in early 1956 where the four inch 44 was introduced as a 5 screw and (except for two in my notes ) really began to ship out months later in Dec 56.
Another interesting tidbit is that while there were under 1800 six groove Combat Magnums prior to the 10 groove change the number of 6 groove four inch .44 Magnums is less than half that.
One other oddity is that the 44 Mag was introduced as a 6.5" initially then as a 4" afterwards where the Combat Magnum was introduced as a 4" and a 6" didnt appear until some (7 or 8 ?) Years later, probably because the CM was intended as a duty weapon where the 44 was likely intended for hunting and field use.
On a side note there was a post recently about a custom ordered four inch .44 Special that was built right around the time the .44 Magnum was being produced which makes a great comparison, heres a link if interested:
Just added your serial to my growing four inch 44 database.
There are several interesting things about the early four inch 44 Mags that make them very unique as well as the timing of their introduction especially when putting it in comparison to the other big new SW model introduced just around the same time being the Combat Magnum.
Both early examples have the 6 groove tangs, unfortunately no 5 screw Combat Magnum exists because it was introduced as a 4 screw in early 1956 where the four inch 44 was introduced as a 5 screw and (except for two in my notes ) really began to ship out months later in Dec 56.
Another interesting tidbit is that while there were under 1800 six groove Combat Magnums prior to the 10 groove change the number of 6 groove four inch .44 Magnums is less than half that.
One other oddity is that the 44 Mag was introduced as a 6.5" initially then as a 4" afterwards where the Combat Magnum was introduced as a 4" and a 6" didnt appear until some (7 or 8 ?) Years later, probably because the CM was intended as a duty weapon where the 44 was likely intended for hunting and field use.
On a side note there was a post recently about a custom ordered four inch .44 Special that was built right around the time the .44 Magnum was being produced which makes a great comparison, heres a link if interested:
The 44 has not been carried that I can tell and shot little if at all. Excise tax of ten percent was charged so no affidavit was filed verifying the order was for law enforcement thus eliminating charging the tax. The 44 looks like it spent the last sixty-nine plus years in a sock drawer 
.
Bill
.Bill
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Fishinfool
Member
RT44nut - that is one fine looking pre-29. I hope you don't mind, I took the liberty to run one of your photos thru some adjustment to better highlight the gun.
Larry
Larry
OP
Wow! I see one of your abilities. Looks great. I tried a half dozen of the recommendations yesterday with different backgrounds and still had poor results. Some people have it, the rest of us don't.
Only160 or so of the 4 inch first year 44 Magnums. Great find!
Congratulations on completing your search. That is certainly one of the most gorgeous stock revolvers I've ever seen! A photo of the completed package would be cool to see. Thanks for sharing your magnificent pre-29.
Ok, if we're going to show other first year 4 inch 44 Magnums I'll show this one too and tell the story. Probably told it here before but years ago. I stop by a small LGS which I've visited before and have rarely seen anything S&W and don't see any on the shelves this time either. The owner wants to know if he can show me anything and I say something to the effect that he could show me some old S&Ws if he had any but the shelves are barren. He says, yeah, sorry don't get many of those. I'm turning to leave and he says "ah, wait a minute, I just bought some guns and I think there is a S&W."
So on the concrete floor behind the counter is a "pile" of well used shotguns, a "customized" Arisaka, a few old 22 rifles and this 44 Magnum. Which turned out to be shipped in November of 1956 to a hardware store in Amarillo.
So on the concrete floor behind the counter is a "pile" of well used shotguns, a "customized" Arisaka, a few old 22 rifles and this 44 Magnum. Which turned out to be shipped in November of 1956 to a hardware store in Amarillo.
Very very nice .44. mine is later but still a joy to shoot.
'79 Magnum GT
Member
You seem to be having a bit of good fortune with S&W products lately Randy. Keep doing what ever it is your doing!!!
(feel free to pass on your secret to me if you will) lol Still looking for that 6.5 Nickel M-24
Rick
On the photos, just a suggestion - take it outside on a semi cloudy or overcast day or a shaded area and put the gun on a non-reflective surface, put the phone in camera mode, touch the screen where you want to focus and shoot. This is from my back yard a few minutes ago. The top pic is in a shaded patio, the bottom one in direct filtered sunlight. I think this gives a decent amount of detail without requiring a studio or special lighting.
hkcavalier
US Veteran
I don't have one of them, but I do have its Model 57 cousin. Re: taking pictures, I take most of them on this bench in the afternoon after it's not in direct sunlight. The blue in the sky highlights the bluing very well, and you can even see the line of green hills & mountains on the cylinder. And the plainness of the wood on the bench makes quality stocks really stand out. I usually use an old 2007-spec Nikon DSLR.
John in WYO
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Interesting comparison
