Please forgive my ignorance, but what exactly is a "Registered Magnum", and what makes them so "special".

I'll give it a shot. Corrections as needed please.

They were the first 357 magnums.

Purchaser was registered by S&W as the original owner. The reg # is stamped on the gun.

They received the highest level of hand craftsmanship of any S&W made.

Lots of options available.

Low production - around 3000 I believe were marked.

They are super cool.



Charlie

Just a gun produced in the mid to late 1930s. We all like them because we feel its the finest example of a revolver ever built. You can pretty much tell them when you see them because inside the crane they have a stamp that says something like REG #1 or similar. Of course in the arcane S&W scheme of things, its not conclusive. The factory historian will say the only things that are "RMs" are the guns he letters as such. Some guns, identical in every respect, won't letter that way. Particularly those sold to KC police dept, etc.

Confused yet!

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Dick Burg

We (collectively) don't know how many. I'd put the number closer to 5200 or so. It depends on how you define the term "registered". An equally good term is "Prewar Magnum". There is no difference in quality, only one of status.

There's even one opinion floating around that the identical guns aren't really registered unless the card was returned for the registration certificate. Again, we haven't a clue as to how many fit that requirement.

I've settled into the opinion that if it says "REG" in the crane, its one. There are honorable people who don't agree.

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Dick Burg

I agree with Mr. Burg regarding the REG number. If it has one then it's a Registered Magnum in my book.

Here's what the REG number looks like, BTW.




PS: The term RM was coined by collectors. At the time (1935-1939 and on to 1941 for the "non-Registered Magnums") S&W simply called this model "The 357 Magnum."

Many of these guns are known to have gone to police agencies.

I’ll throw in:

When the .357 Magnum first came out, they didn’t expect too many sales so each one was built to order and came with a registration number and card.
As rburg mentions, it wasn’t registered until the card was returned to S&W. The owner would then receive a certificate listing how it was ordered.

The most beautiful .357 Magnum on the planet that I would have to sell my vehicle or work nearly a year's worth of overtime to afford.

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Vaya con Dios

I really appreciate the history lesson. I have heard them discussed before, but never what the hell was ment by that. I guess since I have never seen one didn't help tryng to figure out what they were.

If you're going to the gunshow Saturday at Rupp Arena, I'll bring one along so you can both see and handle one. If you really want, I'll bring along a consecutive set (reg #'s). But you've got to tell me here and promise to show up!

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Dick Burg

As others have said, they are truly special arms for many reasons.

Here are some other interesting considerations:

First Magnum of all time and todays crazy 789 super magnum blue whale pistols (lol) can be traced back to the 357 magnum in concept.

Historically it was the S&W answer to Colts hot new 38 super which debuted in 1929.

It was the first 357 magnum revolver.

At the time it was the most expensive US handgun made, costing over $60 in 1935.

Many famous people owned a RM including Patton, Clark Gable, J. Edgar Hoover, etc.

First produced at a time where many S&W afficionados agree that S&W was at their height in terms of quality, and probably production as well.

Used to take many different game animals which were previously rarely taken with a handgun.

Elmer Keith and others were instrumental in the push to develop the arm with the brainchild being a stronger and more reinforced 38/44 specifically for hot rod 38 cal cartridges.

The RM was also noticeably smaller and IMO better designed than the Colt New Service, IE the Colt big frame but this is true IMO of any new service vs any N frame.

For all of these reasons and more, I think it was one of the most influential, innovative, unique and today sought-after production hand guns ever made. Its place in history will be forever known.

Of course there were powerful handguns before the RM, or finely made ones, or neat names for guns, but the RM combined the new term "magnum" with high quality, originality, S&W and unmatched power which when added together, is the difference maker when comparing the RM to other famous handguns.

And of course there were other great designs and I'm not discounting those in history, but the RM is truly special.

Made in1939, Reg. 4752







Ned

Just make sure if you go to look at one in person that you bring either a bib or a drool cup!

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Vaya con Dios

I'm picking nits here but I believe the 38/44, introduced in 1930, was S&Ws first answer to Colt's 38 Super.

Dave

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RSVN '69-'71
PCSD (Ret)

They are just so dang cool. Here is a long tube one.



And a short tube one, giving you both ends of the length spectrum...



You could order them with any barrel length between 3.5" and 8.75" in 1/4" increments. There were also a multitude of sight options that you could order them with. They were basically custom guns that were built to order.

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Richard
Engraved S&W fan

Yes, the 38/44 was S&W's response to the Super Colt.

The closest you can come, and some say literally no difference, is the late 30's .357 Magnum non registered. They were discontinued during the WWII time frame then brought back after the war, and referred to as the "Pre-27". In the 56-57 time frame when model numbers were put on all the S&W's it became the Model 27. There are lots of Model 27's around, but not with any unusual special features that the Registered Mag's. had. I do not know how much difference the "Pre-27" hand fitting was from the pre-war models, but they are also some of the smoothest well built guns to come out of S&W. Everyone's collection deserves at least one of the variants.

Pre-27 3 1/2" shipped 9/23/53.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

Very Nice RM Ned......

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Go big or stay home

Could you PM me and tell me your exact location, where the spare key is, the safe combo, and when you will not be home.......Thanks.....all the best.......Sprefix

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Go big or stay home

I should be able to make the Rupp Arena show, but it will be after 12 noon before I can get there.

The only thing I need to know is where in that large room are you going to be??

We don't know until we get there. We're just 2 old guys (grey hair and same color beards. But my pard, Joe will probably be wearing a white shirt, he always does that. And we'll probably be displaying grips, and a nice M37 and a nice M12 for sale. Worse, we'll probably be laughing and having a good time. Its why we go to the shows! We'll only be there on Saturday, so if you ask the promoter/head guy, he'll probably direct you toward us. I'll PM you with a cell phone #.

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Dick Burg

LT...go to the SWHF sub forum of this board and you will see a LOT of cool stuff relating to RM's.
If you will PM me your email address I will send you a PDF of Roy Jink's article on the RM which to date IS the treatise on the gun.