Of the 5500 or so Reg Magnums in the 1930s, how many were factory nickel plated? Either left the factory in that configuration or were sent back for factory change?
Please dont tell me my number of 5500 is incorrect. I have seen numbers above and below, that is not the question. How many factory nickel? In my ill spent youth, I let three RM go down the road to buy a house or car. I was married. Thanks. Mike 2796

Your first mistake was getting married. The second third and fourth mistake was letting 3 RMs go down the road!!!

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}-----Jim----->
~SWCA #2732~

Less than 200, I've seen estimates of 160 to 170.

If it makes you feel better, I let go of this (plus a couple of homeless ones (no box) to get a house because I was married, if I dwelled on it I would have a nervous breakdown.

...and yes third row right is an original nickle.

As far as the three RMs, they paid for the house and two great sons.
The RMs were not nickel, just run of the mill blue. No tubes or boxes.
All three were shot and enjoyed.
Now my question, I read on a post that a RM student had seen a factory letter that two nickel RMs were sent with factory nickel hammers and triggers. I can not find the post. Any help. Mike 2796
Yes, I have done a search.

I've never seen such a post. I've never heard of S&W nickling a hammer or trigger, sorry.

The OP here really needs to get his hands on a copy of Roy's 1989 article from the S&W Collectors assn Journal. He put down about all he knew at the time. It included the registration #s of nickel guns plus the lengths. There was a re-editied version printed in the 1990 G&A Handguns annual. It differed some and at that time it was kind of interesting to pick out the differences. I kind of think some was just "typesetting" errors.

For a while about 10 or 15 years ago there was a scanned copy floating around. If someone still has it, you need to beg them to email it to you.

Yes, rumor or urban legend has it that some people ordering guns specified nickel plating on hammers or hammers and triggers. S&W supposedly shipped them like that. Kind of the exception that proves the rule. If I were presented with a gun that sported the plating, I'd also demand a copy of the factory letter confirming it. Or else I'd pay significantly less for the gun and ship off the parts for re-case hardening.

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Dick Burg

I call BS! I think you sold them at absolutely obscene profits so you could buy some motorbikes. Vespa's, I think.

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Kevin Williams SWCA1649 HF208

A Harley Davidson or two MAY have been involved!!

Oh my God!! Knowing that you sold all those makes ME sad...

What Year did you sell them in?

...S&W would build it!

We all have heard this statement many times. Of course, we know that 99.8% of the time. a nickel hammer and trigger indicates a non-factory nickel finish. However, in the below case, for a Mr. Call (does that ring a bell ) We see that S&W would go to great lengths to make a gun that filled a customer's order. Of course, Charlie Call's fame could have played a role in S&W making a RM such as this, but if you ordered some type of a crazy custom and paid at least some up front, I believe S&W would build the gun, for just about anyone.

Note on the left side of this RM in house order summary sheet, the request for nickel hammer and trigger. Also check out the other cool unique custom features: a hollowed out ejector rod housing which allows the ejector rod to be visible from the right side, custom hammer, and a dummy right (plate) side cylinder release. Photos are courtesy of the Roy J. Jinks photo album.

Does Roy own this RM or does someone else?

__________________
}-----Jim----->
~SWCA #2732~

I would LOVE to see what that bad boy would sell for!

When Bill Cross was researching a 38/44 I bought that was shipped to Oklahoma Highway Patrol he found the dealer was a jeweler in Tulsa. Following that lead he found RMs ordered by that dealer with plated triggers and hammers. Maybe Bill can chime in with more info.

This is my one in nickel...No tube but it does have a Cert...

Harry Goldstein, a jeweler in Tulsa, OK, was shipped a ".357" Magnum on May 4, 1939 (registration number 4716). It was configured as follows: 5" barrel, part blue finish, nickel cylinder, nickel hammer, nickel trigger, Sheard gold bead front sight, U-notch rear sight, Magna stocks, and a 2 3/4 # trigger pull.

Bill

At the time of Roy's article/treatise, there were 144 known nickel guns (173 estimated). Missing/damaged/illegible records account for the discrepancy. The amount of the discrepancy was determined by extrapolation, a fancy word used by graduates of various charm schools when they mean SWAG.

Ralph Tremaine

RM Scholars, thanks for all the info and facts on nickel RMs.
The Harley Sportster 900, is still in the garage, no Vespas.
I sold my RMs in Vegas back in 1982.
So, if I buy a nickel gun, and the hammer and trigger are nickel, it probably is not factory, but could be. Mike 2796

One easy to thing to look for is a "B" stamp or "N" stamp on the grip frame. B for blue and N for nickel. There should also be a "B" prefix for the SN in the ejector rod shroud for a blued RM. Of course, if its nickel now and it shipped as nickel then that would not work. Its probably best to assume that a nickel plated trigger and hammer are non-factory mods because currently, we have 2 known examples of the factory doing this out of approx. 5500 RMs made. Unless the gun's letter specifically stated that, one would have to assume non-factory work.

__________________
}-----Jim----->
~SWCA #2732~

Why on earth would one want a "dummy" cylinder release?

I have all ways assumed that a nickel hammer and trigger on a factory gun were not original. Dont beat my brains out on that point. Since two documented examples do exist, it is not out of the realm of possibilities to come across another example. Maybe one will turn up. If you see one look at it and roll the dice. I have and been wrong every time. So what. They still shoot good. Im crazy. Mike 2796

Symmetry-the same thing going on with the ejector rod visible from both sides.

I have the aforementioned article in PDF if any one wants it send me a PM with your email address.