On September 16, 1935 a matched pair of consecutive registration numbered Registered Magnums was shipped from the Smith & Wesson factory to Leo H. Rice in Moorhead, Iowa. The RM’s had consecutive registration numbers 447 & 448, serial numbers 46647 & 46669 respectively. They were equipped with 4.5” barrels, McGivern Gold Bead front sights, “U” notch rear sights, blue finishes, and checkered walnut service style grips with Wesson grip adapters attached. They were sighted in at 50 yards with .357 Magnum ammunition using a dead center hold, and were billed at $35.45 each for a total of $70.90 plus a 10% excise tax on the 2 revolvers of $7.09 for the complete billing price of $77.99. They were shipped as a special selected pair. According to Roy’s “Table of .357 Registered Magnum Known Barrel Length Production”, there were only 97 RMs produced with 4.5” barrels.
Mr. Rice had ordered the Magnums through the Edwards & Walker Company of Portland, Maine and the order was placed with the factory on August 27, 1935. Approximately 1 year after receiving the Magnums, on September 1, 1936 Mr. Rice wrote a letter to the factory requesting prices on several parts and explaining a problem he had with Reg# 447. He even diagrammed the hammer and trigger problem causing a hard double action trigger pull in the letter. He also stated in the letter “The two .357 Magnums are the finest and best pair of guns I ever owned.” On September 3, 1936 the S&W Repair Department responded to Mr. Rice’s letter with prices for the new parts and offering to adjust the hammer and trigger problem at no charge. On October 5, 1936 Mr. Rice returned Reg# 447 to the factory for adjustment. Apparently the fix to Reg# 447 was very minor as there are no factory rework marks on the gun.
Leo Henry Rice was born on November 13, 1913 in Blencoe, Iowa, near the western Iowa border north of the Council Bluffs, Iowa/Omaha, Nebraska area. He had two younger brothers, Ira (3 years younger) and Harry (6 years younger). The 1940 U. S. Federal Census lists his occupation as a farmer, working on his own account, 72 hours per week, 52 weeks per year. Possibly that helps explain how a young man not yet 22 years old could afford a matched pair of S&W Registered Magnums during the Great Depression. He entered the U. S. Army on February 18, 1942 and served until September 15, 1945. He was with the Army Air Force 394th Fighter Squadron in Europe where he repaired aircraft machine guns and armed bombs. After WWII he and his brother Ira built and operated the Manawa Roller Rink near Council Bluffs. He also invented and obtained a patent for a ground brake for roller skates. He was a member of the National Rifle Association, and he and his brother Ira also owned a gun shop for decades after WWII. He died in Council Bluffs on January 1, 1998 and was buried at Rosehill Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Missouri Valley.
I bought this matched pair from the original owner’s nephew. He had initially listed them in a GB auction at a very high starting price that went through a couple of cycles with no bids. At that point I made contact and we agreed upon a price. The total package included the two RMs, original registration certificates for both, and a type 2 medium sized box for Reg# 447 complete with the extra rear sight blade in the envelope, SAT, brush, swab, caution sheet, RM brochure, and wrapping paper. I believe the box to be original to Reg# 447 with this caveat.....these RMs are fairly early 1st year guns that should have originally shipped in 1935 in large type 1 boxes (which picture the RM with Wesson grip adapter attached.) My thinking is that the medium sized type 2 box that I got with this package is the box that the factory used in 1936 to ship Reg# 447 back to Mr. Rice after they made the necessary adjustments to the gun. There are no markings on the type 2 box, however I firmly believe this is not a put together package - especially coming directly from the family and not having a contrived look to it. Regardless, today the two matched RMs are in nearly identical condition. I would rate them at 95% original factory finish and configuration with original 4.5” barrels, original correctly numbered service style stocks, original McGivern Gold Bead front sights, and original “U” notch rear sights. The Wesson grip adapters, which all of these early 1st year guns were shipped with, were not attached and apparently were not used by Mr. Rice. This pair is in the perfect condition for me - nice but not safe queens. They have been fun to research and document, fun to display, and fun to shoot on occasion. The actions and mechanics are perfect on both guns, and in the original owners words, “the two .357 Magnums are the finest and best pair of guns I ever owned.”! Below are a few pictures to support my comments.
Mr. Rice had ordered the Magnums through the Edwards & Walker Company of Portland, Maine and the order was placed with the factory on August 27, 1935. Approximately 1 year after receiving the Magnums, on September 1, 1936 Mr. Rice wrote a letter to the factory requesting prices on several parts and explaining a problem he had with Reg# 447. He even diagrammed the hammer and trigger problem causing a hard double action trigger pull in the letter. He also stated in the letter “The two .357 Magnums are the finest and best pair of guns I ever owned.” On September 3, 1936 the S&W Repair Department responded to Mr. Rice’s letter with prices for the new parts and offering to adjust the hammer and trigger problem at no charge. On October 5, 1936 Mr. Rice returned Reg# 447 to the factory for adjustment. Apparently the fix to Reg# 447 was very minor as there are no factory rework marks on the gun.
Leo Henry Rice was born on November 13, 1913 in Blencoe, Iowa, near the western Iowa border north of the Council Bluffs, Iowa/Omaha, Nebraska area. He had two younger brothers, Ira (3 years younger) and Harry (6 years younger). The 1940 U. S. Federal Census lists his occupation as a farmer, working on his own account, 72 hours per week, 52 weeks per year. Possibly that helps explain how a young man not yet 22 years old could afford a matched pair of S&W Registered Magnums during the Great Depression. He entered the U. S. Army on February 18, 1942 and served until September 15, 1945. He was with the Army Air Force 394th Fighter Squadron in Europe where he repaired aircraft machine guns and armed bombs. After WWII he and his brother Ira built and operated the Manawa Roller Rink near Council Bluffs. He also invented and obtained a patent for a ground brake for roller skates. He was a member of the National Rifle Association, and he and his brother Ira also owned a gun shop for decades after WWII. He died in Council Bluffs on January 1, 1998 and was buried at Rosehill Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Missouri Valley.
I bought this matched pair from the original owner’s nephew. He had initially listed them in a GB auction at a very high starting price that went through a couple of cycles with no bids. At that point I made contact and we agreed upon a price. The total package included the two RMs, original registration certificates for both, and a type 2 medium sized box for Reg# 447 complete with the extra rear sight blade in the envelope, SAT, brush, swab, caution sheet, RM brochure, and wrapping paper. I believe the box to be original to Reg# 447 with this caveat.....these RMs are fairly early 1st year guns that should have originally shipped in 1935 in large type 1 boxes (which picture the RM with Wesson grip adapter attached.) My thinking is that the medium sized type 2 box that I got with this package is the box that the factory used in 1936 to ship Reg# 447 back to Mr. Rice after they made the necessary adjustments to the gun. There are no markings on the type 2 box, however I firmly believe this is not a put together package - especially coming directly from the family and not having a contrived look to it. Regardless, today the two matched RMs are in nearly identical condition. I would rate them at 95% original factory finish and configuration with original 4.5” barrels, original correctly numbered service style stocks, original McGivern Gold Bead front sights, and original “U” notch rear sights. The Wesson grip adapters, which all of these early 1st year guns were shipped with, were not attached and apparently were not used by Mr. Rice. This pair is in the perfect condition for me - nice but not safe queens. They have been fun to research and document, fun to display, and fun to shoot on occasion. The actions and mechanics are perfect on both guns, and in the original owners words, “the two .357 Magnums are the finest and best pair of guns I ever owned.”! Below are a few pictures to support my comments.
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