.357 Magnum Barrel Length

DARE · Mar 15, 2022

Have read that Registered Magnums were available in 3 1/2" to
8 3/4" barrel in 1/4" increments. Did non-registered guns have the same barrel lengths available?
My 1941 S&W Catalogue lists barrel lengths as 3 1/2", 5", 6",
6 1/2" , and 8 3/8".
Apparently the reason for the 8 3/8" is that it had a 10" sight base and that was the maximum permissible in "Any Revolver" matches.
I think Terry Lester said that at least one RM exists in all possible barrel lengths. So long barrels would be 8", 8 1/4", 8 1/2" and
8 3/4". 8 3/8" is not a 1/4" increment.
So when did the 8 3/8" length become available?

22hipower · Mar 15, 2022

I don't know but there is a chart posted here somewhere, by whom I don't remember, which shows the various RM barrel lengths at least as best identified from available records. That chart shows 37 8 3/8 produced between 1935 and 1942.

Jeff
SWCA #1457

rct269 · Mar 15, 2022

Okay------"So when did the 8 3/8" become available?"

I don't know either, but this should get you close. "This change (8 3/8" down from 8 3/4") was the result of a dispute which arose in 1936 over the legality of using the 8 3/4" revolver in the USRA's and NRA's 'Any Revolver Match'. This is best explained in a statement by S&W in their 1936 Magnum flyer: "While U.S.R.A. and N.R.A. 'Any Revolver Match' rules allow a 10" sight base, they have a second rule allowing but 10" for a combined barrel and cylinder. To conform to this requires a barrel of 8 3/8" on the S&W .357 Magnum Revolver. It is from this point that S&W established the odd length of 8 3/8" barrel for its longest barrel lengths in revolvers."

Ralph Tremaine

As to what barrel lengths were available on the non-registered Magnums, they were the then standardized sizes of 3 1/2, 5, 6, 6 1/2, and 8 3/8 inches. And just to make sure NOBODY felt left out, "Special lengths now at slight extra charge." That means you can have any barrel length you want which is between 3 1/2" and 8 3/8" for a "slight extra charge". In other words, it's as Dr. Jinks has been known to say on many occasions, "They (S&W) would do anything anybody would pay them to do."

opoefc · Mar 15, 2022

All Reg. Mag barrels were made in 8 3/4 in length by welding two shorter pieces together. If an order was received for a shorter barrel , the 8 3/4 in barrel was cut to the ordered length, refinished and installed on a frame and shipped to the distributor for delivery to the customer. If you have a Reg. Mag with a barrel less than 8 3/4 in, you technically have a factory altered gun with a refinished barrel. Therefore, if you are a serious collector who would not own a refinished gun, and own a Reg. Mag. with a barrel shorter than 8 3/4 in., pls send them all to me for proper disposal, OK? Ed

sodacan · Mar 16, 2022

opoefc said:
All Reg. Mag barrels were made in 8 3/4 in length by welding two shorter pieces together. If an order was received for a shorter barrel , the 8 3/4 in barrel was cut to the ordered length, refinished and installed on a frame and shipped to the distributor for delivery to the customer. If you have a Reg. Mag with a barrel less than 8 3/4 in, you technically have a factory altered gun with a refinished barrel. Therefore, if you are a serious collector who would not own a refinished gun, and own a Reg. Mag. with a barrel shorter than 8 3/4 in., pls send them all to me for proper disposal, OK? Ed[/QUOTE

Wouldn't that have created a potential weak spot in the barrel? What is the source of that information? No disrespect intended, and I don't mean to impugn your knowledge. Just looking for enlightenment.

RKmesa · Mar 16, 2022

... and the 8 3/8" barrel was certainly available by 5/20/1937, because that is when this one (REG 2394) left the factory and shipped to Dr. A. A. Thomas of Indiana (and it shipped with a set of Magnas and Ropers).

DARE · Mar 16, 2022

Found an article written by Roy Jinks that has a chart listing barrel lengths of RMs.
8 3/8" is listed with 37 examples.
I guess what I read about 1/4" increments is incorrect.
All the other increments are 1/4", with 8 3/8" being the exception.

rct269 · Mar 16, 2022

8 3/8" came to be because of the rules of the sanctioning bodies (USRA and NRA) specifying 10" combined length for barrel and cylinder----------never mind the sight base rule---and never mind 1/4" increments which was nothing more than a marketing gimmick.

In my opinion, the entirety of the Registered Magnum phenomenon was nothing more than a marketing scheme designed to save S&W's butt, and God love'em, it worked. I suspect it worked beyond their wildest expectations. If you have any doubts about this, start expressing them by explaining the very clear desire to sell direct to the end consumer (and thereby retaining the entirety of the retail price). Next, explain the efficacy of the entirely ridiculous distributor price at the outset of the program ($47 and change) leaving less than $13 for gross profit for the distributor AND the retail dealer---effectively insuring no distributor in their right mind is going to get involved unless forced to do so by circumstances. After that, take a look at the outsized impact of the sale of a paltry few RMs on total sales for the reported periods. You'll come away believing as I do that Doug Wesson was a very hip dude, and all the Wessons that stayed rich after the 1930's owed him a huge debt of gratitude!!

Ralph Tremaine

Oh, and while you're at it, keep in mind S&W's cost to make an RM was $17. And keep in mind their practice prior to the RM was to set the distributor price at approximately double the manufacturing cost. You will quickly come to see they were more than a bit desperate to get some cash coming in. And while I don't really know the first thing about it, I suspect the war years also proved to be very beneficial to S&W's cash register.

lestert357 · Mar 16, 2022

From Roy Jinks’ article entitled Registered .357 Magnums published in the S&WCA Journal Volume 44, Number 2, Summer 2010…….

Leroy Thompson · Mar 16, 2022

Although the Non-Registered Magnum was listed with set barrel lengths, other lengths were available for $1 extra.

Doug M. · Mar 20, 2022

My recollection is that the US economy did not come back to pre-depression levels until shortly after WW2. As for welding two barrels together to make the long ones, I really have my doubts.

Retired W4 · Mar 20, 2022

The Great Depression forced people to do many strange, and sometimes outrageous things.

mtgianni · Mar 20, 2022

Doug M. said:
My recollection is that the US economy did not come back to pre-depression levels until shortly after WW2. As for welding two barrels together to make the long ones, I really have my doubts.

It would take aminimum of four passes to build up the metal. With the required cooling time after each weld and re-rifling it would be much cheaper to re-rifle a new piece from a blank.

SAFireman · Mar 20, 2022

mtgianni said:
It would take aminimum of four passes to build up the metal. With the required cooling time after each weld and re-rifling it would be much cheaper to re-rifle a new piece from a blank.

Yah....Ed was pulling your leg.....the barrels are forged as one piece, then cut, drilled, and rifled. Nobody welded two barrel pieces together

Jimmy4570 · Mar 20, 2022

It's remarkable considering that S&W built such guns back then that ran so well in the era when skilled labor was cheaper than the equipment. We no live in the inverse era where the machinery is cheaper than the people, supposedly on paper more precise but unable to turn out revolvers and pistols with the same fine feel of the older guns. Short of a 3 1/2" .357 and a 4" model 29, I'm pretty well set for pre-lock Smiths. Thinking hard about the Manurhin MR-73 as a pinnacle piece...

paplinker · Mar 20, 2022

If all Rem Mag bbls start as 8 3/8 do they all have the roll marks in the same place or did they apply it after the cutting process?

RKmesa · Mar 20, 2022

paplinker said:
If all Rem Mag bbls start as 8 3/8 do they all have the roll marks in the same place or did they apply it after the cutting process?

The pre-war .357 Magnum barrels started at 8 3/4" and the roll marks were always in the same place (give or take a very little).

19leben · Mar 20, 2022

lestert357 said:
From Roy Jinks’ article entitled Registered .357 Magnums published in the S&WCA Journal Volume 44, Number 2, Summer 2010…….

Do we know where the one-offs are, including the lone 1942 gun? I’d love to see a 7-1/4 or 7-3/4” gun!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

lestert357 · Mar 21, 2022

19leben said:
Do we know where the one-offs are, including the lone 1942 gun? I’d love to see a 7-1/4 or 7-3/4” gun!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Here is what I can determine from the S&WCA Pre-War .357 Magnum Database:
1) The 7 3/4” Magnum is serial number 46671, REG 458, blue finish, service style grips, and listed as a 95% gun, so it apparently has surfaced at some point in the past. Note that location/ownership is not tracked in the database.
2) The original 7 1/4”, 6 1/4”, and 5 3/4” Magnums are not listed in the database.
3) The Magnum listed as shipped in May 1942 is serial number 62485 and was a presentation to Lt. Philip Rottinger. I believe this information is taken from Dr. Jinks records.
4) Although not listed on Dr. Jinks’ 2010 table above, another Magnum was shipped in November 1943. It is serial number 62489, with 4 1/2” barrel, Baughman QD front sight on a King Ramp base, Magna grips, blue finish, 99% with box, and it was a special order for Robert Wallswait of West Hartford, CT. Since condition is known, this Magnum has surfaced in the collector community.
5) The lowest production count Pre-War Magnum I have personally encountered is one of the eight 3 3/4” guns. It is serial number 49606/REG 1495 and pictured below. It is discussed in this thread if you’re interested in reading about it: A Gunfighter’s 3 3/4” Reg Mag?

SAFireman · Jun 27, 2022

Table of Non-Reg Mag barrel lengths

I'm curious....since wartime production was a priority, and the registration process was being eliminated, did anyone keep records on the NON-Reg Mag barrel lengths?

I have seen references to 'Standardized Lengths' but not really any firm production numbers.

Does anyone know? or has a table been produced and I just failed at Google-Foo?

Thanks

.357 Magnum Barrel Length

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