Thank you for looking at my post.

I received a S&W 357 revolver several years ago. I'm trying to verify what it is and establish a value. Hopefully your expertise will assist in that. The gun is in like new condition, about an 8 inch barrell, orginial s&w wood grips, no model number at all, where the cylinder swings out has reg with a four digit number stamped on frame area, trigger/hammer is stamped patent pending, the serial number starts with 57xxxx and king sites.

Any help would be greatly appericiated. Thank you for your time, I can post a pick if needed.

Thank you for looking at my post.

I received a S&W 357 revolver several years ago. I'm trying to verify what it is and establish a value. Hopefully your expertise will assist in that. The gun is in like new condition, about an 8 inch barrell, orginial s&w wood grips, no model number at all, where the cylinder swings out has reg with a four digit number stamped on frame area, trigger/hammer is stamped patent pending, the serial number starts with 57xxxx and king sites.

Any help would be greatly appericiated. Thank you for your time, I can post a pick if needed.

Quality pics would be very helpful. Also, do you have the box, tools, certificate or any other documentation with the revolver? Regardless of what the value turns out to be, you have a fun gun.

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Richard
Engraved S&W fan

Hello,

i just received gun and an old holster. I will post some pictures tonight. i would add that the serial number is 57xxx rather than four digits.

thanks again

If it says REG XXXX then it's what collectors call a Registered Magnum made 1935-1939 and depending on condition, presence of accessories, and special features, could be worth $2,000-$20,000.

Do a search for Registered Magnum and you find hundreds of discussions on the topic.

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No life story has happy end.

The value of your .357 depends on several things: condition (high condition guns are quite valuable), barrel length/special features (some barrel lengths are quite rare), if it was shipped to someone of historical significance it will add to the value. Any pre-war .357 with an original nickel finish is worth a premium also.

Bill

Welcome to the forum.

1. We need pics as has been stated

2. Dont let anyone talk you out of it before you get a letter on it.

tiffenypi,
Measure the barrel from its tip back to the forcing cone (that's the area where the barrel meets the cylinder).
You'll get the exact length that way.
Congratulations on what sounds to be a fine handgun!
Don

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OGCA Life
NRA Life

You done went and poked the bear with this question. All you have to do now is post pics.

Sometimes you eat the bear, and sometimes the bear eats you.

Hello,

I don't think I have been approved for photos. If someone would email that can post photos, I will send you several photographs that you could post. I took one of each side/end of barrell and tried with some success to get the reg xxxx, in which you could at least tell me if that would be correct area. My email address is [email protected].

Thanks again for everyone's advice/expertise on this matter. I will mail off the letter to Smith and Wesson on Thursday to see the history.

How to Post Pictures on This Forum

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John

Tiff
until you figure it out you can send them to my profile address and I'll post them for you.

You do have to use a host sight...most of us use Photobucket (free)

you cant upload straight from your computer to the forum

Here is the first of a couple photos.

Thanks again,
Tif

Here is where the reg xxxx stamp is located, photo is somewhat blurry.

Here is the other side.

Final shot. If more are needed, or at least the general area that would assist you all please let me know, as you can see I'm stubbling around here.

Thanks

I wanted to let you know the shiney areas still have blueing, its the flash.

May I be the first to say it? Your photos show you have a Registered Magnum. It looks to be in excellent condition. It is worth big bucks, unless it has been refinished. In that case it is worth slightly smaller bucks.

Congratulations. You're a winner.

David W.

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David Wilson

Tiff

Take the grips off and try to get some pics of any markings stamped in the frame. Check to see if the numbers stamped into the right grip panel match the serial number of the gun.

Send me an email to the address in my profile and I will email you Roy Jink's article on the RM's.
It was written some time ago but is still the authoritative work on these guns.

I'll repeat from my earlier post YOU MUST LETTER THIS GUN!!!

We are still waiting on the barrel length...use a tape measure. Front end of cylinder to end of barrel.

Oh, my my my...that's is a real beauty!
If original finish, that's a very, very valuable piece.
Checking on the inside left of the grip frame near the bottom for any dates stamped in there would indicate the month and year if it went back to the factory for repair/refinish. I hope it didn't and it's original.

The marks might look like this:

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John

Just a couple of things. First you can Post all of your pictures into one Post. You do not need a separate Post for each picture.

A general observation, your gun does not look to have been refinished. And, the Barrel is likely an 8-3/4" which was the longest one available at the time. Most of the Articles written about hunting and killing "BIG Game" with the new .357 Magnum cartridge was about guns with this barrel length. As has been suggested, you really should get this Lettered. You can get the information here:
http://www.smith-wesson.com/we...5301&sectionId=10504
Provide Roy with as much information and as many pictures as you can. You didn't say where you got the gun but if you still know the person you got it from I would make every attempt to get an of the other "things" that were originally shipped with this gun. Presentation Case or Box, Sight Adjustment Tool etc. and the Registration Certificate if this was ever sent for or the Post Card that was included with the gun to request the Certification.

You could get a "Guestimate" of the value from one of the larger Antique firearms Dealers but the only way you'll "know" is if you sell it at Auction.

Assuming the finish is original and the barrel length is 8 3/4-inches, I would estimate the value of revolver to be in the $6000-7000 range.

I base this estimate on what was being asked for Registered Magnums in similar condition in Tulsa in April. I don't know if any of the guns actually sold at these prices.

Bill

What is the area right around the thumbpiece showing ?



Later, Mike Priwer

Mike...good eye something is missing...the Smith logo

Like this


It is on the right side though, which is the first time I've noticed there was a difference although admittedly I am still new at the RM game.
If youre looking at the back side of the the hammer pin you'll see mine is the same

Curtis...the S&W logo was roll marked on either side of the frame. I am not sure why, but that is what is seen. Personally, I like the large logo on the side plate over the small one below the cylinder release latch.

Bill

Congratulationa, tiffineypi !

Please tell us the story about how you acquired this gun. And show us the holster, too!

Bill
Is the location of the mark intermingled from side to side, or did they start on one side and move to the other like some of the small frame guns?
I'm with you, I like the big one better.

I think it is intermixed, but I haven't seen enough guns to know if there are blocks of guns that were done one way or the other.

Bill

Curtis

What I was referring to is the side of the frame right in the vicinity of
the thumbpiece - going around the perimeter of the thumbpice. It looks like
maybe the surface is scratched, or scaly, all around the release thumbpiece .

Later, Mike Priwer

Noticed that too, and hope its just oil & lint.

Mike:

It looks to me like DC (short for "dried crud"). A lot of revolvers that I get have dried oil, dirt, grime and assorted hairs that have built up there over the years. I have found that a shot of Powder Blaster cleans most DC off very quickly.

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Richard
Engraved S&W fan

Sorry Mike...was overthinking again

Looks like crud to me too

Hello,

I took a little bit of gun oil and got most of the DC off the top area of the thumb piece. I didn't want to use anything harsh, qtip and gun oil and it took some off, so hopefully its just DC (if thats a technical term). The barrell is 8 and 3/4 inches in length. I lightly tried to get the grips off, were stubborn so I did not try anymore. Lastly, I requested the "Letter" from S and W today (I hope I got something from them soon).

I thank you all for all the advice and expertise. My interest is with more modern firearms, it's good to know this very pretty gun would be well cared for if I decided to part with it.

Tiff
The proper way to remove a set of grips is to back the screw almost completely out and then push or lightly tap the head of the screw until the right panel comes loose. Once you get the right side off you can push the left side off through the frame.
Take your time, but I would advise taking them off if for no other reason than to make sure there is no rust issues underneath that need to be addressed.
Obviously the other reason is to look for some of the things we have told you about.
Good luck on the letter, I was pleasantly surprised with the one I got.

I always use an old toothbrush and Ed's Red to remove old crud.

The logo was moved to the sideplate around the 50540 serial number range and this one is 57xxx.
Bill

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38-44heavyduty.com

That would fit as the one I posted is 50205

Wonderful old RM, Tiff! It would be worth following Curtis' directions about removing the grips to take a look at the grip-frame. I will look forward to following this story to it's end!
Congratulations!

Jerry

Hello again,

I received my letter from Smith stating the gun is indeed a pre-war registered magnum. The gun was shipped on in Jan of 1939 to Sporting Goods company in NY. The current items on the gun all match what the letter says should be on the gun.

Thanks,
Tif

Glad that it lettered in its current configuration. What a beautiful revolver!

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Richard
Engraved S&W fan

I wish Icould afford one man those are beautiful, congrats on the gun any chance of pics with the holster, and also storing a gun in it's holster is a bad idea BTW didn't know if you knew that or not

That's good news, Tif.
The letter just adds a bit more value to a really fine old revolver.

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John

This issue of logo placement on the RM (and, I believe, HD and OD as well) is an interesting sub-thread in its own right even though Mike Priwer correctly is referring to the surface around the thumb latch and not the S&W logo. Based on the RMs I own (7 from REG xx to REG 5xxx) and many others I have seen, I would suggest that the logo placement began with the small logo on the left (near) side and transitioned to the large right (far) side logo in the REG 2000 to 2500 range. There might have been intermixing in lots within that range, but I have not noticed it.

Regarding the switch from the small S&W logo on the left side of the frame to the large, right-side logo...
After Doug Wesson issued the order to use the larger logo (for brand awareness), the change was made.
Generally, RM's from mid-1937 on, will have the large logo.
Don

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OGCA Life
NRA Life

Thanks for your message referring to mid-1937 as the date of the logo change from small-left to large-right side. This information tracks well with Roy Jinks' S&W Collector article of 1989, p.992, where a table shows that in 1937 1558 RMs were made with REG 1793-3350. Therefore, the switch-over between REG 2000 and 2500 seems appropriate.

Hello all again,

I have some issues that need to be taken care of, so I am looking to sell the gun I posted on here. Where would one go to sell the gun or can it be sold on the internet?

Thanks,
Tiff

Hello
You can list it in the classified section of the forum. It would need to be shipped after being sold to an FFL Holder or someone with a C&R License to transfer it to the new owner. I have shipped several guns that I sold on the Internet and use my Local FFL holder for doing this. I hope this helps, Hammerdown

Tiff, Hammerdown is somewhat mostly correct. The firearm must be shipped to either an FFL (Type 01) or to a C & R FFL (Type 03). The Type 01 FFL can transfer the firearm to anyone that can legally own the firearm by filling out a Form 4473. The Type 03 C & R FFL can not transfer to a non FFL holder as the Type 03 C & R FFL does not permit for a C & R FFL holder to conduct business selling firearms.

Also if you are going to ship the firearm directly to the FFL holder (Type 01 or 03), make sure that the FFL holder will accept a shipment from a non FFL holder, assuming that you are not an FFL holder. If you are a non FFL holder you can't ship a handgun through the USPS, you have to use a common carrier, i.e. FDX, UPS... and both FDX and UPS require next day air for handguns. Most of the time it is cheaper to pay a type 01 FFL to ship the handgun as they are allowed to ship via the USPS.

Class III

Tiff:


I have a "willing FFL" that would be more than happy to take delivery of that RM on my behalf. I love the long tube 357's and would love to add that one to my collection...

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Richard
Engraved S&W fan