Hello Gents, I happened upon a registered magnum recently. Its the long barrel version. 5.8 or 6 whatever they were at the time. Ive collected a number of my desired numbered models and always wanted an RM and a TL. This example does not have the original grips, little to no original finish, and of course no registration. What would am example in that condition be worth? I can buy it for $1,500. Lockup and endshake is great. No rust, dings or pits. I cannot remember the number on it but i can go back and look. Any help is appreciated.

If you want a shooter ....... go for it.

For shooting and just to have an RM
This is a good deal. I if you can feel out seller and whittle it down a bit great. But $1500 is good in my opinion for a shooter grade RM

-As long as it functions well and it sounds like it does.
-And if the finish loss appears to be from "use" over past 85 years.

I have a few but if I happened upon one as you describe locally I would pick it up.

And since its well worn you wont need to obsess over getting period correct stocks. You can dress it up accordingly.

If you get it possibly consider a letter. Sometimes they have cool history.

I would buy a functioning registered magnum for $1500 even with very little finish and no grips.

After you BUY IT, please send me the serial number and registration number so I can add it to the SWCA database. If possible please attach a few pictures of the gun.

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Terry Lester

I can't say that I have seen a Reg Mag offered for less than $3500 recently. I know that one or two got sold as Pre-27's for about a grand, but those are outliers.

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On the Oak Savannah

A lot of unaswered questions here. When you say "no registratioon" does that mean there is no Reg # where the Mod # usually is located (meaning it is a "non registered" magnum) or just lacking any paperwork). Does it look like it was refinished before (weak rollmarks, rounded edge on sideplate, etc.)? And so on. Anyway, it sounds like a bargain. If you decide not to buy it, please let me know where it is located. Or, get some photos for additional help here.

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Randy
Provenance nerd

Tell me where it is, I'll go take a look for you...

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"Free dirt, you dig."

The yoke area is marked REG and a five digit number. My plan is to work a deal and buy it tomorrow. Once I do, i will post pics and info. When i said no registration, i meant that there was no paperwork as in it had never been sent in. I should have bought it today as ive never found an RM in my area for sale. Ill get it bought if its still there and send yall the info. I appreciate everyones input.

Hopefully it is a four digit number after REG. Think there were about 5200 RMs. No five digit numbers.

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David Reynolds

Just for comparison purposes. An excellent condition 6.5"-barrel RM just sold on 5/9/24 at Morphy Auctions for $4428.00. It was Reg. #3710 Ser. #56717.

It is a four digit reg number. I dont know why i said five. I think the serial number is five digits. Ive had a lot going on today..Ill know more when i go back tomorrow to pick it up. Hopefully its still there. Thanks again!

See if this pic loads correctly

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Dont go to hating me, but thoughts on refinishing it? Its a shooter so what will it hurt? Will S&W do it? George in Boca Raton is retired. Who other than Turnbull. Ive only had one revolver reblued in my life. It was a hand me down of my Grandfathers. Ive collected revolvers for 30yrs.

Looks like some post war features
Rear sight and barrel and ejector I think
Csn you confirm serial on butt?

I felt the sight to be replaced. Ejector rod appears later as well. 58908 "star" with a register number of 4923. I know little about RM's but i can tell when parts arent "right" all i could find are those two. Im glad it was confirmed by you. Either way, im happy to own an RM for the price. You cant buy anything rare for $1,500 anymore. I saw a man pay $1,700 for a NIB model 13 3" not long ago. Apples and Oranges yes, but even my common numbered models keep coming up every year to the point i cant believe prices on rough examples.

This picture is of something OTHER than an original RM! If nothing else, installing a post war rear sight on a pre-war gun requires milling the sight tang channel wider---and milling the sight carrier notch in the frame at the rear larger.

Other than that, why would you spend good money for what you've described as what I'll call a beater? You can accomplish the same thing by simply burning your money.

High condition guns, RM's or any other, either sustain their value or appreciate. Low condition guns continue to depreciate.

Ralph Tremaine

Nframe29
Its very cool especially for $1500. I would not walk away either for that price. I was just curious to confirm it was not a possible transitional magnum. Which would have been a real coup at $1500. But sounds like an RM with a few mods. Congratulations and do enjoy!

Oh as far as refinishing...
For now
I suggest just enjoying and shooting as is. Maybe get a letter? You never know what you might find out. I letter all of mine in the hopes of a nice surprise. Just my 2 cents

Well thanks for everyones input. Ill just keep it as a shooter and consider as lesson learned and let someone deal with the junky thing when im dead and gone. Ive got a NIB S prefix model 27 i always wanted to shoot. Ill let this pile of junk take its place instead lol

Hope everyone has a good evening!

Agree with mchom on post war features. Also post war grips.

But, nice Hump Back Hammer!

Is there a serial number in the barrel shroud and on the cylinder face? If so, what is it?

With the star on the butt perhaps the mods, or some of the mods, were done at the factory.

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Terry Lester

I'm sure there are a number of people here willing to take that "pile of junk" off your hands. I like the one's that got out there and did something, not sit in someone's panty drawer doing nothing. If mechanics are good, shoot a piece of history and enjoy. Neat gun with humpback hammer too.

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PTLAPTA!

Barrel and cylinder serial numbers match the frame

I wouldn't be in a big hurry to do anything with it yet. It deserves a letter. I would almost bet that it has a LE history behind it. Once you have the ship date, hit up the SWHF for other possible docs (service records, factory correspondence, ect).

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On the Oak Savannah

The star after the serial number means the gun went back to S&W for work. It looks to me like the rear sight and the barrel have been replaced. S&W will not refinish the gun. I think most of the folks here will tell you that a refinish will not add to the value of the gun, and might make it worth less.
Here is my gun, SN 47138 REG 657 for comparison.

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David Reynolds

Im pretty positive it was a service revolver. There is a wear mark above the thumbpiece where a snap has been riding for many years. I will send off for a letter and see what it has to say. Im curious of its history. Im fine with the piece. Its neat and im gonna shoot and carry it around the ponderosa like its previous owner

Enjoy it. While hardly pristine and carrying some newer parts it is still a registered magnum, something the vast majority of S&W owners don't have and probably never will

They were never ever made to be investments or to sit in drawers to be handled only with white cotton gloves.

Some people are like a guy who walks everywhere because he is saving his money for a new Corvette

Thanks again for everyomes help and replies.i knew it wanst pristine when I got it. Ill enjoy shooting it.

Congratulations. IMHO there is room in this world for both “high condition” guns and guns with a history of regular use. They both appeal to me.

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Mark Lathem

I would love to have a shooter grade registered magnum. I have both pristine and worn revolvers. I definitely have a soft spot for the used and loved guns. Congratulations on the reg. Magnum.

Ps:Buy the best YOU can afford.
Buy it when you see it because you most likely won’t see it again.
They aren’t making any more.
They made less than 6000 90 years ago.

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Dave
Regulators mount up!

For many years i WANTED A TRIPLE LOCK. found 1 on an auction site for a price i could afford and won it , BUT it is a British service gun not a 44 special Evidently of less appeal to collectors.It has some wear but it is MY triple lock and i cherish it as such.You ar e lucky to have the gun enjoy it

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age is just a number

That's a perfect revolver. Worn, but by no means abused or beaten. The finish tells it's history and story. There's only one like it. Letter it and enjoy it.

Refinish it and it's a clone of every other pristine safe queen out there, except it's a fraud. Probably a really nice looking fraud, but still an empty potato chip bag.

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Just Say No - To Social Media

Get a letter on it . Don’t ever refinish. You did great. Read up on the history of the RM. And enjoy your fantastic bargain. Dave

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Illegitimi non carborundum

I’d be happy to find and own one like it. Congratulations.

You have a nice shooter there. I'm glad I didn't find it first, as I would have really been torn. I'm with David on this one, that the barrel has been replaced, as evidenced by the sight base. But if it is numbered to the gun, then it is probably factory. What bothers me most is the rear sight not being contoured to the frame.
I'm not kicking dirt on your new gun. Like I said, I would have really been torn over this one.

Sent from my SM-G781U1 using Tapatalk

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Regards,
Bruce

Many an RM was a 'working" gun!

My Dad's Colt New Service in .357 magnum was off to Kings of Calf for sights and action job in 1938/39..... before riding in his duty holster for almost 30 years. During his last 9 years as a Captain he carried either his 4" 1946 M&P or a 2" Colt Detective Special.

MY RM is a 99%er except for the missing factory grips. It wears period correct smooth/no bark stag grips.

I have a 4" 27-3 [recessed but not pinned] that's about 90% or so...... nice enough to be proud of; "worn" enough to be shot and carried!

Congrats, great looking RM and you just do what ever strikes your fancy with it. If I was so lucky (if it didn't have historical importance) I'd give it a working man's spa treatment.

Well done,

Al

I would have bought that in a heartbeat!

In fact I have an in the white RM barrel just waiting for a gun like that!

I think a new set of more period correct stocks would be really make it look just right

In re-looking at your picture in post #13 I see that the roll mark on the left side appears to be positioned like a pre-war barrel - it is not centered like on post war barrels.

Check your barrel shroud and see if it has the cutout for the larger pre-war ejector rod head like pictured below - in front of the “B”. If it does have the cutout then you have the original pre-war barrel that has been cut back to 6”.

The reason I say it has been cut is that the front sight is no longer recessed like on an original Registered or Non-Registered Magnum barrel; it is now positioned at the end of the barrel like on a post war Pre-Model 27.

A factory letter will confirm that the barrel was originally longer.

Also, what is the number date code on the left side grip strap under the grip - that will tell you when the work was done at the factory.

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Terry Lester

It's worth remembering that Registered Magnums were bespoke guns. There was no "long barrel version" at any time; dealers would complete and order form and specify, among other things, the finish, the barrel length, the sighting, etc. Smith & Wesson would then make the gun to order.

REG 4923 was ordered by a dealer in Los Angeles, CA. Among other things, it was originally fitted with a 6" barrel, a humpback hammer, and King sights.

Mike

Mike, where did that information come from? Something is not correlating here regarding the barrel.

The OP says the barrel serial number matches the frame and that it is 6”.

The “Smith & Wesson” roll mark is located correctly for a pre-war barrel.

The barrel appears to be 6” but the rib and front sight assembly are not recessed like on pre-war Magnums, so would either be (1) cut from the original longer barrel, or (2) replaced with another longer pre-war barrel cut to 6” and re-numbered to match.

I suppose one other possibility is that the barrel is not quite 6” and was just shortened to about the end of the rib.

It would be nice to see a close-up picture of the interior of the barrel shroud to confirm it has the cutout for the larger pre-war ejector rod head.

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Terry Lester

I took that information straight from the original order form.

Mike

It would be nice to get the exact measurement of the barrel from the OP; 5.8” as stated in post #1 would make sense if the original 6” barrel was shortened to about the end of the original rib length.

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Terry Lester

My RM was owned by the New Hampshire State Police. The department sent it and a few others back to the factory to repair and reblue. Mine has a post war barrel that was checkered by the factory to match the frame.

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Robert
SWCA #2906, SWHF #760

I mentioned "5.8" because a certain "know it all" told me they were 5.8 back then exactly. I generally use rounded off numbers to explain a gun. I may say 6" in a quick description and not 6.5. My original point was being made as it wasnt a short desired barrel. Barrel is exactly 5.9975 with digital mitutoyo calipers. Cut for a pre war rod. I have two extras laying around. Both nickel. I may take brownells nickel stripper and put a pre war rod on it if the letter doesnt mention it. It was sent back twice. May of 52 and June of 60. Sight modification looks factory. No tool marks or anything. Id bet all modifications were done there.

I looked in the records and I don't see any service invoices for this gun on those dates, but that's not surprising as our repair records are pretty incomplete.

Mike

Thanks for looking it up. Ill go ahead and get it lettered. Theres a lot of things going on with it for sure. I was afraid the repairs may not be documented

Comparison with OPs REG 4923 with REG 1530 (a 6"er in my collection)




... and for reference, this is the side profile of a King Reflector Ramp (from another RM):



Nframe29:

First of all - CONGRATS!!! What a fun gun and for the money, it would be in my safe if I had come across it.

Consistent with comments above, my observations after looking at 100's and perhaps more than 1000 pre-war magnums:

1. Post war parts for sure include the rear sight, grips, and extractor rod.
2. The barrel appears to be a post war barrel as well- no large knob cut out (that I can see from the photo), post war large front ramp, and no rebated front sight (that I can see from the photo) i.e. the front of the sight base looks to be flush with the crown of the barrel (not rebated 1/16" - 1/8" like the pre-war front sight bases).
3. Well-used and a super fun shooter!!!

I LOVE THESE KINDS OF GUNS - lots of fun anomalies to investigate and sleuth out. You have some of the best resources available weighing in on your gun:

Mike (first-model) is a trained historian with a passion for all things S&W, and as a leader in the S&W Historical Foundation, he has access to all of the scanned S&W document archives. He is a great resource to all of us collectors.

Terry (lester357) is the keeper of the SWCA pre-war Magnum and Transitional Magnum databases. He is passionate about collecting and cataloging the current condition of as many of these great guns as possible and he too is a great resource to us collectors.

That both of them have weighed in on this gun, would indicate that your RM (although not a pure specimen) is AN INTERESTING GUN!

Although not in the same league as Mike and Terry, I have a passion for the pre-war and early post war 357 Magnums and have a collection of quite a few of them. In addition, I have collected many photos of these guns over the years and refer to that photo database regularly. Here are some of my observations to Mike and Terry's dialogue above:

Mike:

From the one photo that I see, that barrel does NOT have the cut out for the pre-war large knob. And the front sight ramp base is consistent with a Post War barrel (longer base) and most pre-war ramp bases were King bases. The pre-war Patridge sighted barrels typically had the square base, rather than a ramped base (unless it was a King ramped base). I see this as an early post war replacement barrel (some of which still have the Large knob cut out in the shroud). I would love to see photos of the shroud, and the frame with the grips off.

Terry:

The roll marks on that barrel are more consistent with pre-war roll marks, but not unknown on post war barrels (as noted by some of the ones that we have recently discussed). Roll marks are not even 100% consistent with the magnums of the same era, with slight variances front or back observed regularly.

Lots of rambling from me, that I'll probably edit when I have time to read it again.

Once again - FUN GUN! And Thanks to all for Sharing,

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Richard
Engraved S&W fan

I went back through the Historical Foundation stuff that we have digitized, and the only thing I could find for this gun is the original five pages of paperwork from when it was ordered. It was one of nine guns ordered, and the only Registered Magnum in the lot. As I mentioned before, it was ordered with a 6" barrel and a King red post ramp reflector up front and a King #112 bringing up the rear.

There's unfortunately nothing in our records about the factory repairs / rework that was done, but I know from having wandered through the records that the factory was called on to do all sorts of things, and they would generally oblige if people were willing to pay. That said, I'm not the expert on Registered Magnums and defer to some of the others here.

In any event, I think it was an absolute steal at that price. I recently invested a lot more than that for RM 880, which is mint enough to make me very reluctant to take it to the range. It's fun to have a safe queen, but a gun like this could be run pretty hard without any feelings of guilt. There's a lot of enjoyment to be had in that.

If it was me, I'd letter it because I think any RM deserves to be lettered. I don't think the original factory paperwork is going to reveal much more than I've already said, but sometimes a second pair of eyes can spot something that I missed.

Mike

Thanks Mike. I could not agree more. Every RM needs a letter. The letter is a significant tangible piece of the history of that specific gun, and something that can be transferred owner to owner, keeping the history alive with any future caretaker. In addition, I believe that each RM needs all the other Historical Records that the S&W Historical Foundation can provide (through a separate request and a small fee).

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Richard
Engraved S&W fan

As you may have noticed, Mike, I letter a lot of guns that some might consider less than as important as an RM...But if I ever score an RM, I may letter it twice just to be sure!......Ben

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Cogito, ergo BOOM!...