A First year R.M. and an Interesting shipping Point.

Absolutly outstanding. Anyone who says Fords refinishing isn't as good as it used to be needs to read your post.

As far as the refinishing goes, what else were you to do? I don't think anyone would do differently on a project like this. It's what this revolver needed, you couldn't have done any better or had a nicer outcome.

I always enjoy post like this. You don't get this level of quality, dedication to collecting and research very often.

Gail
 
An absolutely wonderful Registered Magnum AND some truly priceless firearms history as well, Hammerdown. Very nicely done indeed! Thanks for sharing these important pieces of American history with us!

JD
 
You will most likely find out who the original owner of that revolver was. Everybody in Richmond county knows everybody in Richmond county. If you keep inquiring, the name will turn up.
 
ColbyBruce said:
You will most likely find out who the original owner of that revolver was. Everybody in Richmond county knows everybody in Richmond county. If you keep inquiring, the name will turn up.
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Hello Colby Bruce
At this Point I have hit a brick Wall. It is very hard to find out anything on something this old as most of that time span are not among us anymore:( I was very Pleased to hook up with Charles Bowen III and have his Input on the family legacy of guns.:)
 
GF said:
Absolutly outstanding. Anyone who says Fords refinishing isn't as good as it used to be needs to read your post.

As far as the refinishing goes, what else were you to do? I don't think anyone would do differently on a project like this. It's what this revolver needed, you couldn't have done any better or had a nicer outcome.

I always enjoy post like this. You don't get this level of quality, dedication to collecting and research very often.

Gail
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Hello Gail
I agree totally with your response. The way the gun was when I Bought it, made it nothing other than a conversation Piece. The job of altering the grip Frame by Cutting it, moving it in and Brazing it back up was very amateur at best.:( The Original finish was very nice given the age of it, but I felt a Major Part of the reason behind that was Perhaps the owner of it that had the frame Cut was not happy with the results so it more than Likely laid in a Night stand drawer many years as it does not show to have been fired much at all.


Being it is a First Year Registered Magnum it deserved to be repaired and made whole again. Most of The Registered Magnums I have come across have been refinished anyway, so that Lessened my concern over having this one done. Ford's did an amazing fix to this gun and took on a difficult Job that Other's would not even consider, so that speaks volumes itself to me on their commitment to satisfy the Customer. I can't wait to take it to the range and fire it...:)
 
Great looking RM. I think if it could talk, it would thank you for making it whole again. Finding out the history is very tedious, but rewarding. I feel sure that it has not only been interesting for you, but also the Bowen family, as well. Their research probably jogged some pleasant memories for them. Congratulations again.
 
Next time I am in Augusta I will drop by 1044 Broad Street and talk to the owner, maybe they have something left behind somewhere from the Hardware store that might be interesting....
 
Kurt, Congrats, a plenty! You have been having too much fun with this gun! Better send it back to me for a refund! As you know, when I sold you the gun, my guarantee is that I will always buy back any S&W I've ever sold to a fellow collector, for what ever amount they paid me. No time limit! Unfortunately, in 65+ years, no one has ever taken me up on that guarantee. However, you can be the first! Good luck, Ed #15
 
A big "thumbs up" on your efforts and the results on that one, Kurt! Congrats.

Bob
 
sw282 said:
Hammer,
Theres a parking bumper in the lot next to the Glidden Store on Walton Way marked Bowen Brothers. I saw as recently as a few years ago. One of the older ones made of granite. The the name chiseled into the stone like a monument. My uncle bought guns from them. He had a beautiful A5 Round Knob Browning and a Smith&Wesson Husqvarna rifle from Bowen Bros

I have a 1950 Augusta City Directory. I seem to remember a pic of the store in the book. Would go take a look on Broad Street for you. Its just a little crazy on that side of the river during golf week.
'
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Hello sw282
I appreciate your Kindness. If you get a chance to go there it would be great to see some pictures, But Please No Hurry... Hammerdown
 
Hello
I recently got some information on my Registered Magnum from Forum member opoefc that kind of completes the Loop on who owned my Registerted Magnum, Thanks Ed... Here is what he shared with me and it is Rare to find out who owned a gun this old and now it explains how it got from the East Coast to the West coast..







Kurt, I recently talked to the man from whom I bought the RM and he told me that he bought it about 5 yrs ago from a man named David Rodgers, who inheirited the gun, and other guns, from his father, who was a Captain in the US Army. Cap't Rodgers retired from the Army about 1933. Both he and his son, David are deceased now. My friend told me that David Rodgers had a brother and the guns were split up between David and his brother, when their father died and that there was another RM with a "long barrel" and it went to the brother. Name or location of the brother is unknown to me or my friend. David said his father had small hands and had "modified" the RM to better fit his hands and made some "custon" grips for the smaller frame out of epoxy. Those epoxy grips were on the gun when my friend bought it, however they were molded around the grip frame and he had to carefully chip them offf. David told my friend that his dad was recalled to active duty in WW2 and then went into real estate after the war and made millions, David resided at the San Diego Yacht Club where his very large yacht was moored, when my friend bought some guns from him, including your Registered Magnum Thought you might like to know the above history. Good Luck,, Ed
 
Kurt,

If you can check, you may find that Capt, Rodgers was stationed at the old Augusta Arsenal. If I remember correctly, 1917s were rebuilt between the wars at Augusta Arsenal. That may be where he got the idea that he had the skill to make the mods. May be possible that one of the arsenal workers did the work for him during off hours. I saw that gun at Troy also and found it fascinating. I had personally wondered if it had been modified for a woman. You got one with interesting history.
 
Hello John
Excellent idea on checking into the Augusta Arsenal. ;) I will contact William Bowen III again who lives in Augusta and is the Grand son to the Gun shop owner who originally took the gun in when it shipped from S&W in December 1935 and ask him. He knows a Ton of History on the City of Augusta and his family was heavily involved with Guns since the Civil War, it was his Great grand Father that was commissioned by the Confederate Army to build and standardize the caliber for the Black Powder rifles that were used in the Civil War. Thanks much, Hammerdown
 
tennexplorer said:
Kurt,

If you can check, you may find that Capt, Rodgers was stationed at the old Augusta Arsenal. If I remember correctly, 1917s were rebuilt between the wars at Augusta Arsenal. That may be where he got the idea that he had the skill to make the mods. May be possible that one of the arsenal workers did the work for him during off hours. I saw that gun at Troy also and found it fascinating. I had personally wondered if it had been modified for a woman. You got one with interesting history.
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Hello Tennexplorer
I looked back at my notes and discovered something Real Erie here. Apparently if you look back at the Original Typed Letter I received from Charles Bowen III telling his families Legacy of heavy interest in guns, you will see his Great grandfather was commissioned to Build & Standardize all Black Powder Muzzle guns for the Cival War...


Apparently his Partner of building of those guns name was Named Rogers and they Later went on to produce Black Powder rifle's for retail market stamped accordingly "Bowen & Rogers" on them. . In Ed's E-mail he made metion that the Original owner of my Registered Magnum was a Captain Rodgers of the United States Army, who may or may not have been stationed at or close to The Augusta, Georgia arsenal in or around the 1935 time span.


At this point it is Purely speculation on my part here, but perhaps the Captain Rodgers name may have been typed in Error and his real name may have been Rogers like Bowen's Partner of those Civil War guns, and Perhaps maybe that is how This Captain Rodgers came onto The Bowen Brothers Hardware company also of Augusta, Georgia to Place the order for my first Year Registered Magnum. ?



I have contacted Mr. Charles Bowen III by E-mail and am anxiously awaiting for his response to this person's name and also I have contacted Ed to see if perhaps' it was a Typo on the last name and it is supposed to be Rogers Instead of Rodgers, or if the Previous owner may have Miss-spoke on the way the original owners name was spelled.. More Later I hope..The mystery continues. :)
 
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