RM Vivas
US Veteran
I’ve taken a bit of a break from things and have travelled to the American West to visit a brother.
While I’m here in this un-named state, my brother and I are hitting the regional gunshow and going through the smaller shops looking for hidden treasures.
We stopped at one of the local places and had a look around. There was a great deal of modern stuff, including an excellent suppressor selection, but very few revolvers and almost nothing from S&W in a revolver.
A bit discouraging but hey, a lot of the modern stuff is pretty interesting too and they did have a bunch of really nice thunder toys.
As I was looking around, I was eavesdropping on the different conversations and there was a gentleman behind the counter having a conversation with a customer about a Smith & Wesson revolver.
I was just casually listening, not really paying it any mind, when the words “Registered Magnum” cut through all the other noise and registered.
Registered Magnum! He said Registered Magnum!
OK, all attention to the conversation!!!
I walked up behind the customer, very wisely (and with great Herculean effort) kept my mouth shut, and just observed.
The fellow behind the counter had a gun case with two guns in it; an engraved Colt 1908 .380 and a 6.5” RM. As he and the customer conversed I learned that the guns belonged to the fellow behind the counter, had been in his family for ages and he had brought them in to show some folks, NOT TO SELL!
With uncharacteristic grace and patience, I waited until the conversation between them had run its course and I stepped in and started speaking with the owner of these guns, the fellow behind the counter.
He was gracious enough to let me examine the gun: King square notch rear sight, patridge front, 6.5 inch barrel, humpback hammer. I looked in the gun case; Registration Certificate and mailing tube!!!!
I’ve spent a great deal of time, more than most folks would believe, spelunking the RM records and the esoterica of the RM world and here I was, staring at an RM in the wild! My mouth, heretofore in High Idle mode, now decided to rev high, double clutch and do the verbal equivalent of a burn out.
The floodgates open and for a couple of minutes I held forth on RM’s in general and the rarity of this specific one as regarded it’s having a humpback hammer AND having the mailing tube and Registration Certificate.
At the end of that 10-minute pontification that I compressed into 120 seconds, the fellow gave me a slightly odd look and asked my name. I introduced myself and he said he recognized my name and had read some of my stuff on the S&W forum!
Well, that was a great ice breaker and the gentleman, for he truly was one, let me examine the gun, the certificate, the mailing tube, take pictures of same and, most importantly, share those images with you and add the gun to the SWCA database.
So, about the gun…..
As the images show, this is a 6.500” inch gun, RM3061/sn52149. Patridge front, square notch rear, humpback hammer. Very nice shape. Grips are unmarked third-party with some roughly done checkering but the contours are rather unique, at least to me.
Part of this guns beauty lies in the fact that it has remained in this fellows family since it was originally purchased in November or December 1937. The fellow states his relative who was a motorcycle cop used it as his duty piece and it has stayed in the family since then.
We spoke for a good while about his gun and I was able to dig up some information on it. He never lettered it but is going to do so now ( S&W Historical Foundation - Letters ) and I strongly recommended he join the Smith & Wesson Collectors Association ( Smith & Wesson Collectors Association - Membership ) as well.
As for the gun…..
In really great shape. Some wear in the usual spots but nothing really into the metal. For a gun that is 88 years old and was used as an on-duty piece, its in great shape! The grips were removed and there were no factory re-work stampings or any other unusual stampings.
Clearly marked REG 3061 an the serial number (not shown) is 54129.....
Amongst the coolness was this very early humpback hammer……
As well as a King rear sight……
What really makes this gun stand out is the Registration Certificate with seal and DBW signature……
As well as the original mailing tube…..
Quite a find! I love that the gun has stayed in the family for almost its entire life!
Still out cruising for guns the next couple days and then home to the grind.
Best,
RM Vivas
THIS GUN IS NOT FOR SALE. If you PM me asking to contact the gun owner or the shop where he works, I’ll publicly shame you. This gentleman was kind enough to allow us a look at a valuable family heirloom and share the specs of it in the SWCA database; respect his desire to keep the gun in the family!
While I’m here in this un-named state, my brother and I are hitting the regional gunshow and going through the smaller shops looking for hidden treasures.
We stopped at one of the local places and had a look around. There was a great deal of modern stuff, including an excellent suppressor selection, but very few revolvers and almost nothing from S&W in a revolver.
A bit discouraging but hey, a lot of the modern stuff is pretty interesting too and they did have a bunch of really nice thunder toys.
As I was looking around, I was eavesdropping on the different conversations and there was a gentleman behind the counter having a conversation with a customer about a Smith & Wesson revolver.
I was just casually listening, not really paying it any mind, when the words “Registered Magnum” cut through all the other noise and registered.
Registered Magnum! He said Registered Magnum!
OK, all attention to the conversation!!!
I walked up behind the customer, very wisely (and with great Herculean effort) kept my mouth shut, and just observed.
The fellow behind the counter had a gun case with two guns in it; an engraved Colt 1908 .380 and a 6.5” RM. As he and the customer conversed I learned that the guns belonged to the fellow behind the counter, had been in his family for ages and he had brought them in to show some folks, NOT TO SELL!
With uncharacteristic grace and patience, I waited until the conversation between them had run its course and I stepped in and started speaking with the owner of these guns, the fellow behind the counter.
He was gracious enough to let me examine the gun: King square notch rear sight, patridge front, 6.5 inch barrel, humpback hammer. I looked in the gun case; Registration Certificate and mailing tube!!!!
I’ve spent a great deal of time, more than most folks would believe, spelunking the RM records and the esoterica of the RM world and here I was, staring at an RM in the wild! My mouth, heretofore in High Idle mode, now decided to rev high, double clutch and do the verbal equivalent of a burn out.
The floodgates open and for a couple of minutes I held forth on RM’s in general and the rarity of this specific one as regarded it’s having a humpback hammer AND having the mailing tube and Registration Certificate.
At the end of that 10-minute pontification that I compressed into 120 seconds, the fellow gave me a slightly odd look and asked my name. I introduced myself and he said he recognized my name and had read some of my stuff on the S&W forum!
Well, that was a great ice breaker and the gentleman, for he truly was one, let me examine the gun, the certificate, the mailing tube, take pictures of same and, most importantly, share those images with you and add the gun to the SWCA database.
So, about the gun…..
As the images show, this is a 6.500” inch gun, RM3061/sn52149. Patridge front, square notch rear, humpback hammer. Very nice shape. Grips are unmarked third-party with some roughly done checkering but the contours are rather unique, at least to me.
Part of this guns beauty lies in the fact that it has remained in this fellows family since it was originally purchased in November or December 1937. The fellow states his relative who was a motorcycle cop used it as his duty piece and it has stayed in the family since then.
We spoke for a good while about his gun and I was able to dig up some information on it. He never lettered it but is going to do so now ( S&W Historical Foundation - Letters ) and I strongly recommended he join the Smith & Wesson Collectors Association ( Smith & Wesson Collectors Association - Membership ) as well.
As for the gun…..
In really great shape. Some wear in the usual spots but nothing really into the metal. For a gun that is 88 years old and was used as an on-duty piece, its in great shape! The grips were removed and there were no factory re-work stampings or any other unusual stampings.
Clearly marked REG 3061 an the serial number (not shown) is 54129.....
Amongst the coolness was this very early humpback hammer……
As well as a King rear sight……
What really makes this gun stand out is the Registration Certificate with seal and DBW signature……
As well as the original mailing tube…..
Quite a find! I love that the gun has stayed in the family for almost its entire life!
Still out cruising for guns the next couple days and then home to the grind.
Best,
RM Vivas
THIS GUN IS NOT FOR SALE. If you PM me asking to contact the gun owner or the shop where he works, I’ll publicly shame you. This gentleman was kind enough to allow us a look at a valuable family heirloom and share the specs of it in the SWCA database; respect his desire to keep the gun in the family!
