KCPD Pre-War .357 Magnums Purchased During 1939/1940 (Finish Condition - A Survey)

[lestert357]

There has been much written in publications and here on the Forum regarding the KCPD Pre-War S&W .357 Magnums. The consensus of opinion on them seems to be that most examples found today are re-blued (one or more times) and show substantial wear. This is not surprising considering they were used in police service from 1939/1940 up until approximately 1957 when the KCPD replaced them with the 4" Heavy Barrel K-38 Masterpiece.

I was most fortunate a few years ago to have acquired a nice example of a KCPD Pre-War Magnum which retains its original factory blue finish, original configuration, and original Magna grips with matching serial number. The gun, pictured below, which was in the 9/7/1939 shipment of 250 revolvers, rates approximately 95%. All of the Magnums in this shipment were in the same configuration with blue finishes, 4" barrels, Baughman Quick Draw front sights on King ramp bases, square notch rear sights, Hump Back hammers and Magna stocks. All of the 200 Magnums in the 1/30/1940 shipment were in the same configuration (except most were shipped with standard hammers), and all of the 26 Magnums in the 7/3/1940 shipment were in the same configuration (except with standard hammers), except two were shipped with 3.5" barrels and one was shipped with a 6.5" barrel.

All of the discussion regarding most of these guns being refinished, plus the fact that I was able to find one in original condition on a GB auction, got me to wondering just what the true statistics are regarding how many of these have been refinished. The table I have presented below represents all of the finish condition data of the KCPD Pre-War .357 Magnums (known extant revolvers) that I have been able to extract from searches of threads and the SWCA Database here on the Forum, or in other Internet searches. Note there are many additional KCPD Pre-War Magnum serial numbers listed in the S&WCA Pre-war .357 Magnum Database online at Smith & Wesson Collectors Association – The Collectors Resource for Historic Smith & Wesson Firearms, but it is not known if they are extant. I have also been able to add some serial numbers based on guns I have seen listed in various auctions. The table is in 3 sections in serial number order sorted by the three shipment dates to the KCPD in 1939/1940. Thus far I have been able to find references to 79* known extant examples, or approximately 16.6% of the total population of 476 KCPD Magnums.

For any of you that have first hand finish condition information or corrections on any of the guns listed below, or on any additional KCPD Magnums not listed, I encourage you to send me the information and I will add it to the survey. Pictures, as you know, are always welcome on this Forum!

Please PM me with your updates or just add your update in a post below in this thread. I will update the survey table accordingly. Thank you.

9/7/1939 Shipment (250 Magnums - all 4" blue)

SER#/REG# FINISH CONDITION

1. 58844/5000 - refinished (pictured in post #92 below)

2. 59056/4989 - refinished (nickel) (pictured in post #48 below)

3. 59062/4990 - refinished (pictured in post #35 below)

4. UNK/4993 - refinished

5. 59363/UNK - refinished

6. 59381/5009 - refinished

7. 59382/5004 - refinished (pictured in post #19 & #20 below)

8. 59383/5002 - refinished (barrel only extant) (pictured in post #86 below)

9. 59384/5008 - original finish @ 95% w/matching grips (pictured in post #1 above)

10. UNK/5101 - refinished

11. 59610/5044 - refinished

12. 59612/5045 - refinished (pictured in post #83 below)

13. 59615/5052 - modified/aftermarket punch dot engraved (pictured in post #95 below)

14. 59620/5051 - refinished

15. 59622/5046 - refinished (pictured in post #42 below)

16. 59624/5001 - refinished

17. 59630/UNK - refinished, barrel only, now installed on Kansas HP post war transitional S71751 (pictured in post #84 below)

18. 59638/5040 - refinished (barrel now 6") (pictured in post #81 below)

19. 59643/UNK - refinished/cannibalized

20. 59649/5072 - refinished

21. 59651/5058 - refinished (pictured in post #96 below)

22. 59654/5036 - refinished (nickel) (pictured in post #38 below)

23. 59655/UNK - refinished (barrel only extant)

24. 59656/5069 - refinished (pictured in post #93 below)

25. 59661/5102 - refinished (pictured in post #56 below)

26. 59676/5066 - refinished (previously nickel - now blue) (barrel now 3.5") (pictured in post #72 and pictured/discussed in post #76 below)

27. 59691/5086 - refinished

28. 59694/5088 - refinished

29. 59699/5075 - refinished (pictured in post #61 below)

30. 596XX/5112 - refinished

31. 59700/5115 - refinished (pictured in post #37 below)

32. 59702/5074 - refinished

33. 59707/5125 - refinished (pictured in post #71 below)

34. 59708/5105 - original finish @ 95% with King-like hammer

35. 59712/5124 - refinished

36. 59732/5131 - refinished

37. 59738/5143 - refinished (pictured on pages 88 & 89 in the book "Magnum" by Timothy J. Mullin)

38. 59740/5141 - refinished (pictured in post #34 below)

39. 59742/5137 - refinished (pictured in post #25 below)

40. 59749/5159 - original finish @ 95% w/non-matching KCPD grips serial# 59775(pictured in post #24, #27, and #28 below)

41. 59762/5169 - refinished

42. 59763/5171 - refinished (partially pictured in post #39 below)

43. 59765/5177 - refinished (pictured in post #45 below)

44. 59767/5170 - refinished (pictured in post #87 & 90 below)

45. 59797/5209 - refinished (pictured in post #40 below)

46. 59799/5208 - refinished

47. 59806/5223 - refinished

48. 59868/5220 - refinished

49. 59886/5202 - refinished

50. UNK/5225 - refinished

51. 598XX/5235 - refinished


1/30/1940 Shipment (200 Magnums - all 4" blue)

SER#/REG# FINISH CONDITION

52. 60780/NRM - refinished

53. 60817/NRM - refinished (pictured in post #41 below)

54. 60827/NRM - refinished (pictured in post #44 below)

55. 60839/NRM - refinished (nickel)

56. 60857/NRM - refinished (pictured in post #32 below)

57. 60858/NRM - refinished (pictured in post #47 below)

58. 60865/NRM - refinished (pictured in post #59 below)

59. 60880/NRM - refinished (pictured in post #70 below)

60. 60882/NRM - refinished (pictured in post #66 and post 82 below)

61. 60889/NRM - refinished (pictured in post #49 below)

62. 60896/NRM - refinished

63. 60899/NRM - original finish @ 80% w/replaced grips (pictured in post #36 below)

64. 60904/NRM - refinished

65. 60907/NRM - refinished (pictured in post #80 below)

66. 60910/NRM - original finish @ 90% w/matching grips (pictured in post #94 below)

67. 60918/NRM - refinished

68. 60927/NRM - refinished/restored (pictured in posts #30, #77, and #78 below)

69. 60930/NRM - refinished (pictured in post #33 & 89 below)

70. 60944/NRM - refinished (pictured in post #60 below)

71. 61052/NRM - refinished (pictured in post #31 below)

72. 61067/NRM - refinished (pictured in post #23 below)

73. 61096/NRM - refinished w/matching grips (pictured in post #85 below)


7/3/1940 Shipment (26 Magnums: 23 - 4", 2 - 3.5", 1 - 6.5", all blue)

SER#/REG# FINISH CONDITION

74. 61632/NRM - (3.5") original finish @ 99+% w/matching grips (pictured in post #21 below)

75. 61936/NRM - refinished

76. 61941/NRM - refinished w/matching grips (pictured in post #9, #29 and #88 below)

77. 61952/NRM - refinished (pictured in post #55 below)

78. 61954/NRM - refinished (barrel, cylinder, and crane only, now nickel

79. 61959/NRM - original finish @ 85% w/replaced grips, front sight, and rear sight blade (pictured in post #22 below)


*Summary Updated as of 4/11/2025: 79 total known extant examples (16.6% of the total population of 476)

7 original finish (8.9%)
72 refinished/modified/cannibalized (91.1%)

(Note: Although not part of this survey, the KCPD also placed an order for .357 Magnums that were shipped on December 17, 1936. It was for 6 Magnums, 5 were with 5 inch barrels and McGivern gold bead front sights; these units were serial# 49805 Reg# 1742; serial# 49810 Reg# 1743; serial# 49822 Reg# 1741; serial# 50053 Reg# 1739; serial# 50076 Reg# 1740, and 1 with a 6 inch barrel and McGivern gold bead front sight serial# 49806 Reg# 1744. This early order for 6 Magnums may have eventually led to the later larger orders listed above. Two of these revolvers have surfaced, one on GI and one on this Forum. The one previously listed and sold on GI is serial# 50053 Reg# 1739 and is pictured and described in post# 50 below. The one that surfaced on this Forum is serial# 50076 Reg# 1740 and is pictured and described in post# 51 below).

 

[rusty37874]

# 59742/5137 is a refinished gun

RIA -- May 2017-- Lot # 3268

 

[lestert357]

60896/NRM - refinished (added per PM)

 

[chiefdave]

Having lived in the KCMO area from birth until my government funded trip senior trip to SEA I find this post very interesting. Guess I'll put one of these on my list.

 

[BAM-BAM]

So out of 476 guns shipped "we"* can only account for 37 about 8%. I would have expected a higher percentage given the number of posts over the years.


*We= forum members.

 

[lestert357]

So out of 476 guns shipped "we"* can only account for 37 about 8%. I would have expected a higher percentage given the number of posts over the years.


*We= forum members.

Yes, some guns have been posted multiple times. I'm hoping with this thread "we"* can drive that percentage higher.

 

[BAM-BAM]

Yes, some guns have been posted multiple times.

I think that happens a lot here giving us a distorted impression of numbers that have been built and/or survived. I would have guessed that the KC guns numbered close to 1000 or more... and almost everyone, but me, had one!

Recent threads on Triple locks also surprised me as to numbers and how many said they'd never even seen one.

Also the Performance Center guns from thee 90s.... never knew so few were built.... often times less than 200 in a run.

 

[lestert357]

60930/NRM - refinished (added per PM)

 

[SRG]

61941 NRM 4" shipped to KCPD July 3, 1940 factory refinished 1947.

 

[lestert357]

59620/UNK - refinished (added per Internet search)

 

[lestert357]

61052/NRM - refinished (added per PM)

 

[S&WIowegan]

I own S#59702

I bought the gun quite a few yrs. back as one in a group/package/clump of guns at a Rock Island Auction. The gun has truly been rode hard, put away wet, refinished 1944 at S&W and possibly additional refins along its life. At one time the gun appears to have been smoothed by a surface grinder. Very little finish remains. The registration number is 5074.

I bought it for sentimental reasons and to rescue it from further abuse. I was considering having it restored by David Chicoine when that entity dissolved. I must take it to the range sometime to see how it shoots.

 

[lestert357]

61952/NRM - refinished (added per PM)


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Thinnes]

Very good work. Thanks for a very interesting thread. I suspect a lot more NRM owners will show up here. Gotta be a lot more out there in our community. Dave

 

[lonegunman762x51]

You already have my KCPD gun. I had it restored by David Chicoine, he did the work between 2008-10. It was part of the January 30th 1940 shipment, so Happy Birthday to my gun. Shipped 78 years ago today.

Dave called me after he received the gun and said, "Wow, it looks just like you described." He was amused and said, most people try and paint a nicer picture of the gun to get a lower estimate.

Dave send me a letter describing his work, it was returned to "factory restored" condition perfectly. I still really like this revolver and look forward to hearing about more survivors.

 

[lestert357]

598XX/5235 - refinished (added per archived Forum thread)

 

[lestert357]

60827/NRM - refinished (updated per PM)

 

[quinn]

Non Reg 60914 shipped on 1/30/40 was factory refinished 5/47 and appears to have been returned with early post war magnas.

 

[DGT]

KC Magnum registration number 5004

 

[RKmesa]

KC Magnum registration number 5004

Wow!!! That is a beauty!