Mr. E. F. Warner’s 8.5 Inch Post War .357 Magnum Transitional Revolver

Outstanding! I would love to own a revolver like that one, one day. Besides the beauty of that particular long barrel, the S&W history, and the original ownership inter-weaved with the gun culture of that period, makes this gun particularly attractive.

Cheers!
 
Lester, sorry for calling the gun an RM, I did read your post and do know what a Transitional 357 is but I was more focused on the grips! Really intriguing lumber, I've no real doubt that a Roper had a hand in making them, but which one. Mathias made them for Walter Roper but it was Albert that worked in the factory, and he learned to make grips from his father Mathias. A number of early smooth Targets I've looked at have a definite Gagne/Roper influence including the set in KSKs link above, "The 1950 Target with oversize stocks", replace the S&W type checkering with A Roper fingertip pattern and they become pure Roper, those were November of 1950. I guess I need to find out exactly when Albert worked at S&W.
 
Really intriguing lumber, I've no real doubt that a Roper had a hand in making them, but which one.


Keith,

Bill Cross previously sent me a picture of the inside of the oversized grips on the 1950 Target mentioned above. They have the black washers retaining the S&W medallions like the later target grips. My grips do not have that black washers as you can see in my picture above. Also the checkering near the top of my grips does not curve around the S&W medallions like it does on the grips on the 1950 Target. I'm not sure that proves anything one way or the other as the grips on my Transitional could very easily pre-date the grips on the 1950 Target and also pre-date standard S&W production methods in those two areas for target grips. Since there is apparently no factory record of my Transitional being shipped with oversize or target grips I suppose that leans the scale towards them being done outside the factory. However I must say they perfectly complement and seem like a natural choice for this Transitional that has a special order 8.5" barrel and upgraded Bright blue finish!

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No way to real prove anything at all without some factory paper to maybe back it up, but, my interest in these early grips makes me wonder if your set might be an early attempt at what we now call cokes. Nothing but my opinion but the inside of your grips are Roper, the outside has checkering very much like the know factory coke pattern, seems possible to me that Albert took a set of Roper inlet grips and added a S&W style checkering pattern plus medallions. Concerning the 1950 Oversize stocks, I knew they had factory washers, I was commenting on the outside shape only, and that shape is pure Roper. My point, if I have one, is that Albert learned to make "oversize" stocks from his father Mathias, Albert later worked for S&W in the stock making department, he most likely was there when The "oversize" stocks were first created. Does not seem like a stretch that a number of early sets were made in working the whole thing out pre production, quite possibly by him. Your set has a hand cut border around the checkering using a U shaped chisel, the 1950 oversize set has a hand cut border using a V chisel, I've observed a couple others with hand cut borders, I think these are all early probably pre production grips/stocks. Any of it really mean much, maybe not, but I think its pretty cool.
 
I am surprised no one has mention the barrel length. The RMs originally be ordered with a length of 8 3/4 then reduced to 8 3/8 inches.
This gun had a barrel of 8 1/2 inches so the original owner had some pull to get custom length barrel.
 
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I am surprised no one has mention the barrel length. The RMs originally be ordered with a length of 8 3/4 then reduced to 8 3/8 inches.
This gun had a barrel of 8 1/2 inches so the original owner had some pull to get custom length barrel.

A customer could order any length barrel they wanted between 8 3/4" and 3 1/2" in quarter inch increments. Some of the coolest I've seen are in the 7 inch range. Personally I think a 5 1/2" would be the ultimate in Registered Magnums, though a 4 3/4" would be up there too!
 
Some of the coolest I've seen are in the 7 inch range. Personally I think a 5 1/2" would be the ultimate in Registered Magnums, though a 4 3/4" would be up there too!


[emoji848]Hmmmm.....those barrel lengths sound familiar; dare I say like a Colt Single Action?[emoji1]



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I received the corrected page 2 of the factory historical letter today from Mr. Jinks and it is now pictured in my original post above. I thought it was interesting to note his comment "This shipment was a special order produced especially for Mr. Warner as this model had not yet been returned to production after World War II." The corrected letter still shows the barrel listed as 8.5" and the grips as checkered walnut. Personally, regarding the grips, I like Keith Brown's theory in Post #24 above that the grips are a pre-production attempt of the later "coke" pattern. At least that's my story and I'm sticking with it!


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The shipment was for 1 unit and was billed at the wholesale price of $66.68.
The $7.33 is the 11% FET.


It was not cheap and I did not get a steal, but some might say I hit a home run!
I think you stole it.
Had I seen it first, YOU would be here looking at MY gun. :D
Good for you. That one is a treasure.
Probably a unique Trans because of the barrel length, and possibly with the bright blue. All others I have owned or seen were satin.
 
Truly fantastic, one-of-a-kind S&W revolver. You scored Big Time!

I really love the history and back story. Try to imagine it today....
A guy in modern day Manhattan, even knowing what a "field" or "stream" was from first hand experience, orders a beautfiul example of the gunmaker's art, and has it delivered to his office in NYC????
Wow, a different (read:BETTER!) time!

Jim
 
Resurfacing this old thread one last time to add some of the beautiful pictures that RKmesa took while the gun was vacationing in Arizona. Click on the pictures for a closer look…..
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What always amazes me is the rich history of firearms in the northeast. Imagine a well to do gentleman in the Hamptons of all places with that hand cannon. These are the same places that now despise the firearms industry. Congratulations on a beautiful addition to your collection and thanks for sharing.
 
Resurfacing this old thread one last time to add some of the beautiful pictures that RKmesa took while the gun was vacationing in Arizona. Click on the pictures for a closer look…..
4adba949c3d400edf18d08377ebfc7b5.jpg

2226fb0e63844119588264bd629f9a71.jpg

7094a9997d1df368cb9861070a54bde4.jpg

a1493272bcdb6fcbfc15c7d43f1ffd2f.jpg

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Resurrecting threads is worthwhile after lying dormant for several years and here's why. I had no recollection of this thread, found it to be extremely interesting, and wanted to put a "like" on it, and I had already done that, presumably back in 2017. I am certain I'm not the only one who can admit to this on this forum.
 
What always amazes me is the rich history of firearms in the northeast. Imagine a well to do gentleman in the Hamptons of all places with that hand cannon. These are the same places that now despise the firearms industry.

Yes, well now think about this…..as you can see on the invoice pictured in post #1 above, this gun was delivered to Mr. Warner at his office address at 515 Madison Avenue near Central Park in New York City…..
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In fact at least 4 other S&W revolvers were also shipped to Mr. Warner at the same address…..
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