Registered Magnum - Questions

[szuppo]

Thanks everyone, so very grateful for the opinions and information.

Lee, I'll attempt to give you a call today, schedule permitting.

 

[RKmesa]

szuppo:


In general, I am a shorter barrel lover. My collections are primarily made up of revolvers 4" and shorter. BUT, several months ago, I found an 8.75" RM for sale at a reasonable price and snapped it up. I have fallen in love, not that I will start collecting revolvers with long barrels, but the long tube RMs are really something to behold and to hold. Also - remember that all RM's started out a 8.75 inchers. The barrels were cut and re-crowned to whatever length you specified. Therefore, my recommendation is that you not rule out a nice 8.75 incher.

BTW - I have purchased guns from both Lee and David and they are great to deal with - 1st Class!

 

[smith17]

I stand in awe of the individuals who requested a 100 yard sight-in from the factory. They were true optimists.
Ed

 

[mikepriwer]

RK

Does the front sight correspond the letter - ie, a red post with a reflector ?
From the picture, the blade does not appear to be a red post, but rather
something undercut. I can't tell about the reflector.

Later, Mike Priwer

 

[RKmesa]

Originally posted by mikepriwer:
RK

Does the front sight correspond the letter - ie, a red post with a reflector ?
From the picture, the blade does not appear to be a red post, but rather
something undercut. I can't tell about the reflector.

Later, Mike Priwer

Mike:

It is not a red post, but it does have the king reflector base. It was shipped directly to Kings so anything could have happened the minute that it arrived there. Here is a couple of photos of the sight and the hammer, both of which are different than the lettered factory config.

 

[rburg]

They cockeye'd it! Thats a period modification that most people love.

Oh, after I hit post now, I noticed the grips in that last photo. Nice grain on the ivory.

 

[mikepriwer]

RK

That hammer is a King Cockeyed hammer. The front-sight blade may be one of these :

If I had to guess, King ordered the gun to sell as shipped. Someone else changed the
front sight blade.

Later, Mike Priwer

 

[handejector]

Beyond the uniqueness of being custom built, which also included the trigger pull, I do not think
that the action is any better, or smoother, than any other production gun. If someone has a registered
magnum that has superior action, I would suggest that someone outside the factory worked on it.
All those action parts were not made any different than the action parts of the rest of factory
production - as far as I know.

I agree, Mike. I have been inside many Reg Mags, and they show no signs of any special polishing or tuning. They may have adjusted trigger pulls to some degree by shortening the rebound soring, but I have not seen any special stoning. A 38/44 Heavy Duty from the same period is usually AS smooth. In fact, the smoothest S&W I have personally ever felt was an unaltered 1930's HD.

 

[PALADIN85020]

From what I've found out, as new in the box registered Magnums will run from $7500 to $12,000 or even more!

 

[JSW]

szuppo, last year I was in the same situation as you. For some time I had been looking for a RM but they always seemed financially just a little out of my reach. Last year I decided that I was going to get one in 2007 if it was the only gun I purchased the whole year! Also like you I was hoping to find a shorter barrel model but also kept my mind open to any barrel length that I came across in my price range. Well late in the year I finally did find one at a price I could live with, and after several years of looking finally had what I had wanted so long. If you keep your eyes (and mind) open I think you find that gun you're looking for. Good luck in the hunt!