Registered Magnum Value

[S&W ucla]

I'm sure there are a number of people here willing to take that "pile of junk" off your hands. I like the one's that got out there and did something, not sit in someone's panty drawer doing nothing. If mechanics are good, shoot a piece of history and enjoy. Neat gun with humpback hammer too.

 

[Nframe29]

Barrel and cylinder serial numbers match the frame

 

[SAFireman]

I wouldn't be in a big hurry to do anything with it yet. It deserves a letter. I would almost bet that it has a LE history behind it. Once you have the ship date, hit up the SWHF for other possible docs (service records, factory correspondence, ect).

 

[DARE]

The star after the serial number means the gun went back to S&W for work. It looks to me like the rear sight and the barrel have been replaced. S&W will not refinish the gun. I think most of the folks here will tell you that a refinish will not add to the value of the gun, and might make it worth less.
Here is my gun, SN 47138 REG 657 for comparison.

 

[Nframe29]

Im pretty positive it was a service revolver. There is a wear mark above the thumbpiece where a snap has been riding for many years. I will send off for a letter and see what it has to say. Im curious of its history. Im fine with the piece. Its neat and im gonna shoot and carry it around the ponderosa like its previous owner

 

[steelslaver]

Enjoy it. While hardly pristine and carrying some newer parts it is still a registered magnum, something the vast majority of S&W owners don't have and probably never will

They were never ever made to be investments or to sit in drawers to be handled only with white cotton gloves.

Some people are like a guy who walks everywhere because he is saving his money for a new Corvette

 

[Nframe29]

Thanks again for everyomes help and replies.i knew it wanst pristine when I got it. Ill enjoy shooting it.

 

[Frailer]

Congratulations. IMHO there is room in this world for both “high condition” guns and guns with a history of regular use. They both appeal to me.

 

[dwh]

I would love to have a shooter grade registered magnum. I have both pristine and worn revolvers. I definitely have a soft spot for the used and loved guns. Congratulations on the reg. Magnum.

Ps:Buy the best YOU can afford.
Buy it when you see it because you most likely won’t see it again.
They aren’t making any more.
They made less than 6000 90 years ago.

 

[walter o]

For many years i WANTED A TRIPLE LOCK. found 1 on an auction site for a price i could afford and won it , BUT it is a British service gun not a 44 special Evidently of less appeal to collectors.It has some wear but it is MY triple lock and i cherish it as such.You ar e lucky to have the gun enjoy it

 

[AlHunt]

See if this pic loads correctly

That's a perfect revolver. Worn, but by no means abused or beaten. The finish tells it's history and story. There's only one like it. Letter it and enjoy it.

Refinish it and it's a clone of every other pristine safe queen out there, except it's a fraud. Probably a really nice looking fraud, but still an empty potato chip bag.

 

[Thinnes]

Super ! Good for you

Get a letter on it . Don’t ever refinish. You did great. Read up on the history of the RM. And enjoy your fantastic bargain. Dave

 

[mrchick]

I’d be happy to find and own one like it. Congratulations.

 

[bruce5781]

You have a nice shooter there. I'm glad I didn't find it first, as I would have really been torn. I'm with David on this one, that the barrel has been replaced, as evidenced by the sight base. But if it is numbered to the gun, then it is probably factory. What bothers me most is the rear sight not being contoured to the frame.
I'm not kicking dirt on your new gun. Like I said, I would have really been torn over this one.

Sent from my SM-G781U1 using Tapatalk

 

[BAM-BAM]

Many an RM was a 'working" gun!

My Dad's Colt New Service in .357 magnum was off to Kings of Calf for sights and action job in 1938/39..... before riding in his duty holster for almost 30 years. During his last 9 years as a Captain he carried either his 4" 1946 M&P or a 2" Colt Detective Special.

MY RM is a 99%er except for the missing factory grips. It wears period correct smooth/no bark stag grips.

I have a 4" 27-3 [recessed but not pinned] that's about 90% or so...... nice enough to be proud of; "worn" enough to be shot and carried!

 

[Bruceboy]

Congrats, great looking RM and you just do what ever strikes your fancy with it. If I was so lucky (if it didn't have historical importance) I'd give it a working man's spa treatment.

Well done,

Al

 

[younggun22]

I would have bought that in a heartbeat!

In fact I have an in the white RM barrel just waiting for a gun like that!

I think a new set of more period correct stocks would be really make it look just right

 

[lestert357]

In re-looking at your picture in post #13 I see that the roll mark on the left side appears to be positioned like a pre-war barrel - it is not centered like on post war barrels.

Check your barrel shroud and see if it has the cutout for the larger pre-war ejector rod head like pictured below - in front of the “B”. If it does have the cutout then you have the original pre-war barrel that has been cut back to 6”.

The reason I say it has been cut is that the front sight is no longer recessed like on an original Registered or Non-Registered Magnum barrel; it is now positioned at the end of the barrel like on a post war Pre-Model 27.

A factory letter will confirm that the barrel was originally longer.

Also, what is the number date code on the left side grip strap under the grip - that will tell you when the work was done at the factory.

 

[first-model]

It's worth remembering that Registered Magnums were bespoke guns. There was no "long barrel version" at any time; dealers would complete and order form and specify, among other things, the finish, the barrel length, the sighting, etc. Smith & Wesson would then make the gun to order.

REG 4923 was ordered by a dealer in Los Angeles, CA. Among other things, it was originally fitted with a 6" barrel, a humpback hammer, and King sights.

Mike

 

[lestert357]

REG 4923 was ordered by a dealer in Los Angeles, CA. Among other things, it was originally fitted with a 6" barrel, a humpback hammer, and King sights.

Mike, where did that information come from? Something is not correlating here regarding the barrel.

The OP says the barrel serial number matches the frame and that it is 6”.

The “Smith & Wesson” roll mark is located correctly for a pre-war barrel.

The barrel appears to be 6” but the rib and front sight assembly are not recessed like on pre-war Magnums, so would either be (1) cut from the original longer barrel, or (2) replaced with another longer pre-war barrel cut to 6” and re-numbered to match.

I suppose one other possibility is that the barrel is not quite 6” and was just shortened to about the end of the rib.

It would be nice to see a close-up picture of the interior of the barrel shroud to confirm it has the cutout for the larger pre-war ejector rod head.