Many of you are familiar with the Utah Highway Patrol marked Registered Magnum formerly owned by Frank Latimer (Art Doc/Saxon Pig here on the Forum). I messaged and spoke with him several times about the gun before he passed away, and despite indicating he was interested in selling, he just couldn't seem to part with it. And in our conversations, he didn't let on that he was terminally ill. After his passing, I certainly didn't want to press the issue and didn't give it much thought until the gun turned up on GunsInternational, listed on consignment for his widow. I made a couple of reasonable offers but never received any response from the dealer, later learning he thought my offers were "ridiculous". Well, long story short, I was finally able to purchase the gun last week.
As I'd never seen the gun in person, despite it residing only about 4 hours drive from my home, I was always a little unsure of the condition, seeing less that stellar photos here. I knew it had been sent back to the factory to have the barrel shortened from 6 1/2" to 4" and to be refinished in June of 1954, and was retired from service in 1955. I'm normally not a fan of refinished guns, factory or not, and prefer original patina, regardless of wear. After receiving the gun, I can say I'm very pleased and it's much better than expected.
Serial number 56459, Registration number 4034, shipped 8/19/1938 to Salt Lake City Hardware Co. and was factory inscribed "Utah Highway Patrol 27". It was one of 50 in two shipments and it's been reported only one other so marked gun is known. (Edit: As Terry Lester says below, two are known.) If anyone knows the whereabouts of that gun, I'd be an interested buyer and think it would be fun to reunite them.
Here is a previously posted photo of the gun as I didn't get a chance to take more photos before I had to return to Kenya for work only the day after receiving it. I hope to be home in early to mid-February and will try to post some better pics at that time.
As I'd never seen the gun in person, despite it residing only about 4 hours drive from my home, I was always a little unsure of the condition, seeing less that stellar photos here. I knew it had been sent back to the factory to have the barrel shortened from 6 1/2" to 4" and to be refinished in June of 1954, and was retired from service in 1955. I'm normally not a fan of refinished guns, factory or not, and prefer original patina, regardless of wear. After receiving the gun, I can say I'm very pleased and it's much better than expected.
Serial number 56459, Registration number 4034, shipped 8/19/1938 to Salt Lake City Hardware Co. and was factory inscribed "Utah Highway Patrol 27". It was one of 50 in two shipments and it's been reported only one other so marked gun is known. (Edit: As Terry Lester says below, two are known.) If anyone knows the whereabouts of that gun, I'd be an interested buyer and think it would be fun to reunite them.
Here is a previously posted photo of the gun as I didn't get a chance to take more photos before I had to return to Kenya for work only the day after receiving it. I hope to be home in early to mid-February and will try to post some better pics at that time.
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