Prewar Magnums

[keith smart]

Two magnums walked into the South Carolina Arms Collectors Association show this weekend and I was fortunate enough to pick them up. The 6 inch, has a Reg number, 6 inch barrel and a King mirror sight. The grips are numbered but do not match. I believe the finish is original. The second is about 2000 guns later (non reg) and looks to have been buffed a lot and refinished may times. The grips are period stag. This is a new area for me and your thoughts on these would be appreciated

[Johnny P]

Quite a find and certainly calls for letters from S&W, especially on the registered pistol. The King sights, among others, were an option on the S&W .357.

[da gimp]

congrats hand on the 2 pistols.............thinking the 4" was refinished once, shame it didn't go back to S&W when it was redone.........

[John W]

Both appear to have humpback hammers, which is a plus.

[Art]

Beautiful old guns. Get a letter from S&W on the one that didn't come with paper. Don't find a whole lot of the old pre war guns you did good.

[Johnny P]

Which one came with paper?

[keith smart]

Which one came with paper?

No paper, Johnny, just the guns. I am most fascinated with the 4 inch. It appears to be a Kansas City Police Department issue in 1940. Kansas City history during the period is intriguing and adds another dimension to this reblued, rebuilt heavily used revolver. Seems it was sent back to S&W 10.44 (under grip and serial number ends with *). A quick search of the Pendergast Machine reveals a syndicate that controlled all aspects of KC life and beyond.
Keith

[Johnny P]

Thats what I thought on the paper.

There may have been others, but there was one order of 200 pistols to the KC police department.

[keith smart]

They were ordered in 1939 and also 1940. Looks like just under 500 guns total

[Art]

The KCPD guns are an interesting part of the .357 Magnum history. The guns were very expensive but that didn't stop whole departments from ordering the pistols. Unfortunately the F.B.I. guns are either retained by the Bureau as artifacts or have been destroyed so any P.D. issued "Registered Magnums" are very, very cool guns. S&W can definitely tell you where the revolvers were initially shipped. 1940 was almost the end of the line for the "Registered Magnum." As I said above, great score. Enjoy these fine old revolvers.