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For those of you that do Not know this, S&W was the first Gun Manufacturer to come out with a revolver chambered in .357 Magnum. It was the brain child of Douglas Wesson. He created it for guy's who demanded the very best in a revolver and it was fondly Named the Registered Magnum. The Year of it's release was 1935. They got off to a slow start due to the economy back then many could not afford a revolver that cost $61.00. It was at that time the most expensive gun offered by S&W. It was totally hand made by the best gun smith's at S&W. You could have ordered it with any Barrel length from 3-1/2"-8-3/4" in 1/4" Increments. They Offered many different sights as well as some custom King Gun sight Corp. sights. They came in Bright blued finish as well as Nickel finish.The stocks offered were standard walnut service style, Magna style, Roper custom shooting stocks as well as Ivory or Mother of Pearl. These guns were Purely customer ordered guns. When you Placed your order for one of these guns on a company S&W supplied owner Registration card and returned it to the factory they built your gun and shipped it with a frameable Registration certificate which had your name on it along with the guns serial number, Registration number, Barrel length, finish of the gun and what ammo was used Pre the customer's request as well as what distance the gun was sighted in at the factory before it was shipped to it's New owner.
In 1935 They only sold 720 of them. Mine was from the later Part of 1935 and was shipped on December 13, 1935 to Charles Bowen Owner of the Bowen Brother's Hardware company of Augusta, Georgia. In a Leter to S&W MR. Bowen asked for a special reduced price of this gun as his Family Hardware store was a S&W stocking dealer for many year's prior to these being built. Hiss request was Honored and it was offered for $39.00 F.O.B. with one complimentary Bow of Winchester .357 Magnum ammo. He filled out the gun's Registration form saying that he wanted the shortest Barrel length of 3-1/2" as he desired to carry it along with him on rides in the country in his automobile. He asked S&W what they would suggest for sights on his gun and they told him a Patridge style front sight.
By 1938 sales the the Registered Magnums's far exceded the factories expectations so they dropped the owner Registration process and no Longer stamped the Gun's in the crane area with the REG. Numbers, all gun's made after this were called Non Registered Magnums. In 1940 all Civilian gun production ceased for the war effort, so the Famous .357 Magnum revolver's were not available again until Post-War times around 1948. In 1957 The .357 Magnum was assigned the Model number 27 and was sold for many years there after through The dash series of Model 27's.
Here is my 1935 First year Registered Magnum. it is shown with a set of Period Magna style factory stock's as well as a set of the hard to Locate Walter Roper Custom shooting Target stocks. The Picture's shown are of the Gun's original Owner MR. Charles Bowen and his Family Hardware-sporting goods store in the same time frame as my gun shipped to him. Regards, Hammerdown
Shown here with a set of Period correct Magna stocks
Shown here with a set of Period correct service stocks
Shown here with a set of Walter Roper Custom shooting Stocks. Roper made most of the large Target style stock's like these for the Competition Camp Perry shooting Teams
Mr. Charles Bowen the Original owner of my Registered Magnum standing with his son Dudly at the Freight load in door where my Gun originally enter his Hardware- sportring goods store when he received it from S&W on December 13, 1935
The dash 2 is also a pinned and recessed, pre-lock model which adds desirability to collectors. $650-$700 sounds about right.
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