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LOT 1551
Smith & Wesson .357 Registered Magnum
Double Action Revolver with Registration
Certificates, Mailing Tube, Box, and Factory
Letter - Serial no. 59916, 357 Magnum cal., 8 3/4
inch solid rib bbl., blue finish, checkered
walnut grips. Only around 5,500 Registered
Magnums were made in total between 1935 and 1939, with only 677 of them being
produced with the long, 8 3/4 inch barrel according to the article “Registered .357 Magnums”
by Roy Jinks. These revolvers were top-of-the-line when they were released and were the
first production revolver to chamber the powerful .357 magnum cartridge. The Registered
Magnums were registered to the owner by Douglas Wesson himself, with each one being
custom built to the customer’s specifications and precisely hand fitted and tuned, all of
which led to high production costs and the eventual discontinuation of the model. Due to the short production run and
low numbers made, these revolvers have remained incredibly desirable on the collectors market. The accompanying
factory letter states the revolver was shipped on October 2, 1939, and delivered to Koren Jobbing Co. of Peoria, Illinois, with an 8 3/4 inch barrel and blue finish. Two S&W
registration certificates are included. The first certificate is registered to Koren Jobbing Co., and the second certificate is registered to Charles K. Riel of Lacon, Illinois. Both
certificates list the King red post ramp reflector and King no. 112 sights and 8 3/4 inch barrel. The rare certificate mailing tube addressed to Riel is also included. Additional
copies of factory documents provide more details related to this revolver. The September 11, 1939 dated S&W order form signed by Charles Riel indicates that the revolver
was ordered with the 8 3/4 inch barrel, King red bead ramp reflector front sight, and King square white outline no. 112 rear sight. Both the S&W requisition form and invoice
are dated September 14, 1939 and confirm the configuration listed on the order form as well as shipment to Koren Jobbing Co. In a letter to S&W dated September 19, 1939
Riel requests that the red bead on the King ramp reflector front sight “be changed to one which is red luminous and whose cross sectional area is square and of the proper
size to coincide with the square notched rear sight.” S&W honored the request by changing the bead to a post as noted in a letter from the factory dated September 21, 1939.
The revolver is fitted with these original sights. The revolver, reg. no. 5343, has matching serial numbers on the butt, interior right grip panel. cylinder, and ejector shroud. The
correct period model S&W box and two knurled screwdrivers are included.
CONDITION: Excellent retaining 95% plus original blue finish with light cylinder drag line, some handling marks, and light edge wear. The grips are fine with a series of
indentations/scratches on the bottom and mostly distinct checkering Mechanically excellent. The box is very good with some water staining.
Estimate: 6,500 - 8,500
LOT 1550
Extremely Scarce, Documented Police Shipped Nickel Smith
& Wesson .357 Registered Magnum Double Action Revolver
with Desirable 4 Inch Barrel, Registration Certificate, and Factory
Letter - Serial no. 58483, 357 Magnum cal., 4 inch solid rib bbl., nickel
finish, checkered walnut grips. From 1935 to 1939 some 5,400 Registered Magnums were
manufactured by S&W and were virtually a custom made handgun. The .357 Magnum was
the most powerful handgun cartridge at the time, and this “state of the art” handgun quickly
gained popularity with law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, looking for a
sidearm to deliver more stopping power. This particular Registered Magnum (reg. no. 4615)
was built with a scarce and desirable 4 inch barrel. Short barrel lengths such as 4 inches
were popular with law enforcement as clearly proven on this example as it was ordered by the
undersheriff of Monterey County Sheriff’s Office, California. It is also one of only 144 manufactured with a nickel
finish. The accompanying factory letter states the revolver was shipped on March 29, 1939 and delivered to A.H.
Bordges, Undersheriff, Monterey County Sheriff’s Office, Salinas, California with a 4 inch barrel, Call gold bead
front sight, square notch rear sight, humpback hammer, walnut checkered magna stocks, and nickel finish. The
humpback hammer has since been reshaped during the handgun’s service life to better fit the needs of
the user, likely Bordges. The included registration certificate is made out to Undersheriff A.H. Bordges.
Bordges was elected sheriff following the death of Sheriff Abbott and remained Monterey County sheriff
until his death in 1946. Matching serial numbers appear on the butt, cylinder, and ejector shroud.
CONDITION: Extremely fine, retaining 97% original bright nickel finish with some handling wear and
circular marks on the frame from previously fitted larger target stocks. The undersized replacement grips
are fine with mostly distinct checkering. Mechanically excellent. An incredibly scarce original nickel Registered
Magnum shipped to a California undersheriff.
Estimate: 5,000 - 7,500
Collector’s Fact
According to the article "Registered .357
Magnums" by Roy Jinks in the 2010 Smith
& Wesson Collectors Journal, only 584 Smith
& Wesson Registered Magnum revolvers were
produced with a 4 inch barrel, and 1 of the
total 144 produced with nickel plated finish.
Collector’s Fact
According to the article "Registered .357
Magnums" by Roy Jinks in the 2010
Smith & Wesson Collectors Journal, only
677 Smith & Wesson Registered Magnum
revolvers were produced with an 8 3/4
inch barrel.