Skip to main content
Help Center Community Shop

Registered Smith & Wesson Revolvers?

manderson
I've been wondering this for a while and the recent topic about a four digit s/n pre-29 prompts my question.

I have seen many of these older S&W's described as registered and they sell at very high prices.

Can anyone explain what registered means?
0

Comments

5 comments

Date Votes
  • perry shooter
    It was a factory letter that came with the gun
    0
  • manderson
    Well, that's cool. But I don't think it makes a gun worth a couple thousand dollars.

    Thanks for the answer.
    0
  • perry shooter
    Yes but these were the guns that were the first 357 mag made before there was a model # on the gun . Worth has nothing to do with it. A sale take 2 people one that is willing to sell at a price and another that is willing to buy at that price .There are some very rare guns that nobody wants and the price is low and other guns that bring top doller even thou there were thousands made. like colt 1911's quote:"PRAISE THE HARDBALL GUN"
    0
  • Wheelgun
    There's a little more to it than just "a factory letter that came with the gun".

    The term "registered", in this context, only pertains to the original Registered .357 Magnums. Just over 5,200 Registered Mags were built from 1935-'39. In addition to regular serial numbers, these guns also had a registration number stamped in the yoke cut of the frame, and were shipped with a card that could be filled out by the original purchaser and returned to S&W for a certificate of registration made out in the purchaser's name.

    As for a 'pre' Model 29 with a four digit serial number, it doesn't exist. The very first .44 Magnum was built in Jan. 1955 and carried the S/N S 121836. That gun is now in the collection of one of the top S&W collectors who specializes in .44 Mags and who lives in Indiana. When it was built, that particular revolver had a lead rod inserted through the barrel and into the cylinder to prevent it from being fired, and has never been removed.

    Mark
    0
  • JudgeColt
    Unless junk, a Registered Magnum with the original Registration Certificate usually has a market value more than "a couple thousand dollars."
    0

Please sign in to leave a comment.

Recent Activity