Make: Smith & Wesson

Model: Registered Magnum (Pre-Model 27)

Serial Number: 48352

Year of Manufacture: 1936 (Shipped May 12, 1936)

Caliber: .357 Magnum

Action Type: Double Action / Single Action Revolver with Swing-Out Fluted Cylinder

Markings:

The butt of the grip frame is marked with the serial number “48352”. The yoke cut and yoke arm are both marked with the matching serial number. The yoke bears the correct roll-stamped “REG. 1029” registration number. The left side of the frame is marked with the S&W monogram logo, and the right side of the frame is marked with the four-line Marcas Registradas address. The installed grip adapter is unmarked, consistent with original S&W production. The additional period grip adapter is marked "HE Mershon". The included S&W walnut grips are correctly medallioned but numbered “39079” and not original to this revolver.

Barrel Length: 8"

Sights / Optics: The front sight is a King 1/10" Red Bead sight pinned to a raised rib. The rear sight is a square notch in a U-style leaf adjustable for elevation, recessed into the knurled topstrap. The revolver was factory sighted for dead-center hold at 75 yards with .357 Magnum ammunition.

Stock Configuration & Condition:

Currently installed are custom stag grips of vintage character with good fit and even aging. Also included are a pair of S&W factory checkered walnut service stocks with silver medallions. These are numbered “39079” and are not original to this revolver but are of correct style and era. The original S&W grip adapter is installed on the revolver, with an additional vintage “HE Mershon” grip adapter included separately.

Finish Type: Factory Blued

Finish Originality: Original

Bore Condition:

The bore is bright and the rifling is sharp. There is no visible erosion. In this writer’s opinion, the bore rates 9.5/10.

Overall Condition:

This revolver retains approximately 95% of its original factory blue finish. There is light edge wear along the muzzle, underlug, and high points of the frame, with a faint cylinder drag line and minor handling marks appropriate to its age. The trigger has a factory serrated face. The screw heads are sharp. The markings are crisp and legible. There are no signs of refinishing or mechanical alteration. This example is in exceptional original condition.

Mechanics: The action functions correctly in both double and single action. The timing is proper and the lockup is tight. The hammer and trigger operate smoothly and are consistent with factory specifications. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance requirements.

Box, Paperwork & Accessories: This revolver includes a Smith & Wesson Historical Foundation letter confirming serial number, registration number, and factory configuration, Original handwritten order form from J. Conway, Factory typewritten internal order form and correspondence dated April–May 1936, Original-style S&W walnut medallion grips (not numbered to gun), Installed factory grip adapter and an additional Mershon made grip adapter.

Our Assessment: This hyper rare revolver represents a truly elite piece of Smith & Wesson history: a factory-documented Registered Magnum with a rare 8-inch barrel, King 1/10" Red Bead front sight, and U-notch rear sight, ordered and shipped in 1936 to J. Conway of Stockton, California. The original order letter, dated April 13, 1936, requested specific features “for the hills and desert,” including the sight configuration and dead-center hold at 75 yards—details confirmed by internal Smith & Wesson documentation and the Historical Foundation letter.

Fewer than 5,500 Registered Magnums were ever produced, and examples with factory 8" barrels are extremely scarce—likely under two dozen, with only 22 known examples in this universe. Unlike some Registered Magnums, this revolver was ordered without engraving, but its significance is undiminished. The presence of matching serial numbers, original factory grip adapter, and complete provenance sets it apart as an exceptional example. Though the included medallion grips are not original to the gun, the revolver's originality, retained finish, and completeness of documentation make it a top-tier acquisition.

This revolver is a crown jewel for the serious Smith & Wesson collector—representing both rarity and pedigree in equal measure. With its fully documented lineage, this example is not just collectible, but investment-grade.