American Exceptionalism: S&W's Registered Magnum, .357 MAG. In the history of double action six guns, few have the reverence of the Smith & Wesson Registered Magnum. As the velocity wars on the pre-WWII era raged between gun makers, Smith & Wesson battled it out with another famous manufacturer to create a fast-moving cartridge to penetrate the steel cars of the era. By the early 1930s, S&W had released the N-Frame "Heavy Duty" in .38/44, a fantastically made six gun in a very stout loading. However, by using an N-Frame, S&W would be leaving some horsepower on the table. By the mid-1930s, Daniel Wesson, Phil Sharpe, and the famous Elmer Keith had pushed the.38/44 to its limits, creating the.357 Magnum. With this new cartridge, S&W would introduce a new six gun, known as the Registered Magnum. The name comes from its Registration Number found inside the frame, matching the gun with its owner. Registered Magnums were, in a way, able to be "custom ordered", resulting in various barrel lengths across the 5,500 or so that were made under the "Registered Magnum" moniker. This Registered Magnum belongs to my good buddy Ken Hackathorn, who allowed me to have the opportunity to shoot his 5in example on my last visit to his place. It is the best double action six gun have ever fired. The S&W long action of the pre-war period is exquisite and the Call-style gold bead is a fabulous tool for sight acquisition. The fit and finish is, by modern standards, virtually impossible to recreate. Truly, a gun that has pushed itself to the top of my wish list.
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