Sold IMPORTANT & RARE 1937 U.S. POST OFFICE ISSUED SMITH & WESSON .357 REGISTERED MAGNUM WITH BOX! STUNNING!

In 98%+ outstanding condition, still with the matching factory original box, we have one of the rarest and most desirable revolvers ever made by Smith & Wesson, The Registered .357 Magnum Revolver with a 5 inch barrel.  Compounding the desirability and rarity, This is #10 of 15 of these revolvers purchased by the United States Postal Service in August, 1937 and is so marked on the left side of the frame “P.O. Dept. / No. 10” .  This pistol is totally factory original and was registered as number 2800 by Douglas Wesson himself.  It is also one of only 869 that were made with the rather rare 5 inch barrel.  These revolvers are discussed in Pate’s book U.S. Handguns of WW2 as having been purchased for the U.S. Post Office Department by the U.S. Army.  Only 15 were procured and this example is a perfect number 10.  

Between 1935 and 1939 only 5400 of these revolvers were produced and they were all custom built, many to individual orders.  Over the intervening 80 plus years most have been modified, heavily used or just worn out.  To locate one such as this very rare example is a huge achievement and it will hold a prominent place in the most advanced and well heeled collection of handguns.