*RARE SMITH & WESSON REGISTERED MAGNUM DA REVOLVER THAT BELONGED TO ELMER KEITH.

SN 56976. Cal. .357 Magnum. Blue finish with 8-3/4″ ribbed bbl with checkered top & checkered top strap. It has a King mirrored front sight with Partridge blade that has serrated rear face. Rear sight is a #112 King sight with white outline blade. It has humpback hammer with checkered spur & serrated sides. Mounted with smooth, 2-pc, burl walnut Herrett custom grips. This revolver will letter from Smith & Wesson as having been shipped with blue finish, 8-3/4″ bbl that had King red post front sight & King #112 rear sight with humpback hammer and Magna grips. Registration number is 4112 and the records show that it was ordered by J.E. Haseltine & Co., Portland, OR and that was sold & registered to Frederick C. Leasure, Portland, OR and that there are 11 pages of correspondence about this revolver. These 11 pages of correspondence and internal Smith & Wesson documents are included with this revolver. All are dated in the August & September 1938 time frame. Most deal with the alteration of the orig order to include the King red post ramp reflector front sight and a King white outline rear sight, humpback hammer, magna stocks and 3 lb. trigger. One of the letters is from D.B. Wesson, Vice-President of Smith & Wesson, dated 1939. Another is a 2-page letter to Lt. Col. D.B. Wesson dated Feb. 8, 1939 from Mr. Leasure wherein he details a mechanical problem during single action shooting. He also reports that he killed a buck deer at over 100 yards with this revolver. It is well documented that Mr. Keith was one of the primary developers and the motivating influence in the development of the .357 Magnum. Undoubtedly he would have used this revolver as a long range hunting & target arm. He probably would have also used this revolver to work up loads for accuracy. This is a rare opportunity to own a revolver used by the developer of the cartridge for which it is chambered. PROVENANCE: The Elmer Keith Estate Collection. CONDITION: Very fine. Overall retains 93-95% strong, glossy, orig blue with holster wear at muzzle & sharp edges. Top rib has a small ding near the frame and cylinder has a line. Trigger & hammer retain strong case colors. Grips are sound showing very little wear and retain most of their orig varnish. Mechanics are crisp with a fine tuned action and about a 2 lb let-off on single action. Bright, shiny bore. 4-48042 JR253 (3,000-4,000) – Lot 1030

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Auction: Firearms - March 2015

Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

Image	Lot	Price	Description
	1030	$12,650.00	RARE SMITH & WESSON REGISTERED MAGNUM DA REVOLVER THAT BELONGED TO ELMER KEITH. SN 56976. Cal. .357 Magnum. Blue finish with 8-3/4″ ribbed bbl with checkered top & checkered top strap. It has a King mirrored front sight with Partridge blade that has serrated rear face. Rear sight is a #112 King sight with white outline blade. It has humpback hammer with checkered spur & serrated sides. Mounted with smooth, 2-pc, burl walnut Herrett custom grips. This revolver will letter from Smith & Wesson as having been shipped with blue finish, 8-3/4″ bbl that had King red post front sight & King #112 rear sight with humpback hammer and Magna grips. Registration number is 4112 and the records show that it was ordered by J.E. Haseltine & Co., Portland, OR and that was sold & registered to Frederick C. Leasure, Portland, OR and that there are 11 pages of correspondence about this revolver. These 11 pages of correspondence and internal Smith & Wesson documents are included with this revolver. All are dated in the August & September 1938 time frame. Most deal with the alteration of the orig order to include the King red post ramp reflector front sight and a King white outline rear sight, humpback hammer, magna stocks and 3 lb. trigger. One of the letters is from D.B. Wesson, Vice-President of Smith & Wesson, dated 1939. Another is a 2-page letter to Lt. Col. D.B. Wesson dated Feb. 8, 1939 from Mr. Leasure wherein he details a mechanical problem during single action shooting. He also reports that he killed a buck deer at over 100 yards with this revolver. It is well documented that Mr. Keith was one of the primary developers and the motivating influence in the development of the .357 Magnum. Undoubtedly he would have used this revolver as a long range hunting & target arm. He probably would have also used this revolver to work up loads for accuracy. This is a rare opportunity to own a revolver used by the developer of the cartridge for which it is chambered. PROVENANCE: The Elmer Keith Estate Collection. CONDITION: Very fine. Overall retains 93-95% strong, glossy, orig blue with holster wear at muzzle & sharp edges. Top rib has a small ding near the frame and cylinder has a line. Trigger & hammer retain strong case colors. Grips are sound showing very little wear and retain most of their orig varnish. Mechanics are crisp with a fine tuned action and about a 2 lb let-off on single action. Bright, shiny bore. 4-48042 JR253 (3,000-4,000) – Lot 1030 Click here to view provenance Auction: Firearms - March 2015 Please Note:* All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

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*RARE SMITH & WESSON REGISTERED MAGNUM DA REVOLVER THAT BELONGED TO ELMER KEITH.