Manufactured in 1936, this is a very solid example of the iconic "Registered Magnum" from Smith & Wesson with the desirable 3 1/2 inch barrel. Built to customer specifications and registered to the owner by Douglas Wesson himself, the 5,500 Registered Magnums made between 1935 and 1939 are virtually custom made revolvers and remain "state of the art" in handgun manufacture today. The 3 1/2 inch length was the shortest offering for the Registered Magnum and was highly valued among law enforcement at the time. The Registered Magnum was the first production arm chambered for the .357 Magnum cartridge and served as an influence on all later large caliber double actions. These powerful revolvers were highly coveted by the members of the F.B.I., who were in the midst of dealing with rampant organized crime from the 1920s into the 1930s and needed firearms that were capable of penetrating car doors. The included factory letter with this revolver, Reg. No. 794, states that it was shipped from the factory on 6 February 1936, and delivered to H.L. Scott, Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Department of Justice, at the Federal Reserve Bank building in Kansas City, Missouri. It is noted as having shipped with a 3 1/2 inch barrel, King red bead front sight, "U" notch rear sight, blue finish, checkered Magna grips, that it was sighted for 25 yards using a dead center hold, and that the single action trigger pull was adjusted to 3 lbs. Included correspondence from the consignor indicates that Special Agent H.L. "Harry" Scott was involved in some large scale vice raids in Atlantic City in 1937. Newspapers in 1919 mention a Special Agent H.L. Scott operating in the Dayton and Toledo areas of Ohio, including taking part in an anti-communist raid on a union headquarters in Toledo in June of that year. Further research on Special Agent Scott is definitely in order. The revolver itself has the Smith & Wesson marking on the left of the barrel and the caliber marking on the right. The Smith & Wesson trademark is on the left of the frame and the "MADE IN U.S.A." marking is on the right. It is fitted with a pinned, red beaded blade King front sight, an adjustable "U" notch rear sight, and a pair of checkered walnut "Magna" grips with "S&W" monogram medallions. Provenance: FBI Special Agent H.L. "Harry" Scott; The Michael Priwer Collection