S&W 57

General Firearms Handguns - Revolvers
1

Sometimes I buy a gun because I found cheap ammo in a caliber I don’t have a gun for (yet)

Sometimes I buy a gun because it’s been sitting for sale for a long time and feels like a puppy in dire need of adoption

This one ticks both boxes :

Last year I bought this ammo super cheap ($ 110) but didn’t have a gun for it. I thought I can either find a gun, of trade / sell the ammo, and I favoured the second option as the last thing I needed was another caliber in my collection

Now if you wonder why anyone would sell this quality ammo so cheap, I believe no one here in Switzerland shoots .41 Magnum, so there’s really no demand for it. I love those old green / yellow Remington boxes, brings back a lot of good memories when I first started shooting .44 magnum as a young man

Which then leads to the gun. A year ago, an amateur gun trader I know bought several nice S&W revolvers : a 27-3 in 3.5”, a 19-3 in 4”, a 29-2 in 8 3/8”, a 25-3 in 6” commemorative, a 586-1 in 4”, and this 57 in 4”

I was interested in the 27-2 and the 19-3, but after a lot of back and forth horse trading we couldn’t find an agreement. Good on him since he sold both fairly rapidly.

However the 57 was stuck with him, and after talking about it a few times end last year, I visited him yesterday to buy some Luger and GP35 mags, and while at it I had him pull out the 57 from the safe.

He had it for sale for over a year, originally at $ 1320.-, we agreed at $ 950.-

The grips are quite reddish so rosewood I suppose ?

Serial number puts it at 1977 I believe

What can I say, I’m weak when it comes to classic P&R Smith & Wesson revolvers. They just don’t make them like that anymore

2

Nice 57.
Smiths .45 Colt, 44 mag revolvers have had cylinder throats all over the board; oversized, too tight- all which would contribute to less than stellar accuracy. Particularly with cast lead, in the case of too tight throats.

The .41 never seemed to be plagued with this issue, all I’ve owned have been accurate and close to spot on with throat dimension.

3

I once had a partner in an anti street crime unit, and his main go to gun was a model 58 which is a 41 mag with fixed sights. I thought it was a cool revolver and just last week was talking about it with him. Years later it is his EDC.

4

I carry a resurrected 58 (Pawn Shop find) at the ranch frequently.
The .41 hits hard, deer/large hogs can’t tell the difference between .41, .44 or .45 Colt with good shot placement and long for caliber, heavy cast bullets.

5

The S&W 58 is one of my “lust after guns”. Sweet 57.

6

OP; that is an absolutely beautiful find…may it serve you well.

@titsonritz; I’ve always thought the Model 58 looked like “an M&P on steroids”…just fantastic.

There’s definitely something about N-frame Smiths…

-Rainman

7

I hate myself for selling the two I owned…the S s/n guns are a little more desired than the N. I do have a 57 mountain & while cool, it doesn’t have the romance of the original. Nice snag.

8

That is exactly what it is, the S&W Model 10 all juiced up. K-frame/.38spl bumped up to an N-frame/.41mag.

9

Very nice.

Starline Brass makes .41 Special brass for easier reduced loads.

10

That cylinder looks like it was never or rarely fired. Did you get a round count. Beautiful as usual. Nice score on ammo too.

PB

11

I always thought the M58 looked like a M&P on 'roids, so cool looking. My “just because” gun was and still is my Colt Government .38 Super Auto. Price was reduced and the shop also wanted to get rid of their supply of .38 super ammo. So I got both for a great price about 10 years ago. It became my favorite and it looks like it too. Worn and scratched it just runs and runs…

12

I just bought some 250gr hardcast gas checked bullets to experiment with in my SW 41mag. Linebaugh wrote that the 41mag shines at that bullet weight.

13

They (the 250 gr HC) are penetration monsters in my experience.
Those long for caliber bullets @ 1100 FPS± have penetrated 4’ on a head on, large, Hog.

14

I look forward to trying more loads with my dad’s old 41 magnum.