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Old 01-21-2011, 11:33 PM
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Art Doc Art Doc is offline
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The gun that serves no real purpose. Too big and heavy with excessive recoil for police work. The fixed sights make it less attractive for sporting use than the 57. There is nothing the 41 Magnum can do the 44 can't do better. The 41 is a caliber that demands reloading for economy and to make sure you have some as not every store will have it on hand.

Yet the 58 has developed a cult following. I described the 58 as "a Model 10 on steroids" many years ago. Back around 1988 when I had an FFL I saw a wholesaler offering 58s as police trade ins for $189. I bought one as a curiosity. Came with the usual (and abominable) Pachmayrs so I dug through my big box of parts and found that somewhere along the way I had acquired two sets of correct 58 Stocks (without even looking for them) so I slapped on a set.

No matter how hard I tried I never could figure out a specific purpose for this gun. The closest I came was as a "woods" or backpacking gun where one might want a lot of power for dangerous animals is the most compact package possible. But this was reaching. I am not in the least bit surprised that the 58 was a failure in the marketplace.

I have kept this gun for 23 years just so I can say I have one... I guess. I shoot it now and then. I must confess that I don't understand the fascination with this revolver.

But, I do have one. I lettered it back when it cost $20 and it was shipped to Philadelphia in 1977. I have never been able to ID any police agency in PA that used the 58 so I don't know which (if any) department used this gun. The serial suggests a 1974 date so it appears this pistol set in inventory three years before being shipped. They were not fast sellers.


Last edited by Art Doc; 01-22-2011 at 10:38 AM.
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