Boy am I a sucker for Smiths.

Picked up a S&W 57 today at the gunshow truly in need of a good home. A 41 mag is the only Smith N frame I have never owned, have always wanted one. Revolver is a 1965-67 SN# S 252XXX Revolver with a Target hammer (kind of, see below) ,Target Trigger, Target diamond Grips.

Being a glass half full kind of guy:

The good news, revolver has excellent lock up, great single and double action, excellent trigger and a fine mirror bore. (and the price sure seemed right)

The bad news, on a condition scale of 100%- zero% would have to rate it at below zero.

The ugly news, am used to poor condition guns here in the great northwet. People leave guns in leather holsters in the glove box, boat, attic, basement, barn, backyard, lake, ect. and are amazed when they end up looking bad.

They lose them in the woods, find them a year later.
They decide the crawl space or the rain barrel a good place to store guns.

This gun was a wheel chair gun, was stored in a pocket in a wheel chair, when the owner died they pushed the wheel chair out in the back yard, (by the way, the owner was no longer in it) and left it there over the winter, then the 57 was found when they went to take the wheel chair to the dump.

Has mild to heavy pitting on the barrel and frame, about 30% blueing left, worst yet was dropped and the target hammer was busted off, also broke the left grip.

As this is a wholesome family website hesitate to post ugly gun pictures that may upset folk.

but can if it is considered apporiate and is requested.

Proud new owner of the worlds ugliest and least expensive S&W model 57

olypenn222

Well lets see this Beast!!!



Joe

Man, don't EVER post a story without pics!! Especially around here.....................

Joe,

Thanks for your interest, but Beast as a name for this revolver may be a little harsh, names do have a big impact on the self worth and self esteem of a gun, and this fragile gun has suffered much abuse at the hands of a cold, wet and uncareing world.

Think a kinder, softer, more gentle name would be:

"The butt ugliest 57"

but you decide, pictures below

Heck, that doesn't look as bad as described. SaxonPig would like that one.

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John. SWCA #1586

Ya know, I sent a butt ugly 27-2 3.5" off to Smith and Wesson, and $240 and four months later, it came back tuned, timed, and looking better than new. I haven't taken the after pics yet, but here's a couple of befores. Others will tell you you can't get your investment back, but I say if you buy it cheap enough, why not?

Kind of reminds me of a Dog that got lost and couldn't find its way home and finally did after a year, just give him a warm oil bath and a cozy warm spot in the safe, and he'll treat you real good till his last days.

Welcome Home Smithy

Just a few battle scars from the elements he'll be OK, just needs some TLC.

I'd have to do something about the hammer, but otherwise it looks OK to me.

Well the little dog seems to have taken a shine to this 57, the 57 stopped wimpering several hours ago and seems to be sleeping sound in the dog'
s bed.

Have a N frame target hammer, a buddy who owes me a reblue or have a home park kit I have been itching to try out. Trying to decide the best option, (buff, sandblast, park) or (buff,sandblast, blue)

have a couple N frame target grips.

Nice find,
I wonder what it would look like Camo Dipped?
That is a process I've seen done on some shotguns for severe field use.
Oh if that gun could talk!
Please give us a range report if it's deemed shootable.

Chuck H

Met up with my gunsmith at the gunshow, he looked the 57 over and pronounced it a shooter, but he had his wife with him, so he keep mouthing what looked liked "please sell me the gun" when his wife was not looking, his wife does keep him on a short leash. But that all started when I told him I bought the 57 for $100 bucks.

Sorry, just heard the 57 wimper again, need to go pat it back to sleep.

Olypenn, what did you say was "wrong" with it? Hells bells friend, go out and shoot it and carry it with pride. It has served its previous owner well and will also do the same for you. Hell of a Dog! Kyle

Cripes, that ain't near as bad as I imagined it would be. Send the grips to DWfan for a rejuvenation. Send it to S&W for a re-finish and you will have a durn good lookin' lifetime friend you can be proud of and you'll still be in it cheap.

Heck, it looks like a fine shooter to me....if I was into 6" barrels, I would offer to double your money

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On the Oak Savannah

Every one needs at least one gun like that. You can carry it in the field under the worst of conditions without concern and know that it will work when called on. Just don't take it to a barbeque unless it's at the deer camp.

Even if you were to put another $300 - $400 into it, you'd still be money ahead ! Or you could just clean it up, replace the grips, and shoot it - either way you got an incredible deal ....

That's doing Good Work. There's more satisfaction in saving an abused gun than in some NIB safe queen.

i can think of worse guns for personal protection if i was wheelchair bound, but not much better.

first give it a bath in some kroil or similar. most of that funk will come off with some elbow grease. then since your into it for practically nothing, send it to S&W or other top refinish shop ( my vote is S&W) for rehab.

make that old wheelchair bound fella proud of his gun again.

I'll 2nd. that, Send it back to Smith, You'll be surprised on how it come's Back.


Joe

I see a gun like that and think, "Hard Chrome."

Haven't had one done in it yet but have an M15 snub with a hard chromed cylinder. It looks good and powder residue comes off with just a wipe with a cloth.

I agree with several others - the gun is a good candidate to be sent
back to the factory for refinishing, and minor repairs. For the money,
they do a very good job. I don't know that I would repair those
grips - get a nice pair, or let the factory put on a pair.

Whatever you do, don't buff it. You will destroy all the shart edges and
corners, etc, and it will never look right again.

Mike Priwer

Just another guy with an opinion; I'm with the camp that says clean it, put some decent quality grips on it, replace the hammer and off you go. But then I am the kind of guy who loves old revolvers with "character"...

I'm going to do a thread on my "Graveyard" projects. Just got my M58 back from S&W and they did a great job. It was an LEO gun that was rode hard and put away wet and was "unsafe" at any speed with zero finish and external pits on the cylinder. Same with my 38/44 HD which just arrived on Friday from Fords. Will not ever recover the funds but virtually have two custom Smiths that are works of art.

Clean it up with steel wool, buy a bottle of Oxpho Blue from Brownells, do something with the hammer and grips.

Someone good with a tig welder might be able to build you up a hammer spur.

Szumi

I say fix the hammer, clean up the rust fix or replace the grips.
Take good care of it and don't abuse it from here on out and you will forever have a loyal friend.
I live for rescuing stuff like this.
Well done Sir.

I'm for a glass bead, black phosphate finish. This will hide most of the pitting. That and a set of Pachmayr grips and you have a utility gun that will last forever.
DW

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"NUTS"

Are those grips on the gun the standard or cokes?

I'm the kinda guy that would grind the hammer spur down flush, do a home park job, get a set of stocks, and enjoy it for the rest of my life....

Yes, they are Cokes. The earliest of the 57's had them. I am sure DW or VM would love to get their hands on those for a good refinishing.

Sorry Daniel but I have no desire (or talent) to do this type of work.....they are way out of my league. I send all inquiries with grips like this to DW!. And by the way, there is nothing about "refinishing" involved here - this is total restoration.

They do look pretty bad now that I look twice. That left panel is hurting big time. Oh well, DW it is. I would think it would be worth the investment to have it done as these are likely original to this gun.

Thanks for all your feedback, most of the comments I got at the gunshow was "are you out of your mind?, why buy that junker?" decided it was not my job to educate people as to the historic value of Smiths and the brotherhood of the S&W rescue league.

Am leaning towards a bead blast, then a matt blue, (would be free, set my gunsmith's son up with a Winchester 75 for high school rifle league, yep still have those here, gunsmith can also install my target hammer, do have a extra left hand coke, (usually the right hand ones are broke), if that does not match up have a stashed set of 95% N frame cokes this revolver deserves.

Was looking for a .41 mag shooter, have 200 rounds of ammo, 300 rounds of brass, reloading dies, knew a .41 would show up sooner or later. Have been getting ready, but was expecting to have to pay a little more up front.

Thanks again, olypenn222

DWfan fixed a pair of old targets for me that had several chips out of them. I would think he could fix those so you would think they were new out of the box! Cokes original to the gun are worth the effort and cost of refurbishing, at least that my .02 worth.

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Richard Gillespie
FBINA 102

My thoughts exactly even though you have a spare set. Maybe something to consider for the future with some expendable income.

And just a side note. I am in the works to buy a model 57 with sn #S248514 that currently resides up there in the Pugeot Sound area as well, also with Cokes. I will be paying slightly more as it has been packed away in a gun shop for the last 20 years and not in a wheel chair in the backyard. You have to chuckle that the previous owner chose that particular gun to pack in the side pocket of his wheelchair. I suppose it would be slightly easier to conceal in there.

Actually that one doesn't look that bad. I've seen worse brought back to life. Hell, I own one that looked scarier than that one and I have to say it's my favorite blued revolver.

From one rescue sucker to another, restore it and enjoy that baby!

Attached Images

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	After Right.jpg (91.3 KB, 211 views)

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Cuad

olypenn'
I vote with the majority: go ahead and get it refinished.
As far as the grips are concerned, you can't do better than DWfan.
TACC1

i am a young man who is disabled and i use a wheelchair to get around. i would certainly feel very safe carrying that model 57 around on my wheelchair.

I know it's easy to say "restore it!" especially when it's someone else who's money is being spent, but it would be great to see this old gal restored. Do it!

Exactly what I was thinking. Maybe some Pachmeyer Pro Grippers on it. It would be all business....

Well, it's back!, will try to get some pictures posted tomorrow.

When I saw that the barrel had to be sanded down to no S&W or .41 mag role stamps to get the majority of the pits out found another barrel, a 4" 58 barrel, the cylinder would not clean up so I also found another, a nickel one, had the frame and barrel bead blasted and matt parked, not all the pit came out.

Did some trades for most of the work. Am about $180. out of pocket on the revolver at this point, it shoots like a house afire and looks like nothing I have ever had before.

As a 57 fan would love to see your post pictures.

Thanks
CD

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De Oppresso Liber

Very likable as-is...

I'd love to find one like that at a bargain.

I would just give it a good internal cleaning and inspection, oil it up, and leave it be.

Be a great Travel Gun for long Car trips...or, Walks in the Woods...or inner city forays of any sort.


Hard to beat .41 Mag for those...

Maybe I'm just a sentimental fool, but for that money, I'd have it restored. And on my first trip to the range, I'd say a prayer for the
original owner, and he'll see he wasn't "dissed"! Might even send a pic to the family. so they'd know you honored his memory, too.
JMHO, TACC1.

i reckon it will buff out just fine...

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SWCA#2208
KK4EMO

Did you change the grips? With that medallion gone, it looks like a kid's well worn stuffed animal missing one eye

Post some pics! I get the feeling this will be a hard warming story. Somebody contact the Hallmark Channel for an after school special.

Why on Earth would someone de-spur a full size revolver like that?!?!?

I would finish off that ugly cut on the hammer, file off the sear and make it a true DAO and use it as an under the seat gun, or like was said, a woods carry gun you never have to worry about.

I have a soft spot for ugly, abused S&W's. I leave them as is, just fix them up mechanically and use them as plinkers or carry guns. I always say, you can't have too many cheap, ugly S&W's to use for those times when the pretty ones don't need to come out. I don't want one of my minty S&W's rattling around in my glovebox during a long car trip.

One of my 6" 10-5's was covered in surface rust, and looks like the past owner pried the sideplate off 1,000 times and left no part of the internals uncut or unfiled. I got it for $200 or so, and fixed it up and it's one of my best shooters. If I put a little ding or nick in it it doesn't matter, there's already plenty of cosmetic damage.

I am surprised, but no one here has yet asked the obvious question...why would a guy in a wheelchair need a 6" .41 Magnum revolver?

Pictures below





The nickeled cylinder is about 85% condition, had trouble with light in the picture, originally considered stripping the cylinder and re- blueing but have never had a pinto. Got the grips here.

That is the definition of a brute.

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Vaya con Dios