This Model 57 has the lowest serial number known to date, S230489. It was shipped on August 31, 1965 in what appears to be a "transition case" for this model. The top and bottom liners are the same as those used for the early Model 57s, but they are covered with blue satin instead of dark blue velour. I am certain this case has not been recovered, and is probably one of the last cases made this way before the switch to the "clamshell" case.

Model 57s with a factory nickel finish are not seen that often, and this one is nearly new and appears unfired.

Bill

Stunning revolver and stocks.

Even the tools are in remarkable condition.

Another rare and benchmark gun.

GF

beautiful !

__________________
SWCA#2208
KK4EMO

I cannot compete with Doc44's pics so I won't post mine.

However they are M57s in 4 and 6 inch with the wood cases and trimmings. 1974ish models.

Just how rare is the nickel M57s? Both of mine are nickel.

__________________
Have guns...will shoot'em.

Before I go to sleep tonight I will come back and gaze on that picture for a minute or two in order to program my brain for beautiful and satisfying dreams.

What a fine specimen!

__________________
David Wilson

mine is not that nice... it does shoot just as nice. my targets have seen better days also, still wouldnt trade! love that 57! jealousy is an ugly trait...

Bill,
That's a great looking revolver. This is further proof that serial numbers did not ship in sequence during this period. My model 57 with serial number S248514 shipped in January of 1965. I've metnioned this before but it has a contact covered presentation case with the same satin lining but the blue satin is a darker.

Bill, especially the nickel finish. I had a heckuva time finding nickel specimens in each barrel length.

I have two early 57s, a 4" gun (S249975) with blue finish that shipped August 1964 and a 6" (S249449) blue gun that shipped April 1965. The discrepancy between serial numbers and ship dates is classic Smith & Wesson factory quirk!

__________________
Bob.
SWCA 1821

I just recently purchased a Smith and Wesson model 57 41 Magnum with the 8 inch barrel and nickel plated I'm desperately trying to find out what year this gun was made? the serial number stars out with N3899xx can someone please help me?

I know this is a very old thread but it is interesting that Elmer Keith supposedly received the first two 57s made...their serial numbers are:

S239001 and 002

..which he immediately took on a caribou hunt in the fall of 1964...

I wonder if this gun is the first nickel 57 made....or were there others with later serial numbers shipped well before this one was...

Bob

Very nice.
The thread a while back about the 50th anniversary of the 41 mag really got my lusts going... and your post doesn't help.

There are two Model 57s known with a serial number in the S230000 range. Each was shipped in August 1965 in the same type of presentation case. The frames for these guns are definitely the earliest known, but were not used to complete and ship the earliest nickel Model 57s. I have S253104, 6-inch, nickel, that was shipped in January 1965.

Bill

Doc...have you ever seen a nickel 57 that was shipped in 1964?

Bob

I have not seen a Model 57 finished in nickel that shipped in 1964, but it is likely a few did. Maybe a Forum member has one?

Bill

Bill,

I haven't sent off for a letter yet by my 6" nickel is serial # S253112. That's pretty close to yours number wise. Guess I'll have to get that letter to see how close they were on shipping dates.

__________________
BCCI Life Member #2068

Unfortunately my post has nothing to do with the earliest, it's about luck. All three were brought to me for sale. Sorry about the momentary hijack.

Doc44, your very early nickel 57 is stunning. I would love to have one S prefix in my group.

Attached Images

57s all 003.jpg (158.3 KB, 135 views)

When I was visiting the factory in about 1973 to have a blue Model 19 nickeled, the CS rep told me that frames and barrels that were to be nickeled were not as polished as those that were going on to be blued. He sad that as a result my nickel 19 would have a smoother surface than an original. And this was from a 25+year employee of S&W.

I have looked at a lot of nickel guns and quite often have seen very light machine marks on the surface that would be very noticeable if the gun was blue. Thinking maybe that these early numbered frames were originally destined to be 29 nickel guns from a earlier run of frames...

With S&W who really knows...

Bob

Love that Purdy s&w n frame in nickel.

Your in a pickle if you dont own any s&w guns in nickel. Nickel finish rocks.

Thanks doc44 for the pic of a fine looking m57.

Two years ago I purchased the last s&w m57/6" in nickel my lgs had for $699. It remains unshot today.

New to the forum. My Mod.57 S249336 was given to me by the original owner back in 1971 as a gift when I began my police career(in those days the only thing you rec'd from the PD were your badges). I carried it as my duty weapon until 1985. As it was exposed to weather and was prone to rusting with the high gloss blue finish, a company by the name of Armaloy put their finish on the 57,which was similar to SS. In addition to that,several gunsmiths worked on the action. At any rate,while looking for some burglars in a heavy equipment repair facility,the gun fell out of the holster while climbing over a D9 Cat.The gun hit the ground and went off shooting me through both legs and through the roof of the business. The range master sent the gun to S&W and the hammer block safety had been removed. S&W couldn't determine if the safety was removed or if the it was manufactured w/o it. They built a new .41 with the original S serial number,in nickel. What really makes this a unique pistol other than the serial number, they pulled a Mod.29 frame off of the line, and stamped 57 over the 29. They advised the original was to be destroyed.

S&W did what you describe a few times when the revolver with the original serial number was to be destroyed. Also, while not a common occurrence, seeing a Model 57 over stamped Model 29-2 or vice versa has been seen a few times. Sounds like a great gun. I hope you fully recovered from your wounds.

Bill

I have Model 57 P&R sn N7763XX 8 3/8" Nickle, any idea of what year it was made?
Thx

I have a 6" Model 57 with serial # S2414XX. It came with the presentation box with the dark blue satin lining and cokes. Haven't gotten a factory letter yet but I believe it's from early 1964. Can anyone confirm this?

eppd...my bet is that one of the smiths who worked on the gun left the safety bar out. This was unfortunately a common practice with a lot of PPC Pistolsmiths that the block just added one more part to keep the action from being as smooth as possible. I've seen a bunch of K-frame bullbarreled PPC guns that didn't have the block in place.

I carried a 57 or 58 for 4-5 years while working for Dallas PD and is not something I would have wanted to be on the receiving end of....with bullets it is always better to give than to receive... Glad you made it out...

Bob

Glad to own 1 of each. The blued is very early, within 30 of Mr Keiths. The nickel is a later N prefix, but just as nice. I really need to source a set of Cokes for it but as scarce as they are and technically incorrect for the gun it seems inappropriate other than it would make the pair a bit more alike

Only the factory. I have a 57 4" with S239xxx that letters to early 1964. As Doc started this thread, you can see that the SN has nothing to do with when the gun was made or shipped. Having said that, the case you have closely resembles mine.

bwdilli...Your Model 57 most likely shipped in June-September of 1964.

Bill

I healed up ok, but still feel it after 30years. Retired in 2000. About 2 years after my incident the City began to issue their own duty weapons.The regular road troops and detectives got 9mm Smith auto's. The swat team and negotiators got 4506's. The next round was Beretta mod.96 .40 cal. and I understand they are now using Glocks. I personally preferred revolvers for duty weapons, but time marches on. Retirement is good.
Ed

Bill:

Where do you think that the "wood panel" boxes for the 57 came into the picture (certainly before the clam shell cases)? I have seen more than a handful of these wood panel boxes over the years - and if I recall correctly all with early 6" barreled model 57's. Here is the box for SN S254447:







Thanks,

__________________
Richard
Engraved S&W fan

I had a Model 57 that was shipped in January 1965 in one of the cases you asked about. There have been eight to ten of these cases reported over the years. I have no idea why S&W used these cases, but some have speculated they were samples supplied to the company for evaluation.

Bill

RK..please tell us about the gun...that is truly the most magnificent 57 6" I have ever seen...

Bob

I'll take it! Ooops...wrong section.

__________________
Gone but not forgotten-RIP Dad

I got a 4 inch 57 last year at a local gun show Serial S310xxx. Has a box with it with a dark Scarlet velour material cover. In nice shape..carried for B'ar medicine in Alaska for a few years. Got it from the guy as we were talking about living in Alaska. Seems we met once or twice back in 1970 when I was working up there.Alaska was a "small" place back then.. He sold it to me for 600 and gave me at least 200 bucks worth of factory ammo. I didn't expect the ammo and he got a great deal on another bear gun I had later in the show. He couldn't find any 4350 powder at the show but I had a can in my stuff under the table. Almost my last but he surely got it for free. I got my 1950 Target 45 Colt at a small gun show too. But looking for a decent 4 inch 57 again..this for my daughter. She is going to be moving to Wyoming this coming year. She thinks she is getting my Kimber 300 Win mag..but that ain't happening no matter how much she smoozes

Beautiful 57's

__________________
Cheers, Charles
SWCA #2442

Bob:

The "rest of the story" can be found here: Engraved/Gold Inlaid Model 57 "Triple Lock"

__________________
Richard
Engraved S&W fan

Great thread and thanks to all for the awesome pic's. I'm new to forum and this is my first post. Looking for help with finding info on my model 57 no dash as to year and any other info to educate me. The serial number is S2849xx I've owned and shot it for 15+ years and have the original wood case however the interior is in poor shape and the tools are missing. Thanks in advance.

A Model 57 with a serial number in the S284000 range dates to 1968 and was shipped in a clamshell presentation case. The accessories are the same as those shown in post #28.

Bill

I've cruised gun shows since the 60s. I almost always examined whatever S&W stuff I saw.
Years and years ago- I don't even remember what decade, but it would have been before the 90s, I stopped at a table to look at a stack of presentation cases and boxes.
In a stack of presentation cases, I saw one of these.
Now bear in mind that was back when housewives routinely bought rolls of woodgrain vinyl with adhesive on it to cover all sorts of things like cabinet/pantry shelves, rusty patio tables, beat up dressers for spare rooms- anything that needed "spiffin' up".
I looked at the case, and remember thinking someone did a super job of applying the junk while ruining a good case.
I also figured they had relined it with the satin cloth.
The damn thing was about PERFECT!

I walked on, wondering why people did things like that.....

__________________
Regards,
Lee Jarrett

I have a Model 57 that my Father purchased in 1965 (I'm pretty certain). The serial number is S253047 and it is in a "contact paper" case and has the "coke" grips.

Attached Images

model57.jpg (139.5 KB, 112 views)

Regardless of the contact paper, that is one fine 57.

I bought my Model 57 at a trunk show. The S&W sales rep brought in his own stock and sold it at a gun store in Sunnyvale CA. I think it was in the early 70s. N frames were hard to get in those days. I paid $373 I think. Gun store long since closed in the hostile environment of Sunnyvale. Serial number is N 6162XX.
It's a 4 inch blue in a wooden box.no pics