Saw what appeared to be a great gun that passed all the used 'checks' and am considering picking up. Maybe I will see if I can post up a pick if I can figure it out. Long and short - a nickel model 57 (41 mag) in 4 inch (3/4 lug), #10012123. Very Good condition. Asking price 700. Opinions?

Product code for a 4-inch pre-lock nickel M57 was 100208. A earlier -1 will have a old style "N" s/n. The newer ones, made after 1982 or so, have a three-letter/four-number s/n. The nickel guns were not made in large numbers.

Many came in display cases, you don't say if that, or the factory box is included. I'll assume they are not. $700 is a fair price. If anything it's on the low side. Something in the $650 to $850 range for a shooter grade without box.

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~ S&W aficionado in training ~

The serial number you give doesn't look correct to me? You can find it on the bottom of the butt frame and the stocks would likely need to be removed to see it. Also look for a number on the frame opposite the crane. The serial number for model 57's I'm most familiar with start with a S or a N. Later ones may start with three letters followed by numbers.

Basically, $700 for any N-frame, 4", nickel, pre-lock, in excellent condition is probably a reasonable price. If the condition is truly very good then $700 would be towards the high end.

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Scoundrel & Ne'er-Do-Well

Thank you. Yes, no box. Serial N730836. Buy it?

That's old enough to be a pinned & recessed gun, which is desirable. If you're looking for a .41 Mag, and appreciate the pros and cons of a nickel finish, buy it. Sounds like a pretty sweet deal.

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~ S&W aficionado in training ~

For $700, I'd be all over it. 4" 57s and 657s are hard to find for that small of a price tag, I have been looking for one.

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$700 for a nice nickel 4-inch Model 57? Wouldn't even give it a second thought if I wanted one. Just check it out thoroughly and buy it. The Pachmayr stocks are great for shooting and you can always find a set of target stocks later, but you will not always be able to find a gun like that. Of course I happen to like S&W .41 Magnums. Others might see it differently.

I'm not a big fan of nickeled handguns, but am a HUGE FAN of darn near any firearm in .41 mag. (the .41 mag bug bite me when I was a young pup back in '71).
There's just something about an "N" Frame Smith in that caliber!
I'd have to say buy it and take that revolver HOME!
JMO!
Skyhunter

I no longer own my 657 and I don't shoot or even care much for the .41 caliber. However, I'd buy that one for $700, just because it's a 4inch N frame in nickel. I'm a sucker for nickel and that's a good price.

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I'm gonna grow fins.

Whoa Nellie. Excuse me for raining on any parade. The picture posted by Mr.Harry is too small and blurry for me to be certain but when I expand the picture it looks like the hammer and trigger might be nickeled and if so that would be an indication it's refinished.

Mr.Harry, can you post better pictures of the hammer, trigger, part of the frame where the barrel inserts to see if it's a pinned barrel, and back of cylinder to see if it's recessed.

If it's in excellent original condition and pinned and recessed $700 is a good buy even with the wrong grips.

N730836 should date to about 1980 and it should have a pinned barrel and recessed (counterbored) cylinder which were discontinued in 1982 when the dash-1 change (i.e. 57-1) was introduced.

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Scoundrel & Ne'er-Do-Well

The newer nickel revolvers that are no longer manufactured are going for twice that check GB. Even used with the loc/MIM parts.

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Plant garlic in the fall

Or it's a picture of a stainless gun and they're flash chromed.

Mr. Harry, I think you posted the thumbnail of the pic. Not the pic itself. We're seeing a pic that's literally the size of an (out of focus) postage stamp.

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~ S&W aficionado in training ~

Being a 4" M57 no dash, I'd say that's a strong "buy" regardless of any cosmetic issues or grips. Even if refinished, it's probably worth the price as a shooter. Not every gun has to be mint to be desirable.

Excellent point. I concur a model 57 no dash in good mechanical shape, and either nicely refinished or a nice aftermarket finish, might be worth considering at $700 and might even be a good buy in certain locales (older-revolver-expensive states like California for example) BUT being as Mr.Harry is a new member and not knowing his experience I thought it would be most helpful to him to point out as much potentially useful information as possible so his eyes can be wide open going into this potential buy.

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Scoundrel & Ne'er-Do-Well

The 657 line did not have any N prefix serial numbers to my knowledge. It would be a model 57. The 657 line was introduced in the A**### prefix era IIRC.

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On the Oak Savannah

Then I would be on it like a duck on a June bug.

Thanks all for your insight and guidance. I AM new at this and to here. Have been lurking and learning for sometime quietly, but very much a novice still, so ALL input is valuable. I'm going to head back out to where that one is at in a couple days. Take some more pics and re-post. If it's still on the shelf. Or, I might just walk out with it.

Well, you have to jump in some time. If the gun seems "straight" to you, now is probably a good time.

Remember - minor mechanical problems can usually be fixed fairly inexpensively. Finish problems will cost a lot more to deal with.

I did 'jump in' actually. I bought a 629-6 classic some months ago and have been so happy, and smitten, I now feel I must explore the oft-spoken of and such revered guns of the pinned and recessed generation. For my own sense of clarity and clinical comparison. They can't be all THAT bad, I figure. Lol.

If you going to buy a .41 Magnum you are going to need to be, or become, a HANDLOADER. Owning a gun in that uncommon clambering makes no sense unless you are. IMHO.

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~ S&W aficionado in training ~

^^^ Correct.