Quote:
Originally Posted by Dave Workman
I concur there is no good reason for the Model 10 on steroids. A .41 mag with fixed sights and small grips was kind of a nutty idea.
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I think the reason for the M58 was pretty much the same as for the M28. A less expensive revolver the PD's could afford as issue weapons, back in their early days when revolvers were still the most common carry piece, and when .41M was being touted as the next best thing to sliced bread; better than .357M, but not as brutal to shoot as the .44M. Its no-frills appearance, fixed sight and 4" barrel was directly aimed at the service revolver market.
It's funny that the same thing has happened to the .40 S&W cartridge that happened to .41RM; offered as a middle-of-the-road caliber, better than 9mm, but not as hard to handle as 10mm. It was popular for a while, but now is such a slow seller that a couple of manufacturers quit making guns for it. Whereas 10mm has made a resurgence, just as .44RM has gained popularity again, if not as a service gun but one for hunting and personal defense. .41RM seems to be regaining some of its former "glory" as well; I wonder if manufactured ammo for it will also make a comeback, once (and if) this latest mess ever gets resolved.
At any rate, I'm a die-hard .41 Magnum fan, bought a S- prefix M57 almost a year ago, and this past week found an ANIB S-prefix (1967) M58 to go with it. I posted a thread about it elsewhere, but here's a couple of pics of the M58, been a safe queen for over 50 years: (I don't know why these pics loaded upside down, they're right side up in my computer)