New S&W Model 57 in 41mag

[BigBill]

I was looking for a new 1911 when i found my dream revolver that i always wanted for 35+ years. Since i retired at 52yo about 9 years ago i never got me a to me from me retirement gift. I spotted the new S&W model 57 w/6" barrel in nickel finished marked just $699. I knew these listed for $1.161 too. Having the new plastic with nothing on it for the month i jumped on it. My new years resolution is to buy at least one gun a month this year too. As i get older my lifespan is getting shorter so i better enjoy everyday now too. I'm not rich by any way. I have a few $$ put away and now with the kids grown up and gone its my turn to party.

I noticed my new S&W model 57 has the key switch. I don't plan on ever using it but i hope it doesn't give me any problems. This S&W is my very first S&W gun. It has the most awesome trigger that i have ever felt on a factory revolver. I'm very impressed with the quality of the S&W too.

My local dealer has all the others in 41mag too. All S&W of course. Now next month its my 60th birthday celebration and its another to me from me gift again too. I'm torn between the S&W 57 in 41mag with the 4" barrel in nickel or the S&W 58 in 41mag with the fixed sights in nickel or stainless. These are two more great revolvers in 41mag. I want a 4" barrel in 41mag for a CCW gun.

I'm also bitten by the S&W bug now too. I have ruger revolvers in 357mag and in 44mag also. But i want to collect the S&W's in 357mag and in 44mag too. I really like the feel of the "N" frames.

Years ago colt and S&W had the nickel finish tied up because they were the best in doing nickel finishes. I figure to get what i can now in nickel finish because we just never know when it can be discontinued. I'm happy to see the S&W is still offering these classics in nickel finish too.

Any suggestions for another 41mag model??

Any suggestions for a S&W in 357mag?? 6'' barrel?

The only draw back is the 41mag ammo is expensive and the new brass is harder to get. But i can live with that. Bill

 

[Fishslayer]

Congratulations. I'm 55+ & nowhere near retirement...
I got bit by the S&W wheelgun bug a couple years ago.

Gotta hit the lotto. Inside this po' wage slave body is a gentleman of leisure screamin' to get out!

BTW...

We need pics!

 

[BigBill]

Is the key switch model good or bad?? I hope there ok mine looks really purdy in nickel. I'm hoping to get a few more too.
I need my 60th birthday present to me from me next. Right now i'm thinking another S&W in 41mag. for my new CCW gun. Bill

 

[longranger]

I know what you mean about the Mdl 57 being a "grail" revolver.The new crop of "Classics" are at best only share Mdl # similarities.I have one and like it just fine but additional future acquisitions I would consider a nice prelock 57 with pinned and recessed barrel and cylinder(True Classic).The prelock 657's are very nice as well,it is my favorite "big bore" revolver and much easier to maintain in near unfired condition.The revolvers in barrel lengths less than 6" seem to command higher prices and there are fewer available.
Congratulations on your purchase,reloading is a must to obtain non magnum target loads for a very enjoyable shooting experience.

 

[Roadranger]

I just turned 60 this month. Naturally, I got myself a gift, a M340M&PCT. Bill, I would go with the nickel M58 for your CC gun. Nickel M58's have always been scarce. Enjoy Bob!!!

 

[cowboydave]

Bill,
Welcome to the forum.
Enjoy your new 57. I wouln't worry about the key switch on the side as I have several with it and they haven't given me any trouble.
Dave

 

[BigBill]

I believe the gun shop locally has three more different brand new S&W in 41mag's.

First i've been a C&R collector for many years and into guns since my 20's (1970). As my surplus military stuff rounds out and i'm kind of happy with the few that i have to play with i'm looking at filling gaps in my modern guns now. I have pistols and revolvers in most calibers like 9mm luger, 380acp, 9mm mak, 9mm largo, 357mag, 44mag but nothing inbetween or larger than that. I think the 41mag will suit my needs plus its an over looked gun by many shooters. Most seem to be between the 357mag and 44mag and not into the 41mag. Thanks to Elmer Keith who is the godfather of handgun hunting and without him pushing the limits with the manufacturers we wouldn't have what we have today. I wonder what he would say if he was alive today about the larger calibers that are offered now mainly because of him pushing the edge of the envelope in the beginning. We must remember that the 357mag, 41mag and the 44mag has killed every game in north america thanks to Elmer Keith.

For some reason i'm thinking the 41mag is gaining on the popularity it has deserved for so many years right now. The older used 41's on the net are selling out fast even at $900. I think the older S&W "N" frames in 357mag, 41mag and in 44mag are sought after by collectors. I just don't see that many older S&W and Ruger revolvers in the used gun case at the gun shops here. It seems to me that most are hoarding them.

My two sons (in there 30's) seen my holy grail S&W model 57 in 41mag and there eyes lite up because of the purdy nickel finish. One son likes guns, and the other is iffy about them. But the one son who is iffy understood the 41mag as to having more controllable recoil over the 44mag too. He told me about it when he seen the 41mag and its inbetween the 357mag and the 44mag. He's starting to get into guns now finally and i didn't push him. Now my delima is i need to have at least two of everything so when i pass on they won't fight over who gets what in my collection.

OT but we must think about it;
One more point is who will inherit our guns when we pass on too. I had a pawn shop owner brag to me that when the family brings in there fathers guns when he passed on, being that they don't know what they have or what its worth he makes more $$ on them either way. And then he laughed at saying it. Seeing and hearing this really p!ssed me off. I went home and made plans that my guns will go to my kids and then to my grandkids and the future grandkids of the family and so on. I'm hoping they will all enjoy the seed that i planted and reap the harvest and enjoy the guns like i did. My dad and grandfather never planned for the future generations of the family. I just worry about what guns they will beable to own and at what price too. It just maybe cheaper for me to plan for them now a head of time. Plus this my way of the pawn shop guys from not getting them too. My thoughts are to "will" them so its on paper where there going when i pass on. Have you ever gave this much thought???

I love this country, Godbless, Bill

I pray everyday for the ones who are fighting for our freedoms too. And to bring them home safe soon. May Godbless them too. Freedom is worth fighting for.

 

[Chubbs103]

Congrats on that M57. I'm a big fan of the .41 Rem Mag. I thing you need to add a 657 Mountain gun to your collection. Of course you would have to find one for sale first.

The recent production M57 Mountain guns can be found pretty readily though.

Chubbs

 

[Black Knight]

You asked about other 41 magnums, check out the S&W 58. You also asked about a 6" 357 magnum. Since you like the N-frame might as well get the S&W 27. It will fit the same holsters as your 57. If the 27 is too expensive try to find a S&W 28. There are 3 S&W revolvers I have always wanted but the funds have never been there. They are the 57 (41 Magnum), 29 (44 Magnum), and the 25 in 45 Colt not ACP. There is nothing wrong with the ACP round, I just feel the ACP belongs in a Colt 1911.
With ammo being difficult to get that just gives you another hobby to try out, handloading. You take your empties and recycle them yourself by making your own ammo. Think about it this way, handloaders were recycling before recycling became fashionable.

 

[SuperMan]

Next???

..nothing like a nickel 58....

..so there is my vote!!!

Enjoy your retirement!!!!

Bob

ps..don't bother with any other calibers until you have ALL the .41s....

If you are looking for ammo, try Georgia Arms. They have a nice 210 hardcast SWC lead bullet at 950 fps... For a defensive round look at the 175 Winchester SilverTip, 180 Federal Barns Vital Shok or Speer 210 Gold Dot HP...less recoil and better expension than the hunting 210 grain loads...

 

[Dave_n]

Or you can do what I did. Two Model 57s (6" and 8 3/8). Then I found that Starline had made a run of 41 spec cases via a message in the classifieds here. So now I have boht 41 mag and 41 spec loads. Very flat shooting rounds and fun. You will of course have to reload so start buying the necessary pieces!! Dave_n

 

[thomasinaz]

Congrats on the new 57. You shouldn't have any problem with the key hole. I've got a several with this feature with no problems at all. I'm casting another vote for the 58. It would do for CCW with the fixed sights and 4" barrel. If not a 58 my second vote would be for a Model 57 Mountain Gun. The 41 Magnum is a good versital caliber. Light hollow points to heavy cast bullets give it wide range of possibilities.

 

[BigBill]

Ok its the S&W M57 4" barrel/41mag, S&W M58 4" barrel/41mag and the S&W Mountain gun in 41mag. I think i seen a bull barrel in there 41mag line up too. I'll be looking as soon as my credit card bill comes for last month and i pay it off. Then i can shop in february for more 41's.

I been hand loading since the early 70's. Just a while back i purchased all the lee dies for all my military calibers so i would have them inhouse when there needed. They fit my RCBS rockchucker perfectly. Right now i have two rockchuckers setup besides a LEE pro1000 set up for 45acp and two smaller lee presses i use for decapping and the other one for seating bullets. Its much faster that way with the two of us running ammo at the sametime. My 41mag dies along with my bullets and brass are in the mail with the lee case trimmer too. I jumped in with both feet on this one. I will look at all the S&W revolvers my shop has in the case. I think they have more than two, maybe three new ones, all different of course. I may end up with them all sooner or later. I can't beat the prices right now.

We tested the LEE RGB dies in 308win about 3 years ago. We ran around 5k thru the dies without a problem. This was when the RGB dies were only $9. For only $9 it was hard to believe there products are that good. I also used there dipper cups too. I used the dipper cup thats a tad below the powder charge i wanted and used the powder trickler to bring it to the exact load i wanted. Each of the 5k rounds are loaded exactly the same. Lastyear we ran around 3k rounds of 308win again thru the same RGB dies and with no problems yet.

I figured with the military surplus ammo running out it was time to get ready to reload for everything. I figure with the higher cost of ammo the reloading equipment prices would soar too but they have only gone up a little. I reloaded when the 45acp rounds costed only 2 cents per round to reload with leadcast. The cost has changed since then but so have the prices on new ammo too.

Down the road i'm hoping to get a turret press, a progressive press for larger calibers and the shell plates for all my handgun calibers so i can use the lee pro1000 for all my handgun reloading. We flew thru the 45acp rounds with the lee pro 1000. The time we save is awesome.

I'm very interested in the 41 special too. I load my 38 special and my 44 special with leadcast bullets and i use the 357mag and the 44mag cases for the jacketed magnum loads. This way nothing gets mixed up when i grab the ammo for the range. Plus i get more power with the leadcast loads in the shorter case. I hope i can do that with the 41mag and the 41 special too.

But trying to find even the 41mag brass is tough and were do i get the 41 special brass? Bill

With two big snow storms headed this way in the next few days you guys got me jones'n to shoot my new S&W M57 now.

I been thinking of loading my 44mag with the 270gr to 300gr bullets so this would leave a large gap between the 357mag and the 44mag and the 41mag will fill in the gap i'm sure.

 

[longranger]

Big Bill,
When you purchase dies for the .41 Magnum may I suggest spending a few extra dollars for the Redding Titanium dies,best money for dies I ever spent.I shoot 95% cast bullets and their expander is the best expander I have ever used from a stock set of dies.I usually have to throw away the expander plug and buy a custom for cast lead.

 

[Brian41]

Congratulations on your purchase but these .41s can get addicting too.

I bought my first Model 57 NIB for my 50th birthday present. I now have something like 8 of them and still looking for more.

 

[Maximumbob54]

I have a 629 with the key lock. I ignore it the best I can and it ignores me back. I'm not so much in fear of it self locking some day as much as I am disgusted with the look of it staring at me. But then again I wear a tinfoil hat some days. I really do think they are out to get us, they just don't think they can get away with it yet...

 

[m657]

I've got a m57 for sale
http://smith-wessonforum.com/guns-sale-trade/173058-wts-m57-4-a.html

Very low round count, P&R 4" 3T
Cash no trades.

 

[borntoraisehogs]

I wonder if years from now, people will be saying they found a great Smith, but unfortunately somebody altered the key-lock so its collector value is diminished.

 

[DGNY]

S&W 57

BigBill - I like your idea of preparing to have a lot of fun by acquiring the necessary supplies and equipment. Over time, you will find the .41 Magnum is a great cartridge and caliber. Numerically it is ~7/8 of the .44 Magnum [considering powder charge and bullet weights], a superb status which allows it to take big game, if you happen to be a hunter where that is legal, and be a plinker, too. Side benefit - the ~1/8 less energy translates into just enough less wear and tear on S&Ws to let them remain tight and newlike for a long useful life, compared to the .44 Magnum.

As others have mentioned: 1] there is nothing wrong with having the lock, esp in non-self defense uses; 2] the 657 Mountain gun is a great item to seek.

Heretical as it sounds here, a Ruger Old Model .41 Mag, 4.625" barrel, is a beautiful addition to a .41 Mag accumulation! Just remember to load only 5, with hammer on empty chamber.

Best of luck, as you plan ahead.

Regards,

Dyson

 

[BigBill]

I have a 629 with the key lock. I ignore it the best I can and it ignores me back. I'm not so much in fear of it self locking some day as much as I am disgusted with the look of it staring at me. But then again I wear a tinfoil hat some days. I really do think they are out to get us, they just don't think they can get away with it yet...

I have no problem withy the key safety switch, its ok with me as long as i have no problems with it. For $699 nib from a dealer i can live with it.