Hello all. Looking at a 5 screw 357 n frame. S.N S134116 has a red ramp front and w/o rear with the 6.5” barrel. It’s wearing some magnas with Diamond also. Has the wide target hammer and trigger. Requested better pics and I should have those shortly. What am I basically looking at here as it has no model number. Thanks in advance.

I requested pics of the top strap also. Pics are not to good, so can’t tell if it’s checkered. Was thinking a highway patrolman but the again target sights,trigger and hammer are throwing me off.

With a 6 1/2" barrel it's not likely to be a Highway Patrolman, more likely what S&W referred to simply as the .357 Magnum revolver...That's what they printed on the gold box it likely shipped in......Ben

__________________
Cogito, ergo BOOM!...

A 5-screw .357 Magnum with 6 1/2" barrel has to be a ".357 Magnum". Model numbers were not assigned until 1957 and not produced until 1958, and by then they were 4-screw frames. Although some do not like the term, you could call it a "pre model 27". The Highway Patrolman (pre model 28) was never made with a 6 1/2" barrel. Also, the HP always had target sights, and it could always be ordered with target hammer and target trigger, or changed out after market.

__________________
SWCA 3297 SWHF 583

Thanks all, should have some pics soon. We shall figure out this $1500 mystery.

I have serial number S131668 that shipped in April 1955, so yours is likely later that year, but not necessarily so.

__________________
Robert
SWCA #2906, SWHF #760

If everything is original, it is likely a special ordered gun. The target trigger and hammer did not normally ship until 1975, the .265 trigger and semi target hammer being standard. Most guns with 6 inch or longer barrels shipped with the Patridge front sight, the red ramp being special ordered or a replacement. Although the gun has nearly 80 years for owners to make whatever modifications they wish! :-)

__________________
Richard Gillespie
FBINA 102

Sounds like a .357 Magnum with 6-1/2" bbl., and the s/n places its manufacture in 1955. Mine (s/n S140334), also a 5-screw 6-1/2" from 1955, has the Patridge front sight, standard trigger, semi-target hammer, and magna stocks...all of which were the normal configuration. The .357 Magnums (aka "pre-Model 27") are beautifully made and finished revolvers. If the revolver is in 90%+ condition, $1500 is probably a fair price- especially if the RR/WO sights were special ordered. However, it would be a real deal if you could get the seller down a couple of Benjamins. Good luck!

Attached Images

	P1000404.jpg (187.0 KB, 56 views)
	P1000408.jpg (192.3 KB, 38 views)

They are some fine shooting revolvers.

Attached Images

IMG_2587.jpg (83.6 KB, 27 views)

The Baughman ramp front sight on 6 1/2" barrels is very common. My 5-screw, 6 1/2", red ramp front, white outline rear, serial S157329 finally shipped in January, 1958.

Attached Images

	DSC09221b.jpg (116.6 KB, 36 views)
	DSC09223b.jpg (117.5 KB, 32 views)

__________________
SWCA 3297 SWHF 583

Here are some photos of S125066, a 6.5"er that shipped in Jan 1955 (note that it has the red ramp, target trigger and target hammer):





They are great guns!

__________________
Richard
Engraved S&W fan

I have one from the same period in 6" with the Patridge front sight, wide target hammer and serrated trigger. Mine doesn't have a screw in the front of the frame.

Thanks for posting that, and welcome to our forums...I think we'd all like to see pics of the 4-screw you mentioned......Ben

__________________
Cogito, ergo BOOM!...

Here's an old 6" .357 from 1954 still getting the job done.