Early 57 with uncommon presentation box (Updated: Correct front sight)

Well, I wanted to post this today for those of us not lucky enough to get to Tulsa. So here's some pics of a long time coming model 57 that came to me this week. This seller was very patient with me while I rounded up the funds for this and another piece that I will post about later. This gun has been in storage since 1976 when it was put away and hadn't likely seen the sun until these pictures I took today. This one is in decent shape and has been well used. Finish is probably around 92-94% with Coke bottle grips that need a slight repair on the right panel. I am about 99.9% sure that the front sight is not original but I can't imagine that would be too difficult to restore. The presentation case is an uncommon one with a contact paper covering that I have been told is factory. The inside lining is mostly intact. I can't wait to shoot this one. I hope you enjoy it and let me know what you think.

More pics since I still haven't learned how to post pics in the thread

Here's more pics of the uncommon case and non-factory front sight.

Nice package. That looks like a rifle front sight that was adapted to the N-frame barrel. Does the rear sight blade have the standard square notch in it, or was the blade there replaced with a U-notch blade?

I would think you could put a red ramp back on without too much trouble, if that's your desire.

Daniel, the case is from 1965 and was used for a short run, number unknown, maybe 200 or so. I have seen only about 5 of them in my time collecting. Nice 57 and the front sight is definately not factory. It should be the red ramp.
The stocks are correct and nice.
Regards
Chuck
Here's your case again

I had a 4" M57 with that style case liner. I bought it new in '68. It had been on the small dealers shelf for some time and he was anxious to sell it then.
I'd had many 'experts' tell me in the years that I owned it that the case was not original, but that's the way it came.

Sold it in the big D

The front sight is a poor fit and was the idea of a targe shooter from the northwest by the name of Dave York from some of the literature that found in the case.

David, The rear sight is the standard square notch that likely came from the factory.

Chuck, I didn't realize that case was quite that rare. Haven't you been collecting for awhile now which means a lot if you've only come across five or so. That's great news for me I suppose. Thanks for the added info.

Hello Daniel
That is a nice early Model 57 with a very Cool Paine Bead front sight blade. It can be converted back to the standard Patridge style sight easy enough as it has the Two Older style sight Pins in the sight base. I have always liked the .41 Magnum over the .44 Magnum. I tell Guy's the Only Difference between the Two caliber's being the .41 Magnum compared to the .44 Magnum is .019" In Bullet diameter! The .41 Magnum has a little less recoil than the .44 Magnum and a Little better long range Trajectory due to the Lighter weight and diameter of the bullet.

Sadly, The .41 Magnum did not get the attention that the More famous .44 Magnum did. I feel there was two reasons for this. One reason is that the .44 Magnum had a Head start on catching the Big Bore lover's eyes as it came out in 1956 and the .41 Magnum came along in 1964. The Other reason is that Remington developed the cartridge for a Police carry round down playing it at a reduced loading and velocity to keep the Public from whining about the massive power of this round, and that placed a dark cloud over the caliber almost as bad as the .32 H&R Magnum got. To get the Most out of the .41 Magnum round it must be hand loaded.

This caliber is an Excellent Deer harvester. I took the 7 Point Buck shown below with a 6" Nickel .41 Magnum over 25 Years ago at 40 Yards. The Bullet entered the right chest cavity and exploded the Heart and left lung when it exited. it Piled that deer up within 30 Yards from where I shot him. Model 57's are Far less common than the Model 29's out there and Nickel examples are a very hard find with the shorter 4" examples being almost Impossible to locate. Shown below my Buck is my N-Prefix model 57 in it's case and by Itself. It is one of the Only Model Marked guns in my collection that will never be considered to be sold or traded. I have an excellent hand load worked out for this caliber which exceeds the Famous .44 Magnum in velocity and long range results if you should load your own ammo and would want to try my Proven Deer Recipe PM Me, I would be glad to share it with you. Long live the Model 57's and the Infamous .41 Magnum round.

Hammer,
Funny story, I have seen that first picture of your nickel 57 before. I had a guy selling one on local online classifieds website. He actually used that same picture with the gun in the presentation case as a representation of his gun. He had it listed at $650 and I drove 45 minutes to meet up with him to make a deal. When he handed me the gun I asked him if he had changed the grips as they were not the same and the finish was not as pristine. I left sort of angry for his misrepresentation of his gun as he said he had picked the picture up off the web, it was your gun he was picturing as his 57 for sale. I thought I had hit another jackpot. It's a great piece.

dacoontz said:

Hammer,
Funny story, I have seen that first picture of your nickel 57 before. I had a guy selling one on local online classifieds website. He actually used that same picture with the gun in the presentation case as a representation of his gun. He had it listed at $650 and I drove 45 minutes to meet up with him to make a deal. When he handed me the gun I asked him if he had changed the grips as they were not the same and the finish was not as pristine. I left sort of angry for his misrepresentation of his gun as he said he had picked the picture up off the web, it was your gun he was picturing as his 57 for sale. I thought I had hit another jackpot. It's a great piece.

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Hello Daniel
Sadly, some feel they have a God Given Right to Steal Other Peoples Pictures. Glad you walked on him perhaps next time he will use his own Pictures to sell his Wares, instead of stealing some elses as this one will never be for sale or Trade in the future... Thank's for sharing this with me it is Certainly not the first time I have had my Pictures Lifted or used by Others that did not ask my permission to do so....

dacoontz said:

Chuck, I didn't realize that case was quite that rare. Haven't you been collecting for awhile now which means a lot if you've only come across five or so. That's great news for me I suppose. Thanks for the added info.

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about 40 years now...give or take

29-1 said:

about 40 years now...give or take

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That equates to you seeing this case about once every 8 years. That equals really rare to me. Thanks again. Daniel.

Great find! I had the option to pick up a 57 in a box like that at a gun show near Richmond, Va last year. I had never seen a box like that before and so I doubted that it was original. There were some other issues with the gun that I've since forgotten and I passed on it. Glad you made out!

I've never been fortunate enough to find an early S serial numbered 57, let alone even see one with cokes on it. Finding one with a rare box is indeed a great find.

si--------

Alright, so anyone got an "as new" red ramp front sight they want to get rid of or know where I can find one. Haven't searched the guns parts sites yet. Are there any variations in these red ramp sights that I should be aware of so that I get th right one for this piece?

Daniel...I can't help with the front sight question as N-frame red ramps on a ramp base are about impossible to find except attached to a barrel, but several Model 57s in those cases surfaced in the mid-80s at a S&WCA show. There are probably fewer than ten, and they were not used for a short production run, but are possibly cases that S&W considered and never adopted and used what few they had as S&W wasted nothing. Roy Jinks does not know anything about them and they don't letter as original (but, neither does any other specific type of case).

They are sort of an "oddity" in the field of collecting S&Ws and make for good discussion.

Bill

Is the red ramp sight on this the same as on other models like a M-29 or others? Is it a large list. SDH just had one for sale for a model 29 that he sold. I hope I didn't miss one that would have worked.

The Model 29 with a 6 1/2-inch barrel used the same red ramp on a ramp base that was used for the Model 57. That is what you need to find. These ramps are unique to these two models.

Bill

As it should be with red ramp

Here it is after a trip to the gunsmith for a new and correct red ramp front sight. I was very, very lucky to be "gifted" this sight from a long time collector that I see at the local shows from time to time. He gave me this sight from his personal collection and sent it to me and told me to pay him what it was worth. Being that I had never seen one for sale, I paid him at least what it was worth and a little more as a grateful gesture for allowing me to have it. So here is the 57 as it more likely left the factory. Thanks to those that helped me identify which site I needed.