What the Heck??? Fixed Sighted N Frame 357???

RKmesa

RKmesa

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I have not seen many of these guys around, but most that I've seen are in pretty nice condition, and every .357 Mag collector needs at least one...doesn't he?:rolleyes:

I picked this one up about 8 years ago and just got around to "shooting" a few photos of it. Let me know your thoughts as to why these were not more popular/adopted by more law enforcement organizations...? Enjoy the photos of SN N560336:







For whatever reason, the bluing on these NYSP Contract 520's is really something special - basically a model 27 without the adjustable sights and the checkered rib. But, you've got to love that mini ribbed barrel - very cool...:cool:

I'd love to see yours.
 
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What a "BEAUTY" you have there! As close as I can get is my 6" 28 no dash from 1960. It is a keeper though too! Bob
 
The New York State Police was looking for a new issue duty revolver and wanted to stick to the .357 Magnum. S&W and NYSP jointly decided on a new gun (the Model 520 once produced) and S&W jumped into production in order to supply NYSP in a timely manner, building 3,000 of them. NYSP decided to go with something else and the 520 was never delivered. After sitting in inventory for a while, S&W released them through their retail distribution network.

I often wonder if they were built on unused Model 58 frames, as they also have the exact same hammer and trigger and the M-58 had been recently discontinued.
 
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RKmesa said:
I have not seen many of these guys around, but most that I've seen are in pretty nice condition, and every .357 Mag collector needs at least one...doesn't he?:rolleyes:

I picked this one up about 8 years ago and just got around to "shooting" a few photos of it. Let me know your thoughts as to why these were not more popular/adopted by more law enforcement organizations...? Enjoy the photos of SN N560336:







For whatever reason, the bluing on these NYSP Contract 520's is really something special - basically a model 27 without the adjustable sights and the checkered rib. But, you've got to love that mini ribbed barrel - very cool...:cool:

I'd love to see yours.
Click to expand...

Most likely shipped June 1980. Yours is a beauty! I've never seen a "beater" one of these.
 
I have a NIB 520 also. I'd post a photo, except it looks exactly the same as every other one. I would rather have a shooter as the one I have will never be fired by me. It's one of those guns that I keep until something more appealing presents itself.
 
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Nice. Tried to get one in the early 1980s, but being in the days before the internet my dealer just could not connect with one. Would have been a lot more useful to me than my now long gone Model 58.
 
I have never seen an authoritative reason given by anyone from either S&W or NYSP why the agency didn't accept these guns and bought something else. Speculation and guesses from the uninvolved, but I'd sure like to know.

Does a factory historical letter for one of them give us any insight?

I have one (N560350) I bought back in February, 1981 and have shot it just a little bit. They are great shooters with Magnum ammo, the big N frame really soaks up the recoil.
 
BUFF said:
I have never seen an authoritative reason given by anyone from either S&W or NYSP why the agency didn't accept these guns and bought something else. Speculation and guesses from the uninvolved, but I'd sure like to know.
...........
Click to expand...

The reason, as I've been told, was that the factory made a big mistake..... Before the M520 order was completed, they made the mistake of showing the NYSP a behind the scenes look at the new L frame models coming out. Smaller, lighter, does the same thing.... The NYSP decided that the M520 was ok, but the L frame was better, hence cancelling the order.
This also explains why the M520's were rushed into distribution, the factory didn't even bother to match the right grips to the right gun. They needed to get some $$ in asap, to make up for this huge lot of previously unknown N frame guns coming on the market at the same time that their new "flagship" L frame line was released.
The M520 was a dog of a product at the time, they were not good sellers, it's now, in our time that the collectors are loving the product.
There are lots of rumors that the NYSP dropped the M520 for the M28-2 which is nonsense, the -2 was gone in the 1977 timeframe, and the M520/L frame drama was in 1980ish.

That's the story I was told when researching the M520 a couple dozen years back and the timetable should confirm it from a logical standpoint.
 
Oh yeah....

You wanted pics... :)

medium800.jpg
 
To add to the comments above, the order was cancelled about the same time that some number of PDs were starting to be concerned about their handguns' fitting women, most of whom have somewhat smaller hands than men. An N-frame revolver does not even fit all men; for a department concerned about women, it would be a ridiculous choice, unless only optional, rather than "one size fits all." Don't forget, by that time, I believe, there had actually already been at least one major lawsuit over the issue.

The 520's time had passed long before it was even manufactured.
 
I've only seen one, NIB at A&F in the early1980's. I couldn't see it instead of a M-28 or M-27, where I'd have adj. sights.

At the time, I had no idea that it was a limited run of guns for a NYSP order never filled.

Because so few were made, no one who knows what it is really carries one, leaving them to collectors.

I believe both the women cops issue and the L-frame story as reasons why NYSP never issued them.

If the sights are "on" for your preferred ammo, they'd be great duty guns for men who like the N-frame .357.

Personally, I'd choose a stainless gun.
 
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Stainless steel 38sp and especially 357 magnum revolvers in K frame and the about to be marketed L frame made the 520 a dinosaur before it hit the L/E market.
The acceptance of semiautos in L/E shortly after that put them all out to pasture.

They are a slick looking revolver,,but then most any fix sighted; bbl shrouded N frame is!
It's a H/D in 357 come to life.
 
Texas Star said:
I've only seen one, NIB at A&F in the early1980's. I couldn't see it instead of a M-28 or M-27, where I'd have adj. sights.

At the time, I had no idea that it was a limited run of guns for a NYSP order never filled.

Because so few were made, no one who knows what it is really carries one, leaving them to collectors.

I believe both the women cops issue and the L-frame story as reasons why NYSP never issued them.

If the sights are "on" for your preferred ammo, they'd be great duty guns for men who like the N-frame .357.

Personally, I'd choose a stainless gun.
Click to expand...
I have carried one. I ran into mine used, already used and altered beyond collector status. I eventually bought a Kramer holster for it, when Dillon was selling them for N-frame "mountain guns," meaning 4" tapered barrel. Very good holster, usable and comfortable.

I don't bring up the female-cops issue as an answer specifically to the NYSP situation - I simply don't know. I cite it because I know that it was around, and speculate that it affected other departments' choices of firearm.

FWIW, I agree with all of your comments, although the blue guns mostly seem to be more finely made than the stainless. Not enough, however, to rule out the stainless as a preferred carry gun.
 
I passed up one on the local gun site a while ago and regret it every once in a while... However, I don't have many fixed sighted guns and I'm not sure if I'd really want a fixed sighted N Frame, but then again...
 
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