I recently purchased from a friend who's father bought new. I thought I knew my Smiths but I cant find info on a model 57 like mine that's not stamped 657. My 57 (no dash) is just that, a 57 yet in Stainless. I believe the circa is 1979. What do I have going on here? A special order, a goof at the factory or what? Thank you, Roger
S&W 57 stainless??????????????
- Thread starter saipuol
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Welcome aboard.
You have a carbon steel Mod 57 with electroless nickel applied after it left the Factory.
You have a carbon steel Mod 57 with electroless nickel applied after it left the Factory.
minconrevo
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Electroless nickel is my take too. I've seen in on many guns. It's a durable surface finish that is more rust resistant but not as hard as hard chrome. HC itself is pretty rust resistant.
Done for durability. Yes, some value loss to those that care.
If you bought to shoot and carry, why worry about it. Did you
secure a good price?
If you bought to shoot and carry, why worry about it. Did you
secure a good price?
$700 cash. 130 factory live rounds, 70 rounds of brass, that's all its been shot.
I think $700 is a reasonable price, probably a pretty good price given the included ammo. I would wonder about the claim of only 70 rounds being fired as I think there are few cases where a gun is refinished while still in almost "as new" condition. Doesn't matter though, if it is mechanically sound, I'd be happy to acquire it for $700. Enjoy it.
Jeff
SWCA #1457
Jeff
SWCA #1457
Roger, I think all of us think about turning a profit when we sell, even if its just to match inflation.
I need another magnum revolver like another hole in the head, but I would probably have paid the $700 to buy that gun, if the workmanship of the plating job looked good. I’d say it was a more than fair price. 
Definitely not something I’d be looking for, but I’d drop $700 for that package. For me matte e nickel or hard chrome would be a good thing.
toroflow1
Member
mahovskysmetalife.com/ here's a gent who does plating that I can highly recommend. He did a hard chrome on a riot 870 Remington I have, and he does great work. Good grab for $700 on that 57!
dsf
Member
I see you're in Reno. Willey Bros off South Virginia could probably take a look and verify what type of refinish was applied. I like hard chrome, looks closest to stainless. This doesn't look like it. No idea which is more durable.
If the gun is old enough then yes, probably took a pretty good hit. Newer, not so much - a few hundred maybe.
If the gun is old enough then yes, probably took a pretty good hit. Newer, not so much - a few hundred maybe.
Pantherclass2004
Member
700 is reasonable. Maybe the finish had some issues and needed to have this done. Shoot it and have fun
Those electroless nickel finishes were a big deal back in the day when only a few stainless models existed. I had a 57 that had been mag-na-ported and sent to S S Metalife and everyone that saw it wanted to buy it,
RMFnLA
Member
Yes.
I built and ran a shop in South Florida in the early ‘80s that did this work. Called Gun Guardian.
Most were bead blasted since that takes less time and skill than polishing, so they looked like satin SS.
Very rust resistant and popular in that SoFla humidity.
SuperMan
Member
...a "good deal".... I think a lot of people on this forum have lost touch with reality when it comes to selling prices...this was a GREAT deal...
130 rounds of FACTORY ammo...is worth how much...pushing $200...so he has only $5-550 into the gun...
He can shoot up all the ammo, clean the gun, put it on one of the auction sites and sell it for pushing a grand... I call that "great...not "good"....
Bob
130 rounds of FACTORY ammo...is worth how much...pushing $200...so he has only $5-550 into the gun...
He can shoot up all the ammo, clean the gun, put it on one of the auction sites and sell it for pushing a grand... I call that "great...not "good"....
Bob
When was that?
The reason I ask is that I have a 4" mag-na-ported 57 with a Metalife finish.
S&W 57 stainless
I really did not need another N frame with nine already and many other Smiths, I figured its a great deal and there was no 4473 just a bill of sale. These damn Smiths are like rabbits, they just keep multiplying. I do like that.
