Cosmic Kismet and a first year model 57

[Allen-frame]

............................................................................

Some days are strange, other days are stranger. Yesterday a friend I have done many deals with 'gifted' me 750 rounds of 41 magnum ammunition. 300 factory rounds and 400 odd commercial reloads using new starline brass. I know the reloader. It's good stuff.







Funny thing is ,I didn't own a gun chambered in 41 until this morning.


I was at the range, and a guy who works there says " You like Smiths ,,don't you?"
I love it when conversations start with that.)


After shooting I go with him and find he is selling a model 57, 6" S2388xx ser#.
A first year gun I believe.

Less than 20 hours after acquiring all that ammo, I get to buy a creampuff 57 for $400. No box, or should I say presentation case, as the early ones came in. Hogue rubber grips, when removed, no rust or marks underneath ,thank god.


So, ,I threw on the only lonely pair of N targets I have, and took a couple pictures .











It has a standard trigger, and an unusual shaped hammer. Kind of a semi/target with a teardrop shape.
I have model 27s' on either side of this ser# and neither hammer looks like this.
The case color looks correct and unmodified.
Here again, just an unusual Smith & Wesson anomaly.

Any ideas? Doc ,any of your 57s' have this type of hammer?







I will be shooting her next Saturday, at the same range where this odd bit of 'Cosmic Kismet'
took place today.



Regards and good luck to you! ,, ,AL

[Allen-frame]

............................................................................

Some days are strange, other days are stranger. Yesterday a friend I have done many deals with 'gifted' me 750 rounds of 41 magnum ammunition. 300 factory rounds and 400 odd commercial reloads using new starline brass. I know the reloader. It's good stuff.







Funny thing is ,I didn't own a gun chambered in 41 until this morning.


I was at the range, and a guy who works there says " You like Smiths ,,don't you?"
I love it when conversations start with that.)


After shooting I go with him and find he is selling a model 57, 6" S2388xx ser#.
A first year gun I believe.

Less than 20 hours after acquiring all that ammo, I get to buy a creampuff 57 for $400. No box, or should I say presentation case, as the early ones came in. Hogue rubber grips, when removed, no rust or marks underneath ,thank god.


So, ,I threw on the only lonely pair of N targets I have, and took a couple pictures .











It has a standard trigger, and an unusual shaped hammer. Kind of a semi/target with a teardrop shape.
I have model 27s' on either side of this ser# and neither hammer looks like this.
The case color looks correct and unmodified.
Here again, just an unusual Smith & Wesson anomaly.

Any ideas? Doc ,any of your 57s' have this type of hammer?







I will be shooting her next Saturday, at the same range where this odd bit of 'Cosmic Kismet'
took place today.



Regards and good luck to you! ,, ,AL

[cubrock]

Wow! Nice on both counts!

All you need to do is find a set of Cokes to put on that puppy!

I've never had anyone offer me a gun like that at the range. Guess I need a new range.

[Lenshappy]

You dog!

Now, somebody gave me 300 rounds of .40 and I don't have anything to shoot them with...hmmm.

[prefer_wheelguns]

Sweet Jaysus.

[S42N8]

Go for the trifecta...buy the lottery ticket!

Seriously, somebody's smiling upon you.

[j38]

Very nice! It seems like some things are just meant to be!

I'll look forward to your range report. I've never fired a .41 magnum myself, and will be interested in hearing how you think it compares to the .357 and .44 magnums.

Thanks for the post,

Jerry

[Nframe_is_no1]

Beautiful looking 57! The hammer may have been modified by trimming the target spur down. 57s always shipped with target hammer and trigger. It also looks like someone switched out the target trigger for a service one. This is no big deal as both can be swapped out easily. Very nice vintage .41 mag ammo. You may want to hold on to the Remington LSWC ammo. This is the old midrange police load (950 FPS) and it is out of production so it may be collectable in its own right. You are very lucky indeed. It just shows that some things are meant to be. Enjoy and thanks for sharing!

[SuperMan]

...great way to "drop" into .41s...welcome to The Cult.

I have a 1964 M57 also...great shooters. As to the hammer, look to see if it has been ground down...looks like someone preferred a service size hammer and trigger which really is better for DA work than the wide Target trigger.

As to "no box"...when the gun was shipped from the factory it was shipped in a shipping box. There were two inner boxes...one blue two piece S&W box and the other was the presentation case that was wrapped in plastic. Most dealers just put the gun in the PC and threw out the rest. That is why one rarely sees an end label from early guns shipped with PCs...it was on the shipping box. The blue inner box had a white label on the end with the model number on it.

A few years ago there was a 4" M57 in a friend of mines shop that still in the shipping box. It was on consignment and they guy wanted twice what a 4" M57 was going for those days...and would have been worth twice today what I would have paid for it...

GREAT FIND...now go buy a 4" to keep it company...

Bob

[Doc44]

The original target hammer has been modified (nicely done) to make it similar to a standard hammer. I saw this on the Elmer Keith 44 Magnum on display in Boise. I don't know what advantage this modification has, but apparently someone liked it better than the original.

Same goes for the target trigger that was most likely replaced with a standard trigger.

Bill

[Lenshappy]

Allen - sounds like you've got a
nice new one in the stable!

I'm bringing a camera for this
one at the range Sweeet