The model 57, 41 mag never got its moment in the spotlight and is probably the most under rated and forgotten gun Smith made. Timing is everything and when Clint Eastwood started making Dirty Harry movies the .41 rode off in to the sunset. Its really to bad because it is a beautiful gun, great action, confortable to shoot and has great stopping power. If your out looking, give this one a look you won't be sorry.
Bob St.George

All that praise and no pictures?!

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How God has blessed us!

Wish I did. All thoughs years at Smith and no 41mag. Probably because I could take any gun home.
Bob

Beautiful gun you have. NIce grips too.
Bob

The .41 is very well regarded around here. In fact, sometimes it can get a little out of control. We're only talking about 0.019" difference between the two guns. Not much to make a big deal of, but there are those who will do it.

I want a 4" 657 in the worst way. But I blew up my gun budget on new Smith's big time already this year. I kind of went on a buying frenzy.... Beautiful piece you have there. A friends father was a small town police chief for many years and carried a almost identical revolver.

i love the caliber and have a bucket load of em!i agree they are overlooked by many as well as its the ideal round to reload for!

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SWCA#2208
KK4EMO

It's also a shame that the samething that keeps the .327 Federal & H&R Mag from taking off, also contributed to the lack of commercial success of the .41 Mag... lack of readily available factory loaded ammo.

I love my .41 Mag guns... if nothing else, just for the knowledge that on any given day when I'm at the range with them, odds are they will be the only .41 Magnums there on the line.

Attached Images

	657.jpg (107.3 KB, 248 views)
	RH M57.jpg (47.3 KB, 265 views)
	41 Mag Blackhawk - 1.jpg (73.0 KB, 251 views)

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Conrad
SWCA #1830 SWHF #222

ahh .41 m57 6" last revsolver i carried as a duty gun. it could reach out with more authority than 357 and less recoil that a 44. could never double tap a 44, but learned to with 41 after about 6 cylinder full

Here's my new S&W M58 w/4"b and M57 w/6"b in 41mag in nickel. I hope to add the M57 w/4" barrel too. I think today the 41mag is having its second comming. If the net was avalible back then it would of taken off but now its soaring in popularity. Lets not forget the S&W 41mag is the middle child caliber wise. If you have the 357mag and the 44mag you have to have the 41mag if your any kind of S&W collector. I been a 44mag guy for all my CCW life and i love the 41mag too. The 41mag rocks. With all the gun ban talk about smaller magazines this just may bring the revolvers back to the popularity they once had. I'm into revolvers more and more now.

On my last range visit it was very quiet with the auto's being fired. I took out my new S&W M58 and rocked the place with some real gun noise. I woke and shook up the auto guys with some magnum noise. I still like my auto's but revolvers still rock my world just don't tell my wife.

My thanks to Bill Jordan and Elmer Keith for getting S&W to manufacture the revolver and Remington to manufacture the ammo. I guess it wasn't easy to get these two manufacturers to work and talk together but they did it.

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Sir, yes you need to get your hands on a 657 4". I was fortunate to nab one a few yrs. ago. I would like to get a 58 but the prices are nuts. Hands down my 657 trumps the 58.

Printer,
I think I have hear of that 41 Magnum thing

Here is one I got from Lee. The nickel was in bad shape, so I had the factory redo it. Now it is too pretty to shoot.

One of my favorites..
Here is a first year production(1964) with a Gold bead
front sight.

Aloha,

Some of mine, missing the 2 Marlins



Nothing like a cylinder full of magnums to get total attention on a range full of semi autos.

The Big Dog Barking

How hard is it to find ammo for the .41 mag? None of my usual sources stock it, or even list it in their catalogs.

I can usually find it at the bigger stores. Scheels almost always has it, and I think I saw some at a Bass Pro Shops in Des Moines, Iowa recently. It's pretty expensive, usually more than a buck a round.
The Winchester Silvertips are a good carry load, as are the Cor-Bons. I think Remington makes a 210 Grain JHP too. The Partition Gold is a good hunting load. (Can't remember the name of the company that makes it).

I have a really nice 4" M57 no-dash I bought at Scheels about 12 or 13 years ago.I don't think they knew much about it, and let it go for about $250. I carry it sometimes in my Lobo IWB holster, and feel VERY well armed.
Jim

traded mine last year and have been kicking myself lately... might have to try and find another.

I haven't bought factory ammo for my pistols in some time...though I am curious about Buffalo Bore's Heavy .41 magnum load. It is pricey...$35.00 for 20 in my area.

ok, i'll play

USFA



58



57



657

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I’m your Boogie Man, uh huh.

My younger sister travels a lot by car. She decided a gun for travel was a good idea. She bought a Model 57 with an 8-3/8 inch barrel and nickel plating. She's probably 5'4" and 125 pounds.

I advised her that it could double it's utility for use as a jack handle.

She has replaced it with a Springfield Armory Commander length 1911.

She won't sell me the 57. She says it's good to have a back-up jack handle.

That one says 44 Special on the barrel. Do you have one in 41 Magnum? Are you missing it's photograph?

Bought this fabulous 57 from a forum member. Looking for a 4 inch now.

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Halfway and one more step

WellI cant miss a chance to post some photos

We'll leave the Rugers out.

Duh! That was for another thread.

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I’m your Boogie Man, uh huh.

My M57 Mountain Gun is my favorite revolver. The .41 is my favorite round. It is a shame the timing of the release of it. I feel that it would have really took off if it weren't for Dirty Harry. No disrespect to Clint mind you!

I wonder if it was not so much related to lack of knowledge of shooting, etc., by police administrators instead of Dirty Harry.

What I mean is that the .41 Magnum was introduced with two distinct loadings. The police or self defense load was 210 at 950 fps or so and the other was the full power magnum loading, closer to the 44 Mag.

Based upon numerous articles that were published at the time, a number of factors contributed to its demise as an LE cartridge, the original intended purpose. The first was the failure to select the correct ammo choice. The second was the size of the revolver in relation to the hands of the new compact policeman who had smaller hands, less strength and generally less height and weight than her predecessor.

It is unfortunate as the police load was a fantastic load then and now. The FBI 10mm "Lite" (the "attenuated ten" as Jeff Cooper called it) and the .40 S&W that Tom Campbell and perhaps you envisioned over at S&W when the ballistics of the FBI's "ideal" self-defense cartridge came out served the same niche between the 38 and the 45 as the 41 police load had served.

Naturally, in the same frame, a properly loaded 44 Special would have done the same job, but the articles all said that the idea was a standard police loading and the availability of the heavier load for those situations which demanded it, but without the media negativity of the .44 Magnum. Sort of like how the FBI used 38 Special +P as the standard load in its Model 13s reserving the .357 Magnum Silvertips for specialized requirements.

I know you worked with Tom Campbell. How much were you involved with the .40 S&W and the 4006 pistol?

I need a good Marlin carbine in .41.

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NHI, 10-8.

Good luck every time I find one they cost $1000.00+

I like the 41 mag, and the M57 is one of my favorites. But, I must admit to liking the M58 more. I just like fixed sight Smiths.

So many beautiful revolvers in this thread! I looked at one of the Performance Center .41s with the short barrel (2" or 2.5") a couple months ago at a gun show and I loved it. If I hadn't been looking for a 460 I would have probably bought it for the $650 they quoted me.

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386NG, M&P R8, M&P40c, 460 XVR

Man, those grips are heavenly. But I'm replying to ask why you like the 58 better. I agree that the concept is cool -- quick into action, nothing essential is missing -- but why not treat your thumb to that wide hammer if you have the option? Putting my thumb on an N frame target hammer is my favorite tactile experience. Now a 58 with target hammer and trigger would be something.

There is a guy in my neighborhood who is trying to get me to purchase his Lew Horton 657 3". It's pretty sweet but I'm holding out for one of the Magnaported models. Father in law has a Ruger in .41 and while it's built like a tank I've never liked the grips or the muzzle heavy feel (7.5") of the gun.

I actually like the .41 mag as the best combination of the mags.
The .41 is a good sized bullet and i like the size over the .38/.357 and it is as good in many departments as the .44mag.
The recoil is perfect in the .41--where the .44 has to be loaded down for my pleasure.
I own a 57-2 that has been ported with worm hole porting---it is a favorite carry in winter.
Blessings

Attached Images

	.42 Mag 001.JPG (97.1 KB, 102 views)
	.42 Mag 006.JPG (99.4 KB, 102 views)
	.42 Mag 004.JPG (98.7 KB, 95 views)

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TEXAS, by GOD

I agree with most all of the favorable comments made here. The 41 Mag has long been my favorite caliber... Those who actually own them tend to feel the same way.

I have a large collection of all frames and calibers from .22's to 500 Mag.. The revolver I most commonly reach for as a side arm for hunting or plinking is a 6" Mod 57. It's adequately powerful for most any North American big game and it's one of the easiest calibers to handload for....

The 41mag tends to be a handgun "connoisseurs" caliber. Factory ammo can be difficult to find and expensive, making it an ideal candidate for those who handload as well as cast their own bullets. I do both and find the 41 responds to hand tailored customized loads with extreme accuracy and power.

As a collector of S&W firearms I've found two of the most sought after handguns in my area are pinned and recessed period Mod 57's in 4" and 6" barrel lengths.

Just sayin'

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Terry

My nickle 4 in.mdl.57
Dick

Wish he was my neighbor! It'd be a done deal!

I won't buy a handgun with ports...don't like the trade offs. I especially won't get a 3" ported version. My 3" 657 shoots just fine without the ports, and is loud enough as is. The already noteworthy flame and blast from full house loads doesn't need any help by shooting out of the top of the barrel.

I love mine. I was a 357 addict until a friend allowed me to shoot his 57. I found a 4" barrel and loaded up 1000 rounds and have had more fun than I thought possible.

I got my light box built and here are the pictures of my Model 57 no dash 4".

I picked this one up locally for $365 plus tax.

Now if I can find a 58 I will be set...for awhile!

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	Model 57 1.jpg (169.3 KB, 95 views)
	Model 57 2.jpg (195.1 KB, 93 views)
	Model 57 3.jpg (148.8 KB, 98 views)
	Model 57 4.jpg (190.4 KB, 106 views)
	Model 57 5.jpg (161.0 KB, 108 views)

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Existimo ergo sum armis

A friend and former coworker bought a very nice Model 57 and had the barrel bobbed to 5 inches. At the time, there was speculation that the department was about to broaden our sidearms policies to more than .38/.357 and I think Charles may have hoped to use it for work. Like all 5 inch N frames, it looked as good as it shot.

Everybody knows that the .41 is DEAD...

.41 Dead Horse story....

Back in the 1970s I worked for Dallas PD and the policy at the time was VERY broad...any Browning, S&W or Colt revolver or semi-auto in any caliber from 9mm to .45 Colt. Investigators could also carry .380s... Handloaded ammo was allowed...

I was working midnights with a team who frequented the Trinity River bottoms during quite times. We'll call them Vanilla and Chocolate. One night Vanilla tells me he has a S&W M58 that he wants to sell. I tell him I'm interested and he brings it in and the gun had been satin nickeled or chromed. It was not a factory bright polish...so I buy it.

Vanilla then tells me a story about the gun... It is a Sunday morning just as the sun is coming up. Chocolate is driving and Vanilla riding Shotgun... They are crusing the bottoms when they come upon a dead horse laying next to one of the dirt roads...

Wondering what a .41 will do to a carcass Vanilla pulls the 58 and puts a round into the dead beast...only to have it come straight off the ground and jump over the hood of the squad car... And at the same time a group of Mexicans are now running down the river dike yelling.

In the dust they never did get the number on the car....

...dead I tell you... .41 is dead....Bob

My first .41 was a six-inch M57. I used it to shoot pins at the old
Second Chance Bowling Pin Shoot for a couple of years. Got the pins moving smartly, in a cloud of splinters. More entertaining than the .45 I was using before but I was faster with the pistol, so went back to it.
Have used it, and several other .41s, since for steel matches, and plinking. Still need to take the long M657, or one of the Ruger Redhawks deer hunting...

My load was a 210 or 225 grain bullet with enough Unique under it to
move it along at around 1,000 fps. Close to the old "police load" and
accurate and controllable.

The .41 is my favorite revolver cartridge.

...as the last poster said... .41 is my favorite revolver round....

Custom 58...



4"-5"-6" 1964 57s...




Mountain Gun-Nightguard-Combat Special





Just great shooters....

Oh how I want one....no two........no three........

Dang Superman I am green with envy!

On my list of Smiths to get.
Unfortunately, they never made the .41's that I believe would have been sheer perfection.
- A 5" M57 and/or 657
- A SS version of the 58, a '658' would have been awesome.

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Ret'd LEO
SWCA #2275

I recently bought a Model 57, trouble is it is still NIB and I want to shoot it. Now I am forced to look for a more used version so I can enjoy the .41 mag mystique.

I have a model 57 that I bought at a gun show way back in 1990. It was a 6 inch that was 1978 vintage. I preferred that to a new one at the time. It had the best bluing. Almost looked like black chrome. I also have a TT Contender in .41 mag. Has a Burris scope.
I always felt the 41 had almost the same knockdown power of a .44 , but much flatter trajectory and less recoil. The .41 is the limit for recoil for me.