657 Hunter Mystery finally solved...

[SuperMan]

About 10 years ago, while I was out of state hunting, a friend called telling me he had put a .41 Magnum on hold for me at a local shop...and if I didn't want it he would cancel the hold... It turned out to be a 657-2 Hunter...serial number HTR00005...

The Catalog said that there were 2000 made starting in 1991 made with unfluted cylinder and black ramp front sight. Mine however had a fluted cylinder. A Hunter with a fluted cylinder is pictured in the book. No mention was made of special serial numbers and no HTR prefix serial numbers were listed in the serial number section of the book. Also only 1200 were made according to the factory..

Made several inquiries here and although several members had these guns other than the information in The Catalog no one had any information beyond that.

Inquired to Lew Hortons and received an email back stating that they received the gun from S&W in 1993 but it was not one of their "Exclusives"...so I finally bit the bullet and sent the money for a Letter.

Unfortunately the letter I received back told me nothing that wasn't already in the catalog and had some errors... It also stated that the guns were in the standard serial number range. I wrote a cover letter and returned the original to the Foundation and about two weeks later received a new letter that was much more detailed and specific to #5.

Turns out the gun was shipped to LH on April 13, 1993. For reasons unknown it was shipped back to S&W by LH for modification (fluted cylinder) on July 26, 1995.

As to the HTR serial number prefix... Only the first 303 657-2 Special Classic Hunters were so serialized....reason unknown...

They also sent the shipping documents and Special Production Models for 1991 sheet which was very much appreciated...

So most of the mystery of the gun is now solved...but now I'll always wonder why did a special run gun made in 1991 not get shipped till 1993 and although LH shipped the gun back to the factory for modification, did they do so or was it at the request of a customer who had purchased the gun... Now that they are gone I'll probably never find out...

So if you have a 657-2 Classic Hunter with an HTR serial number you know you have one of 303 with that prefix...

Bob

Below is the gun wearing Pachmayer grips instead of the stock Hogue...

 

[brucev]

Wonderful revolver. Always did prefer the fluted cylinder. Sighted in at 50 yds. Time to go hunting! Sincerely. bruce.

 

[SuperMan]

...always liked them also...so it didn't break my heart when it came back mine was an actual factory modification not one that someone just dropped in.

I did however just pick up an unfluted cylinder so at some point in the future some other owner can have their choice.

This is a completed auction for serial number HTR007x...notice it has a red ramp front sight and unfluted cylinder. The original S&W letter that I received said that the guns came with RR front sights....the new letter dosen't say anything about the sights other than that mine has a black one... The Catalog says they came black...odd...

S&W 657-2 .41 Magnum - Revolvers at GunBroker.com : 882208605

Anyone else out there have a HTR prefix gun?

Thanks...Bob

 

[Scharfschuetzer]

That's one very nice revolver and an interesting piece of research. I've always really liked the 41 Magnum and I still have my old service Model 58 (much holster worn) and a nice virtually NIB Model 57 6." They are pretty standard compared to yours, but they shoot very well with my cast bullets.

 

[colt_saa]

My first example of product code 103820 was acquired in August of 1993. It is serial numbered HTR02xx and manufactured on a square butt frame. So your HTR prefix revolver is not out of line having been shipped in April of 1993. Obviously I changed my grips out for the Hogue produced Brazilian Rosewood

When I had learned that product code 103820 had been switched to a round butt revolver frame but wearing conversion grips I purchased a second example in March of 1996 that is serial numbered CAJ24xx

As to the HTR prefix, I was not aware that so few pieces shipped that way. What does stick in the back if my memory is that I had to deal with a specific small distributor to get my 657 Classic Hunter back then. It think I bought it out of our original Internet . . . . . The Shotgun NEWS

 

[ko41]

Product sheet says they came with a black ramp front sight so that auction one most likely had its front sight changed by the owner.

657-41 Magnum-Lew Horton-RSR-Davidson's-Dealer Specials and Regular Production

I too ordered my HTR prefix Classic Hunter via The Shotgun News.



KO

 

[SuperMan]

Thanks for posting that..

As to the front sight blade...I think S&W just stuck whatever they had in tock that day. I have seen them with and without the red ramp too often to believe that many owners put them in.

Bob

 

[ko41]

That could be possible too.

 

[Dieseltech56]

Black ramp was standard on the 657. I'm not sure any ever came from the factory with a red ramp. Remember, most other guns of the time period did have red ramps but they were integral to the barrel, not pinned in place and easily replaceable like the 657

 

[Cal44]

I have a 657-3.

When I first got it I posted that it was a Classic Hunter, because that was what the guy I bought it from said.

But later I noticed it doesn't say Classic Hunter on the barrel or anywhere else. Smith and Wesson on the left side of the barrel, and 41 Magnum on the right.

So maybe he was mistaken.

He also said it had been worked on by the Performance Center. I don't know if it came that way or he sent it back to the PC himself.

Unfortunately he said he lost the box in a move.

The serial number is BRY95xx

It has a black ramp front sight.

Square Butt.

I may order a letter to get to the bottom of the Performance Center story.

I does have the best trigger of any of my N frames.

 

[SuperMan]

Someone here probably knows the exact answer, but as I recall early Classic Hunters were not marked so...mine is not. The 657s I have seen with the Classic Hunter logo were laser etched on the right side of the barrel. Earlier guns were roll marked with just S&W on the left and the caliber on the right sides of the barrel.

Are there any marks on your gripframe that may indicate that the gun went back to the PC?

Bob

 

[ko41]

As Bob said, the markings are correct for an early Classic Hunter. Yours is a "later early" Classic Hunter circa 1994-1995 before the transition to round butt grip frame.

KO

 

[Cal44]

Are there any marks on your gripframe that may indicate that the gun went back to the PC?

Bob

Thanks.

Does anyone know what kind of mark the PC puts on the grip frame?

 

[Cal44]

As Bob said, the markings are correct for an early Classic Hunter. Yours is a "later early" Classic Hunter circa 1994-1995 before the transition to round butt grip frame.

KO

Thanks

Do you know when S&W stopped putting flash chrome on triggers and hammers?

 

[AveragEd]

The Classic Hunter series was produced with several of what to me are oddities. A black ramp front sight on a hunting revolver that might easily become used in a wooded, poorly lit environment? Wouldn't a red ramp or a Patridge with a white or gold bead have been more appropriate? Of course today, a "glow worm" sight would be expected.

Next, why the aftermarket Hogue MonoGrip that partially covers the S&W logo on the gun? There were S&W-specific MonoGrips made that had speedloader cutouts and S&W logos on both sides and they didn't obscure the gun's logo. But they were only made as round-to-square grips as I recall (my five-inch 629-3 Classic DX came with one). Why no square butt version? Classic Hunter box labels show "TS" for stock style - Target Stocks, according to the SCoSW.

I have a 686-3 Classic Hunter and friend has another of those plus a 629-3 Classic Hunter. All three guns have the black ramp front sight, non-fluted cylinder and apparently came with the Hogue MonoGrip.

There often is very little that is "normal" or "as expected" with S&W!

Ed

 

[SuperMan]

Not positive but I believe that the CH was the first S&W to have those Hogue grips and the ones with S&W logos came later.