"Harvested" Stocks- First-year .41 Magnum - with Happy Ending

[M29since14]

My forum nickname notwithstanding, I am an admirer of S&W .41 Magnums, too. Some time ago, I ordered this first-year Model 57. It came with an absolutely awful set of maple, magna-style stocks that no one could possibly stand to use on an otherwise nice gun like this one. When I saw the gun at the dealer, my conclusion was that the poor thing had undoubtedly fallen victim to a harvesting operation. Its original stocks had gone elsewhere, to the profit of the seller. I think that reprehensible, but you can’t stop people from being greedy. (Others might call it “smart.” )

I argued with myself for a while about whether to hunt for a proper set of factory stocks, or to take some other approach. I have to admit, it is hard to improve on the only set of custom stocks I have made by Keith Brown. They're just beautiful. But, having seen some of the nice Nill stocks on Doc44’s guns, I was curious about them and decided to try a set of the OEM-type reproductions. I was very pleased with the design, appearance, and fit, and consider them a fairly priced alternative, given the cost of coke bottle type stocks on the used market today.

I happened to shoot a few pictures and thought maybe others would enjoy seeing them. Nill, in typical German fashion, uses a screw arrangement that gives the appearance of a slotted head on both sides of the gun. At first I did not admire this, but it has grown on me. Now, I am curious to try one of Nill’s designs that cover the backstrap of the revolver. May need to hunt up another .41 Magnum to put them on.

 

[perrazi]

those look very nice. have you shot the gun with them and how does it feel when shooting? do they have these is stock or were they ordered and how long did it take to get them? have a 6 1/2 in. 27 they would look good on.

 

[M29since14]

It seems like they took a bit to get, maybe a month, so I suppose they are in-stock in Germany.

I shot the gun with a pretty sturdy load of Nr. 2400. I do not grip these guns hard, but you definitely notice the finer checkering, which is welcome, IMHO.

The stocks are a little thin for my hand, but the additional "depth" of the material between rear of trigger guard and front strap is helpful.

Overall, they are an improvement over the factory stocks for me, but if they were just a touch thicker, they would be even better. On a "smallbore" ( ) I would think they would be about perfect.

 

[SWID]

Those are beautiful.

I recently bought a 58 on Kull's auction and it came with cokes on it, perhaps the ones taken off of your gun. While I don't care for that tactic either I must say it is easier to shoot than the same load in my other 58s.

 

[M29since14]

Without meaning to, I assure you, apparently my original post contained a "term of art" that Lee felt might offend some members, and he has made changes to the original post to reflect that. This was purely a matter of ignorance, on my part.

I have assured Lee, and assure all readers, my use of that particular word was not meant to cause any distress. I am sorry for that, if it did.

 

[buckeyeshooter1]

great looking stocks!

 

[Jack Flash]

my conclusion was that the poor thing had undoubtedly fallen victim to a harvesting operation. Its original stocks had gone elsewhere, to the profit of the seller. I think that reprehensible, but you can’t stop people from being greedy. (Others might call it “smart.” )

I have similar thoughts myself. I hate to see someone separate the original stocks from a handgun.

However, once someone purchases an item, it is his. If he buys a Registered Magnum and decides to disassemble it and part it out, we can weep, rage, and wring our hands all we like. It's his gun.

 

[sw282]

si---------

 

[ABC]

Those are very nice . . . can you provide the website??

 

[handejector]

Keith Brown makes some fabulous Cokes also.
http://www.classiccarvedgrips.com/index.html

Google is your friend-
Nill Griffe - News

 

[M29since14]

I am sure there are other sources, but this is the company that supplied the stocks:

MacTec : Karl Nill Grips Sales

 

[rburg]

It came with an absolutely awful set of maple, magna-style stocks that no one could possibly stand to use on an otherwise nice gun like this one.

Someone recently had some Maple targets. They were presentation style and looked fabulous. The problem was they were on a gun the owner felt very proud to own.

My assumption at the time was they were original to the gun, even if I'd never seen that wood used before.

I assume the material referred to above was the crappy wood they used in the 1970s, maybe harvested off the pallets other materials came into the plant stacked on. I've been told its just 2nd or 3rd growth walnut, without grain or character, having a lot in common with petrified dog crap. Maple might be an improvement.

 

[M29since14]

Dick, it was not so much the quality of the wood. It was nice reasonably clear maple, good yellowish-white color, some birdseye - but not much. The problem was the worksmanship. They were not factory stocks, did not conform to the factory magna pattern, except in the most general sense, the overall appearance was that they were made in beginning woodworking shop for junior high schoolers, and the hardware was even worse.

 

[kennyb]

veryyyyyy nice!

 

[WVfishguy]

My Model 57 no dash is my favorite revolver.

I'm surprised no one mentioned Kurac's grips. He sell them on the classifieds of this forum once in a while, and they look fantastic.

 

[SuperMan]

M29....two of my three 1964 vintage 57s were the victim of "harvesters". My first 1964 was a 6" that was purchased from the original owner 25 years after he bought it and had never fired it. Presentation case was long gone but the Cokes were still in place.

The second guns was also a 6" blue but was badly pitted but looked like it hadn't been fired at all either. Cokes were gone and I don't even remember what came on it...but the price was right. It was turned into a 5" and a set of 70s vintage grips installed.

Last was a 4" blue that had also been stripped of its Cokes but had a nice set of smooth what looked like Herret Combat grips. About that time a 8 3/8" 27 showed up at a local gun shop and the owner gave me a good price because it had the wrong grips on it...someone had replaced the numbered Magnas with....a set of Cokes....! So those are now on the 4".

Those grips you have are a work of art...

Bob

The 3 64s.....4-5-6...

Cokes that were on the 27....

The rusted 6" now a 5....

 

[M29since14]

Good looking stocks, Superman. We have something else in common - 5-inch guns. I had one cut down, from a similarly rusted Model 29-2, so I could try to come to some sort of personal opinion on 5-inchers. I ended up finding I still preferred 6.5-inch guns, though I do not regret having the chance to shoot a 5-inch gun a good bit. It is something I always wanted to experiment with and it was a fun project while it lasted. I still have the gun and shoot it now and then.

 

[hoover 1]

Very nice grips.

Thanks,

Hoover

 

[jubela#4]

That's a great looking 1st year model 57. The wood looks good too.

 

[GF1]

Many years ago I took matters into my own hands and carved up a couple sets of targets for my 57 no-'s. Still feel better than anything else I've put on my guns, and I really like the Kurac stocks I have on a couple guns. Here's one of my chop jobs on my 4" M57: