Model 58 Round Butt?

[tmitch4570]

Was in a local shop today looking at used Smiths and they had a very nice pinned and recessed no dash Model 58 and it had a round butt. I looked it over carefully and it does not appear to have been reblued. All markings are crisp, and the gun is tight with little wear other than light drag marks on the cyl. Did Smith ever make a round butt 58? I can find no references that say they did. They want $700 for it but I walked away fearing it's not original. I'm going to go back and take another look at it. What should I look for to tell if it's legit?

 

[P&R Fan]

All M58s were square butt.
Somebody obviously converted it. It might make a nice carry gun, but that will hurt it's value.
I think it's worth quite a bit less as a collectable.
Jim

 

[XTrooper]

What P&R Fan said. All M58 revolvers had square butt frames from the factory.

 

[ChattCat]

If it tickles your fancy buy it! I'd offer less though as its not a factory model. No collector value, that being said if it's clean and tight should be a great carry piece. In fact where abouts would it be? Bubba guns need love'en too.
Good Luck!

 

[quinn]

What is the barrel length? Jovino (and others) converted some N frames to snubbies with round butts.

 

[Retired W4]

What is the barrel length? Jovino (and others) converted some N frames to snubbies with round butts.

I concur on the Jovino or Jovino type gun (3" maybe?). I'm no expert but I've never seen that done to a .41 mag. Can you get a picture of it? Sounds like way cool.

 

[tmitch4570]

Thanks for the responces guys. That's kinda what I figured, and why I didn't take it home. I was hoping though, that maybe someone with much more knowlege than I would say something like "They only made 20 of 'em, grab it"! Whoever did the metal work did a first class job, a few notches above Bubba. The grips are a newer vintage combat type and don't fit well. It has a 4" barrel with the pinned front sight. It handles well but I don't want to put that much money into a non original specimen that won't hold its value.

 

[Buckey08]

The gun you describe sounds like one I just saw at a Mich. store and it had some ill fitting combat grips that looked like Bubba finally really screwed up!

 

[cmj8591]

How about a round butt version with a 3" barrel. Wouldn't that be nice? Kind of like a model 13 on steroids.

 

[XTrooper]

Thanks for the responces guys. That's kinda what I figured, and why I didn't take it home. I was hoping though, that maybe someone with much more knowlege than I would say something like "They only made 20 of 'em, grab it"! Whoever did the metal work did a first class job, a few notches above Bubba. The grips are a newer vintage combat type and don't fit well. It has a 4" barrel with the pinned front sight. It handles well but I don't want to put that much money into a non original specimen that won't hold its value.

That has a few other non-factory features besides the round butt. I can't tell about the trigger, but it has a target hammer which was not standard for the Model 58 and it would not have had a pinned front sight when it left the factory.

 

[SG-688]

RB 3 inch Mdl 58

How about a round butt version with a 3" barrel. Wouldn't that be nice? Kind of like a model 13 on steroids.

Something like this?



This is one of Joe Kent's revolvers; it looked like this when he found it. Previously posted in a custom combat revolver thread.

 

[tmitch4570]

Yes, target hammer and trigger. I didn't think they were standard but didn't know if they could be ordered that way. The grips look like they came off a K frame.

 

[XTrooper]

Yes, target hammer and trigger. I didn't think they were standard but didn't know if they could be ordered that way. The grips look like they came off a K frame.

Roy Jinks advised me in the Letter of Authenticity for my Model 58 that things like target hammer and trigger were sometimes added by Smith & Wesson warrantee centers. Mine has a target hammer and trigger also.

Here's the pertinent excerpt from the letter:
We have researched your Smith & Wesson Model 58, .41 Military & Police, caliber .41 Remington Magnum, revolver in company records which indicate that your handgun, with serial number N178669, was shipped from our factory on May 28, 1975 and delivered to Spikeblock Emergency Equipment Co., Victoria, British Columbia. The records indicate that this revolver was shipped with a 4 inch barrel, blue finish, and checkered walnut PC magna grips. This company was Smith & Wesson Warrantee Center in Western Canada and they added a lot of special items to the handguns they sold.

 

[ladder13]

I have one with TH-TT also.

 

[loc n load]

58's

Model 58's were std trigger and hammer issue....I also have one that I bought in 81 and carried as a motor cop for several years....the cop shop that I bought it from, installed the target hammer and trigger as a "courtesy"(w/o me asking them to do that).....I have seen a lot of 58's that had the tgt hammer and triggers in them....back in the day, these were easy to come by and not that expensive, and a lot of shooters preferred them. For DA work I prefer the std trigger smoothed and the hammer spur removed from the hammer.
In my book a RB 58 would make a great carry gun.....I carry my SQ BT concealed, have for a couple of decades.

 

[ayetee]

I just posted in the Unofficial Model-58 Club thread before I saw this. I have bought the M58 for $700 plus shipping for all its "flaws" mostly because I have small hands and love round butts. The salesman insisted that it has not been re-blued, Well, we'll see.

 

[smokey04]

Is the back strap grooved all the way down? I round butted a 58 in 1966-67.I used the grip from a K frame round butt for a pattern and left the front strap stock.I fitted the N frame magna PC grips to the gun,but I will always regret not having the tools and skills to re-groove the back strap. I traded it to a police detective at a gun show in either B'ham or Montgomery AL.[can't remember which] Several months later he used it with telling effect on two armed thugs in a convenience store hold up. He said that he shot the one at the back of the store first because he had a "sawed off" and blew him through a cooler door! The second was busy shooting at him and killing soup cans.I don't know how much was fact or fiction but, I do know there was no getting that gun back from Mr. PO.....LICE...MAN! Nick

 

[ayetee]

Is the back strap grooved all the way down? I round butted a 58 in 1966-67.I used the grip from a K frame round butt for a pattern and left the front strap stock.I fitted the N frame magna PC grips to the gun,but I will always regret not having the tools and skills to re-groove the back strap. Nick

I thought Model 58 have smooth back straps.

 

[crsides]

All mine have been smooth.


Charlie

 

[XTrooper]

I thought Model 58 have smooth back straps.

They all do unless altered.