Nickel plated 3T red ramp Model 58

[Dvus]

I picked this up today walking around at a local gun show from an older gentleman who carried it in the door. It is a factory plated 58 in excellent condition from 1973. I have never seen one with 3 Ts and red ramp before, but I know with Smith that there is almost always an exception to every rule. It has the correct N stampings on the frame under the left stock panel and on the rear face of the cylinder. It appears to have been shot very little with just a smidgen of powder burns on the cylinder face and around the forcing cone. The finish overall is about 98%. Is a 3T 58 totally unheard of? What say ye?

I am, unfortunately, unable to post pictures due to a "missing security token" whatever that means.

 

[murphydog]

It may be factory work from a custom order, but could also just as easily have been done later. Letter time!

 

[mh51]

I've never heard of a model 58 with adjustable sights??? I may learn something here!

 

[Loyaljeeper]

I've never heard of a model 58 with adjustable sights??? I may learn something here!

I don't see anything about adjustable sights in his post.

 

[s&wchad]

I don't remember ever seeing a verified model 58 with 3T's, but a letter would verify the configuration. Target triggers, target hammers and target stocks were offered as accessories and are not difficult to swap out.

Missing security token: Log off, clear browse history/cookies/temporary internet files and log back in.

 

[SuperMan]

THAT IS A GREAT FIND....did he tell you how long he had owned the gun?

Have seen a couple of documented 2T 58s but not sure if any of them were 3T. If the front sight dovetail is also nickel under the insert my guess is that it would be factory. Also if I recall there will be two small drilled holes to help anchor the insert in place.

Could have been a special order gun...may be worth a letter...

Bob

 

[ken158]

THAT IS A GREAT FIND....did he tell you how long he had owned the gun?

Have seen a couple of documented 2T 58s but not sure if any of them were 3T. If the front sight dovetail is also nickel under the insert my guess is that it would be factory. Also if I recall there will be two small drilled holes to help anchor the insert in place.

Could have been a special order gun...may be worth a letter...

Bob

There is no front sight dovetail on a 58 because it is a fixed sight revolver

 

[ladder13]

I didn't know a 3T model 58 was so rare. How about one with "cokes" ?

 

[Art Doc]

My 58 with a serial that suggests 1965 but the letter says 1968 has a Target hammer with a Standard trigger. Letter makes no mention so either omitted from documentation or the hammer was added by a previous owner. It shipped to a gun smith so maybe he swapped it on customer request?

 

[Dvus]

I removed the target stocks again and found a faint outline of a magna stock on the side plate. So I am under the impression that the targets were added. But I can see no indication that the side plate was ever removed to add the target hammer and trigger. The red ramp dovetail is nickeled and not cut afterwards.
Anybody have a set of 58 magnas?

 

[biku324]

I didn't know a 3T model 58 was so rare. How about one with "cokes" ?

Super nice!!!

Mine is from '67 (lettered last year) and has TT, TH, TS; it was shipped standard but I learned that dressing up 58s for better prices/faster sales was a 'thing' in SOCAL, which is where mine went from the factory.

 

[Iggy]

I bought one in 1966. Installed target trigger and hammer. Painted the front sight red with Testor's paint. It's still there.

On a cop's salary back then I couldn't afford the $12.00 for target stocks so I destroyed the PC magnas and used the hardware to make a set of my own.

 

[Dvus]

Testors made great paint back then.

 

[mh51]

I've always understood that the 3T's were:
Target hammer
Target trigger
Target sights

It has nothing to do with target stocks....have I been wrong for years?

 

[rubiranch]

Mine's just a standard old bland 58.

 

[rubiranch]

I've always understood that the 3T's were:
Target hammer
Target trigger
Target sights

It has nothing to do with target stocks....have I been wrong for years?

Target Stocks

 

[ladder13]

I've always understood that the 3T's were:
Target hammer
Target trigger
Target sights

It has nothing to do with target stocks....have I been wrong for years?

Yes...........

 

[Art Doc]

I've always understood that the 3T's were:
Target hammer
Target trigger
Target sights

It has nothing to do with target stocks....have I been wrong for years?

Target sights were not optional. Either a model had them or it didn't. 3Ts is stocks, hammer and trigger.

 

[mh51]

Ok, I stand corrected. And as I said at first, I did learn something. Thanks.

 

[hkcavalier]

Keep coming back here for pictures...still waiting...

 

[Dvus]

Missing security token: Log off, clear browse history/cookies/temporary internet files and log back in.

Tried that, didn't change anything.

 

[wetdog]

In 2011-2012 I came across a Model 58 exactly configured like the one the OP has at the Oaks Gun Show in PA. The dealer that had it wanted $1500.00 for it. The gun was not lettered but it did have the silver box that showed the options checked on the label.The price was not negotiable so I passed due to the lack of a letter and condition of the finish.

 

[Dvus]

FINALLY....I got the pics to load!
The last one is with my 27-2.

 

[hkcavalier]

Well finally someone who can take good pics of nickel guns!

That 58 looks fantastic. The sight insert reminds me of the work done on my 70s 34-1 (that was also hard chromed). Good luck with the letter, perhaps it'll show it shipped as a 3T and the owner then had the insert done. I'm skeptical but I'm just playing the odds...

 

[El_Phantasmo]

Thanks for the pics of the nickel 58s!

They seem to be rare birds, so it's always a treat to get to see one.

I have a 58, but it's a paltry blue finish.

Still a fun gun, and it always gets a puzzled look from people that have never heard of .41 mag.

 

[wetdog]

Very nice 58 and also the 27. Let us know what you find out if you are going to letter it. I did end up with a nickel 58.

 

[Muley Gil]

"The red ramp dovetail is nickeled and not cut afterwards."

A good man with a file can cut a dovetail that looks just like it was done in Springfield, Mass.

 

[Bubba2014]

That is a beautiful revolver.

 

[SmithNut]

"The red ramp dovetail is nickeled and not cut afterwards."

A good man with a file can cut a dovetail that looks just like it was done in Springfield, Mass.

The other thing to remember is that the front sight is pinned in, so it can easily be replaced with another that has been modified, or for that matter replaced with a standard front sight should the current owner choose.