S&W 657

[RLG2]

Hey all!
Been a while since I’d last posted, but wanted to share a new (to me) 657 that I just took home today. Realized very quickly that I’m going to have to take up reloading to keep this fed well, so any advice you pros can offer would be greatly appreciated!
Excited to join the ranks of the 41 magnum shooters!

And if you’ve got one, show it off! I’d love to get some ideas for some new stocks as well so I can keep these factory stocks from aging any further.

 

[Lonestar57]

They are a beast of a gun.

 

[hkcavalier]

I tried fairly hard to win a couple of auctions for one of these earlier this year. A Lew Horton 657 3" figures pretty heavily in an apocalyptic trilogy I wrote and finished in 2023. I ended up "settling" for a very clean 57 4" instead.

Re: grips, I would shoot it with a Pachmayr Decelerator on (hard rubber). If you must have wood, probably Ahrends round-to-square combats or a Hogue Monogrip.

 

[CH4]

Cool smoke wagon! Yes, the 41 is definitely requires handloading to keep it fed. I had two 3” 657 from the first run; only have one left.

 

[SuperMan]

Have had four over the years...have one left. Has been Mag-Na-Ported and has some surface scuffs from the previous owner but looked to be shot little and is very tight.

Also these guns were not Lew Horton Combat Specials...there was 5500 of them and they were an uncatalogued Stocking Dealer Special. The LH 3" had a full underlug barrel and there was only something like 150 of them.

As to ammo...for a defensive load, try the Federal Premium with the 190 Barnes Expander. Bullets both expand and penetrate. Recoil is very manageable...

Buy Barnes Expander Handgun 41 Rem Magnum Ammo 180 | P41XB1

For a hardcast load try the Lost River Ammo....will run a 215 in the mid-1100s from a 3". He is also about to come out with a 210 "Target" grade load about 900 fps...something that has been lacking in .41 "Magnum" ammo except for maybe the HSM Cowboy loads.

Lost River Ammunition Company

Enjoy the gun!!!

Bob

 

[The Norseman]

Team 41Rem Mag

Congratulations on our S&W 657 41Rem Mag.

If you start to reload, here’s some suggestions
for hard to find data.
I’m really satisfied with my first time reloads
below in my was factory fired new to me circa
1997 S&W 657-4, 6”bbl.

210gr .410dia #41000 Hornady XTP/Alliant
Red Dot 7.2grs/CCI #300 LP/ Starline case.
Crimped light. 900fps?
Heat Index for Red Dot is 4538 kj/kg

215gr .411dia SWC Hi-Tek Red coated Acme
Lead bullets/Hodgdon HP-38 7.0grs/CCI #300
LP/Starline case. Crimped light. 900fps?
Heat Index for HP-38 is 4050 kj/kg

Both first time reloads were pretty uneventful,
mild reloads, recoil very manageable, no where
near flat primer, and very acceptable accuracy
at 12yds.

I have other powders but thought, after much
research, wanted to use these.

The Best to you and your Endeavors.

 

[bananaman]

Nice revolver! Go to the reloading section for tips. I load 6 calibers on a Lee Classic Turret Press. Single stage. Has worked great for years. Bob

 

[jimmyj]

Ruger Blackhawk .41 Magnum 4 5/8" barrel.

 

[SGT ROCK 11B]

... I’d love to get some ideas for some new stocks as well so I can keep these factory stocks from aging any further.

Pachmyr or Hogue rubber grips.

My favorite S&W 44 Magnum wears real ivory grips while it is in the Gunsafe or at a Barbecue. But when it goes to the Range it sports Pachmyr grips.

 

[Rodfac]

I've got a set of Miculek's DA grips on my M57, that I'm very satisfied with. They manage recoil as well as any wood grips I've tried to date and nearly as well as Hogue's just famous Monogrips. Best regards, Rod

 

[SuperMan]

..and if you are new to reloading .41s...a little light reading...

.41 Magnum / 41 Special Load Data Center


As said above, 7.0 of 231/HP38 or 8.0 grains of UNIQUE make excellent target loads...

 

[BLUEDOT37]

Congrats on your snubby 41!

If you're looking for some cushie grips, for those magnum loads, try Pachmayr Diamond Pro grips (on the 357NG below).


.



.