So I walked into the gun shop...57 score

[Bloodhound]

This is not a "Should I buy it" thread, or a "Whats it worth" thread...cause I already put $$ on it.

I have been wanting a model 57 for a long long long time...and have watched the prices go up and up....so when I walked into a new little gun shop and saw a very forlorn model 57, I was hooked. Its been sliding around in a glovebox or center consol for a lot of years...the bluing is worn, but it locks up like a bank vault...its a 4 inch pinned and recessed gun...no box the grips are long gone and its wearing "goodyears"...but as I said it is mechanically perfect...so $385 is a great deal...but the shop owner said that its on consignment and considering the finish wear, he could take $350 for it and would allow me to use the lay away plan...pay it off in 3 months and its out the door for $350...SO I put 1/2 up now, and will take in the other half in a week or so...

I have found some deals in the past on guns...many I walked away, and lost out on the purchase...not this time...I will have a 41 mag in the safe, at the range, in the woods.....Happy Day

 

[Roy]

Great score! good for you.
R

 

[kennyb]

excellent caliber choice....i love em!

 

[donadler]

Got my 57 the same way- just dropped in to my LGS and there it was. Pretty good shape, $475 for it, so home it came.



Gotta love LGS's.

 

[long colt frazier]

You guys are living a charmed life;-)

 

[DCWilson]

Bloodhound, you are living a charmed life. That sounds like a great deal.

I also found my 57 on a consignment shelf. Long tube, like-new finish, and a price to match -- but it was exactly the gun I had been hoping for, so I took it. There was a problem with a balky cylinder release that I knew could be fixed with about 10 minutes worth of work on my part, so that didn't slow me down. Also, the barrel had been Magna-Ported. I would rather have had it without the holes, but they weren't a deal killer for me.

Of all my guns, this remains the one that I shot best at longer distances the first time I took it to the range. Full force magnum loads just loved the paper target I had hung at the other end of the range. The bullets knew where to hit even when I could barely see the paper, let alone its red center.

57s and 58s are great guns, and the .41 Magnum is a wonderful round.

 

[2fingers]

DC Wilson, Very nice grips on that 57. Very, Very, Nice!

 

[ljmvaw124]

Very nice deal on a great gun - I need to move to an area with better (or more ) gunshops !

 

[Bloodhound]

The visit to this gunshop was a fluke...they look like and antique shop from the outside, and do have lots of firearms and western antiques...but they are a gunshop and this was one of a small handfull of more modern pieces. Neat shop

 

[ia1727]

Bloodhound, you are living a charmed life. That sounds like a great deal.

I also found my 57 on a consignment shelf. Long tube, like-new finish, and a price to match -- but it was exactly the gun I had been hoping for, so I took it. There was a problem with a balky cylinder release that I knew could be fixed with about 10 minutes worth of work on my part, so that didn't slow me down. Also, the barrel had been Magna-Ported. I would rather have had it without the holes, but they weren't a deal killer for me.

Of all my guns, this remains the one that I shot best at longer distances the first time I took it to the range. Full force magnum loads just loved the paper target I had hung at the other end of the range. The bullets knew where to hit even when I could barely see the paper, let alone its red center.

57s and 58s are great guns, and the .41 Magnum is a wonderful round.

Dave,

Are those Kurac's grips on your 57--very nice.

Steve

 

[Trooper224]

I picked up a cherry six-inch blued 57 for $550 just last week. I purchased a used shotgun from a local pawnshop and had several problems with it I couldn't fix myself. Since it was a used gun I figuered I'd be stuck with a lemon, but I took it back to the shop and the owner sent it to a gunsmith on his dime. I dropped it off at 4:30 that day and received a called from the shop owner the next day at 2:00.

The smith had looked it over and discovered the receiver was out of spec, so nothing could be done on our end. The store owner told me to come down and he'd either refund my money or exchange it. They had just put the 57 in the display case before I walked in with a price of $600. The owner agreed to a straight across exchange, so in the end I came out ahead and was very impressed by the service I received, especially from a pawn shop.

Congrats on the find. I haven't had any experience with the .41 magnum but that will change as soon as the dies come in.

 

[Mike Q.]

Greetings all-

It sounds as though Bloodhound got a very good deal indeed. I also concur with Mr. Wilson's sentiment regarding the .41 magnum; it is an outstanding caliber. The .41 mag totally restored my desire to shoot magnum calibers.

Respectfully,
Mike Q.

 

[DCWilson]

DC Wilson, Very nice grips on that 57. Very, Very, Nice!

Dave,

Are those Kurac's grips on your 57--very nice.

Steve

Thanks to both of you for noticing them. Yes, our forum colleague kurac made those stocks. This was the first set I ever bought from him, and their quality made me pick up a couple of sets more for other N-frame revolvers. When it comes to smooth finish coke-profile stocks, he's the guy.

 

[twobaths]

I just got hold of a 4" blued model 57
41 mag -- serial numer N452188
Came in original wood box with the tools in it
Can anyone come up with the date this was made?

Twobaths

 

[4011]

I read it as 1977-78. But I'm new to the book..

 

[Bloodhound]

The post serialization in the sticky says 1978...Congrats

 

[kracker]

I looked at a 4" Nickle today at a local pawn shop. It's a pinned barrel and I think I can get it for $525 otd. I've never saw a Nickle 4".

I'm gonna do a little more research and might pick it up Thurs.

 

[WVfishguy]

This Model 57 no dash is my favorite gun, period. I snagged it for $500 last year. It came with rubber grips, but it is perfect - as new in box. A little shopping on Gunbroker netted a very good, period-correct set of target stocks, but I much prefer the looks and feel of these cocobolo Herretts from CDNN.

I stocked up on a lot of .41 brass and bullets, so the price of .41 ammo does not concern me. The Smith N-frame is the perfect platform for this wonderful caliber.

 

[Combat_Diver]

I need to find myself a used 6 or 8.375" 57/657 when I ever get home (coming up on 8 yrs now). Getting real tired of being deployed. Congrats on find a very good deal.

CD

 

[4inch357]

$350 is a fantastic buy - congrats.