There's a HUGE GAPING HOLE in the Front of My 357!!!

[RKmesa]

... and it's not where the bullets exit the barrel. I don't know much about this one. It's a 586-7 that I've had it for several years. In my notes I have it as a "Special RSR Edition" and that there were only about 80 of them made. Can anyone verify the above and or add additional information? Has anyone lettered one of these? [EDITED - found the letter I was thinking of - see post 14]

The SN is BCH0043 and it came with Hogues in an aluminum PC case - it currently sports Ahrends finger grooved round to square grips.

I bought it because I thought it was way high on the cool meter... and that HUGE "port" in front of the sight is something way, way different from my 1950's era 357's...







Thanks for letting me share,

 

[bigwheelzip]

Some info from a previous thread.

http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-revolvers-1980-present/98090-586-7-french-police.html

 

[Inspector-Callahan]

Can't speak to specifics but it looks just like a 4" powerport model to me. I have a 6" N Frame 629 that has a similar port. I also agree that it's very high on the cool factor meter! Nice revolver!

 

[hs125]

Pegging the stop on the cool meter! Very nice.

 

[RKmesa]

... Here she is with her little/younger brother 586-7 3"er, also with the HUGE port... (I think the shorter one is an "L-Comp"):

 

[Engine49guy]

I was thinking the same thing that it looks like a 4" version of the L Comp....

The 586 and 686 were introduced at the same time (Unlike the 19 and 66) so should share revision changes even though the 586 was discontinued for a time.

Strange thing is that its a BCH prefix which suggests 1989 production (of course serial ranges were sometimes reserved)...the dash 7 hints post 2000 perhaps 2002 ?.... but strange its a dash 7 that has no IL.... ?

Very interesting gun, appears to have frame mounted firing pin but also interesting the hammer sits back further than the L Comp ?

 

[RV4driver]

OMG! Your revolver has a HOLE in the barrel! Let me take it off your hands, it's the very least I can do.

Edited to add..."three holes in the barrel"...'cause, well, you know.

 

[HOUSTON RICK]

Thank you for posting. I learn something every day here. Nice guns.

 

[fyimo]

Beautiful revolver

 

[rburg]

I've got an idea. I've got some old reloads with Blue Dot powder. That gun just cries out for some pictures at night with an "open" shutter. It makes a great ball of flame out of any 4" gun, but the upbound jet from that kind of port might be even better. Or not.

 

[SS57]

Sweet gun and very handsome grips. Super set up. Have you shot it?

 

[SmithNut]

When these first came out, they were described as GIGN over-run guns. Supposed to be 150 made, 75 shipped to France and 75 over-run guns shipped domestically.
Never lettered mine, but they are great shooters, and the story is good enough for me.
As I recall, one of mine came from RSR, the other from Sports South.

 

[Kernel Crittenden]

Was there any paper work with the gun saying what the Product Code was?

 

[RKmesa]

Was there any paper work with the gun saying what the Product Code was?

I just went and looked in the case and pulled the foam from the top and bottom. Unfortunately, there was no factory paperwork, other than a copy of someone else's factory letter on one of these guns... NOW I REMEMBER WHERE I GOT THE INFO IN MY "NOTES" FROM. This letter was something that someone posted on the forum when I initially researched this gun several years ago. Thanks KC for asking the question so that I would go look in my case.

Here's a posting of the letter with the SN blanked out, but it (as well as my SN) are in the range (BHC0001-BHC0080) listed at the bottom of the letter.

 

[bangbig]

Sigh, yet another model I have to put on the "I want one!" list.

I need to quit coming to this site!

 

[mrchuck]

I would like to see photographs of it at a "night firing range!
All it needs is an "accessory alligator clip" you put your cigarette in, to light it when firing.

 

[RKmesa]

Have you shot it?

I have not shot the 4" gun, but I have shot the 3"er and it is a family favorite - accurate, smooth trigger, and comfortable. BTW - for all of you that would like to see a low light firing of the gun - that's on my list of things to do and photograph or video.

 

[Lee's Landing Billy]

That 3 inch gun is aggravating me a good bit. Hmmmm. Note to self..stop watching RKs site for a while.

 

[les.b]

Richard, I bought a 642-2 several years back, with the same kind of port. I kept it for awhile, but it had an internal lock, and I just didn't want to have a gun with one of those holes in its side, so I sold it to a buddy. We were running around today, and since he just happened to have it with him, I snapped a couple of photos of it:



I haven't seen one quite like it since I sold it. Just my luck it is something rare and valuable.

Best Regards, Les

 

[Kernel Crittenden]

The factory letter says ".... checkered rubber finger groove grips...."

That sounds more like Uncle Mike combats, since they were checkered, and still in use in 2002. Hogue's have more of a 'pebble' finish. But who knows. It's also possible to read more into a letter than what's really there.