Picked up a 57 today

[Max]

I have wanted a 41mag forever but never found one at a decent price. On my way to the grocery store today my one pawn shop that calls me when the get a S&W called and said they had a 57 in Nickle. I told them I would take it sight unseen, $450 and 20 minutes later and I'm the proud owner of a Nickle 4 inch 57 no dash. Had a box but it was a plastic blue box without a serial number and I know it's not original. Target hammer and trigger and shows very little wear with no headshake and a light turn line but it has been fired.

[rjrivero]

Good find, Max!!!

[Max]

Any of you that might shoot a 41, is there a preferred weight before I buy ammo? I have no 41mag ammo and I plan on going to the range in the morning. :)

[jim fox]

Remington 210 grain jacketed soft point was the standard for years.

I don't shoot mine much any more, but it is still a favorite - and if I were to hunt larger game with a handgun - it'd be out of retirement in a heartbeat.

Enjoy - great acquisition.

[Max]

Remington 210 grain jacketed soft point was the standard for years.

I don't shoot mine much any more, but it is still a favorite - and if I were to hunt larger game with a handgun - it'd be out of retirement in a heartbeat.

Enjoy - great acquisition.


Thanks for the input Jim, it is greatly appreciated.

[budroe]

I have a 6" model 657 I've carried a few times while working. I prefer the power of the .41 over the .357, and I can get off two or three accurate shots much quicker than I can with a 29. I'm looking for a 4" blued 57, but would be happy to settle for a 4" in SS.:D:D

[Max]

Holy cow the only box I could find was $62, guess I won't be shooting it much. :rofl:

[StrawHat]

Holy cow the only box I could find was $62, guess I won't be shooting it much. :rofl:

Reloads?

I don't load for the 41 but I save a bunch loading for other cartridges. Or I spend the same but shoot a lot more.

[Hammerdown]

Hello Max
That was a steal. It is worth about $750.00 Real Money these days. The 4" Nickel version is the hardest to find. I have had mine for years and would never consider selling it. Yours appears to be Prior to 1976 with those football relieved target grips if they came with it and it is still before Pinned barrels and recessed cylinders dissapeared which was around 1982. Great catch here's mine that shipped in 1980...When Guy's ask me the difference between the .41 Magnum and the .44 Magnum I smile at them and say.... .019"... Hammerdown






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[Oriondk]

Looks like you got a heck of a deal there, Max. Sounds like you need to reload for it, though. We need range reports on all new guns.:bat::D

[Hammerdown]

Looks like you got a heck of a deal there, Max. Sounds like you need to reload for it, though. We need range reports on all new guns.:bat::D

Hey Max
I agree with Dave on Reloading for this caliber. I Load 20.0 Grains of IMR-2400 under a 210 Grain Hollow Point or Soft Point bullet. It is a real attention Getter. Three Christmas's ago, I was invited over to Nashville to shoot with a buddy. I took my 57 and the load's mentioned above. we went to the Oldest gun shop in Nashville that has a Range dug out in their Basement. It has Targets set at the 20 Yard line with auto retrievers. I loaded up my 57 and fired six rounds. There was a woman Five Lanes down shooting a bottom feeder in 9-MM that walked down to me after I fired my revolver and asked what it was ? I told her a S&W .41 Magnum. She had a Puzzled look on her face, so I asked her if she would like to shoot it ? She quickly replied that she had never heard of that caliber, and I responded with, they are not very common, and she also added that she had no interest in firing it, but wanted to share with me when I fired it, she said she could feel pressure pulses on her face and she swore that her lower pant legs of her Blue Jeans moved from the percussions each time I fired. She then said I was sick for owning or shooting anything like that as she walked away shaking her head. I smiled and told my Buddy another shooter had been just Introduced to what a Magnum Caliber was all about. Sadly, I feel the Only factory Load out there with any Ass to it would be Cor-Bon if you can still get them in .41 Magnum. This caliber was heavily down played when introduced back in 1964 by down Loading it. It was considered to be the perfect Police round and was designed exclusively for Law Enforcement. By down Loading the caliber, it kept the media and Public Eye off The law Enforcement's Ass.In Factory form this caliber shadow's the performance meaning recoil and muzzle blast of the .44 special. It was chastised from the start as the Mighty .44 Magnum had an Eight Year head start on it, and most felt it to be the Tamer low performing round compared to the mighty .44 magnum. Later Hand-Loader's quickly saw that this caliber shot a Little flatter than the mighty 44 and if expanded on, it can and will exceed the velocity's of the .44 Magnum due to the slightly Lighter weight and smaller diameter bullet which is .019" smaller. My wife bought me a Brand new model 57 shortly after we were married in 1985. In the fall of 1986 I dropped the Biggest buck I had ever come across while hunting in Up-State New York at 60 Yards using the hand load mentioned above. The slug blew Both Lungs apart and separated the heart in half as well. That deer Piled up less than 20 Feet from where I shot him and is Pictured below. I had the head mounted also shown below and before his Antlers shrank a bit, The front long tines were only 3/4" From touching. It weighed 173 Dressed and I had to get help to load it in my 1985 Toyota 4X4. I had to leave the tail gate down as his Ass was against the cab and his Head laid on the tail Gate. It was one of the largest Deer taken in that small town I grew up in that year, and I was proud to say it was taken with one shot from my model 57 shown in hand below as well. I later made the biggest mistake of my life, and traded off that model 57. That stupid Mistake cost me a 20 Absence of not finding another model 57 Until I came across my 4" Version shown and I made a Vow to never get rid of the one I have now... As you Cna se I hold a special spot in my Heart for the model 57 & To me, it is the most Potent Accurate Magnum handgun I have ever fired, but you Really have to hand-Load to see it's True Potential...Hammerdown








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[jim fox]

Holy cow the only box I could find was $62, guess I won't be shooting it much. :rofl:

Reminds me of the reason I don't have a desire to play with any of the .50 caliber handguns - or the .475, etc.

[OFallon]

Good grief, that's $20 more than 405 grain .45-70's that I buy!!!

[Max]

Well I did get to shoot it a couple of times on Thanksgiving when I went to my parents. It shoots about as I expected, just a little more powerful then a 357 and not as much kick as a 44 mag. I'm sure the gun has the ability to shoot better then I do however. Sorry didn't take a camera to the range.

[jim fox]

Good grief, that's $20 more than 405 grain .45-70's that I buy!!!

Yeah, but I expect he's talking about 50 rounds as opposed to 20. Although I've seen some of the boutique .41 mag rounds at better than $2 each.:eek:

[Max]

Yes that was a box of 50 rounds. I know my 500 runs about $45 for a box of 20. :)

[Oriondk]

Yes that was a box of 50 rounds. I know my 500 runs about $45 for a box of 20. :)

:eek: You definitely should be reloading.:cool:

[Hammerdown]

Well I did get to shoot it a couple of times on Thanksgiving when I went to my parents. It shoots about as I expected, just a little more powerful then a 357 and not as much kick as a 44 mag. I'm sure the gun has the ability to shoot better then I do however. Sorry didn't take a camera to the range.



Hello Max
That is why you either have to Take up Hand-Loading or have some one that has lot's of experience load for you. The .41 Magnum really shines when Pushed to the Upper Limits and I tend to believe any ammo offered from Commercial Ammo companies will be down Played on this caliber as it for the .32 S&W Long round...:( Hammerdown

[satan]

very prety , my next sixgungoing to be a .41 mag , I have two Hoyt holster for a S&W n frame made for the SFPD , wonder if the holsters original owner carried a .41 mag , mmmmmmmmmmmm
satan

[mycar47562]

Man not sure how i missed this thread you ever start loading max?

[satan]

well guys , when I find my .41 mag you'll have to give me reloading advise , this is the place, satan:dog:

[Dframe]

Great find Max. I've looked at many of them over the years just never managed to part with the money. Of course all the people I talked to wanted a LOT more money than you paid. Congrats on a heck of a deal. I've got to agree with JimFox. The old 210 grain load was the standard of the industry for years, and will still do the job.