Another interesting S&W a 58-1 .41 Mag

Seen one? I've owned two of them. Well the originals, not the "Classic" series, althought I like the "Classic" guns I've seen.

A lot of people say they kick. Well, they do with full bore 41 Magnum ammo, which is why I never fired full bore 41 Magnum ammo in mine. They were handload guns right from the start. I forget what the load I used was, but it was about a 900 fps load. I remember one of them I had swapped out the PC Magna's for a set of Altamont Faux Ivory grips, with a T-Grip. Now that gun was for serious business.

Alas, as I so often did, some other bright shiny thing caught my eye, and I sold/traded them off. If I saw that one at Ali-Babba's, I'd have to dicker a little. Heck, I've still got brass and bullets and dies here. I could be up and running by tomorrow. No, I don't need the name of the shop. That's an "in theory" statement. ;)
 
CajunBass said:
Seen one? I've owned two of them. Well the originals, not the "Classic" series, althought I like the "Classic" guns I've seen.

A lot of people say they kick. Well, they do with full bore 41 Magnum ammo, which is why I never fired full bore 41 Magnum ammo in mine. They were handload guns right from the start. I forget what the load I used was, but it was about a 900 fps load. I remember one of them I had swapped out the PC Magna's for a set of Altamont Faux Ivory grips, with a T-Grip. Now that gun was for serious business.

Alas, as I so often did, some other bright shiny thing caught my eye, and I sold/traded them off. If I saw that one at Ali-Babba's, I'd have to dicker a little. Heck, I've still got brass and bullets and dies here. I could be up and running by tomorrow. No, I don't need the name of the shop. That's an "in theory" statement. ;)
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.41 magnum sound FUN! I’ll be on the look out for one. Now I know the prices.

What you guys think about $1,000 offer for that Classic 58-1 with the belly button lock?
 
A "fair" price is a price where both parties walk away happy. You say it's been there a while? It's eating money every day it's there. Every day they don't sell it, it's costing them interest they're not making off what they paid for it, and what you're going to pay for it. It's also not a gun that a lot of people are looking for. Toss out an offer and get things started. "OK...1000 is too low? What's YOUR best offer?"

The only time to worry is when you toss out a number and THEY jump on it like a duck on a Junebug. XXXX I should have started lower. Too late.
 
Factory nickel S&W's will have an "N" stamped either under the grips or on the cylinder. My 15-2 is under the grips, My
10-8 Is on the cylinder.

Factory refinished nickel will have a star stamped on the cylinder Or under the grips.

I have an original nickel finish 15-2 that has been refinished at the factory, it has both the N stamp and the star.

20240303_062838.jpg

20240303_062945.jpg

20240303_063633.jpg

So that ones factory nickel but it's been back to s&w for a refinish in nickel at least once.

My 10-8 has the "N" stamp on the cylinder. I don't know why or when S&W switches from the grip to the cylinder, or if that was just arbitrary


20240303_063242.jpg

20240303_063214.jpg
 
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silicosys4 said:
Factory nickel S&W's will have an "N" stamped either under the grips or on the cylinder.
Factory refinished nickel will have a star stamped on the cylinder.
I have an original nickel finish 15-2 that has been refinished at the factory, it has both the N stamp and the star.
Click to expand...
At least that is one of the ways it used to be done. I have no idea what the factory does now.

Kevin
 
Mark_Mark said:
.41 magnum sound FUN! I’ll be on the look out for one. Now I know the prices.

What you guys think about $1,000 offer for that Classic 58-1 with the belly button lock?
Click to expand...

Mark_Mark said:
I’m just wondering that a fair price for a Classic series, I’m just looking for a cool .41 mag gun to shoot
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It would be a hard "no" for me, for $1000. The Classic M58 isn't listed any more on the S&W website, but the M57 Classic is, and it retails for $1189. The original of that model was the premier .41Magnum and the M58 was the service revolver. You can find original production guns of either model in the $900-$1200 range (shooter grade with finish wear), so I wouldn't be willing to pay near that much for a new production gun. I see the Classic series like buying a Volkswagen Beetle with the Roll-Royce body kit on it. You want a Rolls? Be patient and look for the real thing. I gave "only" $1250 for my ANIB S prefix M58 in 2019.

I enjoy shooting both my .41's, but the M58 is less pleasing because of the shorter barrel and smaller grip when shooting full power magnum loads. Those run around 1400 fps in a 6" barrel and maybe 50-75 fps less in the 4". I can stand it in my 6" M57, but I download my loads for the M58 to around 1150-1200 fps and it's much more pleasant to shoot. There is no SAAMI certified .41 Special, like there is a .44 Spl., but Starline makes a .41 Special brass and there is load data for them, they're in the 850-1000fps range. Bullet weights are usually 210 grain, there's not a lot of choices for the .41 like there are for .44M. The .41M case is the same length as a .44M case. The .41Spl case that Starline makes is the same length as the .44Spl. case.

I've started shooting much more .45 Colt nowadays. Much milder in the hand, less expensive to load (less powder per case), and still packs a big punch, as proven in the Alec Baldwin Charlie Foxtrot. The round he fired went completely through her and seriously injured the asst director behind her. 250 grain RNFP will swing a 12" gong quite well past 50 yards, even at 800 fps MV.
 
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bangswitch said:
It would be a hard "no" for me, for $1000. The Classic M58 isn't listed any more on the S&W website, but the M57 Classic is, and it retails for $1189. The original of that model was the premier .41Magnum and the M58 was the service revolver. You can find original production guns of either model in the $900-$1200 range (shooter grade with finish wear), so I wouldn't be willing to pay near that much for a new production gun. I see the Classic series like buying a Volkswagen Beetle with the Roll-Royce body kit on it. You want a Rolls? Be patient and look for the real thing. I gave "only" $1250 for my ANIB S prefix M58 in 2019.

I enjoy shooting both my .41's, but the M58 is less pleasing because of the shorter barrel and smaller grip when shooting full power magnum loads. Those run around 1400 fps in a 6" barrel and maybe 50-75 fps less in the 4". I can stand it in my 6" M57, but I download my loads for the M58 to around 1150-1200 fps and it's much more pleasant to shoot. There is no SAAMI certified .41 Special, like there is a .44 Spl., but Starline makes a .41 Special brass and there is load data for them, they're in the 850-1000fps range. Bullet weights are usually 210 grain, there's not a lot of choices for the .41 like there are for .44M. The .41M case is the same length as a .44M case. The .41Spl case that Starline makes is the same length as the .44Spl. case.

I've started shooting much more .45 Colt nowadays. Much milder in the hand, less expensive to load (less powder per case), and still packs a big punch, as proven in the Alec Baldwin Charlie Foxtrot. The round he fired went completely through her and seriously injured the asst director behind her. 250 grain RNFP will swing a 12" gong quite well past 50 yards, even at 800 fps MV.
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Thanks! I like the VW body kit reference too!
 
Hard to believe the prices of model 58s these days. I bought mine NIB for $81.00 with a box of shells thrown in too back in 1966. I was a new cop, and i’m sure the LGS owner gave it to me at his cost.
The shells were the factory hunting loads and the only thing available at the time,
They were brutal with the factory PC magna stocks.

Twelve dollar S&W Target stocks were too expensive, so I destroyed the magnas for the parts and made my one and only pair stocks for it.
1709496647889.jpeg
I call them PC Targets. I carried the gun as a duty sidearm for 13 years.
We were in several serious social encounters, two of them fatal, but the 58 did what it was designed to do and we got to go home.
I’ve still got the gun and it will go to my son when I go toes up.
 
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Iggy said:
Hard to believe the prices of model 58s these days. I bought mine NIB for $81.00 with a box of shells thrown in too back in 1966. I was a new cop, and i’m sure the LGS owner gave it to me at his cost.
The shells were the factory hunting loads and the only thing available at the time,
They were brutal with the factory PC Magna grips.

Twelve dollar targets were too expensive, so I destroyed the magnas for the parts and made my one and only pair stocks for it.

I call them PC Targets. I carried the gun as a duty sidearm for 13 years.
We were in several serious social incidents, two of them fatal, but the 58 did what it was designed to do and we got to go home.
I’ve still got the gun and it will go to my son when I go toes up.
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sorry to hear about your gun fight. Sounds traumatic
 
Targa said:
Mark, you have the best honey hole of a LGS that I have ever even heard of. I am kind of surprised that it is in your neck of the woods.
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Seattle was a Logging Pioneer town. long history needing guns here. More guns shops than you can shake a stick at. Gun Control has been a very recent thing here. Shame really. But, I’m from the South, and will be bringing back my gun booties eventually. 😂

@Old Dog is born & raised here, he can tell you about the rich gun history
 
Kevin,
You are are right, it didn’t bother me.
All I could see was
Ithe muzzles of their guns coming to bear on me and I had to beat them.
That was nearly 60 years ago and to this day I know I had no choice.
They missed, I didn’t.
I can thank an afternoon of drawing and shooting with Bill Jordan for my survival.
 
Iggy said:
Kevin,
You are are right, it didn’t bother me.
All I could see was
Ithe muzzles of their guns coming to bear on me and I had to beat them.
That was nearly 60 years ago and to this day I know I had no choice.
They missed, I didn’t.
I can thank an afternoon of drawing and shooting with Bill Jordan for my survival.
Click to expand...
wow! M58
 
I've never had a S&W in 41, but I'm warning you now, the 41 is very addictive.

I have had one since around 87 in a Ruger either the BH or RH. Still have the RH and it has never let me down.

Loading for it is no more difficult than any other straight walled caliber. Pick a good 200 or 210gr and run with it. I've run from 170 through 260gr through the years but always come back to the 200gr over around 21grs of 296 or similar load of AA-9. Shoots flat, hits hard, and recoil is easy on the hand.
 
41 Mag said:
I've never had a S&W in 41, but I'm warning you now, the 41 is very addictive.

I have had one since around 87 in a Ruger either the BH or RH. Still have the RH and it has never let me down.

Loading for it is no more difficult than any other straight walled caliber. Pick a good 200 or 210gr and run with it. I've run from 170 through 260gr through the years but always come back to the 200gr over around 21grs of 296 or similar load of AA-9. Shoots flat, hits hard, and recoil is easy on the hand.
Click to expand...
Good reading. Personally never shot .41 mag. .357 140 xtp and .44 mag 180 xtp , both with a full load of 296 is a zinger. What load is a zinger in .41 mag . And if reduced loads are going to be used in .41 mag they can be duplicated with 44 mag if M.M. is after the feel. With the prices shone you need to be a dedicated 41 guy.. ???
 
Mark_Mark said:
Seattle was a Logging Pioneer town. long history needing guns here. More guns shops than you can shake a stick at. Gun Control has been a very recent thing here. Shame really. But, I’m from the South, and will be bringing back my gun booties eventually. 😂

@Old Dog is born & raised here, he can tell you about the rich gun history
Click to expand...
That is great to hear, I am glad that history is carrying on. My state Colorado, well not my state but the one I live in anyway, loosely mirrors your description here in the Denver suburbs.
 
1KPerDay said:
It’s got new grips. Pretty spendy. Sweet gun though.
Click to expand...

That was the first thing I noted. I wasn't even aware that S&W kicked out the 58 in their Classic series... and still think it's an odd duck.

NIGHTLORD40K said:
Even with Magnas, they were known for being borderline torture devices. Just looking at that one makes my hand hurt.

Pretty gun, but no thanks. Lol.
Click to expand...

Mark_Mark said:
I want a .41 mag to mess with the cartridge but $1275 is in the outrageous range. Seen a 58-1 sell for $800! that’s more like it
Click to expand...

Iggy said:
They were brutal with the factory PC magna stocks.
Click to expand...

I've got a set of Magnas for my 58... they sure look nice, but I've only shot with them once.... and I learned my lesson. When we go shooting, I put a set of Grippers on it.

I have the .41 Trifecta... from the left... a Dan Wesson 741, a 4" 58, and a 4" 57. The 57 and I just got back from shooting, which is why it wears the Grippers.

sj85v6Ul.jpg



I love the look of the 58... it's sort of like a Model 10 on steroids. Now that I found a decent belt holster for it, I carry it when I'm out and about, camping, or out on the desert, where a personal encounter is unlikely, but you never know what will be around the next tree. I've debated selling it off... compared to the 57, it does not have the fit and finish of the 57, and certainly not the trigger... the 57 has the best trigger in the safe... but the 58 has it's merits. It is also the only S-prefix S&W I own.

As far as accuracy, the 58 holds it's own...

PjPIjiTl.jpg
 
Charlie98 said:
That was the first thing I noted. I wasn't even aware that S&W kicked out the 58 in their Classic series... and still think it's an odd duck.







I've got a set of Magnas for my 58... they sure look nice, but I've only shot with them once.... and I learned my lesson. When we go shooting, I put a set of Grippers on it.

I have the .41 Trifecta... from the left... a Dan Wesson 741, a 4" 58, and a 4" 57. The 57 and I just got back from shooting, which is why it wears the Grippers.

sj85v6Ul.jpg



I love the look of the 58... it's sort of like a Model 10 on steroids. Now that I found a decent belt holster for it, I carry it when I'm out and about, camping, or out on the desert, where a personal encounter is unlikely, but you never know what will be around the next tree. I've debated selling it off... compared to the 57, it does not have the fit and finish of the 57, and certainly not the trigger... the 57 has the best trigger in the safe... but the 58 has it's merits. It is also the only S-prefix S&W I own.

As far as accuracy, the 58 holds it's own...
Click to expand...
Great trio of .41M's Not that it really matters except to someone as picky as me, but the stocks on your M58 should be PC magnas, with the rounded-over bottom edges. Still having the diamonds on them is nice, and the older magnas are a darker walnut than most of the ones from the 1970's and later. Both my M57 and M58 are S prefix guns, unfortunately I didn't get factory stocks of any type on the M57, although the gun is in excellent condition. It's a 6". The S&W models are the only .41M's I own, or want, really. I wouldn't mind having a 4" M57, but my collection is generally one example of a particular model. I love shooting either one at the range. If there is a crowd, the first shot usually brings activity to a halt until it's determined a gun didn't blow up. .41Magnum in a sea of 9mm discharges really gets some attention.
 
bangswitch said:
Great trio of .41M's Not that it really matters except to someone as picky as me, but the stocks on your M58 should be PC magnas, with the rounded-over bottom edges. Still having the diamonds on them is nice, and the older magnas are a darker walnut than most of the ones from the 1970's and later. Both my M57 and M58 are S prefix guns, unfortunately I didn't get factory stocks of any type on the M57, although the gun is in excellent condition. It's a 6". The S&W models are the only .41M's I own, or want, really. I wouldn't mind having a 4" M57, but my collection is generally one example of a particular model. I love shooting either one at the range. If there is a crowd, the first shot usually brings activity to a halt until it's determined a gun didn't blow up. .41Magnum in a sea of 9mm discharges really gets some attention.
Click to expand...

Neither set of stocks on my S&W's are correct.

When I bought my 57, as a NIB pistol languishing at the end of the gun case... likely a victim of numerous trades... it was wearing a set of Target speedloader grips, which the dealer insisted were correct. I took those off and traded them for the Magnas at a gunshow, simply because I've always liked the look of a 4" N-frame with Magnas.

When I bought my 58, it actually came with a set of Target grips... but with the bottom edges of the grips sanded down to round off the edges (what a way to ruin a good set of grips?) So, my 2 S&W .41's have almost the correct grips... which bothers me not at all because what really matters is how they shoot.

cZ8amsXl.jpg
 
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