Snagged a model 58

[matt56]

Well I answered an armslist ad for the second time in my life.  To be fair though they were both dealer listings.  This one was a S&W S prefix model 58 41 magnum.  These have a 4" barrel and fixed sights.  This gun dates to 1969 or 1970.  

Now I have never seen one of these before so I wasn't totally sure if a model 58 had a matte bluing or gloss.  I know for instance a model 28 is matte and a 27 is not.  In the ad the finish looked very nice, almost too good to be true but it is an S prefix which are supposed to be nice guns.   So I made the hour drive with some trades in hand because for some reason these guns have a cult following and the prices have skyrocketed.  It seems any S prefix model commands a premium over a later N prefix gun.  Older is better because the bluing is said to be nicer.

Unfortunately when I got to hold the gun I could spot right away it was a refinish.  Don't get me wrong, the refinish would almost pass but I imagine you can only do so much with dings and pitting.  So somewhere along the line this gun was neglected and someone thought it needed a reblue.  Not unheard of because these models were designed to be carried.  Not to mention the collector value would have been lost with the missing box and grips.  If it passes all the other prechecks then you can still end up with a very good shooter.  Now I can't speak at all for what it takes to reblue a gun but I wish I had a little more experience on what is right and what is wrong.  I know there are some top quality refinishers out there but I doubt this is the work of one of them.  


Either way I couldn't leave this gun sit there, it fits right in with everything else I have.  Good shooter grade guns with nothing so valuable it can't go to the range.  





edit - I was looking at other model 58 pictures and realized none of them have target hammers or triggers.  Someone spent some money on this gun at one point.  

[bushog]

Nice snag!

I think the TT and hammer was available on most models.

[matt56]

Yeah especially back then when you could order a gun with special features. I figured since it was an M&P model that sold significantly cheaper than other similar models that it wouldn't have came with those features from the factory. I just checked the Standard Catalog of S&W and it does specifically mention a .265" service hammer and .265" serrated trigger.

[rjm52]

Nice gun...saw your post over on the S&W Forums...is this your first .41?

Your gun would have been made before 1969 if it is a "S" prefix serial number. The 68 Gun Control Act passed in 1968 and required all manufacturers to restart their serial numbers in 1969.

The only way to know if your 58 came from the factory with the TT and TH is to either have the original box or a letter from S&W... I have seen only one boxed 58 in person that indicated TT/TH and there was another on the S&W Forums that was correct. Most came with the Service style hammer and trigger. A lot of people added the Target versions because they shot the guns single action.

Have you decided what to use for ammo yet?

Bob

[matt56]

It is not my first 41 but honestly I have not shot the caliber yet. A few months ago I picked up a 657-5 with an unfluted cylinder and full underlug 7.5" barrel. I haven't been to the range since I got my dies, brass etc. I have loaded about 40 rounds so far using 210gr Speer silhouette and gold dot bullets under H110 and 2400.


I thought the same thing about the S prefix serial number but my Standard Catalog of S&W says differently. For post war N frames S330000-S333454 (which my number falls in) says 1969-1970. For the beginning of N prefixes N1-N100000 says 1969-1972.

I'll make a post for Roy Jinks to see when the gun shipped. I may get it lettered if curiosity gets the best of me.

Also it's a .400" trigger and .500 hammer that's installed. I'll check some of my 29s to see if that's what's on them too

[kings6]

I love the 58s an have used them for several custom guns. The first one I had worked over by Hamilton did not like the heavy 250 grain bullets but it does great with lighter stuff. Zeus has that gun now. I have a tapered Model 28 barrel that has been rebored to 41 that would be slick on a 58.

[rjm52]

...that is interesting...I just looked in the 4th Edition and there is an overlap... N1 started in 1969... My only guess is that there were a bunch of frames already stamped that took them till 1970 to build them all......

If you want to duplicate the factory Police load of a lead bullet at 950 fps for the 58 try 8.0 grains of Unique or 7.5 of 231 with any 210-220 grain bullet. Works with jacketed or plated also... Berry's Bullets has a great .41 plated bullet...very accurate and shoots to the sights.

GT Bullets has excellent cast bullets for very reasonable prices and have HPs also...something that no one else has.

If you have not seen this thread there are lots of good posts and links for .41s...

castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?276144-41-Magnum-41-Special-Load-Data-Center

Bob

[ericp]

I carried my Model 58 when I worked for our DNR. It remains a favored companion and sparked a love for fixed sight N Frames that has not quit.



Eric

[nolongcolt]

I have one like yours, a re blue, but I don't care. Its the only .41 I have and its a shooter. Service T&H.

[mic214]

That’s a beauty……she is definitely a shooter!

[Frank V]

Congratulations, the 58 is an overlooked six-gun it's a good one easy to pack, accurate, & powerful.

[matt56]

Got the official word that my new 58 was shipped in December 1969. That kind of goes along with either the frame or the gun being built before the gun control act and they just used what they had first. The ship date doesn't necessarily indicate when the gun was built but it's the best timeframe we have to work with.

I was actually looking for either a 58 or 657 3" to take packing and truthfully I wasn't counting on finding either one. I think the 58 should do nicely. I might get a chance to shoot it tomorrow.

[rjm52]

"I was actually looking for either a 58 or 657 3" to take packing and truthfully I wasn't counting on finding either one. I think the 58 should do nicely."

The 3" 657 isn't that hard top find but when you do you pay dearly for them. I've had four over the years and the one I have now was someones carry gun that has been Mag-Na-Ported... Nice little cannon but the 58 shoots better....

[matt56]

Some new elk stags from Ken Driskill for my model 58

[squawberryman]

that changes things