Smith Wesson Model 57 Classic 41 Magnum – Superb Blued Revolver

Description

The Smith Wesson Model 57 Classic 41 Magnum is the forgotten magnum. Forty one Magnum was introduced in 1964 as a police cartridge sitting between 357 and 44, and although it never won the market it was aimed at, the shooters who use it are among the most committed in the sport. The Model 57 is the revolver it was designed around.

Smith Wesson Model 57 Classic 41 Magnum Why 41 Magnum Deserved Better

Forty one Remington Magnum was conceived by Elmer Keith and Bill Jordan as the ideal police cartridge: more capable than 357 Magnum, less punishing than 44. On paper it succeeded completely. In practice, departments had already standardised on 357 and the cartridge never found its market.

What survived is a genuinely excellent hunting and field round. It throws a .410 inch bullet with a flat trajectory and more energy than 357 Magnum, while producing noticeably less recoil than 44 Magnum from the same size revolver. For deer-sized game at handgun ranges it is arguably better balanced than either neighbour.

The Smith Wesson Model 57 Classic 41 Magnum is the gun it was built for: a large N-frame with a six inch barrel, which gives the cartridge room to work and gives you the sight radius to use it.

Finish, Grips and Build

The barrel and frame are blued carbon steel. Bluing is a traditional finish rather than a modern coating: it looks right on a revolver of this design, it develops character with use, and it requires more care against corrosion than stainless does. On a Classics revolver that trade is the entire point.

Grips are checkered walnut. Grip shape matters more on a revolver than on almost any other handgun, and hand-checkered wood on an N-frame is both functional and handsome. Against a magnum cartridge, a grip that fills the palm properly is most of the recoil control.

Adjustable sights let you zero precisely for whichever load you settle on, which matters on a cartridge with as wide a factory loading range as 41 Magnum. Six rounds, a smooth double action pull and the option of single action for a deliberate shot complete the package.

The N-frame is the largest of the traditional Smith and Wesson double action frames, and its mass is what makes 41 Magnum genuinely pleasant here rather than merely tolerable.

Shooting the Smith Wesson Model 57 Classic 41 Magnum

A six inch N-frame in 41 Magnum is a genuinely comfortable magnum to shoot. The frame weight and barrel length absorb most of the impulse, and the cartridge produces noticeably less muzzle blast and recoil than 44 Magnum while delivering more than enough energy for deer-sized game. Shooters who have found 44 punishing often discover 41 is exactly where they wanted to be.

Running it double action is the skill worth building. A smooth double action stroke on a quality N-frame is one of the more satisfying things in shooting, and the single action option is there for a deliberate shot from a rest, which on a six inch barrel with adjustable sights is a genuinely useful capability.

Zeroing deserves attention. Factory 41 Magnum loads vary considerably in bullet weight, and they will print noticeably apart at 25 yards. The adjustable rear sight exists precisely so you can settle that, so pick the load you will actually use, zero for it, and note where the others land.

Ammunition and Maintenance

Sourcing ammunition takes more planning than it does for 357 or 44. Order ahead rather than expecting to find 41 Magnum on a shelf, and consider buying in quantity when you find a load your revolver likes. A great many 41 owners handload, and the cartridge is forgiving and straightforward to work with.

Bluing needs attention that stainless does not. Wipe the revolver down with an oiled cloth after handling, particularly after shooting or after a day in the field, and store it somewhere dry. Neglected bluing pits, and pitting on a gun like this is both permanent and avoidable.

Keep the cylinder face and the forcing cone clean, since carbon build-up there can eventually bind the cylinder or affect accuracy. Check that the ejector rod stays tight, as magnum recoil can back it out and lock the cylinder closed at exactly the wrong moment. Walnut grips benefit from a light coat of an appropriate finish every year or two.

Smith Wesson Model 57 Classic 41 Magnum Specifications

• Manufacturer part number: 150481
• UPC: 022188138177
• Caliber: 41 Magnum
• Capacity: 6 rounds
• Barrel: 6 inches
• Finish: blued carbon steel
• Grips: checkered walnut
• Frame: N-frame
• Sights: adjustable
• Action: double action and single action

Why Buyers Choose the Smith Wesson Model 57 Classic 41 Magnum

This is one of the more interesting revolvers Smith and Wesson makes, and one of the least common. For a collector or an enthusiast, a blued N-frame in a cartridge this well regarded and this rarely seen is a genuinely appealing proposition.

Ammunition is the honest caveat. Forty one Magnum is not stocked everywhere and costs more than 357 or 44, and there are fewer factory loadings to choose from. Many owners handload precisely for that reason, and the cartridge is straightforward to load.

Bluing is not stainless. It resists corrosion far less well, and a blued revolver carried into the field will show neglect. A wipe with an oiled cloth after handling is not optional maintenance on a gun like this.

Who Should Buy It

The Smith Wesson Model 57 Classic 41 Magnum suits handgun hunters, revolver collectors and cartridge enthusiasts: shooters who want a magnum between 357 and 44, handloaders, and anyone who appreciates a blued steel N-frame with wood grips.

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