Smith & Wesson Model 57
Encyclopedia
The Smith & Wesson Model 57 is a large frame, double-action revolver
with a six round
cylinder
, chambered for the .41 Magnum cartridge
, and design
ed and manufactured by the Smith & Wesson
firearm
s company
. The gun was designed as a weapon for law enforcement
agencies. However, due to size and recoil it found more favor with civilian
target shooters and hunters.
, Bill Jordan
, and Skeeter Skelton
, all noted firearms authorities and authors, lobbied
Remington Arms
and Smith & Wesson to introduce a new .41 caliber
police cartridge with the objective of filling a perceived ballistic
performance gap between the .357
and .44
Magnums, thus creating a chambering which they believed would be the ultimate for law enforcement purposes.
In April 1964 Remington responded by introducing the .41 Magnum cartridge, and in concert, Smith and Wesson launched the Model 57 revolver chambered for the new ammunition.
Elmer Keith originally proposed the Moniker ".41 Police" for the new cartridge, but Remington instead chose to call it the .41 Magnum, hoping to capitalize on the notoriety and popularity of its earlier Magnum offerings.
in both highly polished
blued
and nickel
–plated
finishes. Using the S&W large "N" frame, the Model 57 was one of the companies’ premier products, offering superb fit and finish, basically the same pistol
as the famous S&W Model 29
, except in .41 instead of .44 caliber. Like the Model 29, the 57 sported a red insert front sight
with a white outline
adjustable rear iron
open sight, as well as a target
trigger, target hammer
, and oversized wooden target grips.
loadings in its .41 Magnum cartridge lineup. The first was a full-power 1300-1400 ft/s hunting or heavy-usage soft point bullet|jacketed soft point bullet which rivaled the stopping power
of the mighty .44 magnum while boasting less recoil and a flatter bullet
trajectory
. The second loading was a less powerful 1,150 ft/s 210 grain lead semiwadcutter
intended for law enforcement usage.
First, the majority of departments and rank and file officers were perfectly content with their traditional .38 Special
revolvers, and if more stopping power was needed, cartridges such as the popular .357 Magnum
were available. In addition, when senior police officials could be convinced to evaluate the .41 Magnum, many complained that even the lighter .41 magnum "Police load" was unpleasant to fire, while the .357 Magnum offered adequate performance without the bruising recoil and muzzle blast associated with the .41. Also, the marketing decision by S&W and Remington to dub the cartridge a "Magnum" ended up working against them in their desire to address the law enforcement market. Police organizations found the connotation of a hi-powered "Magnum" hunting-type weapon to be unpalatable in an era when they were struggling with political correctness
and pursued positive public relations
to offset any possible public perception
of police brutality
. Although the .41 Magnum was adopted as a police departmental standard by a few cities such as Amarillo and San Antonio TX, most chose to pass. In addition, introduced in the shadow of its limelight
-grabbing 'big brother' the .44 Magnum Model 29, the Model 57 struggled from its onset to garner much market share
. This gap widened further when Clint Eastwood
used a "Most powerful hangun in the world" Model 29 in the popular film Dirty Harry. In the aftermath of the film's release, many contemporaries of the .44 Magnum, including the .41, somewhat fell out of favor with the general public and American firearms market. Finally, a series of hugely popular and successful lighter and smaller-framed revolvers crafted from stainless steel
emerged in the mid 1980s. These police-issue oriented firearms, exemplified by models such as the S&W Model 66, accelerated the Model 57's demise. Overall, the Model 57 and its variants failed to generate the interest (or sales
) which had been hoped for.
by police departments. This budget version of the Model 57 was similar in principle of design to the .38 Special S&W heavy-barrel Model 10, or .357 Magnum Model 28 Highway Patrolman
. Weighing in at 41 ounces, the Model 58 featured a 4" barrel, fixed iron open sights, and simpler standard "magna service" grips
. Finish options were the same as its upscale Model 57 brethren, blued and nickel, but shortly after the Model 58's introduction S&W decided a less expensive "matte" bluing treatment would be more appropriate for the basic "workingman" model. The no-frills Model 58 also lacked an ejection rod shroud, but retained the pinned barrel and counter bored cylinder of the more expensive Model 57. The Model 58 was manufactured from 1964 to 1977 and roughly 20,000 were produced. 2008 it came onto the market again in bright nickel and bright blue finish.
No longer in production, the S&W Model 657 was a stainless steel version of the standard blued carbon steel Model 57, available with identical features and in the same barrel lengths.
front sight and adjustable rear, and also included wood finger groove grips. It weighed 27.5 oz and was marketed as an ideal backcountry
/hiker's
carry pistol.
Revolver
A revolver is a repeating firearm that has a cylinder containing multiple chambers and at least one barrel for firing. The first revolver ever made was built by Elisha Collier in 1818. The percussion cap revolver was invented by Samuel Colt in 1836. This weapon became known as the Colt Paterson...
with a six round
Cartridge (firearms)
A cartridge, also called a round, packages the bullet, gunpowder and primer into a single metallic case precisely made to fit the firing chamber of a firearm. The primer is a small charge of impact-sensitive chemical that may be located at the center of the case head or at its rim . Electrically...
cylinder
Cylinder (firearms)
In firearms terminology, the Cylinder refers to the cylindrical, rotating part of a revolver containing multiple cartridge chambers. The cylinder revolves around a central axis in the revolver to bring each individual chamber into alignment with the barrel for firing...
, chambered for the .41 Magnum cartridge
Cartridge (firearms)
A cartridge, also called a round, packages the bullet, gunpowder and primer into a single metallic case precisely made to fit the firing chamber of a firearm. The primer is a small charge of impact-sensitive chemical that may be located at the center of the case head or at its rim . Electrically...
, and design
Design
Design as a noun informally refers to a plan or convention for the construction of an object or a system while “to design” refers to making this plan...
ed and manufactured by the Smith & Wesson
Smith & Wesson
Smith & Wesson is the largest manufacturer of handguns in the United States. The corporate headquarters is in Springfield, Massachusetts. Founded in 1852, Smith & Wesson's pistols and revolvers have become standard issue to police and armed forces throughout the world...
firearm
Firearm
A firearm is a weapon that launches one, or many, projectile at high velocity through confined burning of a propellant. This subsonic burning process is technically known as deflagration, as opposed to supersonic combustion known as a detonation. In older firearms, the propellant was typically...
s company
Company
A company is a form of business organization. It is an association or collection of individual real persons and/or other companies, who each provide some form of capital. This group has a common purpose or focus and an aim of gaining profits. This collection, group or association of persons can be...
. The gun was designed as a weapon for law enforcement
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
agencies. However, due to size and recoil it found more favor with civilian
Civilian
A civilian under international humanitarian law is a person who is not a member of his or her country's armed forces or other militia. Civilians are distinct from combatants. They are afforded a degree of legal protection from the effects of war and military occupation...
target shooters and hunters.
Development
In the early 1960s, Elmer KeithElmer Keith
Elmer Keith was an Idaho rancher, firearms enthusiast, and author. Keith was instrumental in the development of the first magnum revolver cartridge, the .357 Magnum, as well as the later .44 Magnum and .41 Magnum cartridges.-Personality and life:Keith's trademarks were his cigars, his ten-gallon...
, Bill Jordan
Bill Jordan (Marine)
William Henry "Bill" Jordan was an American lawman, United States Marine and author.Born in 1911 in Louisiana, he served for over 30 years with the U.S. Border Patrol, while also serving as a US Marine during World War II and the Korean War...
, and Skeeter Skelton
Skeeter Skelton
Charles Allan 'Skeeter' Skelton was an American lawman and firearms writer. After serving in the US Marine Corps from 1945-46 he began a law enforcement career which included service with the US Border Patrol, a term as Sheriff of Deaf Smith County, Texas, and investigator with both the US...
, all noted firearms authorities and authors, lobbied
Lobbying
Lobbying is the act of attempting to influence decisions made by officials in the government, most often legislators or members of regulatory agencies. Lobbying is done by various people or groups, from private-sector individuals or corporations, fellow legislators or government officials, or...
Remington Arms
Remington Arms
Remington Arms Company, Inc. was founded in 1816 by Eliphalet Remington in Ilion, New York, as E. Remington and Sons. It is the oldest company in the United States which still makes its original product, and is the oldest continuously operating manufacturer in North America. It is the only U.S....
and Smith & Wesson to introduce a new .41 caliber
Caliber
In guns including firearms, caliber or calibre is the approximate internal diameter of the barrel in relation to the diameter of the projectile used in it....
police cartridge with the objective of filling a perceived ballistic
Terminal ballistics
Terminal ballistics, a sub-field of ballistics, is the study of the behavior of a projectile when it hits its target. It is often referred to as stopping power when dealing with human or other living targets. Terminal ballistics is relevant both for small caliber projectiles as well as for large...
performance gap between the .357
.357 Magnum
The .357 S&W Magnum , or simply .357 Magnum, is a revolver cartridge created by Elmer Keith, Phillip B. Sharpe, Colonel D. B. Wesson of firearms manufacturer Smith & Wesson, and Winchester. It is based upon Smith & Wesson's earlier .38 Special cartridge. The .357 Magnum cartridge was introduced in...
and .44
.44 Magnum
The .44 Remington Magnum, or simply .44 Magnum, is a large-bore cartridge originally designed for revolvers. After introduction, it was quickly adopted for carbines and rifles...
Magnums, thus creating a chambering which they believed would be the ultimate for law enforcement purposes.
In April 1964 Remington responded by introducing the .41 Magnum cartridge, and in concert, Smith and Wesson launched the Model 57 revolver chambered for the new ammunition.
Elmer Keith originally proposed the Moniker ".41 Police" for the new cartridge, but Remington instead chose to call it the .41 Magnum, hoping to capitalize on the notoriety and popularity of its earlier Magnum offerings.
Features
First introduced in April 1964, the Model 57 was produced with 4", 6", 6-1/2", and 8-3/8" barrelsGun barrel
A gun barrel is the tube, usually metal, through which a controlled explosion or rapid expansion of gases are released in order to propel a projectile out of the end at a high velocity....
in both highly polished
Metal polishing
Polishing and buffing are finishing processes for smoothing a workpiece's surface using an abrasive and a work wheel. Technically polishing refers to processes that use an abrasive that is glued to the work wheel, while buffing uses a loose abrasive applied to the work wheel...
blued
Bluing (steel)
Bluing is a passivation process in which steel is partially protected against rust, and is named after the blue-black appearance of the resulting protective finish. True gun bluing is an electrochemical conversion coating resulting from an oxidizing chemical reaction with iron on the surface...
and nickel
Nickel
Nickel is a chemical element with the chemical symbol Ni and atomic number 28. It is a silvery-white lustrous metal with a slight golden tinge. Nickel belongs to the transition metals and is hard and ductile...
–plated
Electroless nickel plating
Electroless nickel plating is an auto-catalytic chemical technique used to deposit a layer of nickel-phosphorus or nickel-boron alloy on a solid workpiece, such as metal or plastic. The process relies on the presence of a reducing agent, for example hydrated sodium hypophosphite which reacts with...
finishes. Using the S&W large "N" frame, the Model 57 was one of the companies’ premier products, offering superb fit and finish, basically the same pistol
Pistol
When distinguished as a subset of handguns, a pistol is a handgun with a chamber that is integral with the barrel, as opposed to a revolver, wherein the chamber is separate from the barrel as a revolving cylinder. Typically, pistols have an effective range of about 100 feet.-History:The pistol...
as the famous S&W Model 29
S&W Model 29
The Smith & Wesson Model 29 is a six-shot, double-action revolver chambered for the .44 Magnum cartridge and manufactured by the U.S. company Smith & Wesson...
, except in .41 instead of .44 caliber. Like the Model 29, the 57 sported a red insert front sight
Sight (device)
A sight is a device used to assist aligning or aim weapons, surveying instruments, or other items by eye. Sights can be a simple set or system of markers that have to be aligned together as well as aligned with the target...
with a white outline
adjustable rear iron
Iron sight
Iron sights are a system of shaped alignment markers used as a sighting device to assist in the aiming of a device such as a firearm, crossbow, or telescope, and exclude the use of optics as in telescopic sights or reflector sights...
open sight, as well as a target
Bullseye (shooting competition)
Bullseye, also known as conventional pistol, is a shooting sport in which participants shoot handguns at paper targets at fixed distances and time limits. A number of organizations, including the NRA and Civilian Marksmanship Program in the United States, have established rules and keep records for...
trigger, target hammer
Hammer (firearm)
thumb|150px|Hammer with an integral [[firing pin]] on a [[S&W Model 13]] revolver The hammer of a firearm was given its name for both resemblance and functional similarity to the common tool...
, and oversized wooden target grips.
Ammunition
Remington originally offered two ammunitionAmmunition
Ammunition is a generic term derived from the French language la munition which embraced all material used for war , but which in time came to refer specifically to gunpowder and artillery. The collective term for all types of ammunition is munitions...
loadings in its .41 Magnum cartridge lineup. The first was a full-power 1300-1400 ft/s hunting or heavy-usage soft point bullet|jacketed soft point bullet which rivaled the stopping power
Stopping power
Stopping power is a colloquial term used to describe the ability of a firearm or other weapon to cause a penetrating ballistic injury to a target, human or animal, sufficient to incapacitate the target where it stands....
of the mighty .44 magnum while boasting less recoil and a flatter bullet
Bullet
A bullet is a projectile propelled by a firearm, sling, or air gun. Bullets do not normally contain explosives, but damage the intended target by impact and penetration...
trajectory
Trajectory
A trajectory is the path that a moving object follows through space as a function of time. The object might be a projectile or a satellite, for example. It thus includes the meaning of orbit—the path of a planet, an asteroid or a comet as it travels around a central mass...
. The second loading was a less powerful 1,150 ft/s 210 grain lead semiwadcutter
Semiwadcutter
A semiwadcutter or SWC is a type of all-purpose bullet commonly used in revolvers. The SWC combines features of the wadcutter target bullet and traditional round nosed revolver bullets, and is used in both revolver and pistol cartridges for hunting, target shooting, and plinking...
intended for law enforcement usage.
Market response
Due to a number of factors the .41 Magnum unfortunately never became the "next great police loading" that its developers and supporters envisioned.First, the majority of departments and rank and file officers were perfectly content with their traditional .38 Special
.38 Special
The .38 Smith & Wesson Special is a rimmed, centerfire cartridge designed by Smith & Wesson. It is most commonly used in revolvers, although some semi-automatic pistols and carbines also use this round...
revolvers, and if more stopping power was needed, cartridges such as the popular .357 Magnum
.357 Magnum
The .357 S&W Magnum , or simply .357 Magnum, is a revolver cartridge created by Elmer Keith, Phillip B. Sharpe, Colonel D. B. Wesson of firearms manufacturer Smith & Wesson, and Winchester. It is based upon Smith & Wesson's earlier .38 Special cartridge. The .357 Magnum cartridge was introduced in...
were available. In addition, when senior police officials could be convinced to evaluate the .41 Magnum, many complained that even the lighter .41 magnum "Police load" was unpleasant to fire, while the .357 Magnum offered adequate performance without the bruising recoil and muzzle blast associated with the .41. Also, the marketing decision by S&W and Remington to dub the cartridge a "Magnum" ended up working against them in their desire to address the law enforcement market. Police organizations found the connotation of a hi-powered "Magnum" hunting-type weapon to be unpalatable in an era when they were struggling with political correctness
Political correctness
Political correctness is a term which denotes language, ideas, policies, and behavior seen as seeking to minimize social and institutional offense in occupational, gender, racial, cultural, sexual orientation, certain other religions, beliefs or ideologies, disability, and age-related contexts,...
and pursued positive public relations
Public relations
Public relations is the actions of a corporation, store, government, individual, etc., in promoting goodwill between itself and the public, the community, employees, customers, etc....
to offset any possible public perception
Perception
Perception is the process of attaining awareness or understanding of the environment by organizing and interpreting sensory information. All perception involves signals in the nervous system, which in turn result from physical stimulation of the sense organs...
of police brutality
Police brutality
Police brutality is the intentional use of excessive force, usually physical, but potentially also in the form of verbal attacks and psychological intimidation, by a police officer....
. Although the .41 Magnum was adopted as a police departmental standard by a few cities such as Amarillo and San Antonio TX, most chose to pass. In addition, introduced in the shadow of its limelight
Limelight
Limelight is a type of stage lighting once used in theatres and music halls. An intense illumination is created when an oxyhydrogen flame is directed at a cylinder of quicklime , which can be heated to 2572 °C before melting. The light is produced by a combination of incandescence and...
-grabbing 'big brother' the .44 Magnum Model 29, the Model 57 struggled from its onset to garner much market share
Market share
Market share is the percentage of a market accounted for by a specific entity. In a survey of nearly 200 senior marketing managers, 67 percent responded that they found the "dollar market share" metric very useful, while 61% found "unit market share" very useful.Marketers need to be able to...
. This gap widened further when Clint Eastwood
Clint Eastwood
Clinton "Clint" Eastwood, Jr. is an American film actor, director, producer, composer and politician. Eastwood first came to prominence as a supporting cast member in the TV series Rawhide...
used a "Most powerful hangun in the world" Model 29 in the popular film Dirty Harry. In the aftermath of the film's release, many contemporaries of the .44 Magnum, including the .41, somewhat fell out of favor with the general public and American firearms market. Finally, a series of hugely popular and successful lighter and smaller-framed revolvers crafted from stainless steel
Stainless steel
In metallurgy, stainless steel, also known as inox steel or inox from French "inoxydable", is defined as a steel alloy with a minimum of 10.5 or 11% chromium content by mass....
emerged in the mid 1980s. These police-issue oriented firearms, exemplified by models such as the S&W Model 66, accelerated the Model 57's demise. Overall, the Model 57 and its variants failed to generate the interest (or sales
Sales (accounting)
In bookkeeping, accounting, and finance, Net sales are operating revenues earned by a company when it sells its products. Revenue are reported directly on the income statement as Sales or Net sales....
) which had been hoped for.
Variants
Recently appearing on their website, Smith & Wesson have reintroduced the model 57 in their new classics line: it comes in blued and nickel finishes, in a 6" and a 4" inch barrel length. It costs $1,074.00, which is much cheaper than its similar model 29.Smith & Wesson Model 58
On July 10, 1964, S&W introduced a more basic and inexpensive .41 Magnum intended for procurementProcurement
Procurement is the acquisition of goods or services. It is favourable that the goods/services are appropriate and that they are procured at the best possible cost to meet the needs of the purchaser in terms of quality and quantity, time, and location...
by police departments. This budget version of the Model 57 was similar in principle of design to the .38 Special S&W heavy-barrel Model 10, or .357 Magnum Model 28 Highway Patrolman
Smith & Wesson Model 28
The Smith & Wesson Model 28, also known as the Highway Patrolman, is a revolver chambered for the .357 Magnum cartridge, in production from 1954 to 1986. It is a budget version of the S&W Model 27.-Development:...
. Weighing in at 41 ounces, the Model 58 featured a 4" barrel, fixed iron open sights, and simpler standard "magna service" grips
Pistol grip
On a firearm or other tool, the pistol grip is that portion of the mechanism that is held by the hand and orients the hand in a forward, vertical orientation, similar to the position one would take with a conventional pistol such as the M1911....
. Finish options were the same as its upscale Model 57 brethren, blued and nickel, but shortly after the Model 58's introduction S&W decided a less expensive "matte" bluing treatment would be more appropriate for the basic "workingman" model. The no-frills Model 58 also lacked an ejection rod shroud, but retained the pinned barrel and counter bored cylinder of the more expensive Model 57. The Model 58 was manufactured from 1964 to 1977 and roughly 20,000 were produced. 2008 it came onto the market again in bright nickel and bright blue finish.
Smith & Wesson Model 657
In the fall of 1985 S & W introduced a stainless variation of the Model 57 called the 657. In 1986 S & W manufactured a special group of Model 657 which featured a 3" barrel, rounded butt, wood stocks, red ramped front sight and white out rear sights. There was a total of 5490 of these made.No longer in production, the S&W Model 657 was a stainless steel version of the standard blued carbon steel Model 57, available with identical features and in the same barrel lengths.
Smith & Wesson Model 57-5 Mountain gun
A semi-custom version of the standard Model 57, the Model 57-5 "Mountain gun" has been marketed at various times by Smith and Wesson. In 2006 theSmith & Wesson Model 357PD
Similar to the "Mountain Gun" and also listed in the S&W 2006 catalog, the 357PD was offered with a dull finish black 4-inch stainless steel barrel, titanium cylinder, a red dotRed dot sight
A red dot sight is a common classification for a type of non-magnifying reflector sight for firearms that gives the user an aimpoint in the form of an illuminated red dot...
front sight and adjustable rear, and also included wood finger groove grips. It weighed 27.5 oz and was marketed as an ideal backcountry
Backcountry
A backcountry area in general terms is a geographical region that is:* isolated* remote* undeveloped* difficult to accessThe term may apply to various regions that are reasonably close to urban areas but are:* not immediately accessible by car...
/hiker's
Hiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
carry pistol.