When were my revolvers made?

[Nightcrawler]

Can anybody give me a rough estimate of when my revolvers were made?

I have a S&W Model 25-5, .45 Colt, serial number BAR 5XXX, and a S&W Model 57 .41 Magnum, Serial number N 876 XXX.

Any ideas? Thanks.

 

[Tamara]

Looks like early '88 and 1981, respectively.

 

[Ala Dan]

Greeting's Nightcrawler-

Your model 25 was probably made between Jan - July of 1988.
Your model 57 was made in 1981.

*FootNote- source- Supica & Nahas Standard Catalog Of
Smith & Wesson, 2nd edition.

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member

 

[Nightcrawler]

That was quick; thanks guys!

1981, hey? That's interesting; that's the same year I was made. LOL

 

[C.R.Sam]

And the last year of pinned barrels across the line.
And the last year of recessed chambers on production magnums.

Sam

 

[Nightcrawler]

Pinned barrel? Recessed chamber?

These are desirable features, I'm guessing?

 

[Tamara]

Nightcrawler,

More from a collectability standpoint than anything else.

Pinned barrel makes it easier to line sights up without overtorqueing barrel, however the later crush-fit barrels aren't as dependent on perfectly cut and mated threads to not rattle about in the frame.

Recessed chambers aren't important unless you stumbled across some ultra-rare balloon-head .41 Mag brass. (They sure do look stylish, though... )

 

[Mike Irwin]

"That's interesting; that's the same year I was made."

Puppy!

 

[Nightcrawler]

My 57 would make a decent collector's piece. It's so new that it only barely has the ring around the cylinder. It doesn't have the burnt stuff inside the chambers that my 25-5 has (you know, that you get from shooting a revolver?), and it locks up like a bank vault. There's only a little finish wear around the very tip of the muzzle.

Hmm...not bad for $350.00. Too bad I plan to shoot the heck out of it, I guess, but I didn't buy it as a collector's item. I don't think I WOULD buy a gun I didn't want to shoot.

And Mike...I may be young, but I'm ambitious and conniving.

 

[Tamara]

Too bad I plan to shoot the heck out of it, I guess

Who said anything about not shooting it?

I shoot all my S&W's...


A 1981 square-butt 6" 57 is nowhere near being in the "Too collectable to shoot" category. Blaze away; enjoy yourself; clast those iconos.

 

[Nightcrawler]

True enough, but whomever owned this before me sure didn't. My gain, I suppose.

I found that I can get it shortened to 4" for about $125.00. I'd really like it if it was 4", but C.R.Sam practically pleaded with me not to.

So I'm torn.

 

[CMcDermott]

Nightcrawler

Instead of cutting that 6" barrel, you can buy a 4" barrel for your gun from Numrich Gun Parts (~135$) and have it installed. That way you could still re-install the 6" later if you find you want the longer barrel or you need to sell the gun in it's original condition.

 

[Nightcrawler]

Instead of cutting that 6" barrel, you can buy a 4" barrel for your gun from Numrich Gun Parts (~135$) and have it installed.

Number one, it'd cost more.

Number two, none of the places I"ve checked have 4" blued .41 Mag barrels. They're all either nickel or stainless, which would necessitate a complete rifinish after installation, further increasing the cost.

 

[BluesBear]

Simple solution.

Find a nice 4" 57 and sell ME your 6"



See told ya it was simple.

 

[Nightcrawler]

Yes, but again, a new 57 4" would still cost more.

So no. Get your own M57. LOL

 

[BluesBear]

Yeah but I might just be willing to pay more for your 6" 57 than you did.

So you might even come out ahead on the deal.

 

[Nightcrawler]

Having thought about it....naah. I don't think I could ever part with my M57. I just KNOW I'd be kicking myself about it later. Heck, I don't even know if I have the heart to shorten it. I guarantee you I couldn't bring myself to shorten my M25-5.

 

[caz223]

I'm in the same boat.
I have a 2000 production 657 that shoots great (Better than great!).
The problem, you ask?
It's a freakin' monster.
7+ inches of front-heavy N-frame.
I'd buy a 657 snubby, but they're waaaay out of my price range.
I haven't even found a 4 incher that I wanted (Well, I did last week, but SaxonPig beat me to it!).
There are a couple of great looking frankN-frames out there, esp. in .41 magnum.
Less than 4" stainless N-frame .41 magnum with a gold dot- v notch adjustable sight.

Better than defacing my 'model of 1989' 5 1/2" 627, I guess.
You can blame M58, Robert in Oregon, Phil in Seattle, and Tamara for doing this to me.
They have some reaaaaalllly nice pics of snubby or chopped 657s.
By the way, don't ever look at the pics in the thread that follows, they will make you cry.
http://thehighroad.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=15957

I'm sorry I have to keep linking to it, but Robert's PC657 snubby is the prettiest thing I have ever seen.

 

[M58]

 

[Nightcrawler]

Hmm...thinking...thinking...thinking...

How's a 5" barrel sound on an N-Frame? Just occured to me that it doesn't HAVE to be either 4 or 6 inches. I don't even have a CCW right now, so I'm not especially concerned with that...

 

[Hal]

Number one, it'd cost more.

Jeeze dude, if it comes down to saving that 6" tube - -

I'll pay the difference. I mean we're only talking 10 bucks or so difference.

 

[Tamara]

They're all either nickel or stainless, which would necessitate a complete rifinish after installation, further increasing the cost.

You of course realize that you could probably sell the virgin 6" tube on ebay for enough money to recoup the cost of the refinish.

Besides, shortened barrels with their obviously off-centered rollmarks are just so declasse.

 

[Nightcrawler]

Hmm...maybe I"ll get it parkerized, too, Tam. Put some black rubber Pachmayr Decellerators on there. You know, something pretty like that.

 

[Tamara]

Hmm...maybe I"ll get it parkerized, too, Tam. Put some black rubber Pachmayr Decellerators on there.

Why not? Mine got matte blued, magnaported, round-butted and fitted with pau ferro Hogues. Pachmayrs are not only hideous, but they harden and crack with age and exposure to UV light and solvents. Decelerators just ain't necessary on a 4" or 5" .41; the gun doesn't have enough recoil to need 'em, and they're bulky enough to screw with CCW-ability and a proper grip for DA trigger work, unless you have hands like Chewbacca.

 

[C.R.Sam]

Nightcrawler is thoroughly tweekin me.

Sam