Smith Model 58 .41 magnum ??

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Wheelgunners, tell me about the S&W model 58 .41 magnum. Saw one today and it was awesome, short barrel 4" I think, bull barrel, and better workmanship than I have seen in a Smith in many years. Good, bad? opinions, facts etc.
 
Does it look anything like this? If so, it is one great handgun. The recoil is more like a 44 Special than a 44 Mag or 357 Mag. The M58s are drawing a premium if the States. Regards, Richard :D
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They are a nice S&W N-frame, and fairly rare. Only ever saw one at the Firing Line, and the owner wouldn't part with it. Ammo might be hard to find cheap, but if you reload .41 Mag it would be fun to shoot.
 
At the time the .41 magnum and the M-58 S&W seemed like "the answer" for the law enforcement issue gun. The .357 had issues with over penetration, the .38's didn't have a good stopping reputation. Auto's hadn't caught on - at least not in North America. The .44 magnum was too much, but the .41 had a reduced load pushing a 210 gr bullet at 900 fps. Half a dozen departments in the US issued the guns, but some chose the full bore loading. Cost of training went up, serious problems arose with respect to qualifying, and the over penetration issues created by the .357 got worse. The guns were dropped within a couple of years - and the .41 magnum experiment was classified as a failure. I would consider a S&W M-58 as very desirable.
 
It's too bad they never built a M29 in that configuration, the adjustable sights on mine are always getting beat up and loose
 
As Richardoldfield and Boomer say - they are rare and command a premium. I have been looking on Gunbroker lately and they all seem to be in the $700 US (or higher) range.

Rick
 
Richard, that's it except for the grips, the one I have seen is beautiful, really deep blue, I think I will pick it up. I have 12(6) but I hope they bin the classifications system.
 
I have the 6" barreled version. Its a real sweetheart! Everyone that tries it likes it! The .41 Magnum cartridge never really caught on. It was intended as a police service round but it was introduced at a time when most police departmnets were going to the semi-auto wonder-nines. It has a following in the US where the handgun hunters find it much more manageable recoil and noise wise than the .44 Magnum but with the same terminal results on the other end.
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S&W .41 Magnum...

I've got the same gun as Snow Dog... a S&W Model 57 with 6" barrel. Great wheel gun! I sold my Model 29 .44 Mag after I acquired the .41 Magnum. Spend a little on mine getting MD Charlton to give it a "distinguished tune". Man the action on it is slick now... :p :D

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San Francisco PD issued the Model 58 but ran into problems with the troops not being able to handle the big .41 so they dumped it. I think Utah or some other western state Highway Patrol also issued it for a short time also.
 
I have a couple M57's and a M657 and have been searching for a M58 for a long time with no luck. I also have a Ruger Bisley and Blackhawk in .41mag.
It's a great caliber that is catching on again in the states for a few at least. Handloading is a must as the factory stuff costs more than .44mag does.

I took my 657 deer hunting this year but used the shotgun as they were aways out, past my 30 yard self imposed rule for open sights on deer.

Even with hot handloads I use for hunting it is a comfortable cartridge to shoot in an N frame size gun. Close to a .44 mag in power but more like a hot .357 to shoot, too bad they didn't catch on better.
 
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