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Sidearms & Scatterguns Smith & Wesson Model 57

Lapuapalooza

Benefactor of the Resurrection
Full Member
Minuteman
  • Dec 24, 2013
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    Colorado
    Can anyone help determine a fair value on a Model 57 Smith & Wesson with a 4” barrel, blued, serial number begins with N6, and is very nice with light handling marks, cylinder marks, etc...
     
    depends on the situation.

    do you want a 41 magnum? are you buying or selling? did you approach the owner, or did they approach you? and if you are the seller, vice-verse?

    41 mags are a beautiful thing, but you should know that feeding them can be difficult-unless you handload. if you ask me, they are about the most perfect revolver round out there. you can go mild, or wild. whichever you need or want.
     
    The gun is part of my FIL’s estate. I have a friend that wants to buy it, so I’m trying to find a fair value on it.

    Thanks for your help guys!
     
    Not that it would help much, but back in the early 90's, I paid 400 dollars for a used 657 with a 4" barrel.
    It was a fair price then, you're talking nearly 30 years ago.
     
    The gun is part of my FIL’s estate. I have a friend that wants to buy it, so I’m trying to find a fair value on it.

    Thanks for your help guys!
    post a picture. given the situation you describe, a lot depends on the vintage and condition. where does your concern lie? in getting the most for your wife’s family? letting a friend get a solid buy on a great gun? or somewhere in beween?
    i’d say somewhere between 800 and 950 depending on the model, extras, condition, vintage, etc.
     
    Gunbroker has a lot of optimistic chancers as far as prices.
    A lot depends on dash number ie- 57 or 57-2, condition; your 98% might be someone else's 90% and whether it has box, tools, paperwork etc. the S&W forum might be a place to ask for a realistic sense of value. Pics would be helpful, though.
     
    I’ll see if I can post photos shortly. I need to settle an estate, and this is one of the pieces I need to deal with. If a buddy wants a gun, he’ll need to pay a good price, less any consignment fees that would be incurred at the LGS.
     
    Sounds like an early 80s no dash. I don't have my book on me, but I think they went to the three letters at the same time they eliminated the P&R. I have a 1978 57 no dash that is LNIB, and I love it.

    Light handling marks to me means that the revolver is dinged and scratched, just not too bad...does it have the box/presentation case and paperwork?

    Pics are needed. People's definitions of gun conditions vary quite a bit. 4" barrels have become a bit more sought after.

    Ballpark is 850 for a 90 percent gun with factory wood grips...to 1200 for a 95 percent gun with box, tools, and paperwork.
     
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    The gun is in better shape than I originally described. The box and accessories are there, all except for the formed insert of the box.
     
    yeah....that’s a wood presentation box...which is a helluva lot different that just “the box”. pics help a lot. AND that’s a pinned and recessed gun.

    i’d fork out 1000 for that gun with the box and stuff, and be pretty happy about it. i am not sure, but from the pictures the screws look a little buggered up. it might just be picture quality. i’d say from the pics, anywhere between 1100 to 1500. the only real way to know, is to have quality pictures of every piece of the gun, and put it on gunbroker.
     
    Thanks for your help. I don’t recall seeing any issues with the screws so it is probably photo quality.
    If there wasn’t such a history within the family and the man it belonged to, I would keep it for myself and I don’t consider myself a revolver type of guy...
     
    yeah, that looks really nice, barely a turn line and nice case coloring on the hammer and trigger. Do you have the bag of tools and the paperwork too ?
     
    Most accurate revolver I ever had ( out of literally 75-80 at least) was an early eighties 8 5/8” Model 57. Those are truly great handguns.