The .41 Magnum cartridge never really took off the way the designers and proponents expected it to, though it has a loyal fan base and has managed to hold on for almost 50 years. To be honest, I don’t think that I had shot one before we did the BallisticsByTheInch.com tests of the cartridge a couple of years ago. For the “real world” component of the test, we had a Smith & Wesson Classic Model 57 revolver. Or a perfect match.
I feel like a lover of the forlorn with my adoration of oft-forgotten rounds like the 16 gauge and the .41 Magnum, but Smith & Wesson has swept me off my feet today. One of my favorite Magnum wheel gun rounds, the .41 Magnum, is back thanks to Smith & Wesson’s Classic line of revolvers. Much to the delight of hunters, collectors and handgun enthusiasts, this includes the underappreciated Model 57 in .41 Magnum. Though the 57 Classic was first reintroduced in 2009 in several variants, it has now been fine- tuned to this single offering.
The Smith & Wesson Model 57 Classic is a modern version of the original 57 that was introduced in 1964. The Classic Model 57 was introduced by S&W at the 2009 SHOT Show. Since that 2009 re-introduction, the available variations have narrowed on this classic wheelgun to one.