Model 657 3"

[Mike Irwin]

My contractor brought over his Model 657 3" for me to look at the other day.

It's not pinned/not recessed and has an AAF serial number prefix, so it appears that it was made within a few years after S&W dropped the pinning and recessing.

But, other than a small batch some years earlier, I didn't know that S&W had made 3" 657s.

My edition of Nahaus and Supica has very little information on the 3" variation from this time frame, but I get the impression that not many of this barrel length were made.

Anyone have any additional information that they can share?

 

[ko41]

The Model 657 was introduced in late 1985 therefore they were never pinned and recessed. In 1986 - 1987 S&W made a run of 5,490 Model 657 revolvers with a 3 inch barrel, red ramp front sight, white outline rear sight, round butt and wood combat stocks. Serial number prefixes were ANE, ANK, ANN, and ANP. The AAF prefix of your contractor's 657 pre-dates the introduction of the 657 by 3-4 years. That is a little odd, but not unheard of. There is the possibility that is a custom done by someone other than S&W.





KO

 

[rodfac]

Geez, Mike...that's my new #1 grail gun...didn't know one existed either. Any chance it's one of the dealer runs...it doesn't look like a custom gunsmithed conversion to me. Rod

 

[absolute0]

These guns were done for several years in the 80s as a special run for Lew Horton.

Undoubtedly a few made their way out to market through other chnnels but the 3" 657 was and is relatively hard to come by. If you can find one in decent shape for under $1000 grab it!

 

[ko41]

The 3 inch Model 657 product code 103951 was not a Lew Horton exclusive, they could be ordered from any S&W distributor. 5490 of the revolvers were made in 1986.




The 3 inch full lug barrel product code 148119 was a Lew Horton Exclusive.


Another 3 inch version that went through Lew Horton was product code 170115. This was a Performance Center "Classic Series" 657-2 with S.N prefix BNZ, Lew Horton was delivered 8 of these revolvers.

KO

 

[Sodbuster]

As uncle Bill Martino would say, "good stuff." Thanks for posting, ko41. Nice looking revolvers, to state the obvious.

 

[absolute0]

ko is absolutely correct...(pun intended)

After reading his posts I referred back to my SCSW and the 3" round butt 657 was indeed a regular production gun in 1986. The Lew Horton reference I had in my head was a small run of several hundred done in 1998 mentioned in the variations notes.

Regardless, it's a wonderful package of size, firepower and style for a serious woods carry revolver.

 

[Mike Irwin]

Excellent information -- thanks!

I don't know much about the stainless steel (soulless steel) guns. If it has a 6 at the front of the model number, I'm not much interested. But, I had through that the 657 was introduced in 1982...

The serial number prefix might have been ANN. I didn't have my reading glasses at home, and I didn't feel like digging out my magnifying glass.

I looked at my second edition SCSW, but I couldn't find anything about it being a production gun; that information may not have gotten into that edition.

 

[ko41]

There is a little more information about the 657 in the 4th edition of the SCSW, not much, but a little more. Most of my info came from Earl Minot of Lew Horton Distributing, factory S&W letter from Roy Jinks of S&W, Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th editions and other S&W collectors.

The 3" 657 was a one time "special" run of 5490 revolvers in 1986, but it was not exclusive to any one distributor. The one I posted a photo of was my first 657. I purchased it new back around 1989 to go with my two 8 3/8" Model 57s.

KO

 

[Baba Louie]

ko41, with your post count I was about to welcome you & your awesome first 3 posts to TFL, but I guess I'd be about 8 years too late!

 

[22-rimfire]

Beautiful 3" 657. Wouldn't mind owning one. I am in the soulless camp with stainless guns in general. Thanks for the info.

 

[ko41]

Thanks Baba, I was surprised to see those were my first posts here. I cruise on in every once in a while and the topic of this thread fit into my specialty of .41 Magnum, so I thought I could be of help.

KO