The Model 58 Smith & Wesson .41 M&P Revolver may have been the wrong gun at the wrong time, but that is exactly why collectors still talk about it. Smith & Wesson introduced the Model 58 in 1964 and discontinued it in 1977 after making only about 20,000 examples.
This gun was intended for, and marketed to, law enforcement agencies. My FFL guy, Benny, is one of the biggest fans of big-bore Smith & Wesson handguns. After he gave me a copy of Elmer Keith’s Hell, I Was There, I began looking for the right example of one of these old big-bore revolvers.
Why the Model 58 Appeals to Collectors
Choosing this model and caliber to add to my collection was easy. At first glance, the gun reminds me of the .38 Special heavy-barrel Model 10. The fact that the Model 58 was a sales failure and produced in such low numbers only added to its collector appeal.
Although I was unable to determine exactly how many were nickel plated versus blued, I am speculating that only about ten percent, or roughly 2,000 of the 20,000, were factory nickel-plated finish. That makes a nice nickel example the kind of revolver that catches a collector’s attention quickly.
The Wrong Gun at the Wrong Time?
If there is a bigger fan of Elmer Keith and the Smith & Wesson magnums than Benny, I have yet to meet him. I let Benny know that giving me that book cost me some serious money this time. I have seen a few guns like this one over the years, but rarely have I seen one for sale.
In my research, I read a toe-sack full of reasons why the gun was not successful. Some blamed the name, some blamed the cartridge, some said the .41 should have arrived before the .44, and some argued the gun should have been built on a K-frame instead of the larger N-frame.
The aim was right, but the target moved? I don’t think so — or at least, not entirely.
The one argument I disagree with most is the idea that semi-automatic pistols were already pushing revolvers out of law enforcement in 1964. Not in 1964. Not even in 1974. That shift did happen, but it came later, in the 1980s.
The .41 Magnum Idea
Before I opine on the commercial failure of the gun, I need to make one thing clear. If I had been there in 1963 when Elmer Keith, Bill Jordan, and Skeeter Skelton petitioned for a caliber to bridge the gap between .357 and .44, I would have listened to them, trusted them, and yielded to their knowledge and experience.
In defense of those three men, the resulting gun and cartridge were not exactly what they envisioned. Colt did not get on board the .41 Remington Magnum bandwagon and never produced a gun for it.
If the need for a bigger, more powerful sidearm had been dire in the minds of end users, they would have adapted to it. My Colt Python .357 is of similar size and weight and I have owned it for more than 30 years, yet I have never carried it. I have carried my lightweight Colt Cobra .38 a lot.
Collector Takeaway: The .41 Magnum was a solution to a problem that not enough people identified with — and that failure is part of what makes the Model 58 interesting today.
How Smith & Wesson Promoted It
The .41 Remington Magnum and Model 58 were created for law enforcement and the cartridge was developed to fill the gap between the .357 and .44 Magnums. Decades later, the .40 S&W would be marketed in a similar middle-ground role between 9mm and .45 ACP.
This Smith & Wesson .41 M&P is giving undergunned urban policemen a new lease on life!
With 2½ times the stopping power of a .38 Special, yet virtually no increase in danger to innocents, the big new S&W .41 Military & Police revolver was pitched as the gun patrolmen had needed for a long time. In the .41 “city” loading, a big, flat-nosed 210-grain bullet moved out “just fast enough.”
What if you want range and penetration? Slip in some .41 Magnum rounds. They have the same reach as the .44 Magnum, with 25% less recoil.
Several cities, including Amarillo, Texas, reportedly standardized on this gun. It was also recommended for purchase in large cities considering a switch.
Conclusion
Elmer Keith said he had no use for a handgun without adjustable sights. On the other hand, I have little use for adjustable sights on a handgun. In the case of the .41, I admit that a gun this size appears somewhat odd without them.
Still, I love this one. If it had adjustable sights it would not be a Model 58 — it would be a Model 57. The gun that was supposed to be ideal for law enforcement instead became ideal for collectors. It is truly an objet d’art: an object of historical interest.
Smith & Wesson Model 58 Serial Number Ranges
The serial numbers of the Model 58 fall within the broader range of S&W N-frame serial numbers. These tables are useful for general dating, but collectors should still verify details with factory records when originality matters.
S-Series 1960s Guns
| S&W Year of DOM | Begin | End |
|---|---|---|
| Late 1964 — Early 1965 | S236000 | S257999 |
| Late 1965 — Early 1966 | S258000 | S261999 |
| Late 1966 — Early 1967 | S262000 | S289999 |
| Late 1967 — Early 1968 | S290000 | S304999 |
| Late 1968 — Early 1969 | S305000 | S329999 |
| Late 1969 — Early 1970 | S330000 | S333454 |
N-Series 1970s Guns
| S&W Year of DOM | Begin | End |
|---|---|---|
| 1970–1972 | N1 | N60000 |
| 1972–1974 | N60001 | N190000 |
| 1975–1977 | N190001 | N430000 |
Smith & Wesson introduced the Model 58 in 1964 and discontinued it in 1977 after making only about 20,000 of the guns, of which, approximately 2,000 were factory nickel-plated finish.
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About Greg Cook
Greg Cook writes about firearms collecting, personal history, and the stories behind interesting guns. His Army MOS was 76Y, Unit Armorer, and he brings that practical background to his collector articles.