Nice thread, makes me want to get a S&W 357, for the guys in the know, what model would run period correct with a S&W model of 1955 45 ACP/Auto Rim? it's a five screw 6" blue revolver with target hammer and trigger.
The only 357 Smith made during that time period, that I'm aware of, was the N frame model 27. I don't remember what year the model 28 came out, but it's simply a more spartan version of same anyway. A 5" model 27 was always one of Skeeter's favorites. Do you have his book,
Good Friends, Good Guns Good Whiskey? If not, I highly recommend it. I very much enjoyed Skeeter's stories. No offense to old Elmer, but much more so than his. My second choice for that era would be a 3 1/2" "FBI type" model, like the early agents carried. I've never been fortunate enough to own either barrel length. My personal model 27's that I can remember, were 6 and 8 3/8" barrels.
I trimmed the stable a few years back and got rid of my model 19 and GP 100's. Now the only 357's that I remember having are a model 28 in near new condition, that I inherited and my wife's Colt Magnum Carry (a Detective Special in 357 that Colt only made for a short time before one of the times they went under). I traded her 38 Special Detective Special on it so she'd have more versatility. It is wicked with 357's though.
I guess they used to convert model 20's (the 38-44 Heavy Duty) to 357, but I've heard they were not of the same steel as the model 27 and that this was not a good practice. I have no idea of the truth to this statement.
