Well c mac there are two 657s' in the family just now, neither of which belongs to me. My youngest son tracked down my very first hunting handgun (657), that I had traded for my first Contender, and bought it back from the person who had it. That 657 is the old style. My granddaughter has a new style 657 but is isn't stock. It was given to me by one of my agrichemical suppliers for Christmas last year and Santa put it under the tree for my granddaughter. The person who transferred it to me told me that it had been through the S/W Performance Center for the works (what ever that means) and had never been shot. All I can say is that this 657 is as tight as a bull's butt in fly season and that action is "slick as snot". I don't really like those rubber grips on any heavy loaded handgun. I find they "grab" my hand and don't move naturally with the recoil like walnut or horn does. My son and granddaughter both have the rubber on their 657s' and just love them, just not for me.
I have never in all my years of fooling with the .41RemMag found a "bad" one. I have spoken to a few shooters who for what ever reason didn't like their .41 mostly because they had "bigger is better ites" and not because of problems with the gun. If I was in the market for yet another .41 I'd look hard at the new S/W 657 and $550.00 is within asking in my neck of the woods.
