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Posted: 4/10/2023 11:22:17 PM EDT
[#1]
Can you post a picture?
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Posted: 4/10/2023 11:35:35 PM EDT
[#2]
You got a great, hard to find gun.
Low production, N frame, square butt, fixed sight. Like a Mod 28 but fixed sights. Always wanted one but never right place or right time. |
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Posted: 4/11/2023 12:02:52 AM EDT
[#3]
S&W made a run of around 3k (I think, may have been 5k) for the NYSP. N-Frame in 357 magnum. However, the NYSP cancelled the order because they were too big/heavy. S&W then sold them on the civilian market. Most are NIB or LNIB, and are rather uncommon. Definitely a keeper.
Any square butt N-Frame grips will work. The 520 model is not a misreading. It's a bit of a misnomer to call it a NYSP gun as they were only ordered by the NYSP but never actually fielded (to my knowledge) before the order was cancelled. |
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Posted: 4/11/2023 12:20:32 AM EDT
[#4]
I have had two over the years. It is a fix sight N frame and any grips for the N frame will work. A really fun gun, but I was into collecting Pythons back then. When you find them, they are rather pricey.
 Attached File |
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Posted: 4/11/2023 12:57:10 AM EDT
[#5]
Quote HistoryQuoted: You got a great, hard to find gun. Low production, N frame, square butt, fixed sight. Like a Mod 28 but fixed sights. Always wanted one but never right place or right time. Thanks for the info… it’s a beautiful piece for sure. |
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Posted: 4/11/2023 1:16:45 AM EDT
[#6]
Quote HistoryQuoted: S&W made a run of around 3k (I think, may have been 5k) for the NYSP. N-Frame in 357 magnum. However, the NYSP cancelled the order because they were too big/heavy. S&W then sold them on the civilian market. Most are NIB or LNIB, and are rather uncommon. Definitely a keeper. Any square butt N-Frame grips will work. The 520 model is not a misreading. It's a bit of a misnomer to call it a NYSP gun as they were only ordered by the NYSP but never actually fielded (to my knowledge) before the order was cancelled. Thank you. I appreciate all the great info! |
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Posted: 4/11/2023 6:40:01 AM EDT
[#7]
I thought (long time since I read that article by Charles Karwan (not sure if that's how he spelled his name or not) in Shooting Times (again, been a long time but I think that was the name of the magazines back in the early 80's) he said S&W only made about a thousand of those revolvers. That's one of the reasons I bought that ugly sucker off the shelf when no one else wanted it. I think I paid around $185 for it (at the time my new 586 cost a little over $200 if I remember correctly - but they were new and people were buying them since they were the answer to a smaller S&W that was capable of shooting .357 magnum ammo all the time.)
I could be wrong about the numbers made. It's been decades. I've never shot mine. Just wiped it down every few years. Sometimes I forget about having it. |
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Posted: 4/11/2023 9:19:18 AM EDT
[#8]
I have one, one of my holy grails. The only fixied sight, 357 N frame Smith ever made. As others have mentioned 3,000 built for a NYSP contract. Contract was cancelled and Smith released to the commercial market. They were quickly snapped up my Smith collectors, most are in near new condition.
Going rate is $1,000 to $1,200. The model number makes sense in Smith's convoluted way. The Model 20 was the old 38/44 Heavy Duty, a plus p 38 special on the N frame. The 520 was it's descendant. The 5 standing for blued steel, 20 for Model 20. |
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Posted: 4/11/2023 4:53:25 PM EDT
[#9]
Quoted: I just inherited a 1980-ish S&W NY state police revolver in .357 It’s very nice but can’t seem to find any info. I was looking at some grips for it but can’t find a 520 anywhere. Maybe I’m looking at the wrong identifier being “520” ? Any info would be great! Thanks A desirable and sought after model. I’d love to have one. |
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Posted: 4/11/2023 9:22:30 PM EDT
[#10]
Before the 520, the NYSP issued gun was the highway patrolman. The 520 idea was a plan to utilize existing holsters and speedloaders and such, saving money. They are a heavy gun ( but no heavier than the highway patrolman they were intended to replace)
Right about the time the contract was under way, S&W introduced the L frame and NY decided to go that way instead. If I recall correctly the 681 L frame was the last issue revolver of NYSP going to glock 17’s after that ( one of the first big agencies to adopt the glock |
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Posted: 4/12/2023 9:27:29 AM EDT
[#11]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Before the 520, the NYSP issued gun was the highway patrolman. The 520 idea was a plan to utilize existing holsters and speedloaders and such, saving money. They are a heavy gun ( but no heavier than the highway patrolman they were intended to replace) Right about the time the contract was under way, S&W introduced the L frame and NY decided to go that way instead. If I recall correctly the 681 L frame was the last issue revolver of NYSP going to glock 17’s after that ( one of the first big agencies to adopt the glock I want to say the Model 13 came into that mix somewhere as well. |
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Posted: 4/12/2023 7:54:47 PM EDT
[#12]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I want to say the Model 13 came into that mix somewhere as well. You are right, I just don’t recall the chronology- the NYSP was one of the first if not first agency to request a model 10 chambered in 357, and the first guns they got were marked model 10 but in 357, with the popularity of this initial special order item resulting in the model 13 being officially listed |
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Posted: 4/12/2023 8:30:53 PM EDT
[#13]
Quoted: It’s very nice but can’t seem to find any info. I was looking at some grips for it but can’t find a 520 anywhere. Introduced in 1980. Square butt, three screw, counterbored, 4" bbl. Originally ordered for the NY State Police but never delivered. The only N-frame .357mag ever made by S&W without target sights. 3,000 mfg in 1980. There's also a 2005 made Model 520 with two-piece bbl, 7-shot. Value is half of the original model. The quoted info is from the S&W Encyclopedia. I know a bit about Smiths but not that much.............. 
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Posted: 4/13/2023 3:27:05 AM EDT
[#14]
The reason why the NYSP canceled the deal was production time. Big Blue was dragging their butts on making the Model 520s. NYSP brass wanted new guns NOW, so in the end, they went with regular Model 28s. Which they then soon replaced with Model 681s. The Model 520s were dumped on the civilian market. I lust after one. They're pricey bastards now.
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Posted: 4/13/2023 4:38:28 AM EDT
[#15]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Before the 520, the NYSP issued gun was the highway patrolman. The 520 idea was a plan to utilize existing holsters and speedloaders and such, saving money. They are a heavy gun ( but no heavier than the highway patrolman they were intended to replace) Right about the time the contract was under way, S&W introduced the L frame and NY decided to go that way instead. If I recall correctly the 681 L frame was the last issue revolver of NYSP going to glock 17’s after that ( one of the first big agencies to adopt the glock So, they saved money by custom-ordering a handgun that deleted the micrometer rear sight and took extra time to get delivered because of it? NY has been full of intellectual giants for decades now apparently. I'd take one if it was a steal, but in no way would this quell my desire for a model 27/28. |
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Posted: 4/13/2023 4:50:41 AM EDT
[#16]
Bak in the day , a gun shop I would stop at had a new one and could not give it away , wish I would of bought it ,
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Posted: 4/13/2023 5:08:31 AM EDT
[#17]
Quote HistoryQuoted: So, they saved money by custom-ordering a handgun that deleted the micrometer rear sight and took extra time to get delivered because of it? NY has been full of intellectual giants for decades now apparently. I'd take one if it was a steal, but in no way would this quell my desire for a model 27/28. Big Blue fucked it all up since they couldn't finish the order for the Model 520s in time. NYSP threatened to cancel the order and go with a competitor, Big Blue offered Model 28s at a lower price. Roy Jinks, S&W Historian states the follwing: "After production of the model 520 had begun, the New York State Police decided that a six month delivery was too long and they became interested in a standard production model. They selected the 4 inch Model 28 as an alternative based on Smith & Wesson's commitment to immediate delivery." In the end, they went with the Model 28 as a stop-gap until the Model 681 came out. My Model 681:  Attached FileAnd it isn't like S&W had to make the such a gun from scratch either. They already had a fixed sight N-Frame gun, the Model 58 in .41 Magnum.  It was produced from 1964 to 1977. They had the tooling for the Model 58 still, the only difference between the Model 58 and Model 520 is .41 Magnum cylinders and barrels versus .357 Magnum cylinders and barrels. But S&W promised a very short turn around time and couldn't deliver. So instead, they offered the NYSP the Model 28s they had on the shelves. |
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Posted: 4/17/2023 8:18:32 PM EDT
[#18]
Quote HistoryQuoted: You got a great, hard to find gun. Low production, N frame, square butt, fixed sight. Like a Mod 28 but fixed sights. Always wanted one but never right place or right time. Same here. This gun should’ve been standard production rather than a rare one-off. Fixed sight (rear notch) N-frames with 4” barrels are cool, like my most-awesome M58 in .41 Mag. Prefer it to the M57. Always wanted a M520 to compliment the M58. |
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Posted: 4/18/2023 2:47:42 PM EDT
[#19]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Same here. This gun should’ve been standard production rather than a rare one-off. Fixed sight (rear notch) N-frames with 4” barrels are cool, like my most-awesome M58 in .41 Mag. Prefer it to the M57. Always wanted a M520 to compliment the M58. Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: You got a great, hard to find gun. Low production, N frame, square butt, fixed sight. Like a Mod 28 but fixed sights. Always wanted one but never right place or right time. Same here. This gun should’ve been standard production rather than a rare one-off. Fixed sight (rear notch) N-frames with 4” barrels are cool, like my most-awesome M58 in .41 Mag. Prefer it to the M57. Always wanted a M520 to compliment the M58. I purchased the only one I've ever seen in the flesh. Local gun store had one in the display case for $368.00 back in 1980. The revolver isn't marked "NYSP" but the label on the box is. It has sat in my safe since I purchased it, never fired. The only thing I did to it was put a pair of sambar stag grips. I lived near Carol Stream, IL at the time and was able to go to Eagle grips in person, where I had my choice from about a dozen pair to choose from. Purchased the one with the most bark and had Eagle craftsmen fit them to my pistol while I waited. Set me back a whopping $60.00 in 1996 dollars. It's the pride of my small S&W collection. Gary |
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Posted: 4/20/2023 2:09:50 PM EDT
[#20]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I have had two over the years. It is a fix sight N frame and any grips for the N frame will work. A really fun gun, but I was into collecting Pythons back then. When you find them, they are rather pricey. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/347286/520_jpg-2778193.JPG N frame is the best frame... |
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Posted: 4/20/2023 4:07:21 PM EDT
[#21]
Man, that's a cool wheel gun. Just says "business".
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Posted: 4/20/2023 8:50:56 PM EDT
[#22]
Quote HistoryQuoted: The guns were never delivered and it wasn't about saving costs on the initial order. It was about saving money in the long run by not having adjustable rear sights being busted through wear and tear. NYSP didn't want to pay armorers to fix busted rear sights. Big Blue fucked it all up since they couldn't finish the order for the Model 520s in time. NYSP threatened to cancel the order and go with a competitor, Big Blue offered Model 28s at a lower price. Roy Jinks, S&W Historian states the follwing: "After production of the model 520 had begun, the New York State Police decided that a six month delivery was too long and they became interested in a standard production model. They selected the 4 inch Model 28 as an alternative based on Smith & Wesson's commitment to immediate delivery." In the end, they went with the Model 28 as a stop-gap until the Model 681 came out. My Model 681: https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/122381/20230330_185437_jpg-2764387.JPG And it isn't like S&W had to make the such a gun from scratch either. They already had a fixed sight N-Frame gun, the Model 58 in .41 Magnum. https://i.pinimg.com/originals/6a/20/f1/6a20f1a207749657270cb2dd6bafd5e2.jpg It was produced from 1964 to 1977. They had the tooling for the Model 58 still, the only difference between the Model 58 and Model 520 is .41 Magnum cylinders and barrels versus .357 Magnum cylinders and barrels. But S&W promised a very short turn around time and couldn't deliver. So instead, they offered the NYSP the Model 28s they had on the shelves. Thanks for the corrections- I definitely had some details wrong on that one! |
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Posted: 4/20/2023 8:52:00 PM EDT
[#23]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I purchased the only one I've ever seen in the flesh. Local gun store had one in the display case for $368.00 back in 1980. The revolver isn't marked "NYSP" but the label on the box is. It has sat in my safe since I purchased it, never fired. The only thing I did to it was put a pair of sambar stag grips. I lived near Carol Stream, IL at the time and was able to go to Eagle grips in person, where I had my choice from about a dozen pair to choose from. Purchased the one with the most bark and had Eagle craftsmen fit them to my pistol while I waited. Set me back a whopping $60.00 in 1996 dollars. It's the pride of my small S&W collection. Gary None were marked NYSP because they were never delivered as Miami-JBT pointed out. |
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