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Member Section => Down Range Cafe => Topic started by: CDR on April 10, 2007, 10:27:53 PM

Title: 38 Year Old S&W Model 60 Snubby and it's Brand New!!!!!
Post by: CDR on April 10, 2007, 10:27:53 PM
After several months of trying to decide which snubby to go with, today I found a brand new, never fired Smith and Wesson Model 60 stainless steel J frame manufactured in 1969...... :D   I've been waffling for a while now between an Airweight, M&P 340 or 640 snubby for pocket carry.  Not being crazy about the internal lock on the newer Smiths and preferring the older revolvers with no MIM and completely forged parts, I subconsciously have been hoping to find an older model all steel snubby.  To find a brand new, 38 year old Model 60 is more than I could have hoped for.  Walt, you'd love this snubby for sure.  It also came with an aluminum Tyler T grip which looks great with the light colored original S&W wooden grip.

I should have it in about a week as soon as my revised CCW permit arrives with the new revolver and serial number added to the back.  Does anyone know if this snubby is capable of handling occassional .38+P loads or should I stay with solely .38 spl?  I am thinking of practicing with .38 spl and finishing up each practice session with several rounds of .38+P.  I'd probably carry the +P loads if possible.  I just don't want to risk damaging the frame and would want to know for sure before I go the .38+P route.

Thanks.
Title: Re: 38 Year Old S&W Model 60 Snubby and it's Brand New!!!!!
Post by: WymoreWrangler on April 11, 2007, 05:25:21 AM
Good luck with such a sweet find...
Title: Re: 38 Year Old S&W Model 60 Snubby and it's Brand New!!!!!
Post by: norfdet on April 11, 2007, 05:55:18 AM
it should handle some +p without any problems since it is an all steel gun but just to be safe do what most of us do; practice with standard pressure ammo and carry +p in it and once a year shoot up that 20 rounds box of +p that you have been carrying in it and replace it with new ammo.
Title: Re: 38 Year Old S&W Model 60 Snubby and it's Brand New!!!!!
Post by: DonWorsham on April 11, 2007, 06:28:48 AM
... manufactured in 1969......

1969... that was a good year!
Title: Re: 38 Year Old S&W Model 60 Snubby and it's Brand New!!!!!
Post by: CDR on April 11, 2007, 07:09:30 AM
it should handle some +p without any problems since it is an all steel gun but just to be safe do what most of us do; practice with standard pressure ammo and carry +p in it and once a year shoot up that 20 rounds box of +p that you have been carrying in it and replace it with new ammo.

That's a good suggestion norfdet....thanks.  I think I'll do just that.  I carry Speer Gold Dot JHP 135gr. .38+P currently in my 686 so I will probably stay with that for the 60.  I may try some of the new Speer Gold Dot 135 gr. short barrel version which I hear good things about.  Any recommendations on a good defensive round to carry in a Model 60?

Regards
Title: Re: 38 Year Old S&W Model 60 Snubby and it's Brand New!!!!!
Post by: CDR on April 11, 2007, 07:11:43 AM
1969... that was a good year!

You kiddin........I'm a Mets and Jets fan.....AND.......I got my Schwinn Apple Krate in 1969.  It was a GREAT year!!!!!! ;D  The Apple Krate, by the way, cost $89.99 back then...........I sure wish I had it now.  A snubby and an Apple Krate is a powerful combination.
Title: Re: 38 Year Old S&W Model 60 Snubby and it's Brand New!!!!!
Post by: DonWorsham on April 11, 2007, 07:49:50 AM
Schwinn Apple Krate in 1969.   A snubby and an Apple Krate is a powerful combination.

Perhaps this will help... http://search.ebay.com/apple-krate
Title: Re: 38 Year Old S&W Model 60 Snubby and it's Brand New!!!!!
Post by: CDR on April 11, 2007, 08:37:12 AM
Perhaps this will help... http://search.ebay.com/apple-krate

Thanks Don.  I've followed some of these auctions before and they generally wind up costing between $1,500 and $2,000 for a nice example of an Apple Krate.  The spousal unit would not be supportive in this regard as you might imagine.   My friend had an Orange Krate with an "extension fork" that was very cool to say the least.

A vintage Apple Krate with a Barrett mounted on the handle bars...........now THAT would be an interesting vehicle in New York don't you think?....... ;D :o :o 
Title: Re: 38 Year Old S&W Model 60 Snubby and it's Brand New!!!!!
Post by: norfdet on April 11, 2007, 02:51:25 PM
That's a good suggestion norfdet....thanks.  I think I'll do just that.  I carry Speer Gold Dot JHP 135gr. .38+P currently in my 686 so I will probably stay with that for the 60.  I may try some of the new Speer Gold Dot 135 gr. short barrel version which I hear good things about.  Any recommendations on a good defensive round to carry in a Model 60?

Regards

I carry the Speer GDHP SB ammo in all of my 38's. I think it is a spectaculiar defensive round and if it works great in a snubby why not in a 4" as well? My back-up/off duty gun is a (pre-lock) 638 S&W bodyguard with Crimson Trace LG-405 grips loaded with the Speer GDHP 135+p SB round.
Title: Re: 38 Year Old S&W Model 60 Snubby and it's Brand New!!!!!
Post by: CDR on April 11, 2007, 03:13:21 PM
I carry the Speer GDHP SB ammo in all of my 38's. I think it is a spectaculiar defensive round and if it works great in a snubby why not in a 4" as well? My back-up/off duty gun is a (pre-lock) 638 S&W bodyguard with Crimson Trace LG-405 grips loaded with the Speer GDHP 135+p SB round.

I think I'll try some of the Speer Gold Dot short barrel in my 686 as well....thanks for the suggestion.  Any idea what Speer does to the round to modify it for short barrel use?  Do you notice much difference in accuracy between the SB round nd the standard Speer Gold Dots?

Regards
Title: Re: 38 Year Old S&W Model 60 Snubby and it's Brand New!!!!!
Post by: DonWorsham on April 11, 2007, 04:29:55 PM
I think it is a spectaculiar defensive round and if it works great in a snubby why not in a 4" as well?

To anyone and everyone: where do you get your ballistic comparsions from? Do you have the resources to do them yourself or is there a good place on the net to look this up?
Title: Re: 38 Year Old S&W Model 60 Snubby and it's Brand New!!!!!
Post by: CDR on April 11, 2007, 05:27:06 PM
To anyone and everyone: where do you get your ballistic comparsions from? Do you have the resources to do them yourself or is there a good place on the net to look this up?

Hi Beansie.... ;)


I like this one for .38 snubbies......... http://www.snubnose.info/docs/snubby_ballistics.htm

If you have a lot of time, here are a few other links that have a load of information on ballistics and ammunition results...........

http://www.firearmstactical.com/tactical.htm

http://www.firearmstactical.com/briefs.htm

http://www.angelfire.com/art/enchanter/terminal.html

Title: Re: 38 Year Old S&W Model 60 Snubby and it's Brand New!!!!!
Post by: DonWorsham on April 11, 2007, 06:46:19 PM
Thanks CDR!

I hadn't come across the one at angelfire.com. At first glance, it seems like a good read.
Title: Re: 38 Year Old S&W Model 60 Snubby and it's Brand New!!!!!
Post by: norfdet on April 11, 2007, 08:56:07 PM
The only difference that I am aware of between the SB ammo and regular +p stuff is that the O-give on the SB ammo is wider so that it opens more reliably in short barrel guns.
Title: Re: 38 Year Old S&W Model 60 Snubby and it's Brand New!!!!!
Post by: Rock44 on April 12, 2007, 08:42:09 AM
When in doubt,contact S&W about those +p's.I was a big knick fan back in '69.watched them on channel 9 I believe.I could'nt come around to the Mets being a life long Yankee ;)
Title: Re: 38 Year Old S&W Model 60 Snubby and it's Brand New!!!!!
Post by: norfdet on April 12, 2007, 02:17:42 PM
To anyone and everyone: where do you get your ballistic comparsions from? Do you have the resources to do them yourself or is there a good place on the net to look this up?

Here is one;

http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/38%20Snub%20Ammo%20Test.htm

And here is another;

http://le.atk.com/pdf/SpeerTech38_135HP.pdf

And another from my website thanks to Old Granpa, however you must be a member to view it;

http://usrange.org/smf/index.php?topic=304.0

At the end of the month I will be flying to Decatur AL with Flyandscuba and we will be assisting in doing some ballistic testing using wetpacks. I am not sure what calibers we will be shooting but if I can work in some Speer GDHP 135gr +p, I will.