I just bought a S&W M 60 2" barreled .38 snubbie. It is in the mail to me. It is P&R'd, I would not have bought it if it was not. Does anyone have any comments or suggestions regarding using it, this is my first snubbie.
Anyone have expierience with S&W M60?
- Thread starter buckbrush
- Start date
S&W M-60 Chiefs Special
I've owned two of these little gems,the first I traded (a very one-sided trade) a cherished Colt Det.Spec. post '71 mfg. with the shrouded barrel that was very accurate for my retired O.P.P. buddy's shot-out M-60 which had seen too many +P loads down the pipe and was literally falling apart.The sideplate was rattling loose to the point where it no longer indexed with the proper timing.And to think this was his back-up gun when the force were still carrying the older Colt Police Positive .38's just prior to Bob Rae's socialist gov't in Ontario back in the late '80s to early '90s.I mended that first snubbie back to a sellable condition and easily parted ways with it.The one I currently own is in mint condition and sees very little +P loads as it does not shoot them well at all which basically confirms the use of standard pressure .38's as the smart choice for any type of short range work.The old 158 gr. lead round nose load at around 800 f.p.s. out of the 2" barrel works about the best for my specimen.The other issue is the standard wood grips which aid in good shooting about as much as a boil on my butt allows me sit comfortably.The remedy is iether of the aftermarket grips from Hogue or Pachmeyer in rubber that dramatically change the grip angle to your hand ergonomics.Bottom line is don't expect to take out the "X" ring with a snubbie as it ain't gonna happen for most of us unless you have a Det.Special like the one I USED to have.I'm still kicking myself BUTTARILLY when it comes to mind .
I've owned two of these little gems,the first I traded (a very one-sided trade) a cherished Colt Det.Spec. post '71 mfg. with the shrouded barrel that was very accurate for my retired O.P.P. buddy's shot-out M-60 which had seen too many +P loads down the pipe and was literally falling apart.The sideplate was rattling loose to the point where it no longer indexed with the proper timing.And to think this was his back-up gun when the force were still carrying the older Colt Police Positive .38's just prior to Bob Rae's socialist gov't in Ontario back in the late '80s to early '90s.I mended that first snubbie back to a sellable condition and easily parted ways with it.The one I currently own is in mint condition and sees very little +P loads as it does not shoot them well at all which basically confirms the use of standard pressure .38's as the smart choice for any type of short range work.The old 158 gr. lead round nose load at around 800 f.p.s. out of the 2" barrel works about the best for my specimen.The other issue is the standard wood grips which aid in good shooting about as much as a boil on my butt allows me sit comfortably.The remedy is iether of the aftermarket grips from Hogue or Pachmeyer in rubber that dramatically change the grip angle to your hand ergonomics.Bottom line is don't expect to take out the "X" ring with a snubbie as it ain't gonna happen for most of us unless you have a Det.Special like the one I USED to have.I'm still kicking myself BUTTARILLY when it comes to mind .
These little guns are surprisingly accurate with standard velocity loads, the problems are:
1. Short sight radius (most barrels are actually 1 7/8" long)
2. Lousy sights (especially the M60 - stainless isn't the best sight material)
3. If you load 'em hot they'll hurt you a lot.
If the shooter can overcome these drawbacks, the mechanical accuracy is quite amazing. I have seen a shooter put 10 shots into 2 inches at 25 yards (wasn't me, I was the guy #####ing about how these guns don't shoot).
1. Short sight radius (most barrels are actually 1 7/8" long)
2. Lousy sights (especially the M60 - stainless isn't the best sight material)
3. If you load 'em hot they'll hurt you a lot.
If the shooter can overcome these drawbacks, the mechanical accuracy is quite amazing. I have seen a shooter put 10 shots into 2 inches at 25 yards (wasn't me, I was the guy #####ing about how these guns don't shoot).
They're great little revolvers! (although you'll probably find yours is P'ed but not R'ed 
. S&W usually only recessed the chambers on magnum and rimfire rounds). What type of grips does it have? As Sunray mentioned some find the small factory grips a little too small to hang onto. If so, you might want to swap the grips or use a Tyler T-grip. Standard pressure .38 is surprisingly comfortable (and as already noted, accurate) to shoot in these all-steel snubbies.
. S&W usually only recessed the chambers on magnum and rimfire rounds). What type of grips does it have? As Sunray mentioned some find the small factory grips a little too small to hang onto. If so, you might want to swap the grips or use a Tyler T-grip. Standard pressure .38 is surprisingly comfortable (and as already noted, accurate) to shoot in these all-steel snubbies.I've bought a bunch of grips from D&J Gun Repair in West Virginia (http://shop.dandjgunrepair.com/). They ship (fast!) to Canada with no problems. They usually have some T-Grips but it looks like they're out of stock on the J Frame ones right now.
The recoil can be painful and the thumbpiece may cut you.
The Bodyguard is much more comfortable in this respect. Your Model 60 can be improved, in my opinion, with the addition of either a hammer shroud (Waller) or the out-of-production (Bianchi Lightning) shrouded-hammer grips.
Waller hammer shroud
http://www.wallerandson.com/hammershrouds.htm
Bianchi Lightning grips
http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u90/ericfeick/IMG_0771reduced.jpg
The Bodyguard is much more comfortable in this respect. Your Model 60 can be improved, in my opinion, with the addition of either a hammer shroud (Waller) or the out-of-production (Bianchi Lightning) shrouded-hammer grips.
Waller hammer shroud
http://www.wallerandson.com/hammershrouds.htm
Bianchi Lightning grips
http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u90/ericfeick/IMG_0771reduced.jpg
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I prefer the boot grips on mine, but either way a steady diet of +P loads is a bad idea. - dan
