Hello, I am looking for a little knowledge and advice from those experienced with the initial production run Model 60 from 1965 - 1966. I recently acquired a very nice Model 60 that, based on serial number and prior threads in this forum, is from early 1966 toward the end of the first production. The grips are not original as they are not diamond grips but it came with original box and paperwork. The hammer and trigger are the original all stainless steel parts that were put on this first production run until the issues appeared with using all stainless parts. The gun had been fired very, very little. My question is that I would like to shoot a few rounds of standard preassure .38 spcl (Not any +p ammo) through it each year to stay in practice. With the original stainless hammer and trigger can I get away with this without developing issues? What issues should I be looking for now since it had these original stainless steel parts? Thank you

Mine is serial 4105xx that shipped may1966. I would not be concerned about shooting it.

Charlie

No problem with occasional, or even frequent use of standard pressure .38 Special. My recollection is the stainless parts were subject to galling from use so were changed out for chromed forged parts.

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

Is it highly polished stainless steel? I remember seeing one many years ago in a gun shop. It took me a lot of years to get a model 60, but was a much, much later production, but still a nice revolver.

Charlie...my buddy! Tell us more. You're the first person I've found with one close to mine. Mine is 410014. I also have no fear of shooting it. If you dig out old gun magazines, you'll find articles that relate to production difficulties related to the material. Cutters that could produce hundreds or even thousands of mild steel parts went dull after just 10 or so stainless guns.

Anybody know how they marked the returned guns with replacement parts? Anybody got any idea if inferior steel Chiefs were intermixed in the serial sequence? What I'm really looking for is the numbrer produced between the start of production and when mine (and yours) was produced.

To the OP: Good luck finding the correct grips. They're like hens teeth and usually cost about $100 if you can locate them. As a hint, test fit them before handing over the cash.

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Dick Burg

mtice:
Does the box have the USS sticker on the end label?
Ed

It is highly polished stainless steel with stainless trigger and hammer. Serial number 4102xx

What is the USS sticker?

United States Steel - have a look at the Pittsburgh football team logo and you are close . The sticker is found only on boxes within the first two years of production.

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

M60 no dash no letter serial number

I hope this helps.

No USS sticker. It is two piece blue Bangor Punta box and the serial number written on box end label matches the gun. Being the serial number is 4102xx it falls within the serial range of first production run Model 60's

Appreciate all the great info. Keep it coming from anyone else that can weigh in.

One other question, while this Model 60 is a round butt (original box also indicates round butt), the previous owner put beautiful S&W walnut square butt J frame stocks on it. These are not round to square butt conversion stocks (no cut out for the round butt frame) but they fit like a glove. They are a perfect fit between back of the triggerguard and front strap so the the grip does not move on the frame. Is this common? I realize most would not put square butt J frame target stocks on the Model 60 but the wood is so nice and they fit so well.

Here is early mdl.60 ser.# 478891 ( 1966--1967)
Dick


Early mdl.60 ser# 409818 (1965)

Yes the Model 60 look bedt with the original grils. Might have to sell the J frame target grips to get a set of diamond magnas.

The first run Model 60s did not come in a Bangor Punta box. Should be a pre BP box with a US Steel label on the outside.

IIRC (others will be by to check in) the very first models had more of a case color hardened / darker hammers and triggers and were highly polished.

Then next run that followed were polished but not near as aggressively. More of a lighter buff than a high polish.

Somewhere about here or thereafter the Hammer and Trigger were changed to stainless or appear to be stainless satin finish or composition.

410xxx range is one of the earliest with high polish. The 490xxx has the satin finish hammer / trigger. BOTH are in PRE-Bangor Punta boxes with US Steel logo-ed labels which overlap the S&W serial numbered label on the far right.

It is not unusual to find a early model 60 in the wrong box, usually put back into a wrong box and a reprint / reproduction label sometime in the years that followed.

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ANTIQUESMITHS
LM1300 SWHF425

Ok, thank you for the info. Since it is a Bangor Punta box with a 4102xx serial number Model 60 all the more reason to shoot it.

Thats an impressive one. 200 lower than mine, I like it.

For the OP: I'll head out to look in my gunshow bag to see if I've still got an early diamond J frame grip set. No promises.

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Dick Burg

OK, I have them in hand. They look for all the world like a set of J diamond round butt magnas. I have no clue what they might have been on. I've been known to just buy hard to find grips at gun shows. They've got a "too high" serial on the right grip, and J frame guns, to the best of my knowledge, stopped having diamond magnas before numbers that high were made. They moved to unique numbers in 1968 using a letter code. Might have come off a .32 or something. Still the same grip frame.

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Dick Burg

I would be interested in them Dick, please email me at: [email protected]
Thanks

You can't hurt it. In recent years some newer collectors focus in on only stainless steel guns because they are least likely to show wear & tear of normal usage.

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ANTIQUESMITHS
LM1300 SWHF425

OK, before I do anything else, I'm going to dig out my M60 and test fit them to it. My caution is because they could be from an I frame (or improved I) that may make them too short.

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Dick Burg

Here's a photo of the sticker.
Ed

Attached Images

IMG_1676.JPG (103.5 KB, 80 views)

I had an original model 60, brand new. I never had any problems with it. I later sold it to buy a semi-auto. I missed it more than any other gun I sold, so I just bought another brand new one.

My uncle was a Cop in NJ and he had THE first M-60 that came into the local gun shop. I recall the USS sticker on the box and the near mirror finish on the gun. I shot it with him the day he picked it up. Forget the year though.

It was a big deal that it was stainless steel.

For the past few decades the mistaken of the high polished 409xxx - 410xxx high polished models, and the less buffed that followed all the way up to the R prefix numbers have caused the values to be all over the place.

Surely the very early, high polished in the ANIB (or even without the box) command a premium, next in line seems to be the 490xxx to 6xxxxx range, then came the R prefix.

Model 60s (no dash) can be found in a variety of Serial numbers. Some later Model 60s as low as $450 ANIB to the very early models in the $1000 range, ANIB.

I think the earlier the Model 60 the more sound the investment, whereas, a good, clean, undamaged, practical Model 60 has to be worth at least $400, I think.

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ANTIQUESMITHS
LM1300 SWHF425

You said, shoot a few standard loads a year to stay in practice. I don't know how old you are BUT you won't live long enough at that rate to ever hurt it.

I've seen several nice in the box later model 60's sell within the last year and all were in the $500 to $550 range.

Charlie

Here is my Model 60 with an R-prefix (R2xxxx). I polished it with Mother's Mag wheel polish and had it engraved.
Mine forever unless your initials are MAG. It was imported to Germany and then back to the USA.
First pic is of the proof marks and dull finish. Second pic is after polishing and engraving.
The grips are diamond wood, but I have original on it for carry purposes.

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handlebar-proud to be American

Thank you smith17 for posting a picture of the US Steel sticker on the early Model 60 boxes. Looking at my box closer I see it does have the sticker and it is a Smith &Wesson box and not a Bangor Punta box. I have owners manual and warranty card but not tools or packing paper. The grips are not the original serial number matching diamond grips but the gun is in excellent condition. Serial number is 410121. Would anyone be able to give me an idea of value?

With the original box, and the stocks and cleaning kit easily replaced, I would guess about $600-650. Some are crazy about having the box and gladly pay extra.

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

The sticker on the end label is not USS Steel. The steel symbol placed on the label on the early boxes is the symbol of Carpenter Steel Corporation, Reading Pennsylvania. It’s the only time that Smith & Wesson used another company’s logo on any of their boxes. They were manufactured with a polished bright finish on the frame as well as the hammer and trigger. In the spring of 1967 the factory changed the Model 60’s finish to satin, which is still used today. For a short time, hammers and triggers were case hardened.

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Don Mundell