|
|
08-05-2018, 03:17 PM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Hammond in U.S.A.
Posts: 2,064
Likes: 1,323
Liked 3,934 Times in 940 Posts
|
|
help identify a stainless model 36
I ran across a stamped model 36 no dash, pinned barrel in stainless steel with a j serial number .I cant find any reference to a stainless 36 in the Standard catalog of S&W .Is it a miss marked model 60 ? Anyone have a
as to what it is. Idea?
mods as i can't identify this it might be in the wrong section please change if it is
__________________
age is just a number
|
08-05-2018, 03:54 PM
|
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 17,800
Likes: 7,843
Liked 25,709 Times in 8,687 Posts
|
|
Are you absolutely sure it's stainless? Could it be possible that the guns J serial number was stamped in error? I am unaware of any stainless steel M36's but it could have been an experimental model prior to the existence of the M60 designation. With Smith you never know however if you do get to the bottom of this please let us know.
Last edited by chief38; 08-05-2018 at 03:55 PM.
|
The Following User Likes This Post:
|
|
08-05-2018, 04:04 PM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: New England, USA
Posts: 4,468
Likes: 3,068
Liked 4,294 Times in 1,610 Posts
|
|
My thought would be that it's nickle.
__________________
Dave
|
The Following User Likes This Post:
|
|
08-05-2018, 04:09 PM
|
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Where this month?
Posts: 3,604
Likes: 264
Liked 4,215 Times in 1,714 Posts
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Wee Hooker
My thought would be that it's nickle.
|
Maybe it's the one I heard of years ago.. it is the only one ever made.. worth $1000's...maybe $10,000's..
Or hard chromed..
|
The Following 3 Users Like Post:
|
|
08-05-2018, 04:16 PM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Hammond in U.S.A.
Posts: 2,064
Likes: 1,323
Liked 3,934 Times in 940 Posts
|
|
Not marked with An "N" It may be bead blasted ,i don't think so though.
Who do i turn to but all the people in the know (S&W FORUM)
I will take a magnet tomorrow ,but some S/S will attract a magnet
__________________
age is just a number
|
08-05-2018, 04:22 PM
|
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Spfld., IL.
Posts: 544
Likes: 955
Liked 589 Times in 239 Posts
|
|
................wait, what?
|
08-05-2018, 04:42 PM
|
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 17,800
Likes: 7,843
Liked 25,709 Times in 8,687 Posts
|
|
TEST:
A Stainless Gun will barely if at all attract a Magnet. A Carbon Steel Nickeled M36 will. Electroless Nickel Plating sometimes can fool people into believing it's stainless.
|
The Following User Likes This Post:
|
|
08-05-2018, 05:28 PM
|
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Rhode Island
Posts: 2,000
Likes: 2,515
Liked 1,682 Times in 703 Posts
|
|
Most likely it's an aftermarket finish... back before stainless became common, finishes like Armoloy were the ultimate for guns in severe service or outdoor sports. I does indeed look like stainless & fools people on a regular basis.
Armoloy Corporation - Armoloy TDC Chromium Coating
__________________
NRA LIFE
Reserve Officer 9yrs
|
The Following 3 Users Like Post:
|
|
08-05-2018, 05:57 PM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: metro Phoenix
Posts: 3,196
Likes: 16,406
Liked 3,964 Times in 1,605 Posts
|
|
Armoloy was very popular in the 1970s and 80s. It was kind of a "poor man's stainless" for lack of a better term. I don't remember what they charged back then but it was cheaper and easier than finding a stainless gun. I personally had several guns done by them back then, and it's true - very difficult (but not impossible) to tell the difference. Among others, I had a 36, a 19, a 2" 15 that was round-butted before refinishing, and a PPKS. That last one showed me the durability of the refinish. I once dropped it from sufficient height that a "crease" formed on the back of the frame. The finish creased too but did not crack or split.
I'd suspect the gun you're looking at is a refinish rather than a unicorn.
|
The Following 2 Users Like Post:
|
|
08-05-2018, 08:15 PM
|
SWCA Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 7,913
Likes: 3,516
Liked 6,739 Times in 2,624 Posts
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by walter o
I ran across a stamped model 36 no dash, pinned barrel in stainless steel with a j serial number .I cant find any reference to a stainless 36 in the Standard catalog of S&W .Is it a miss marked model 60 ? Anyone have a
as to what it is. Idea?
mods as i can't identify this it might be in the wrong section please change if it is
|
The reason you cannot find a reference to a stainless Model 36 is because they did not make a stainless Model 36. The stainless Chiefs Special is called the Model 60.
It is most likely refinished in a finish that resembles stainless steel. Hard to tell without a picture.
|
The Following User Likes This Post:
|
|
08-05-2018, 08:23 PM
|
|
SWCA Member Absent Comrade
|
|
|
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: The kidney of Dixie.
Posts: 10,509
Likes: 49
Liked 13,410 Times in 3,290 Posts
|
|
1. Dull nickel.
2. Aftermarket industrial finish (God forbid).
3. No finish at all, just bare metal.
What do hammer and trigger look like?
__________________
No life story has happy end.
|
08-05-2018, 08:28 PM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Upstate SC
Posts: 3,447
Likes: 37
Liked 5,430 Times in 1,761 Posts
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by chief38
TEST:
A Stainless Gun will barely if at all attract a Magnet. A Carbon Steel Nickeled M36 will. Electroless Nickel Plating sometimes can fool people into believing it's stainless.
|
Balderdash. A stainless steel refrigerator won't hold a magnet -- but that's an entirely different formulation of steel. A magnet will stick to a stainless gun as well as it will to a carbon-steel blue or nickle one.
__________________
Pisgah
Last edited by Pisgah; 08-05-2018 at 08:30 PM.
|
The Following 4 Users Like Post:
|
|
08-05-2018, 08:43 PM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: SW Ohio
Posts: 983
Likes: 1,236
Liked 987 Times in 404 Posts
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by chief38
TEST:
A Stainless Gun will barely if at all attract a Magnet. A Carbon Steel Nickeled M36 will. Electroless Nickel Plating sometimes can fool people into believing it's stainless.
|
Wrong and wrong again. Magnets will stick very well to several types of stainless and stainless guns too.
|
The Following 3 Users Like Post:
|
|
08-05-2018, 11:09 PM
|
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: South of Rochester , NY
Posts: 1,229
Likes: 77
Liked 1,342 Times in 559 Posts
|
|
Interested to see what this is.
__________________
1st smiles,lies.Last,gunfire.
|
08-05-2018, 11:50 PM
|
|
US Veteran
|
|
|
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Brooksville, FL
Posts: 728
Likes: 4,452
Liked 993 Times in 373 Posts
|
|
Ok, I’ll show you my SS 36-0!
__________________
NRA Life Member
CPO
|
08-06-2018, 01:20 AM
|
|
SWCA Member Absent Comrade
|
|
|
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Oldsmar, Florida
Posts: 58
Likes: 308
Liked 385 Times in 90 Posts
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gripgrabber
Ok, I’ll show you my SS 36-0!
|
Are the hammer and trigger case-color? Hard chrome looks like stainless, but it's worth a factory letter for sure.
__________________
Creation Continues
|
08-06-2018, 05:22 AM
|
|
US Veteran
|
|
|
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Central Montana
Posts: 13,702
Likes: 12,850
Liked 39,438 Times in 10,034 Posts
|
|
Stainless steels and magnets
the 300 series stainless like 304 and 316 which are commonly used for sheeting or to replace regular mild steel as a corrosive resistant structural member are austenitic and do NOT attract a magnet to any degree unless work hardened. This is caused by the high (8-14%) nickle content used in their composition. The 300 series stainless steels also have a low (08%) carbon content
The 400 series and high carbon stainless steels on the other hand are martensitic and will strongly attract a magnet. Firearm frames and barrels are usually in the range of 416 stainless and will attract a magnet well. 400 series stainless have no nickle. The tool steels in this range can have a high carbon content and be hardened. 416 has a very lean .12% carbon. It can not be made very hard.
Interesting fact all steels become austenitic and will not attract a magnet at around 1480f as the carbon content starts to go into solution
Winchester experimented with nickel steel, but it only had 5% nickel and no chrome. I suspect these guns have rather weak magnet attraction.
Last edited by steelslaver; 08-06-2018 at 05:30 AM.
|
The Following 4 Users Like Post:
|
|
08-06-2018, 05:53 AM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Central Virginia
Posts: 626
Likes: 4,456
Liked 485 Times in 237 Posts
|
|
Most likely an aftermarket finish. M60s were nearly impossible to get in the ‘60s and ‘70s due to very high demand from law officers and servicemen serving in Vietnam. There was accordingly a substantial cost difference between the M36 and M60.
This was set up most likely as a “poor man’s M60.
|
08-06-2018, 10:19 PM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Hammond in U.S.A.
Posts: 2,064
Likes: 1,323
Liked 3,934 Times in 940 Posts
|
|
checked the mod 36 again today and could not determine what the finish was ,definitely not Nickle,so i passed on it .
Thanks for the help
__________________
age is just a number
|
The Following User Likes This Post:
|
|
08-06-2018, 10:26 PM
|
|
SWCA Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: N GA
Posts: 4,466
Likes: 204
Liked 3,613 Times in 1,498 Posts
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by walter o
I ran across a stamped model 36 no dash, pinned barrel in stainless steel with a j serial number .I cant find any reference to a stainless 36 in the Standard catalog of S&W .Is it a miss marked model 60 ? Anyone have a
as to what it is. Idea?
mods as i can't identify this it might be in the wrong section please change if it is
|
Model 60's don't have J serial numbers, so is obviously a hard chromed, or similar re-finish model 36.
|
08-06-2018, 11:01 PM
|
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Tincup, CO
Posts: 3,693
Likes: 6,287
Liked 7,472 Times in 2,287 Posts
|
|
For what it's worth, the only stainless steel gun I have here at the cabin, actually the only SS steel gun I own, attracts a magnet like, well, a magnet. Just did the scientific test. Also, I vote for Armaloy or similar. Have a great day!
__________________
Some collect art; I shoot it!
|
The Following 2 Users Like Post:
|
|
08-07-2018, 07:46 AM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Aug 2018
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
Liked 10 Times in 4 Posts
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by walter o
I ran across a stamped model 36 no dash, pinned barrel in stainless steel with a j serial number .I cant find any reference to a stainless 36 in the Standard catalog of S&W .Is it a miss marked model 60 ? Anyone have a
as to what it is. Idea?
mods as i can't identify this it might be in the wrong section please change if it is
|
IT may be a 36 blued gun someone polished, I 've seen it..Try some cold blue on the gun in a inconspicuous spot, G96 works good, see if the bluing takes, if it does it's carbon steel someone polished, you can easily polish off the blue...
|
08-07-2018, 11:19 AM
|
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 17,800
Likes: 7,843
Liked 25,709 Times in 8,687 Posts
|
|
OK - I stand corrected regarding Magnetic Attraction to Stainless Guns. I did try it and yes, a magnet is attracted to my Stainless guns. I guess I had been thinking of the Refrigerator doors. Sorry for the wrong advise.
|
The Following 2 Users Like Post:
|
|
08-07-2018, 12:23 PM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: VA
Posts: 4,677
Likes: 1,449
Liked 4,513 Times in 1,932 Posts
|
|
Easy answer... a stainless J frame is a model 60, 60’s do not have J serial numbers and the finish certainly appears to be a hard chrome version like SS Metalife or similar. The magnet test is not correct. Nothing wrong with it and certainly serviceable but don’t pay for a unicorn cause it is not one...
|
The Following User Likes This Post:
|
|
08-07-2018, 11:06 PM
|
|
US Veteran
|
|
|
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Brooksville, FL
Posts: 728
Likes: 4,452
Liked 993 Times in 373 Posts
|
|
Hay, if anyone was wondering, my 36-0 was hard chromed at least 30 years ago! APW did it back in the day.
Semper paratus
__________________
NRA Life Member
CPO
|
The Following User Likes This Post:
|
|
08-07-2018, 11:31 PM
|
US Veteran
|
|
|
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Arlington, Texas
Posts: 434
Likes: 150
Liked 582 Times in 218 Posts
|
|
Stainless Steel and Magnets
"Interesting fact all steels become austenitic and will not attract a magnet at around 1480f as the carbon content starts to go into solution"
True enough, and the temperature at which carbon steel no longer attracts a magnet is called the "Curie Point". Additionally, nickel is ferromagnetic, although only about 20 percent that of carbon steel. A good bar bet is to state that nickel is magnetic; most will argue with you since their experience is with the U.S. 5-cent coin, wich is not nickel. A Canadian 5-cent coin, which IS nickel, will be attracted by a magnet.
|
The Following 2 Users Like Post:
|
|
08-08-2018, 12:50 AM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: metro Phoenix
Posts: 3,196
Likes: 16,406
Liked 3,964 Times in 1,605 Posts
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gripgrabber
Hay, if anyone was wondering, my 36-0 was hard chromed at least 30 years ago! APW did it back in the day.
Semper paratus
|
But you didn't tell us if it still looks good!
|
08-08-2018, 08:14 PM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Metro Detroit, Michigan
Posts: 6,926
Likes: 179
Liked 4,301 Times in 2,112 Posts
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by chief38
TEST:
A Stainless Gun will barely if at all attract a Magnet. A Carbon Steel Nickeled M36 will. Electroless Nickel Plating sometimes can fool people into believing it's stainless.
|
Stainless Steels commonly used for firearms are typically either 416 or 436 Stainless, Ferritic Stainless steels and are FULLY MAGNETIC. BTW, type 416 can be hardened with the exact same procedure as 4140 and when heat treated have such closely matching mechanical properties that some call 416 the Stainless 4140.
|
08-13-2018, 01:59 PM
|
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Rhode Island
Posts: 2,000
Likes: 2,515
Liked 1,682 Times in 703 Posts
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by ken158
Easy answer... a stainless J frame is a model 60, 60’s do not have J serial numbers and the finish certainly appears to be a hard chrome version like SS Metalife or similar. The magnet test is not correct. Nothing wrong with it and certainly serviceable but don’t pay for a unicorn cause it is not one...
|
Yes, thank you, Metalife is the other finish I couldn't remember earlier.
__________________
NRA LIFE
Reserve Officer 9yrs
|
08-13-2018, 02:21 PM
|
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: North Dakota
Posts: 10,146
Likes: 14,193
Liked 12,746 Times in 3,482 Posts
|
|
Whatever it is, and however it got that way, you certainly do have an interesting "Model 36" . It'll be interesting to watch the thread to see if someone can solve the riddle.
__________________
John
Last edited by OLDSTER; 08-13-2018 at 02:32 PM.
|
08-17-2018, 11:29 AM
|
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Deepest, darkest, Indiana
Posts: 6,195
Likes: 3,375
Liked 6,188 Times in 1,895 Posts
|
|
I saw the 36 in question that the OP started the thread about. It was a 36 that was impossible to differentiate from stainless. My guess would be matte chrome or nickle. Probably refinished to cover wear, improve rust resistance, or just personal preference. It was priced at $375 with no bargaining. It was scratched a bit and since I believe bit to be non-stainless, hard to repair the finish. Maybe a bargain as a reliable carry gun, but not for me.
__________________
SOS USA
|
08-17-2018, 01:08 PM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: South Carolina
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by walter o
I ran across a stamped model 36 no dash, pinned barrel in stainless steel with a j serial number .I cant find any reference to a stainless 36 in the Standard catalog of S&W .Is it a miss marked model 60 ? Anyone have a
as to what it is. Idea?
mods as i can't identify this it might be in the wrong section please change if it is
|
Maybe nickel. I have a 38 nickel that looks like Stainless
|
08-17-2018, 01:42 PM
|
|
US Veteran
|
|
|
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: West Central IL
Posts: 22,795
Likes: 18,509
Liked 22,391 Times in 8,268 Posts
|
|
This is a 19-4 with a Metaloy (industrial hard chrome) finish. Quite a few thought it was stainless..
__________________
H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244
|
The Following 2 Users Like Post:
|
|
08-17-2018, 01:56 PM
|
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: Bradenton, florida
Posts: 1,655
Likes: 5,318
Liked 3,465 Times in 917 Posts
|
|
I wish I had a dollar for every time somebody comes to this forum with a model 19 or model 3t6 that is supposedly stainless steal. Smith and Wesson does make revolvers in stainless but the model number will start with a 6. If they made a stainless gun it would make no sense whatsoever to mark it as model number that they make in carbon steel. It would not be a mistake they would make. A stainless gun would never be mismarked and then go through countless more steps to completion with every department not recognizing the mistake. It just doesn't happen. Many finishes on the other hand have been created to appear as a stainless gun. The look is sought after by many hence the reason it is so well duplicated.
|
08-17-2018, 02:20 PM
|
|
US Veteran
|
|
|
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Colorado
Posts: 8,109
Likes: 27,904
Liked 33,825 Times in 5,284 Posts
|
|
My battered old Model 36 - I got tired of the rust and had it NP3 finished. Most folks think it is a Model 60.
__________________
“What you got, ain’t new.”
|
The Following 2 Users Like Post:
|
|
|
Posting Rules
|
|
|
|
|