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S&W Revolvers: 1980 to the Present All NON-PINNED Barrels, the L-Frames, and the New Era Revolvers


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  #1  
Old 11-19-2011, 02:58 PM
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Default 3" HB M-60 Jovino run

Back in the 80's Jovino or one of the other large Suppliers had the Factory produce a run of both a 3" HB Square butt and a Square butt standard 2" M-60.

This past week I picked up one of the 3" guns LNIB. I did a digital of the 2" and 3" together but PhotoBucket is having issues today...I'll try to post it later today.



FN in MT
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Old 11-19-2011, 03:48 PM
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Nice revolver, I saw one at the NGD show in Louisville this year. Walked by it, turned around and picked it up, went to my table to discuss the price with my buddy and went back to find it gone.
The square butt is under-appreciated in a J frame and I like it.

Congratz on finding a rare bird!

GF
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Old 11-19-2011, 04:49 PM
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The 3 inch square butt J frame is a terrific shooter--you are going to enjoy that one.

Here's one I've had for a few years--the T Grip perfects the package.

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Old 11-19-2011, 05:12 PM
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Heres a shot of the pair of M-60 Square butt guns.

Hate to say it but I have a pair of both. The 3" guns are both unfired in box and one of the 2" guns as well. The 2nd 2" was given a home gunsmith YELLOW ramp frt sight job sometime in it's life. So that one is my shooter snubbie.



The two incher with "RARE" yellow insert. (LOL)


Anyone have any idea HOW MANY of these Jovino guns were produced ?

FN in MT

Last edited by Frank237; 11-19-2011 at 05:16 PM.
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Old 11-19-2011, 05:24 PM
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That 3 inch 60 is sweet. I have been looking for one of those for a couple of years now. Good luck with it.
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Old 11-19-2011, 05:39 PM
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"Anyone have any idea HOW MANY of these Jovino guns were produced ?"

I bought my 3 incher (s/n AEV65xx) in October, 1984. My dealer ordered it from the distributor for me when I told him about it. You are correct, it was John Jovino, Inc.

My notes, made at the time, say that there were 5,000 of each made. I doubt that, as while 3 inchers turn up for sale sometimes, the square butt 2 inchers just about never do.

I am now guessing that the 5,000 figure was speculation by gun magazine writers then, as that was the figure generally batted around at the time when special, limited runs of "different" non-cataloged S&W's were discussed.
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Old 11-19-2011, 05:52 PM
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Quote:
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"Anyone have any idea HOW MANY of these Jovino guns were produced ?"

I bought my 3 incher (s/n AEV65xx) in October, 1984. My dealer ordered it from the distributor for me when I told him about it. You are correct, it was John Jovino, Inc.

My notes, made at the time, say that there were 5,000 of each made. I doubt that, as while 3 inchers turn up for sale sometimes, the square butt 2 inchers just about never do.

I am now guessing that the 5,000 figure was speculation by gun magazine writers then, as that was the figure generally batted around at the time when special, limited runs of "different" non-cataloged S&W's were discussed.
I also feel that 5K is a VERY high figure. I've seen very few of these over the years.

Someplace I've got a copy of the original gun rag ad for these guns. If I can find it I'll post it. I do recall it doesn't mention how many were made.

FN in MT
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Old 11-20-2011, 12:35 PM
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Hopefully large enough to read.
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Old 11-20-2011, 02:06 PM
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I bought one of the 3 in. ones in the 80s but traded it away. A fellow worker had a too big S&W for his wife to use and wanted to trade for the 60. When he brought his to work for me to look at it turned out to be a model 25-2 in a presentation box so I had to make that trade before he changed his mind. I have missed that 3 in 60 though.
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Old 01-21-2015, 12:30 AM
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What's the difference in a jovino and a stock m60?
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Old 01-21-2015, 02:11 PM
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The 3" heavy barrel, but on both variations the SQUARE butt fame.

I swear we just had a LONG thread on these and I couldn't find it.

Also I contacted Roy Jinks and the total run on these was closer to 1000 NOT the 5K mentioned in this old thread.

FN in MT
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Old 01-21-2015, 05:27 PM
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Here's that thread from December........

Model 60 3" John Jovino?
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Old 01-22-2015, 04:03 PM
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Those are very nice. I put old factory Magna stocks in smooth rosewood and a Tyler adaptor on my three-inch and was delighted. Usual holster is a suede Bianchi inside waistband clip-on, but I have others from Safariland and El Paso for belt use.

They're not officially Rated for Plus P ammo, but it's okay in reasonable doses. The M-60-4 with full lug barrel and adj. sights is an even better small trail gun, but in a practical sense, if the Jovino gun shoots to the sights with your favored loads, it works as well and is a bit lighter to carry. But that heavy three-inch bbl. hangs very well on target and points well, too.

They should have made a lot more of these.

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Old 06-27-2019, 07:57 PM
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Did smith & Wesson make a 3inch model 60 other then or Jovino??
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Old 06-27-2019, 09:08 PM
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A fixed sight 60-1 from 1972. The model 60-4 (.38), 60-10 (.357, pre-lock) and the current similar 60-15 and Pro Series.
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Old 06-27-2019, 11:04 PM
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So jovino S&W Guns did not have action jobs or any bells and whistles so to speak. They were just special configured guns correct?
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Old 06-27-2019, 11:42 PM
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Quote:
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Did smith & Wesson make a 3inch model 60 other then or Jovino??
I have a 3” 60 marked Ladysmith. Round butt, I believe its a dash 3.
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Old 06-28-2019, 02:58 AM
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Quote:
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So jovino S&W Guns did not have action jobs or any bells and whistles so to speak. They were just special configured guns correct?
Correct.

And 80sgyrene mentioned another 3" stainless variant, with the heavy barrel like a 3" model 36, not the bull barrel of the 36-1. I think it is a -3 and non-LS versions were also made.
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Old 06-28-2019, 08:05 AM
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I don't know what all the fuss is about for these guns. I see them all the time around here. I've had 4 of them and moved them all along because they keep popping up. They are actually hard to get rid of locally with a square butt and 3 inch barrel.
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Old 06-28-2019, 08:58 AM
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I don't know what all the fuss is about for these guns. I see them all the time around here. I've had 4 of them and moved them all along because they keep popping up. They are actually hard to get rid of locally with a square butt and 3 inch barrel.
Am curious . . . of the 3" heavy barrel Model 60s with square butt you've owned or seen, how many had fixed sights?

Russ
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Old 06-28-2019, 11:50 AM
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NYPD Guns Page - Smith & Wesson Model 60 NY-1

Found this about the NYPD model 60’s. NYPD ordered theirs with RB round butt.... why have the SB then? Harder to conceal...
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Old 06-28-2019, 12:28 PM
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. . . NYPD ordered theirs with RB round butt.... why have the SB then? Harder to conceal...
. . . but aims instinctively and controls recoil better.

Russ
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Old 06-28-2019, 07:05 PM
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At one time, I'm told, the NYPD issues 3" M36s to female officers. Square butt is no detriment if carried open. They were fine guns but the male officers wouldn't be caught dead with a ladies gun.
I wonder if the M60s were intended to replace the blued 36s.

My M36-1 concealed just fine in an IWB despite target grips.
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Old 06-28-2019, 07:30 PM
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The model 60 ny1 was a replacement for the model 36’s as authorized off duty weapons for officers hired after jan88 or so.
They went along with the model 64 ny1’s that were also double action only. They both replaced the traditional da model 10’s and 36’s. The 60’s were a surprise move as a shiny revolvers was first believed to be tactically unsound and secondly you were taught that cops have blued/black guns.

I never saw a 3” model 36 in use by an Nypd female mos but they were issued 3” model 10’s with hb rb used by quite a few

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Old 06-23-2023, 08:44 AM
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Great thread on the SB Jovino 60’s. Weren’t all of these Jovino 60’s in a certain three letter serial number range? All started with AEB? Or AE? Something? Anyone know?
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Old 06-23-2023, 10:08 AM
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Reach out to me anytime you get one. Since we must be neighbors, I will buy all of them.
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Old 06-23-2023, 10:09 AM
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So is serial
Prefix AEB a jovino?
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Old 06-23-2023, 12:28 PM
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Default Jovino gun

The Jovino guns of 1972, with 171 guns made, were all in serial number range R56962-R57239

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Last edited by jcelect; 06-23-2023 at 12:29 PM.
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Old 06-23-2023, 12:48 PM
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Quote:
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Great thread on the SB Jovino 60’s. Weren’t all of these Jovino 60’s in a certain three letter serial number range? All started with AEB? Or AE? Something? Anyone know?
Mine is prefix AEV, and there are a couple other close prefixes, they were made in 2~3 batches of several hundred pieces, all in 1984. There are pics of factory letters here with specifics. The guns sent to John Jovino in NYC were NOT pinned, and they all had a 3-letter prefix s/n.




The 171 guns made earlier all had pinned barrels, and are a completely different series, but I would be curious to learn where they went.
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Old 06-23-2023, 05:46 PM
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Default 3" HB M-60 Jovinco run

The serial numbers started with AEU, AEV or AEW and then numbers. I have one of each.
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Old 06-23-2023, 06:18 PM
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Quote:
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Great thread on the SB Jovino 60’s. Weren’t all of these Jovino 60’s in a certain three letter serial number range? All started with AEB? Or AE? Something? Anyone know?
AEC 50xx is a known 2" example.
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Old 06-23-2023, 06:19 PM
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I have a 2” square butt. AEC prefix.
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Old 06-23-2023, 08:43 PM
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I was referring to the 3 inch barrels as having prefix AEU, AEV, AEW. I do not own a 2 inch I have all three three inch barreled Jovinco 60's.
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Old 06-24-2023, 09:07 AM
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The HH Harris Co. was the "John Jovino" of the Chicago area. Herbie Harris operated a police equipment and gun store just south of the old CPD HQ on State Street. He always had a quantity of John Jovino guns and had his own 'specials" from S&W. I believe he passed away in the early80s and the enlightened city of Chicago would not allow his license to be taken over by anyone so about the last gun shop in Chicago disappeared.
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Old 06-24-2023, 09:38 AM
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The HH Harris Co. was the "John Jovino" of the Chicago area. Herbie Harris operated a police equipment and gun store just south of the old CPD HQ on State Street. He always had a quantity of John Jovino guns and had his own 'specials" from S&W. I believe he passed away in the early80s and the enlightened city of Chicago would not allow his license to be taken over by anyone so about the last gun shop in Chicago disappeared.
Would he have bought them from John Jovino, or directly from S&W? The letters I have seen online only mention the three shipments to John Jovino store in NYC.
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Old 06-24-2023, 09:45 AM
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Quote:
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The Jovino guns of 1972, with 171 guns made, were all in serial number range R56962-R57239

jcelect
That particular run of 171 of 1972 went to 7 other dealers beside Jovino. Jovino received 20 units while the others received between 20 and 23. Mine was shipped to Gil Hibard who received 21. All were shipped the same day, June 12, 1978. That's IAW my S&W letter for R57179.
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Old 06-24-2023, 09:50 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by flagman1776 View Post
At one time, I'm told, the NYPD issues 3" M36s to female officers. Square butt is no detriment if carried open. They were fine guns but the male officers wouldn't be caught dead with a ladies gun.
I wonder if the M60s were intended to replace the blued 36s.

My M36-1 concealed just fine in an IWB despite target grips.
My aunt had one, retired as NYPD Lieutenant. She was a class act. Gracious. Very smart , very sharp, very pretty, right up to the end.
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Old 06-24-2023, 11:03 AM
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Originally Posted by PeteC View Post
The 171 guns made earlier all had pinned barrels, and are a completely different series, but I would be curious to learn where they went.
Ask and you shall receive, Pete.
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Old 06-24-2023, 01:18 PM
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Thank you!

For anyone wondering about the "other 3" barrels"...

The John Jovino Model 60 that I have is identical to my Ladysmith 60-3, except for the grip frame. The barrels, sights, hammer and trigger, the font on the roll marks are all identical. Square v. round frame is the only difference I can see... Well, that and the finish, which a previous owner thoughtfully polished on the LS, making the two even harder to tell apart once the target grips are on!
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