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

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

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.

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

That 3 inch 60 is sweet. I have been looking for one of those for a couple of years now. Good luck with it.

"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

Hopefully large enough to read.

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.

What's the difference in a jovino and a stock m60?

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

Here's that thread from December........

Model 60 3" John Jovino?

__________________
~ S&W aficionado in training ~

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.

Did smith & Wesson make a 3inch model 60 other then or Jovino??

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.

__________________
Alan
SWCA 2023, SWHF 220

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?

I have a 3” 60 marked Ladysmith. Round butt, I believe its a dash 3.

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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Alan
SWCA 2023, SWHF 220

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

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...

. . . but aims instinctively and controls recoil better.

Russ

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.

__________________
NRA LIFE
Reserve Officer 9yrs

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