I LOVE a Kit Gun.

[6518John]

My father was a huge fan of J-Frames with 3 to 4 inch barrels. His favorite carry piece was a 3 inch Model 36 with the old 200 grain .38 Special Super Police Load.

I think the 4 inch Model 63 stainless Kit Gun is the near perfect all-around revolver.

With the CCI Quiet-22 loads it is deadly accurate and near silent. Great small game hunting load. And I doubt a miscreant would appreciate a couple in the eye or forehead!

Sometimes smaller is better and more practical.

 

[JohnRippert]

There is a interesting little video near the bottom of this page on a that load vs 5 milk jugs of water. I was kinda surprised by the results, as was the guy making the video.38 Spl "Super Police" 200 gr - Page 2

 

[moonsterman]

I believe a J frame in the 22s or 32s are among the nicest to carry and the most enjoyable to shoot!

 

[Sgt. Buzzard]

I shoot a 3" 317 a lot. Some find jamming with high volume shooting in this model . I mostly use CCI-SV and clean with Ballistol. I love this gun, ammo and cleaning solution.

 

[Smithpride]

Very nice! I like it!

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

There is a load called 38 Colt Super Police. That's 200 grain 38 S&W (not special). I loaded them with a 200 grain RN for 35 Remington, sized .358. I shot them in a 4" Iver Johnson about 25 years ago, into the side of my firewood stack. In 4" +/- diameter firewood they penetrated past the 20 to 22 inch length (all 10 rounds I fired). I'll have to load up some more and try them in my 1921 Regulation Police and see how they work for accuracy.

Ivan

 

[Bastogne71]

My favorite kit gun is my model 631 chambered in 32 Magnum. A very close second place is a nearly identical model 63 in 22lr. When I saw the 631, my first thought was "it's a center fire kit gun" and just had to bring it home with me. Here's a picture of both. The round butt on top is the 631.

 

[Tu_S]

Dad gave this to me for Christmas in 1980 when I was 9. I got older and busy with different things and forgot about it, until he gave it to me again for Christmas 2021, having saved everything for over 40 years

 

[WBH]

Skeeter Skelton wrote an article about "Trail Guns" in which he mentioned several of his favorites. At the end he wished for a J frame in .38 Special with a 4 inch barrel and adjustable sights. Unless I've missed something, we're still waiting for that one.

 

[22shtur]

I also think the model 63 is perfect for small game. I know from first-hand experience the Quiet .22 by CCI will not kill a grouse at 20 feet.

My first .22 handgun was a Model 63 I bought new in 1979. My Dad was a Colt woodsman fan, so I got one.
I take turns shooting my Colt woodsman's and my S&W kit guns. I rarely shoot more than 10 rounds while grouse hunting, so the model 63 or model 43 are what I enjoy hunting grouse with these days.

 

[6518John]

I know from first-hand experience the Quiet .22 by CCI will not kill a grouse at 20 feet.

I am surprised to read you have had that experience with the Quiet CCI. I have used the segmented round quite a bit too. I bet I have killed a pick-up truck load of varmints with the Quiet loads from both a revolver and rifle. I always try to make head shots, especially on coons—they are tough to kill—and have never had a problem with their effectiveness.

 

[Grayfox]

I've owned a 4" Model 34 for over 30 years. Absolutely love it!
Love the idea of that 631. Wish I could find one.
But this Model 60-4 has been my companion on many a camping and hiking trip.

 

[22shtur]

6518John, I used the older version that was a solid lead bullet. It also was 710fps. I have never used the segmented CCI. I shot the older 710fps bullet in my model 63.

 

[BAM-BAM]

I have a 4" 63 but my "Kit Gun" is a 3" 60-10.... micro 5 shot 686.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

My mid 70's 34-1 4" had the extraction problems that plagued S&W 22's in that time frame. That kept the gun from ever being used much! I ordered in the Chamber Finishing Ream and a pint of heavy cutting oil from Brownell's and reamed my 34-1 and 17-3. It takes about 10 minutes a chamber/60 minutes a gun. 10 years ago, local gunsmiths wanted $60 a gun, so I saved $80 and still have the tools!

Ivan

 

[Model19man]

Skeeter Skelton wrote an article about "Trail Guns" in which he mentioned several of his favorites. At the end he wished for a J frame in .38 Special with a 4 inch barrel and adjustable sights. Unless I've missed something, we're still waiting for that one.

He was pretty smart and I agree. Maybe a 4" Model 14 is the same thing.

 

[target tech]

I just helped a buddy out last week with a kit gun. He knew I was into S&W revolvers and asked if I could fix up a .22 he bought from a guy, cheap. He showed me a couple of pictures, and it turned out to be a 34-1 with a missing sight and wearing Goodyears. I told him sure, shouldn't be a problem as long as the hole for the screw that holds the sight on isn't stripped out. Took the sight off of mine and checked the screw hole, it was fine, so I ordered the parts from Midway. A week later a kit gun was back in action. No idea what the story is on the missing rear sight, the gun is in nicer shape than mine, but she's good to go now.

 

[max503]

My mid 70's 34-1 4" had the extraction problems that plagued S&W 22's in that time frame. That kept the gun from ever being used much! I ordered in the Chamber Finishing Ream and a pint of heavy cutting oil from Brownell's and reamed my 34-1 and 17-3. It takes about 10 minutes a chamber/60 minutes a gun. 10 years ago, local gunsmiths wanted $60 a gun, so I saved $80 and still have the tools!

Ivan

My story exactly. My late 70's model 34 came with timing and extraction problems. Had to brush every other cylinder-full. Even doing that I would hurt the ball of my hand, smacking the extractor rod. Two trips back to S&W got it shootable but not at all smooth. It wasn't until I reamed the cylinders that the extraction problem went away.
I still haven't got around to reaming my safe queen Model 18-2.
That 34 is the gun that's always in my shooting bag. It has digested 10's of thousands of various kinds of 22 ammo. Still shoots better than I can hold it. It will be my SD gun when my hands get old and decrepit.

 

[Hondo44]

Skeeter Skelton wrote an article about "Trail Guns" in which he mentioned several of his favorites. At the end he wished for a J frame in .38 Special with a 4 inch barrel and adjustable sights. Unless I've missed something, we're still waiting for that one.

They came close starting in 1975 with the blue Mod 36-1 and some in nickel and stainless, all with 3", but never with a 4" barrel that I know of:

But in 2005 they did make a .357 5" Model 60-18 target shown on page 261 in the SCSW 4th edition; pg. 222 in the 3rd ed.

 

[SafeTFirst]

My mid 70's 34-1 4" had the extraction problems that plagued S&W 22's in that time frame. That kept the gun from ever being used much! I ordered in the Chamber Finishing Ream and a pint of heavy cutting oil from Brownell's and reamed my 34-1 and 17-3. It takes about 10 minutes a chamber/60 minutes a gun. 10 years ago, local gunsmiths wanted $60 a gun, so I saved $80 and still have the tools!

Ivan

I have the extraction issue on a .22 kit gun from the 60's (I think). Is there a thread that describes the fix? I can't seem to find the tool online.

Shoot 5 rounds and struggle for an hour to get the spent cases out. :-(


Thanks!