I really like the feel and shootably of my Model 60-14 and have mostly shot it at the gravel pit with no problems. .38 Special is delightful to shoot with the full lug barrel adding weight up front to keep muzzle flip controllable, even .38 Plus-P is comfortable to shoot.
My 3" Model 60 wears the S&W factory rubber grips, full sized, and they greatly reduce felt recoil when shooting magnum rounds (but its main diet is the .38 Special). I found that contrary to what you read out there, the 3" Model 60 can be used as a pocket carry piece if you choose your pocket holster carefully and wear trousers with generously deep pockets like the popular Carharrt's brand. The base of the grip's heel shows just a little bit, but with the larger rubber grips, you just see a bit of black rubber that's easily hidden by a tee shirt worn untucked. Oddly enough, switching to the "concealable" small factory grip panels makes the gun more noticable in the pocket. It allows the grip's shiny backstrap to show and that, in turn, makes the gun very noticable in the pocket should it be exposed.
I'm heading out for a trip this summer to hunt gold and sapphires in Montana and surveyed my handguns for a good defense weapon to take to the forest and desert areas. Mostly thinking protection from bears, the large predator cats and feral canines, not to mention the ubiquitious rattlesnake. The gun needs to offer resistance to dirt, dust, rain and sweat.
The .38 Special airweight would be very light on the hike and a no brainer for concealed carry, but the 2" barrel and loss in velocity as well as a reduced sight radius put that choice on the back burner. To stay on the safe side of the laws of Idaho and Montana, I won't be carrying concealed in town while in Montana, where I intend to spend most of my time (Idaho recognizes my CCW permit).
The Sig P 226 and S&W 659 lost out due to the marginal 9mm on bear, but it might do ok on large cats like mountain lions, or a pack of canines but why risk it? The 226 is certainly lightweight, but hard to conceal, holds enough rounds to keep a dog pack at bay but, again the 9mm is a marginal field load IMO. The S&W 659 shares the same attributes of the 9mm Sig and it's very thick and heavy to boot. But ya gotta love stainless steel in the field.
So, after reading up on gun laws in Montana and Idaho, I took a second look at the Model 60-15 with the lugged 3" barrel and adjustable sights. If plinking opportunities present themselves, target .38 Special semi-wadcutter ammo is perfect for the job. When in bear country, in go the .357 158 grain bullet Magnums. When rattlers could be slithering about, I have CCI snake shot to stoke the cylinder.
The 60 is svelte, light, well made, the trigger's slick and she's got plenty of accuracy. The stainless frame, barrel and cylinder makes for good durability. Using S&W full sized rubber grips offers great handling ability, tamed recoil and allows a full-fingered grip. The gun made the cut as a nearly perfect a field gun, given the compromises you need to consider, as you're going to find.
I'll be carrying in the pocket as well as on the belt, strongside. My belt holster choice is one made for the .45 Government Model, a nylon product with a double velcro strip closure offered by Mil-Tech, made in the USA. This holster has a removable belt clip for either left side or right side IWB/OWB carry and does a good job of holding the S&W 3" as a perfect fit. As a field holster for the little Smith, the Mil-Tech holster secures the gun snugly and offers almost as much protection from the elements as a full flap holster would.
Depending on your needs it's tough to beat the 3" S&W Model-60. If need be, I wouldn't hesitate to pocket the thing around town or wear it on the hip when working in the field and streams.
