Howdy Folks,

My lunch break ritual of hitting the pawns near HQ yielded a pretty nice Model 60-7 LadySmith for $375. She's in pretty nice, minty shape, but did not have a box or the LadySmith case. I am inclined to think it was someone's sock drawer gun because of the condition and the lint residing in the immaculate bore, cylinder, and frame window. Pawn broker did say it came into the shop loaded and with a few spare rounds in the Boyt case. Only issues I see are the incorrect MIM thumb piece and stocks, which will be remedied in due time. It came with some Hogue Bantams which I promptly replaced with some Uncle Mikes boots. It oughtta be an excellent shooter. Overall, I am pretty stoked to have a Model 60 (and a -7 at that) after selling one a few years ago.

What is stumping is the date of manufacture. My serial prefix is CAU. I have not found any other CAU prefix guns in my research. I think its probably from the tail end of production due to the C prefix and dot matrix model and serial markings.

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1996 as I see it in the book

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Two Handguns every day

My 60-7 Ladysmith is a BKD prefix, old style thumb latch, and flash chrome trigger an hammer.

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Dave

The CAU serials I see in the database are Model 60-9s. Yours,
based on photos of the riveted cylinder stop, is clearly earlier than
the 60-9.

I guess it was an early frame marked and shipped late.

Stranger things have happened.

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Wrangler of stray Chiefs
Bob

I did a little digging on 60-9’s and noticed the same with the C prefix. I took the side plate off today to do a deep clean. Cleanest used revolver guts I’ve ever seen. Hammer and trigger are forged parts, but looks like the cylinder stop is MIM. Attached is a picture of the innards.

I think you’re right about it being an older frame assembled and shipped later. Probably another odd “transitional” model with a mix of parts and features from different dashes. I’d gander it probably left the factory with the new style latch.

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Great gun and you got it at a great price. Had I come across this at this price I I might have burned my fingers going for my wallet so fast.

Initially it was priced at $420 and nearly went back to work to think it over. I damn near broke my arm whipping out the bill fold when I asked the pawn broker if the sign about '15% off Smith and Wessons' applied to the used revolvers and she said yes.



I generally consider any decent intact military rifle or older quality revolver under 400 bucks to be a great price in the weird inflated gun market of today. I'm pretty happy with it. Not sure when I'll get a chance to put some rounds thru it but I imagine it has a place in the carry rotation with the 442, 36, Detective Special, and Cobra.

FWIW my 60-7 Ladysmith was the best-shooting J-frame I’ve ever owned, and I own several. It, too, was a pawn shop find at an excellent price.

A dozen or so years ago my eldest daughter said she’d like a gun to keep in her nightstand, so I let her try out several. Guess which one she picked?

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Mark Lathem