An Airweight because... why not?

[GerSan69]

I was doing my periodic browsing of online gun dealers and "stopped by" Kittery Trading Post up there in beautiful Kittery, Maine. These are the folks that I bought my 4513TSW from a while back, so needless to say, they're always on the "browse" list.
Well, sure enough, they have a Model 37 from the mid-70s. I asked for photos and their internet guy, Gary, sent me 10 of them this morning. Didn't look too bad. Some obvious wear, but nothing screaming "abuse!" or anything like that. They want $325... so I said, "Why not?" and took it. I've wanted to get my terribly but inadvertently abused-by-the-wife nickel 37 refinished for a really long time so I could add it to the rotation.... and this looks like it'll fit the bill right away. Here are a couple of the photos I got today and I'll take some of my own when I get it. Any opinions are welcome!

 

[16thVACav]

I'd call that a bargain!

 

[kaaskop49]

From the foto, it looks very nice. Somebody shortly will advise you to check the area of the frame behind the forcing cone for a crack that may arise in these models from wear. You may want to have your 37 checked over by a gunsmith. If all is as it should be, many will recommend you use only lower pressure ammunition such as target wadcutters or RNL service loads to help prevent such cracks from occurring in the future.

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103

 

[gmborkovic]

Yes a bargain for $325. Pinned barrel. Great little hip pocket gun.
Just no hot ammo. You will be happy with it.

 

[GerSan69]

From the foto, it looks very nice. Somebody shortly will advise you to check the area of the frame behind the forcing cone for a crack that may arise in these models from wear.
Kaaskop49
Shield #5103

Heh. I'm ahead of you on that. I've never considered buying an Airweight online in the past, precisely because of the "crack issue." The only one I do have, the aforementioned brutalized by the Mrs. nickel 37, was bought in person here in Phoenix.
I'm not a trusting person, but Kittery has a really good reputation. I've bought from them previously, and the gun I got that time exceeded my expectations, so I feel at least comfortable enough to spend $325 and give it a try.
I manipulated one of the photos that they sent with a little lightening. Nothing is a substitute for an in-person inspection, of course, but this looks pretty good so far. With that, I pulled the trigger.

 

[Valmet]

I often ccw an Airweight in the summertime and have never felt undergunned. As a matter of fact I've ccw'd one off and on since 2000.

 

[snowman.45]

Very nice, and a decent price. I have a 340 M&P and it's my favorite revolver for concealed carry. It's much lighter than my other j-frames, which are all steel frames.

 

[KalamazooKid]

37's rock!

 

[Rudi]

They are outstanding little guns. The Hornaday Critical Defense Pink loads are perfect, light but accurate. A 90 gr FTX @ 1200 fps muzzle vel.

 

[Sistema1927]

I have a Square Butt 37 from 1980. I gave $200 for it, but that was probably 20+ years ago. It is at 2:00 in the picture with some friends.

 

[stu1ritter]

I bought my Model 37 new in 1978 and if I remember it was $125 at the time. If you handload, you can adjust the recoil to suit your own demands and the 37 becomes quite the favorite.

Stu

 

[Dwaine]

I had a 37 and the frame cracked.... I almost made a deal on another one and it had a hair line cracked frame.... it wasn't near as noticeable as the one pictured below...

The example below is easy to notice.