Another "9"60

[azdover]

After reading the adventures of WC145, Safearm, Headknocker and Pred, I decided it would be nice to add another 9MM J frame to my small collection. Found a used but decent Model 60 no dash, picked up a cylinder and new style timing hand from Brownells, a little filing and fitting on the extractor star, some bead blasting, and I now have a 960 to go with it's younger cousin, a 940. Swap the original cylinder and timing hand back in, and I'm able to shoot 38 again.

Thanks for the pointers guys.

Pete

 

[tekarra]

Very nice indeed. Hmmmmm, my 940 needs a friend.

 

[pred]

Yay another has joined the dark side !
Have you contacted Dave Manson (here on our forum)
About boring it out to 9x23 and chamforing the charge holes?
I took my 960 out and shot 9mm,38 Super and then some 9x23.
I found it more accurate with the 38 supers than 9mm, And the 9x23, Well with 357 like ballistics it was a handful!
Remember the 356 TSW is a strong load that was shot from the 940.
So you are safe with 9x23......
How do you like it so far?
Here's my 960 with a few size loads!

FUNFUNFUN
Peter

 

[azdover]

Have only put about 50 rounds through it, but, so far, so good. It does shoot about an inch to an inch and a half low at 10 yards with 115 grain rounds. Recoil is like everyone else has said - a little snappier than 38+P, but much more manageable than 357 out of a J frame. Definitely a keeper!

 

[WC145]

Very cool, I like the bead blasted look.

I'm not bothered by the recoil shooting 9mm and .38 Super, but at only 13oz my 369J is kind of a beast with 9x23.

 

[HEADKNOCKER]

Did you change the "Hand" too??
I see it in the pic..
Also noticed the "Cut Down" Combat/Boot Grips..
Congrats!!
Gary/Headknocker

 

[Wee Hooker]

I would LOVE to undertake a project like this an happen to have a underused mod 60. So how hard was it to fit the cylinder and hand??
Doable for a 'homespun" gunsmith ??
Source for the parts?

Any advice appreciated.

 

[azdover]

Dave, I think most anybody can do this conversion so your gun functions safely and reliably with a minimum of special tools but with the right parts. I'll post up some pictures later in the week after I get home. I sent you a pm with some details. Let me know if you got it.

Costwise - it may be a wash. You can send your cylinder to a shop like Pinnicale and they can rechamber your cylinder for 9MM for around $225, but I don't think you can shoot 38 Special in it anymore. Or you can buy all the parts like I and some of the other guys have, and fit the new cylinder and timing hands. In my case, I can shoot 38 or 9MM, I just have to change out some parts. Costs for buying the conversion parts was about the same in my case. I was lucky in that I had an old Model 36 cylinder I got for $25, so I used the extractor rod and spring plus the center rod and spring from it on the 9MM cylinder. I did have to fit the extractor rod a little. Adding up all the parts, I'm close to the $225 it would cost to have the conversion done. Guess it's just up the individual.

Thanks guys. I did need to change the hand, using a newer taller one to work properly with the new style extractor star on my Brownells cylinder. One of you guys (WC145, Safearm, Headknocker or Pred) - I can't remember who - posted a "how to" in an earlier post on the forum.

Cutting down some old Uncle Mike grips made it easier for me to hang onto and are still concealable in a pocket holster.


Pete

 

[Dogmann]

What model J Frames were made to shoot 9mm? And which J frames were hammerless and which ones were not?

 

[HEADKNOCKER]

The Only factory J Frame 9mms are the 940/PC940 & the one off 942.

 

[BHPFan]

After reading the adventures of WC145, Safearm, Headknocker and Pred, I decided it would be nice to add another 9MM J frame to my small collection. Found a used but decent Model 60 no dash, picked up a cylinder and new style timing hand from Brownells, a little filing and fitting on the extractor star, some bead blasting, and I now have a 960 to go with it's younger cousin, a 940. Swap the original cylinder and timing hand back in, and I'm able to shoot 38 again.

Thanks for the pointers guys.

Pete

I have some questions:

1) Did you have to rebarrel the gun to shoot 9mm?

2) Is that cylinder that you picked up the same one for a S&W 940?

3) Is the timing hand also for a 940?

4) I don't know much about J-Frames, but can the same cylinder and timing be used any J-Frame revolver?

I am interested doing the same rechambering on a J-Frame (60, 640 or 649).

Thanks in advance.

 

[pred]

#1, Barrel is fine as is for 38 special.
#2 Need a cylinder for a 940.
#3 Hand for any J frame will do, May not need one at all.
#4 The older J frames will work before they stretched the frame for the 357 cartridge,,, (Magnum size J frame) Which is a longer cylinder and window.
I was lucky in that the 940 cylinder was a drop in on my model 60.
This does not happen often at all, But they are real close and only small adjustments are needed,
Headknocker did some great work to make his fit like a factory or better job!
If it's something you want to do, Then by all means do it, It wont make the gun worth more or less, Just a bit different.
Peter

 

[safearm]

I opted for the conversion of a 637. I sent the cylinder to TK Custom and Tom cut it for 9mm and moonclips. .38 Special can still be shot out of it (although I haven't done it), but the cases must be tapped out of the chambers as they will swell to fit the tapered 9mm Parabellum size. BTW, the cost of the conversion, plus the donor gun, was less than the 940 I later bought on this forum. While the all steel 940 is easier to shoot, the 637 is much easier to carry. If S&W would only make a 942...

 

[BHPFan]

A couple of other questions:
Does the cylinder need any modification to be able to fit and extract the moonclips?

Also, can those stainless steel J-Frames able to withstand a steady diet of standard 9mm Luger loads (not +P)?

 

[WC145]

A couple of other questions:
Does the cylinder need any modification to be able to fit and extract the moonclips?

Also, can those stainless steel J-Frames able to withstand a steady diet of standard 9mm Luger loads (not +P)?

The 940 cylinders are already made to accomodate moonclips.

The 940 was a stainless steel j-frame, I would think that any other stainless j-frame would hold up just as well. My conversion gun is scandium and I haven't had any trouble with it.

 

[BHPFan]

The 940 cylinders are already made to accomodate moonclips.

The 940 was a stainless steel j-frame, I would think that any other stainless j-frame would hold up just as well. My conversion gun is scandium and I haven't had any trouble with it.

That's great!!!

Now, I can buy with confidence a "prelock" S&W 60 Stainless Steel that I just saw at a Gunshop as well as buy the 940 cylinder and and convert to 9mm Luger.

Thanks to all and Please give me more opinions and feedbacks coming.

 

[WC145]

You can get the cylinder and hand (if needed) from Brownell's. I've bought my moonclips from S&W but you can get them from Brownell's, Midway, and TK Customs as well.

 

[pred]

That's great!!!

Now, I can buy with confidence a "prelock" S&W 60 Stainless Steel that I just saw at a Gunshop as well as buy the 940 cylinder and and convert to 9mm Luger.

Thanks to all and Please give me more opinions and feedbacks coming.

CAUTION Pre lock does not mean NON MAGNUM size J frame.
Think 80s early 90s J frame.
The cylinder window is a tad shorter in the older J frames.
I dont have a measurement at the time, But just keep this in mind.
If the 60 was made after the first 357 60, The 940 cylinder wont be long enough,
Peter

 

[BHPFan]

CAUTION Pre lock does not mean NON MAGNUM size J frame.
Think 80s early 90s J frame.
The cylinder window is a tad shorter in the older J frames.
I dont have a measurement at the time, But just keep this in mind.
If the 60 was made after the first 357 60, The 940 cylinder wont be long enough,
Peter

I'll check for the serial number on the two Model 60's that they got.

Thanks.

 

[safearm]

BHP,
My converted 637 has the alloy Airweight frame and I haven't had any problem with either standard or +P loads. I carry Speer GD 124 grain +P as a normal load, but use any 115 grain FMJ for practice. The 940, being heavier, does have less apparent recoil, but either is very controllable with the loads I carry.