Bitten By The J-Frame Bug...Again

[Watchdog]

Yep, the bug got me again. Those pesky little buggers are everywhere, it seems. Except this time I sort of knew it was coming.

A week or so ago, I'd asked a friend and fellow SWCA member to see if he could locate me a nice Model 40. He's always at the area gun shows and always has some nice Smiths (among a lot of other nice guns).

Went to the gun show this weekend, and boy, did he come through with a Model 40 for me. As in...new and unfired in the original box with papers. This little revolver is another textbook example of a blued finish that you won't find on modern Smiths. It's just a beautiful little gun.

Am I pleased? What would your first guess be?

Only problem now is that it's so pretty and pristine, I don't want to shoot and carry it! Guess I'll have to look for a shooter grade now.

Reckon they'll let me keep my guns when I go to the poorhouse?

 

[federali]

Double Like!

Hi
The forum only allows one push of the like button. Otherwise...

 

[shouldazagged]

Oh, my, my, my...I'm smitten with deep and terrible envy.

 

[Watchdog]

...I'm smitten...

I've found out in just the past few months that it's hard not to be smitten with these little J-Frames.

And I found out two things about the Model 40 that I didn't even know. There's a little white dot on the top of the grip safety. The dot disappears when the grip safety is depressed enough to allow the shooter to fire the gun. I didn't know that.

And when you remove the stocks, hidden in a tiny little hole in the frame is a little cylindrical pin. You take this pin and put it in a different tiny little hole, and it locks the grip safety in the "fire" position. Didn't know that, either.

This is a neat little gun.

 

[Isis1200L]

My guess is you have become a J-hound, Watchdog.

The J-'s, dey gottsa hold on you.
Oh yeeees, dey gottsa hold on you.
Dey sneaks into your safe,
where it's nice and snuggy warm.
You know you have to let them,
Cause you're under that J-frame charm.
The J's, dey gottsa hold on youuuuuuuuu.

 

[Otreb]

<-----envious.


Congrats!!

 

[nawilson]

My guess is you have become a J-hound, Watchdog.

The J-'s, dey gottsa hold on you.
Oh yeeees, dey gottsa hold on you.
Dey sneaks into your safe,
where it's nice and snuggy warm.
You know you have to let them,
Cause you're under that J-frame charm.
The J's, dey gottsa hold on youuuuuuuuu.

In my mind, this dity has a nice beat but is hard to dance to...

 

[snubbyfan]

That's a real beauty ya got yourself there.

 

[Shorty 45 MK2]

Very nice!

Got to love J-frames!

Looks like you've been bitten bad.

 

[Watchdog]

Very nice!
Got to love J-frames!
Looks like you've been bitten bad.

Yeah, and sometimes those bites hurt. Just today, I had to pass on a pre-36 4-screw snub nose cause I didn't have the funds. Sometimes I feel like I'm standing on the sidewalk in front of the poorhouse.

 

[Watchdog]

The J's, dey gottsa hold on youuuuuuuuu.

That's a nice one...I'd like to hear B. B. King do it. Or better yet, Howlin' Wolf, if he were still alive.

 

[Isis1200L]

Thanks, WATCHDOG. I should see if my pal John, who is very musically talented, could put a tune to it.
Blues-ish would definitely fit.

Yeah, and sometimes those bites hurt. Just today, I had to pass on a pre-36 4-screw snub nose cause I didn't have the funds. Sometimes I feel like I'm standing on the sidewalk in front of the poorhouse.

I feel your pain. I haven't bought any new J's in...OMG! Over a month?!?!
Oh nooooo. I feel faint. I feel shaky. I feel faint and shaky.
I'm goin' through withdrawals!

Quick! Someone sell me a 60-4!!!

 

[dr. K]

Only problem now is that it's so pretty and pristine, I don't want to shoot and carry it! Guess I'll have to look for a shooter grade now.

Oh no! You'll have to get MORE???

nice find... no... beautiful find! congrats on the new looker!

 

[Watchdog]

nice find... no... beautiful find! congrats on the new looker!

Well, I can't really take credit for the find. It was found for me by an SWCA member I've come to know over the past year or so, and from whom I've bought four Smiths now. As I mentioned in my original post, I wasn't expecting a find in this condition, but I'm definitely not complaining.

 

[CoMF]

I stumbled across this thread late, but oh my God... That M40 is GORGEOUS. I could seriously lose myself in that bluing...

I know some would consider it sacrilege, but I'd swap out the original stocks for Herrett's Detectives and carry and shoot that "J" with no reservations. To me, that gun deserves a life of actual use rather than just left to sit in a museum or safe, only to be taken out and handled with cotton gloves. It's a tool that should be treated with care and respect befitting of a classic out-of-production S&W, but a tool nevertheless.

 

[Watchdog]

I know some would consider it sacrilege, but I'd swap out the original stocks for Herrett's Detectives and carry and shoot that "J" with no reservations.

I could be wrong, but I don't think Herrett's Detectives would work on the Model 40 because of the grip safety. A lot of regular J-Frame stocks won't work on the M40 for just that reason. If I do decide to shoot/carry the gun, I'd probably try to find an original T-Grip for it. I've had a WTB ad up here in the forum classifieds for a while now, but so far, no luck.

To me, that gun deserves a life of actual use rather than just left to sit in a museum or safe, only to be taken out and handled with cotton gloves. It's a tool that should be treated with care and respect befitting of a classic out-of-production S&W, but a tool nevertheless.

I understand what you're saying, and I don't totally disagree. I may end up using the gun...I just have to get past the "pretty" factor, you know?

 

[Isis1200L]

Yep, the bug got me again. Those pesky little buggers are everywhere, it seems.
Except this time I sort of knew it was coming.

But I didn't!​

A wiley J-frame showed up today at the LGS. Just waiting to ambush the first S&W fanatic that came along.
One of the salesguys who keeps a keen eye out for me for wheelguns with the S&W stamp gave me a jingle.

A model 30, you say. In S&W 32 Long, you say. I'll be there after work, I said.
It's now in the LGS's back room. With a tag that has my name, and the word Layaway on it.
PICs will be presented when adoption is complete.

Hey, Santa?
I still want a 60-4.
Please.

 

[ZBill]

Black and white photo with some old copper plated lead round nose ammo would be cool. Beautiful grips.

 

[Watchdog]

Black and white photo with some old copper plated lead round nose ammo would be cool. Beautiful grips.

I'll keep the B&W photo idea in mind. Seriously. Gotta find the ammo first.

 

[Simmer down]

I've had my eye out for a mod 40 and when the classic series came out I thought they were too high. I never see any now that aren't in super fine shape and really not in my price range.