Bring Back the Model 61 Escort

[Class III]

Bring back the Escort, only this time in Scandium. I think the Model 61 Escort is one of the best hideout guns that S & W ever made. Small, light and extremely concealable the Escort fits in the front pocket with no problems. I even had a custom molded IWB and a neck holster made up in kydex for the last one I had. It was one of those guns that I knew I shouldn't sell, but… Better to have a "Mouse Gun" than no gun at all.

 

[Gatofeo]

I agree. The Model 61 was a great, little .22 hideout gun.
I've only seen one once, years ago a guy brought one to the local gravel pit at which I was firing.
Didn't get to fire it, but he seemed to shoot it accurately enough: minute of tin-can at about 30 feet. That's all you need for such a tiny hideout gun.
I don't recall that it failed to feed or fire.
I'm uncertain why the 61 died so quickly; were there problems with quality, reliability or was it just too strange-looking to sell well?
Anyone know?

 

[therevjay]

I've never had or shot one. So all I know is what I've read. Most of that said reliability was pretty awful.

 

[mississippi revolverman]

Wife still has here 30 year old Escort. I like the little gun use to carry on undercover as a backup.

 

[Revolver-time]

The one I had was very unreliable. The little Bobcat has it beat all to heck.

 

[keithpip]

My escort functions flawlessly with all types of ammo, standard velocity, high vel., hollowpoints. Maybe I just got a good one. I wish Smith would bring it back. I read a cryptic comment somewhere that Smith & Wesson decided that they just didn't want to be in the business of making this type of handgun. Who knows, it probably just didn't sell very well and they made a business decision to drop it.

 

[shooboy]

Guys, this thread needs a picture !!!
Here's my Escort, new in box, I never fired it so I can't comment on it's performance, Shoo

 

[straightshooter1]

When they first came out, we "all" ran out and bought one, thinking really small, good back up, maybe carry sometimes off duty.

Not a single one of the bunch was reliable enough to carry. I bought a second, then later a third, and never found one that worked 100%.

A RELIABLE Escort, now that would be a great gun.

Bob

 

[The Last Standing Knight]

Originally posted by shooboy:

Guys, this thread needs a picture !!!
Here's my Escort, new in box, I never fired it so I can't comment on it's performance, Shoo

How many rounds does it hold in the magazine?

I saw one years and years ago...looked like a blank/tear gas gun. All I remember is it was tiny and an S&W

 

[Class III]

Model 61 No Dash did have feed problems. So did -1. The last one I had was a -2 and was reliable with everything I put through it.

Standing Knight, the mag will hold 5 rounds of 22 LR

 

[HoosierMike]

I would be first in line to buy one. When I was a kid, my grandfather had one he carried constantly. He always carried it in his pocket folded in a wallet to break the profile. There was also enough room on the wallet for him to sew on a little piece of elastic to hold a spare mag. Not sure what dash it was, but I have many fond memories of rolling tin cans with it in the field behind his house. I don't recall there being any kind of funtion problem with his.

 

[shawn mccarver]

Bring back the Escort, only this time in Scandium. I think the Model 61 Escort is one of the best hideout guns that S & W ever made. Small, light and extremely concealable the Escort fits in the front pocket with no problems. I even had a custom molded IWB and a neck holster made up in kydex for the last one I had. It was one of those guns that I knew I shouldn't sell, but… Better to have a "Mouse Gun" than no gun at all.

This has, for all intents and purposes, already been done. The little 2213 was a little larger, but in terms of design, it was essentially the same pistol as the 61 Escort, but reliable.

 

[CactusCapt]

Sadly, the Escort I had was the only S&W I was unreluctant to trade away. Terribly unreliable.

 

[S&W 45 Colt]

model 61 escort reliability

I still have mine. Very reliable when clean. At least as reliable as my Beretta 21. Bot are picky on ammo, and both want to be clean. But a J frame seems to end up in the front pocket instead.
S&W 45 Colt