Looking at a 3-inch Model 36

[tjtoolbox]

Model 36-1

Picked up this 36-1 a few months ago for $325.00 no grips and a used LEO , mechanics Tight , Finish Fair. Had a M 37 , like the 36-1 much better.

 

[Kframerbluvr]

I saw one at the Richmond gun show a couple of weeks ago in nickel tagged at $475. Kinda wished I would have checked it out..

 

[Minorcan]

Nobody ever told me "need" had anything to do with it.

I'd put the one you're looking at around mid-'68 (seems the numbers get a bit jumbled about then).

Here are a few 3" Chiefs through the years...

I'm sure your wife thinks that way every time she sees a pair of dressy shoes she wants and I'm also sure she comes to her senses and just buys the shoes. How else did her closet get so full of shoes. I'll tell ya what to do. Go buy a nice pair of shoes for her, put the gun in the shoe box, gift wrap them up and give to her. When she opens the box she will be happy to get the new shoes, while she is admiring them look in the box and say hey look what else came with shoes and show her the gun. I'm sure she'll just say that's OK you can keep the gun as she goes to the closet to place her new shoes in a special spot.

"I'll apologize to the fairer sexed members of the forum for my sexist post."

 

[two-bit cowboy]

Hmmm.

No boxes of shoes. No wife. No problem.

 

[H P Bushrod]

I prefer 3 inch barreled K-frames, But I wouldn't turn down a 3 inch J-frame if the price was right. The gun in the OP's pic looks great.

 

[TheHobbyist]

I'll provide my commentary for what it is worth.

I bought one, much like you, because how could you pass on something like that!

Here's what happened for me. In my affection to buy it, I did not consider how it would work in my large hands. It was challenging to shoot accurately with big hands and I really had to focus. (I am not new to plinking.) . I thought about keeping it around for a night stand gun/home defense but it was just not practical with the standard stocks.

Here is what I would do over. I would NOT sell the gun, but rather buy 'banana grips' or other stocks--like some of the posters above have--and it would have totally changed the grip axis and functionality for me. In my case, the grips would have 'made the gun' and functioned as needed. Hope this is of interest and helps.

 

[Watchdog]

I'll provide my commentary for what it is worth.

Thanks so much for your comments.

I've actually made up excuses to myself not to go back and look at it, because I know if I do, I'll buy it. But it's been on my mind since last week.

Maybe tomorrow...(insert long drawn out sigh here______)