Model 36 heavy barrel?

[Mbrgr1]

I've been looking for a pocket gun to carry easily. Floating J serial number 3J**** with matching grips.


Wondering if this is a heavy barrel and how does one tell the difference?


Thanks

 

[M29since14]

No, it's not. I believe 36 heavy-barrel guns were only made in 3-inch, though the 940 2-inch was produced with both light and heavy barrels, IIRC.

 

[ontheroad20]

Didn't the model 13 have a heavy barrel? Saw one on GB last week.

 

[murphydog]

This is a standard 2" model 36. There is/was a 3" version with the same barrel contour, and the 36-1 with the 3" heavy barrel.

The 3" model 13 does have a similar heavy barrel to the 36-1, just in a K frame.

 

[jjmIII_Ruger]

I'd like a nice 36 3" in heavy barrel. They just look right. Example attached (not mine).

 

[Birdhunter6]

Didn't the model 13 have a heavy barrel? Saw one on GB last week.

Yes, my 13-2 has a heavy 3" barrel.

 

[Narragansett]

I'd like a nice 36 3" in heavy barrel. They just look right. Example attached (not mine).

How scarce are these? I am not a real J frame fan, but I like this

 

[M29since14]

Not particularly scarce. In my limited experience, more show up with a square-butt frame, but both types are out there if you look around a bit.

 

[JWintergreen]

I'd like a nice 36 3" in heavy barrel. They just look right. Example attached (not mine).

I would as well. That has always been a grail gun of mine. I also wish that S&W had produced more 3" fixed sight model 60s.

 

[LPD256]

How scarce are these? I am not a real J frame fan, but I like this

Pete-They are cool little guns and relatively inexpensive. The blue 36-1 is a heavy barrel. The nickel is a 36 regular barrel. From the side they look the same. Looking down the barrel, the 36-1 has a wider, heavier top strap. Both are 3 inch barrels. Jim

 

[VASCAR2]

36 J Frame

Here is a picture of my S&W revolvers. Top model 15-2 from about 1966, middle Model 18 from 1958 and my model 36 3" square butt from 1972. The model 36 3" is not a heavy barrel compared to the 36-1 which came with heavy barrel.

 

[JWM]

Here is a picture of my S&W revolvers. Top model 15-2 from about 1966, middle Model 18 from 1958 and my model 36 3" square butt from 1972. The model 36 3" is not a heavy barrel compared to the 36-1 which came with heavy barrel.

No doubt sir that you must love Packy's. Me too !!

 

[VASCAR2]

I used Pachmayr grips when I carried a model 66 on duty many years ago. A Friend who runs a gun shop ordered a used model 15 trade in gun from Zander's for me. The model 15 came with the Pachmayr gripper grips. I still shoot my revolvers so I decided to put Pachmayr grips on all three of my S&W revolvers.

The 3" model 36 is a lot more comfortable to shoot with Pachmayr grips. I like the looks of wood but for shooting I prefer the Pachmayrs.

I wanted to keep my wood grips in pristine condition from my model 18 & 36.

 

[jcelect]

36 barrels

Here is the difference in the profile of a 36 and a 36-1, both 3".

Here are the different variations of the model 36. Top row=heavy barrels. next row=standard barrels, bottom row are 2" guns, and the last is a 36 Chief's Special Target

jcelect

 

[bigmtnman]

I seem to recall hearing that the M36 3" heavy barrels were ordered by N.Y.P.D for issue to female officers. I think this was back in the early 70's.
I also seem to remember a good number of them being for sale as used PD turn in guns back in the 80's. I'm pretty sure I purchased one or two, but they passed through my hands..... DADGUMMIT !!

 

[two-bit cowboy]

Here's another image to show the difference.

S&W launched the 3" Chiefs Special in late 1950, according to Roy's book, History of Smith and Wesson.

The earliest Model 36-1 I've seen shipped in September '66. S&W made the Model 36 3" lightweight barrel and Model 36-1 3" Heavy Barrel concurrently until 1975, when the company dropped the 3" lightweight barrel.

I've not seen or heard of a 2" Heavy Barrel.

Neither the Model 36 nor the Model 36-1 with 3" barrels are scarce, as some online sellers claim.

S&W made the stainless steel Chiefs Specials with square butts and 3" Heavy Barrels in 1972 (Model 60-1, reported to be only 171 examples assembled and shipped in 1978) and again in 1984 (Model 60, reported to be 1,000 examples for the John Jovino Company in New York City). In 1988 S&W introduced the Model 60-3 with 3" Heavy Barrel in its Lady Smith series. Later came the Chiefs Special Target Model 60-4, Chiefs Special Target Carry Comp Model 60-7 (there was also a 60-7 Lady Smith), and the Chiefs Special Target Model 36-10, based on the J-magnum frame and capable of handling .357 magnums.

Obviously S&W has made other Model 60s with 3" barrels since 2001 when the company introduced the internal lock.

 

[majick47]

The 3" barrel Chief Special might work if the OP is 7' tall, has deep pockets and doesn't wear current style clothing. If of average height & weight I'd stick with a 2" Chief for pocket carry and I'd be leaning to an alloy frame model with shrouded hammer round butt like the model 38. The only Pachmayr accessory I'd use on it is a grip adapter if the objective is concealability.

 

[GerSan69]

So the question for the OP is, now that you know the difference between the standard and heavy barrel J-frames, what do you really like for carry? I must tell you, unless you wear pants with really deep pockets, a 3" is probably out of the question for that style of carry. But if it's a simple inside or outside of the waistband you want, either the 2 or 3" will work just fine.... and the 3 has all the added advantages of a longer barrel on any firearm.
Anyway, how can we help you spend your $$$?

 

[cmansguns]

I agree that the 36-1 heavy barrel guns are not rare, scarce, or even over-priced unless you watch GB or the like which I rarely do.

Below my standard Model 36, my 36-1 Blue with heavy barrel, and a nickel 36-1 also with heavy barrel.

Still see the 36-1's with heavy barrel around here at LGS's and even with Covid panic prices still around $400 range. The problem (and why they stay on the shelves) is NO AMMO...these are guns that even the LGS doesn't have ammo for, even in the back room I'm told.

Nice guns, balance well enough, but on the heavy side (no pun intended) for EDC at least for me. I'll stick with 637-2 with +P aboard.

 

[jcelect]

Centennials!

To the OP
The gun for pocket carry is any of the many configurations(40, 42, 640, 640Pro, 642, 442, 632, 632 Pro, etc) of the Centennials in a 2" barrel! This style of gun was designed for pocket carry, NO EXTERNAL HAMMER to snag on clothing! A close second is the Body Guard, but they have fewer configurations(38, 49, 649).
IMHO jcelect