S&W 60-7, best steel J ever?

[getoff]

I just got one and am feeling the love of the steel J again. By most accounts, this is the last, bestest, true stainless J frame made. No MIM, no internal liability limiter, and color case hardened trigger/hammer. We have J frames, but they are mostly scandium alloy guns. My wife has her beloved model 34 snubby, a 317 airlight and her EDC 637. Mine are 442, 437, 642, 638, and now this 60. I'm loving the 60 however. Am I the only one going back to steel? Is the 60-7 really the end all be all J frame? What do you guys think?

 

[DocB]

Yup, there is a very narrow window for the M60 resulting in the 60-7. . .actually rated +P and before all the changes. Also, the -7 seems to be the transitional gun right before Smith went to the 357 J Frame. I got this one last year for next to nothing. Nobody really knew what it was, including me. The same thing is true with the 629-4 and the endurance package resulting in a gun with a narrow window right before the changes took place. Pawn shops and gun stores don't seem to be tuned in to the desirability of some of these newer guns just seeing each one as a revolver that isn't over 25 years old yet.

 

[Cal44]

I think steel rules.

In addition to the 36, 36-3, and 31-1 I have a 49 no dash in jail waiting to be picked up in 10 days.

36-0

31-1

36-1

 

[EJO]

ditto Cal44... love them 'steel' snubbies!...
Recently picked-up a 60-no dash to keep my 36- no dash company...
These little-pistolas are fantastic shoots!
Congrats and enjoy yours.

 

[cometpx4]

Model 60

The 60-7 is a great j frame and I have seen a couple come and go through my collection. Right now however, I have 2 60-9's , one with forged trigger and hammer, the more recent one with MIM trigger/hammer. I found them both renowned, but literally like they were brand new. They are great shooters. A little bigger than the .38 J's like the 60-7, but I think they have a shot of being considered the best ever J.

 

[mgriffin]

I'm a big fan of my 60-10, 3" barrel.

 

[BAM-BAM]

I'm a big fan of my 60-10, 3" barrel.

DITTO.........Not the "classic" J-frame but a great gun!!!!!

 

[SeamasterSig]

DITTO.........Not the "classic" J-frame but a great gun!!!!!

I've long wanted a 3 inch m60. What were the transition models, i.e with which dash-numbers were MIM parts and the IL introduced?

 

[chief38]

YUP! Been touting the M60-7 foe many years here. Everything you want and need - nothing you don't!

If I were to ever go into the Revolver making business (not going to happen though) the first gun I'd come out with is a 60-7 clone. IMHO it's the BEST J Frame for EDC/CCW in a .38 Special Revolver ever produced by Smith.

 

[eveled]

I have a 60 no dash that for a long long time was my only double action revolver, my only ccw. I never felt under armed. Nice little gun. It hasn't been to the range since I got my 442, &340pd.

The 60 is nice, but the airlights ride so much better,

 

[31FordA]

I picked up a 60-7 last year, and have been very happy with it. A few years back I had a 36-7, but I traded it for a "CEN" prefix 640. I didn't regret getting the 640, but I did regret giving up the 36-7. The 60-7 has done a good job of taking it's place.

 

[shouldazagged]

I love the steel J's, partly because I have a lot of arthritis in my hands and Airweights and gnatweights now are painful to shoot. But I've always preferred the heft of the steel guns. I have a CEN-prefix 640 I've carried daily for years and I love it, but I'd be glad to get a 649 or 60-7, in that order, if I could.

 

[colt_saa]

I disagree

I do not discriminate against any of the J-frames. I do not think any of them is the end all of J-frames

I love them all equally.

One day I will finish photographing them

 

[629shooter]

"Best" is a matter of opinion/preference. But, I will agree that the Model 60 is one of them.

 

[L Pete]

I just got one and am feeling the love of the steel J again. By most accounts, this is the last, bestest, true stainless J frame made. No MIM, no internal liability limiter, and color case hardened trigger/hammer. We have J frames, but they are mostly scandium alloy guns. My wife has her beloved model 34 snubby, a 317 airlight and her EDC 637. Mine are 442, 437, 642, 638, and now this 60. I'm loving the 60 however. Am I the only one going back to steel? Is the 60-7 really the end all be all J frame? What do you guys think?

You're saying that your Model 60-7 has the color case hardened hammer and trigger? I find that strange, as my Model 60-7 has the flash chromed hammer and trigger. I bought it new from Walmart back when they sold handguns, and excepting the newer Magnas, it is unaltered. Go figure.........

 

[chief38]

WOW! I must say the Ivory grips on the scratched up Bodyguard are just magnificent - not that the gun itself is bad either!!

 

[colt_saa]

WOW! I must say the Ivory grips on the scratched up Bodyguard are just magnificent - not that the gun itself is bad either!!

Chief,
That is GREAT Ivory.

That revolver is the 39th 649 produced. It is one of 25 model 649s that were hand selected on the first day of production to become one of the Limited Special Edition 649s

 

[Texas Star]

You're saying that your Model 60-7 has the color case hardened hammer and trigger? I find that strange, as my Model 60-7 has the flash chromed hammer and trigger. I bought it new from Walmart back when they sold handguns, and excepting the newer Magnas, it is unaltered. Go figure.........

There's a lot strange in S&W land.

I've owned M-60-4's with both color casehardened and flash-chromed hammers and triggers.

 

[chief38]

YES, the M60-7 was shipped mostly with Flash Chromed hammers & Triggers BUT there WERE some shipped with Case Colored ones as well. This was NOT unique to the M60-7 because the M65 was also shipped with both types. There are also variations in the Star section of the extraction system too. Smith did NOT change dash numbers for minor differences and changes - only what they deemed to be major or important ones.

 

[Danbgt]

Just added this little 60-7 jewel. My first all steel J frame. My EDC is a beat up 642 that looks like it has been carried!!
I know it doesn't compare but I have an old stainless Taurus 85 with 2" barrel that I really like. It looks a lot like a miniature Model 66. It shoots great. But I understand that the 85's are hit and miss. I bought it many years ago for about 75 bucks!!
Cant wait to get to the range and shoot my "new" 60!
Is the 36-7 basically the same gun? Just not stainless?