What can you tell me about this Model-60 (Bobbed hammer snubby)

[Lebowski]

Inherited this beauty but can't find much info on it. All the photos I see online of the Model-60 doesn't show it bobbed. The info I do find about bobbed ones indicate it's unlikely a factory option.

How can I check the age of this? Serial starts with 83xxx with a "S" and a "B11" stamped. At least, this is what is shown on the interior of the frame where the cylinder slides open. Frame at the bottom of the grip has ADR6xxx stamped into it.

What can you tell me about this piece?

 

[2tonic]

Quality workmanship from a bygone era aside, that's probably a non-factory bob job. Surely intended for pocket carry, because, really, who carries a plated revolver with mother-of-toilet-seat pump handles in plain view?
Seriously, it looks like a refinish, and even though the grips appear to have the S&W escutcheon, they're probably add on's. Someone made that handgun their's.

If it's mechanically sound, shoot it, love it, and wonder who in your family may have had a shady history near New Orleans.


Others will be along soon, with real facts and suggestions.......but that's not my job.

 

[Leadeye]

Nothing wrong with the pistol, but I agree with 2tonic, it looks customized. Real MOP will have a lower gloss look to it and contrary to General George isn't a sign of low moral character.

 

[mcapo]

ADR points towards a 1984 production period.

SW did have some factory bobbed hammer production runs but most likely an aftermarket modification. A very common modification.

Would have been stainless originally.

The crane should have a Model number like 60-1?.

That gun with 38 wadcutters makes a respectable self defense gun.

 

[indyartisan]

No pinned barrel would be post 1982.
I believe the serial number is the one at the bottom of the grip frame.

 

[Win52C]

No pinned barrel would be post 1982.
I believe the serial number is the one at the bottom of the grip frame.

Correct and correct. It’s stainless. Doesnt look plated to me at all. The hammer was obviously bobbed after leaving the factory and the grips swapped out. Looks like all the modifications to me. Give it a good cleaning. Shoot and enjoy.

 

[Creedmoor]

Correct and correct. It’s stainless. Doesnt look plated to me at all. The hammer was obviously bobbed after leaving the factory and the grips swapped out. Looks like all the modifications to me. Give it a good cleaning. Shoot and enjoy.

Thats correct, its stainless. The model 60 was the first revolver made from stainless if I recall correctly.

 

[Creedmoor]

I wouldn't be surprised if that handgun wasn't from a special order through Lipseys or Davidson's that had a run of 100 -250 handguns made just for them as distributors.
Especially Davidson's, they always had ad's in Shotgun News for short run firearms back then.

 

[2tonic]

Correct and correct. It’s stainless. Doesnt look plated to me at all. The hammer was obviously bobbed after leaving the factory and the grips swapped out. Looks like all the modifications to me. Give it a good cleaning. Shoot and enjoy.

Small pictures on my phone make it look plated, especially comparing frame finish to cylinder release finish, but I'll certainly defer to you on this matter. Just a shinier finish than what I'm used to seeing on stainless guns, of this era.

 

[LtScott14]

Years back, I had an Airweight M37. When cleaning it after a session at range, it slid out of my hand, shattered the hammer extension.
Took the M37 to my Gunsmith, he finished the job, ground and smoothed similar to the pic, and I carried for 10 years as my first pocket gun.
Never any misfire, didn't snag on pocket draw, really liked it! I also put installed a Barami Hip Grip to carry on my waistband, sans a holster.
Eventually replaced it with a Centennial 442 in Frosted nickel finish(matte). It wears the hip grip too.
Good looking M60, load it up and shoot it a bit. Enjoy and good luck.

 

[KellyinAvon]

Does the cylinder crane not have the same SN as the butt? I agree with @mcapo that ADR6XXX is most likely a 1984.

There will be M-60 with no dash on this gun's crane. S&W serial numbers are a bit hit and miss, but without the pinned barrel 1984 seems correct.

Bobbed hammer was after leaving the factory.

 

[Lebowski]

Does the cylinder crane not have the same SN as the butt?

Nope. Could that be a sign of a non-factory cylinder? Could this be a franken-gun? I've not fired it, but from my very limited experience with revolvers (almost none) it does seem like the lock up and action are pretty good.

 

[Win52C]

Nope. Could that be a sign of a non-factory cylinder? Could this be a franken-gun? I've not fired it, but from my very limited experience with revolvers (almost none) it does seem like the lock up and action are pretty good.

Who knows ! They stamped the model inside the yoke, instead of manufacturing codes, once they started using them in around 56-57 when they moved to 4 screw frames. By the mid 80’s the serial number was usually inside the crane,on the frame and on the butt of the gun so only 2 places. But as stated above their serialization was all over the place, especially when going through transitions in production. Imagine at one time each revolver had the serial number in 5 places! Very time consuming and costly! ( and why they are sought after now) Back on topic. The cylinder probably hasn’t been changed out, the finish matches the rest of the gun, though only 1 screw holds it in place and it’s easy to do if you had a bad one. Very very rare occurance. More likely the frame only got it on the butt at the factory if it’s not in there. 84 was a very transitional time for Smith. Stainless was all the rage, they had some metallurgy issues with it at the beginning, they had to work out, no more pinned barrels or recessed cylinders which had been a standard since time began for them. And it was the 80’s, wonder 9’s were storming the gun world and kicking long standing revolver contracts to the curb so they had a lot going on!. Going from memory on all this. So forgive any dates I’ve messed up. Hope it helps.

 

[Robert Richardson]

Uh, it's a S&W model 60 that has had the hammer spur removed. Fairly common back in the day.

 

[KellyinAvon]

M-60 came out in 1965, IIRC all the SNs began with a single letter until 83-ish when they started with AAAXXX.

I'm curious if we can ID the cylinder crane.

This is INGO, we do this stuff until the thread devolves into a food discussion

 

[Magyars]

Might want to ask the expert over at the Smith and Wesson forum.

Smith & Wesson Forum

This is the Smith and Wesson Collectors discussion forum.

smith-wessonforum.com

 

[joncon]

Model 60's with ADR prefix were made in 1984. Information is from The Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson 4th edition 2016.
ADE,ADM,ADR,ADT and ADW were the prefixes starting with letters AD used in 1984

 

[MrSmitty]

This is INGO, we do this stuff until the thread devolves into a 9mm vs .45 discussion



Kelly, I fixed it for you......

 

[mcapo]

This is INGO, we do this stuff until the thread devolves into a 9mm vs .45 discussion



Kelly, I fixed it for you......

Neither.

38 wadcutters in a M60.

Ultimate self defense caliber.

 

[MrSmitty]

Neither.

38 wadcutters in a M60.

Ultimate self defense caliber.

I couldn’t find the wad cutters, but have a few boxes of 158 LRN for my model 64, and my Rossi 92.