Curious offering: 5-inch Model 60

S

Sevens

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Nope, I don't have one. I did have a 3-inch for a short time and it had it's good points, but we didn't get along quite well enough for it to last and I forwarded it on. But Smith & Wesson either has offered or actually does offer the Model 60 with a 5-inch barrel.

Seems a really...strange concoction, I'd think? You've got a J-frame gun with a 5-shot cylinder. Short reach, small grip. Long barrel! Just plain attractive -- it looks like a big revolver that's been shrunken. Kind of like that new "80%" rimfire 1911 that Browning is offering. Looks like the familiar face...but shrunk.

Who has a 5-inch Model 60? I've only seen one in the flesh. Didn't get to handle it.

I'm not one of those skeptics that thinks every gun or cartridge needs to have a "reason." I couldn't be further from that, actually. 95% of what I own, shoot and love don't fill any particular role other than I wanted 'em and I enjoy them.

But if there's a thought process or reasoning behind the 5-inch J-frame Model 60 in .357 Magnum, I'm interested to hear what that is.
 
Not mine but for sale on a local forum. Didnt want to post the whole ad for fear of a driveby but it is a nickel plated 1961 5 inch. Neat pistol.
 

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Not mine but for sale on a local forum. Didnt want to post the whole ad for fear of a driveby but it is a nickel plated 1961 5 inch. Neat pistol.
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That is a K Frame, most likely a M&P a.k.a. a pre-model 10. The easiest way to tell is on a J Frame the cylinder notches are in line with the cylinder flutes, everything else will have the cylinder notches between the cylinder flutes.

To Stevens, I don't believe that S&W has ever made a 5" J Frame revolver. The longest I have seen is 3" which is fairly common on Model 36 and Model 60 "Ladysmith" revolvers.
 
I have a 5" S&W Model 63 (22LR). It is a good little revolver but a little difficult to find a good holster that fits it not made for a 6". Good little trail gun. If I have any criticism, the sights are a bit small.

I have read that they aren't real comfortable to shoot with full house 357 mag loads. The grips are too small.
 
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The J's have a nice hand size for some folks. I much prefer it to my Model 19 for instance. However, shooting 357s from one is not nice. Good SD oriented 38 SPLs are just fine.

Having the capacity for the 357 is an apocalyptic plus. The longer barrel does give you a little more oomph for the 38s.
 
Well...I bought one in '06 as my retirement present to myself...always liked revolvers with 5" barrels...and on 1911's for that matter too. S&W's J frame with good grips and a 3" barrel is a very manageable and useful carry piece. O the day in question, I was looking for a model 60 but instead of the 3" tube I was looking for, I found that 5" barrel'd model...it looked odd with dinky little rosewood "boot" grips designed I guess for small chimpanzees based on their size. I replaced those with a pair of Hogue's as I recall....they're the ones in the pic below. I've got medium sized hands, wear L sized gloves, but those ?Hogue? grips make a J-frame pleasant to shoot with most any reasonable load

So,I took a chance and bought it as a trail and fishing gun...SS and all that. It's one of of my bedside guns at this point but does go on the occasional walk-about, at which it is almost perfect. I carry in a modified Tom Threepersons holster of my own make, on the belt. Too long for CCW, it's at it's best as a trail gun. Very light wt...you barely feel it hugging your side as you hike along but you've still got .357 Magnum power when you need it...rogue thistle tops, marauding rotten stumps and such...

My favorite load for it, uses a moderate charge of Winchester 231 or HP38 with 125 gr or 140 gr JHP's for just under 1200 fps...while still being comfortable to shoot. Pretty authoritative for most threats in the lower 48 short of bears.

I've added a pic of my wife's 637 which shows the grips that actually came with the 5" Model 60...they don't work any better on her 637 than they did on the M-60 but do make for a pretty picture. Her 637 actually wears a set of Crimson Trace's laser grips...and they feel as good as the Hogues. BTW, there's a M60-18 currently up for auction on Gunbroker, but the grips shown are not original to the gun...they're Pachmeyers I'd say.

HTH's Rod

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M60-18 with its 5" bbl and a set of Hogues' as I recall.

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M637 sporting the grips that were on the M60 when I bought it...yep, NIB.
 
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Ruger now has something similar, an SP101 variant with a 4.2" barrel and adjustable sights. I like the concept as a backpacker's woods carry piece, or even general CCW critter.
 
All the velocity a 5" .357 can offer in a hand smackin package. I wanted one when they came out as a serious trail/kit gun, did my usual hesitation thing, and then S&W discontinued the darn things making their price rise.

They are still intriguing to me as I do like 5" and 3" variations of some, if not most, revolvers.

Nice looking J frame rodfac.
 
I bought one. It's a slender, small handled, five shot, 25 oz, steel pistol. If I only owned one handgun to do everything, this would be it.
image_zpsb0c1fbab.jpg
 
I thought those 5" J frames were really nice looking guns!

Like another poster, I had a 3" J frame that I couldn't get along with. Traded it for something or another. Then along came the 4.2 inch SP101. Bought that and absolutely became a Ruger fan.
 

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One theory that circulated the S&W forum a while ago was that the 5" M60 was intended for the Canadian market, where the new commercial sale or importation of handguns with barrels less than 105mm (4.13") in length has been legally prohibited for several decades now. This law effectively erased J frames from the Canadian market, aside from a few pre-existing grandfathered imports, which have supposedly become very expensive and sought-after collector's items. The 5" M60 gave small-handed Canadians a comfortable revolver to shoot, without having to pay top dollar.

Mandatory disclaimer: I cannot conclusively state whether this theory is true, but it certainly sounds plausible. :)

On a related note, IMHO it's no coincidence that Ruger now offers .22LR and .357Mag SP101's with 4.2" barrels, "just enough" over the 105mm limit to allow legal Canadian sale, plus a small allowance for a gunsmith to recrown the muzzle if needed. :)
 
I handle one a couple of times when they first came out and I was impressed with it. Had I not had to many coals in the fire then I might be owning one today. Maybe it just made to much sense.
 
Like another poster, I had a 3" J frame that I couldn't get along with. Traded it for something or another.
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I also had a 3" model 60, and like you and Sevens, I just never warmed up to it and it got sold. Not a huge fan of the .357 in J frames, so it only made sense to sell it and downgrade to a smaller J frame in .38.
 
The 4.2" SP101 is really not too bad with full house rounds. Not for a steady diet, for me anyway, but a couple of cylinders per range session is fine. Mouse fart loads or 38 specials are enjoyable, and the more rounds I put through it the more I like it. If you get an opportunity to fire one, you might give it a go. I am not a fan of heavy recoil it that is any frame of reference.
 
S&W 60-18

The owner of my LGS took one in on a trade but refuses to sell it. I've been after him for over two years to sell it to me but he just laughs and refuses. :(

I've seen one or two online but they are scarce and priced rather high.

I have a mod. 60 no dash .38 Spl and a mod 60-14 .357 but that 5"er would be a nice addition.
 
Ruger now has something similar, an SP101 variant with a 4.2" barrel and adjustable sights. I like the concept as a backpacker's woods carry piece, or even general CCW critter.
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Jim, I just bought one about a month ago. I like the revolver. Balances well and is very accurate. Recoil is exciting with 357s but 38 specials are great. Its a keeper for me.
Howard
 
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