Model 36 questions....

A

art g

New member
I just acquired a Smith & Wesson Model 36, 2 inch barrel, square butt, with the serial number J746XXX and I have a few questions that maybe those “in the know” could help me with. I believe this gun was manufactured about 1979.........

Is it ok to very occasionally use +P ammo in this gun?

Is it safe to carry this gun hammer down over a loaded chamber?

Where could I purchase a new grip screw for this gun?

It has some fairly significant rust spots on the trigger guard, but the rest of the gun is perfect. Is it possible to have a gunsmith polish and re-blue the trigger guard area only, without having to do the entire gun?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks! Art G.
 
Advise:

The factory stated that NO +P ammo be used. However, a great many people carried +P's for 'business', and shot standard ammo for practice. It's unlikely that a small amount of +P's would hurt, BUT, you pays yer money and you takes yer chances. There are people who claim to have many +P's through a 36, and I've seen a few ruined by a few +P's.
The older 36's weren't designed or heat-treated for the +P.

It is completely safe to carry it fully loaded. All modern revolvers have internal safety devices that prevent the firing pin from contacting the primer, unless the trigger is deliberately pulled. This SHOULD preclude the BS, "The gun just went off".

New grip screws can be found at Gun Parts Corp.
http://www.e-gunparts.com. Also at Brownell's http://www.brownells.com.

It's really isn't possible to partially reblue a gun. However, the frame only can be redone. If you want a first class job, send it in to S&W. They'll do it right, and at a decent price. You could remove the rust and touch it up with cold blue, but this will NOT be any kind of match for the original blue, and won't last long at all.

Good luck.
 
I bought a new model 36 in 1999---I contacted S & W directly with some of the same questions-----I was told my gun was made in July 1994 and that it was ok to shoot +p's with it. I did this online on the S & W website---you might want to do the same with your gun.

[Edited by rugerfreak on 05-22-2001 at 09:49 PM]
 
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