Just curious.... why is it that whenever a discussion of 'snubbies' come up, the m637 is never mentioned. in fact with searching, it appears to have NEVER been mentioned. is it the exposed hammer? i carry mine in a IWB holster from Uncle Mike's, and with various types/ layer of clothing, the hammer has never been a snag issue. I love it for its caliber, weight, size, PRICE, and like the OPTION of having a hammer when/if i want or need it. just curious. seems like with price and versatility, it would be at least as popular as the hammerless or shrouded hammer equivalants. just my 2 cents...
s&w m637
- Thread starter jrfoxx
- Start date
Sir William
New member
For me, it was the poor finish, lousy trigger that couldn't be addressed due to MIM garbage and the unreliability. Mine peeled like it had sunburn, was not 100% reliable, my gunsmith wouldn't touch it and it was not comfortable to shoot +P ammunition in. I traded mine off. I do not miss it. I expected better from S&W.
sorry to hear that
i've had absolutely no problems with mine whatsoever, and found it much more comfortable to shoot, even with the +p's than i had expected. i've had great fun and gret reliability/accuracy with mine. maybe yours was a lemon, or mine is a 'fluke' quality gun. hard to say...i love mine. sorry to hear about your experiance with it. i find it a great snubbie for $300 NIB. everyone and every gun is differnent though................
i've had absolutely no problems with mine whatsoever, and found it much more comfortable to shoot, even with the +p's than i had expected. i've had great fun and gret reliability/accuracy with mine. maybe yours was a lemon, or mine is a 'fluke' quality gun. hard to say...i love mine. sorry to hear about your experiance with it. i find it a great snubbie for $300 NIB. everyone and every gun is differnent though................
Look for the plain M37, or Chiefs' Airweight. I wouldn't walk out of a gunshop that had a reasonably priced 37 in good condition without taking it with me. Or if money was really tight, on layaway. Same with the M38 Bodyguard Airweight.
PS: Waller and Son ( Sons ) / www.wallerandson.com make the old Colt Hammer shrouds for both Colt D and S&W J frames.
PS: Waller and Son ( Sons ) / www.wallerandson.com make the old Colt Hammer shrouds for both Colt D and S&W J frames.
I felt the same as you about the S&W M-37
I love my M-37 (blue). So far, I've had no problems and the recoil is no problem at all. On the various forums I visit, very rarely do I see posts specifically on the 37 or 637. Same with the Colt Detective Special, one of the finest snubs ever built...Hammerless snubs are very popular, but since I never carry in a pocket, it isn't that big a deal. Drawing from my OTB Tauris Standard High Rise holster (http://www.taurisholsters.com/stdhighride.cfm) or my UM's IWB has not been a problem. Same with my Colt. The holster is important....but practice is everything.
I love my M-37 (blue). So far, I've had no problems and the recoil is no problem at all. On the various forums I visit, very rarely do I see posts specifically on the 37 or 637. Same with the Colt Detective Special, one of the finest snubs ever built...Hammerless snubs are very popular, but since I never carry in a pocket, it isn't that big a deal. Drawing from my OTB Tauris Standard High Rise holster (http://www.taurisholsters.com/stdhighride.cfm) or my UM's IWB has not been a problem. Same with my Colt. The holster is important....but practice is everything.
TacticalFats
Inactive
I bought a M37 about two years ago. A week later, a guy offered to buy it for what I paid for it. I took the money and bought a 337PD.
Only reason I didn't get the 637 is because the store had a 37 in stock. I used to carry an old (late 70s/early 80s) model 60.
It seems everybody has a 642. I must admit, my next gun will be a 442/642. The 337 is a bit light for extensive shooting.
Only reason I didn't get the 637 is because the store had a 37 in stock. I used to carry an old (late 70s/early 80s) model 60.
It seems everybody has a 642. I must admit, my next gun will be a 442/642. The 337 is a bit light for extensive shooting.
Greeting's All-
I think that the S&W model 637 is a fine gun; but has had a few QC
issues, especially with the finish. The company uses a clear coat
type of finish on this weapon; much like that found on newer model
cars. When the gun is fired, it generates heat allowing the clear coat
to "peel". Some solvents used in cleaning firearms are also the culprit,
has they tend to dissolve the coating. Whether or not the company
has addressed this issue is unknown; but I do know that you do not
see this issue on their hammerless model 642.
With that said, when I'm in need of a snubby I still prefer the old
model (discontinued) S&W model 60 in .38 Special. Purely made of
stainless, with NO type of coating; and weighing in at 19 ozs. From
the hot humid jungles of Southeast Asia (Viet-Nam), to the freezing
cold Artic; it has performed well for those who have had to use it.
Best Wishes,
I think that the S&W model 637 is a fine gun; but has had a few QC
issues, especially with the finish. The company uses a clear coat
type of finish on this weapon; much like that found on newer model
cars. When the gun is fired, it generates heat allowing the clear coat
to "peel". Some solvents used in cleaning firearms are also the culprit,
has they tend to dissolve the coating. Whether or not the company
has addressed this issue is unknown; but I do know that you do not
see this issue on their hammerless model 642.
With that said, when I'm in need of a snubby I still prefer the old
model (discontinued) S&W model 60 in .38 Special. Purely made of
stainless, with NO type of coating; and weighing in at 19 ozs. From
the hot humid jungles of Southeast Asia (Viet-Nam), to the freezing
cold Artic; it has performed well for those who have had to use it.
Best Wishes,
Poor Smith was damned if they did and damned if they didn't on the clear coat issue. People griped that on the original guns the anodized aluminum didn't match the satin bead-blasted barrel and cylinder, and sales slumped badly enough to cause S&W to discontinue all stainless Airweight production. Then Smith reintroduces them with a clear coat finish on the Al surfaces to make them more closely match the stainless. Some of the harsher solvents used in cleaning attack the clear coat, and people got tweaked about that. What to do? 
After Smith finishes blowing out these 637's and 642's at fire-sale prices, they'll probably discontinue the stainless Airweights again, and it's a sure bet that in a year or two after they're gone, you'll be reading gunzine articles lamenting the loss of the guns, calling them the "connosieur's CCW choice" or somesuch, just like last time around...
After Smith finishes blowing out these 637's and 642's at fire-sale prices, they'll probably discontinue the stainless Airweights again, and it's a sure bet that in a year or two after they're gone, you'll be reading gunzine articles lamenting the loss of the guns, calling them the "connosieur's CCW choice" or somesuch, just like last time around...
well....
well, i have to say that my m637 peeled today during cleaning after a trip to the range. I cant say if it was "just its time", or if it was because i fired 200 rounds thru it compared to my usual 50-75, or what. also thried Birchwood-casey 'gun scrubber' for the first time too, so i cant say for sure what caused it as i did 2 things different, however my guess would be the 'gun scrubber' was the cause. i'm guessing to work well, it is a strong solvent, and the fact that is an aerosol which comes out very cold, was probly the cause. dont know it was the cold, the strength of solvent, or a combination of both(most likely i think). I will say that i plan to strip the remaining clear coat off for fouling and apperance sake, and will probly never use anything other than Hoppe's solvent and plain old cleaning pads and elbow grease on any of my guns from now on. also, if i ever get another gun that has a clear coat, i'll probly just strip it off ahead of time. personally, my m637 looks just as nice without it.
well, i have to say that my m637 peeled today during cleaning after a trip to the range. I cant say if it was "just its time", or if it was because i fired 200 rounds thru it compared to my usual 50-75, or what. also thried Birchwood-casey 'gun scrubber' for the first time too, so i cant say for sure what caused it as i did 2 things different, however my guess would be the 'gun scrubber' was the cause. i'm guessing to work well, it is a strong solvent, and the fact that is an aerosol which comes out very cold, was probly the cause. dont know it was the cold, the strength of solvent, or a combination of both(most likely i think). I will say that i plan to strip the remaining clear coat off for fouling and apperance sake, and will probly never use anything other than Hoppe's solvent and plain old cleaning pads and elbow grease on any of my guns from now on. also, if i ever get another gun that has a clear coat, i'll probly just strip it off ahead of time. personally, my m637 looks just as nice without it.
how to remove clear coat...
So now that my clear coat has started to come off, i would like to remove the rest of it to make it's look at least more uniform, and so it isnt peeling and getting into someplace i dont want it ending up, so anyone know the best/easiest way to strip it off? i'm thinking 'Gunscrubber' started this, so i could soak it up with it and just use the bore brush to help...any ideas/experiance here? or, possibly, ive only lost a little bit so far, any ideas how to replace the clear coat to restore it (i plan to stop using anything other than Hoppes #9 on it if i go this route) and what type of clear coat/technique to use. thanks
So now that my clear coat has started to come off, i would like to remove the rest of it to make it's look at least more uniform, and so it isnt peeling and getting into someplace i dont want it ending up, so anyone know the best/easiest way to strip it off? i'm thinking 'Gunscrubber' started this, so i could soak it up with it and just use the bore brush to help...any ideas/experiance here? or, possibly, ive only lost a little bit so far, any ideas how to replace the clear coat to restore it (i plan to stop using anything other than Hoppes #9 on it if i go this route) and what type of clear coat/technique to use. thanks
Sir William
New member
AFAIK, a gunsmith says to send them back to S&W for refinishing. I have heard they can be polished but, they can develop white corrosion if they are not kept waxed. Sweat will erode/pit the frames. Sorry. My experience was similar. I believe that the clear coat is some form of lacquer based coating. When a spot is abraded through the finish, it just peels like it was sunburned. I couldn't blame Birchwood Casey, I don't use their aerosol product.
clear coat
so, since my m637 has started to loose its lacquer clear coat, my question is this: should i just strip it all off and be done with it (i think it will look fine this way), and if so, does that increase the risk of pitting and such as sir william said, or should i re-do the clear coat myself (how hard is this to do and still look good/minimize getting it into places i cant have it go, how mich dis-assembly required), or send it to s&w like sir william suggests? keep in mind this is my HD and daily carry gun (although i have a 45acp to fill in if i need to, just dont 'prefer it' as a carry gun, and i'm not to keen on sending a gun in via mail/fed ex, etc unless i have to) thanks in advance.
so, since my m637 has started to loose its lacquer clear coat, my question is this: should i just strip it all off and be done with it (i think it will look fine this way), and if so, does that increase the risk of pitting and such as sir william said, or should i re-do the clear coat myself (how hard is this to do and still look good/minimize getting it into places i cant have it go, how mich dis-assembly required), or send it to s&w like sir william suggests? keep in mind this is my HD and daily carry gun (although i have a 45acp to fill in if i need to, just dont 'prefer it' as a carry gun, and i'm not to keen on sending a gun in via mail/fed ex, etc unless i have to) thanks in advance.
Sir William
New member
If you bought it new and filled out and mailed the card, you have a lifetime warranty. Contact S&W and get them to issue a RMA and pre-paid shipping label on their dime. I just went through this myself on a out of time/poor internal parts QC problem with S&W. I was out $0.00. I had no problems with the process. I dumped my 637 in a gun show trade. I went for a 2" M10 round butt.
bubbygator
New member
I bought a used 637 & didn't mind the finish - but when I shot it, the back of the trigger guard banged my finger. The spacing there was smaller than a 60 or my current 442. So I sold it to someone with smaller fingers.