Some J Frame Questions

B

BobR

New member
I was able to pick up a M37 Airweight for a song, so I did. Wouldn't we all?

Any how, it has a barrel length of 1&13/16", is pinned, but not recessed, a hammer mounted firing pin, has a Square Butt, has 3 screws on the right side plate, is marked Smith&Wesson on one side of the barrel and Airweight 38 SPL CTG on the other. Its serial number is J823XXX.

Now to the questions.

Any idea on its B-Day?
Is the Square Butt sorta unusual on a J Frame?
What is up with the barrel length, I always thought these guys came in 2" or 3"?

I looks as though the trigger and hammer were case hardened, but, it also looks as though someone tried to polish the markings out. Is there a source for case hardened parts to replace these with. It also has a red ramp insert, actually more orange, so it must be a add on. Overall the bluing is good, except for a few places on the frame.
Is it possible to refinish these frames, and if so, who does a decent job?

Thanks for reading through this, and thanks for any answers you can provide.

bob
 
Partial answers.

Nominal barrel length for that is 1 7/8". Plus or minus a sixteenth is nothing, just shows that somebody cared about getting the front sight lined up.

Pinned barrel indicates pre 1982.

Recessed cylinder only applicable on rimfires and magnums. And also only pre 82.

Next......

Sam
 
Smith & Wesson recently had an item in their gunsmithing list, offering to replace MIM parts with case-hardened forged on J frames. I've read that it has been cancelled, but you might inquire. They also do the best re-bluing I have ever seen on a revolver. I have a 24-3 just back from an R&R session, and the re-blue is fantastic. I bought it after the re-hab, so don't know the price, but I've seen posts ranging from $160 to $185.
 
They made quite a few square butt snubbies in the old days but more recently they standardized on the round butt. The round butt always fit my hand better and allowed it to point naturally. YMMV
 
Your model 37 was "born" in 1981. Most "37's" with the snub barrel came in round-butt configuration, but slightly rounded "square butts" were not uncommon.
 
more recently they standardized on the round butt.

Which, in my opinion, was a damn good idea.

You can always put grips on a round butt to give a squar butt feel, but you can't go the other way around.
 
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