Which S&W J frames are MUST haves?

S

Sir William

New member
I am slowly finding a few S&W J frames in my eclectic collection. 32 and 38 calibers mostly. All blued and a even match of 2" and 3", SB and RB. What models would you either want or currently own? I have been passing over J frames for decades. I think I will give them a chance.
 
I really want a M38, REALLY want one. I have 36's and 37's in round and square butt, all with 2" tubes and like them a lot, but I need at least one M38.
 
My wife and I just got a M60 LadySmith (3", .38 only) to go with our two K-frames (M18, M19). Only gone to the range once, but super impressed by it. I need a shooting glove since the trigger guard hits my index finger during recoil, but accuracy was great, and I am even better with the M60 than the M19.
 
While I am generally more of a Taurus fan in the small framed snubs (I'm a S&W fan in the K and N frames) I think the 442 or 642 are must have S&Ws. No one else makes anything comparable. Taurus makes the 850 and 650 CIA revolvers but they are either steel (too heavy for pocket carry) or titanium (more money and less proven than aluminum, and lighter to the degree of being far less controlable). Ruger doesn't make anything even close.

I just picked up my 442 today and I'm very impressed. Light, enclosed hammer for great pocket carry, well made, fairly good trigger. I can't wait to get it to the range.

Now if you want to include the Taurus equivelent I'd say:

-S&W 36 or Taurus 85. Good basic .38spl snub

-S&W 60LS. Just a nice classic design.

-S&W 442 or 642. Probably will be my most carried gun (when somewhere I can carry)

-S&W or Taurus in .32H&R Mag in aluminum. Probably my next small snub. Lighter recoil then the .38spl versions, decent power level (at least as high as the better non-+P .38spl loads), and 6 shots. Preferably the .32H&R mag version of the 442/642 or the Taurus 731UL (probably the S&W version as I'd prefer this gun to be without an exposed hammer- if I get the Taurus I will get the hammer bobbed).
 
There are so many that are worth your money, but off the top of my head, the 642 (the quintessential alloy-framed Centennial) and the 36/60 (the classic Chief's Special) come to mind. There are also the steel- and alloy-framed Bodyguards, the .357 Magnum versions of the Model 60, the great little .32 H&R Magnum six-shooter snubbies...how much money you got to sink into a basic J-frame collection? :D
 
I'd like a M36 3" round butt, but I never bite on them when I see them. I'll probably regret trading the M640-1 .357 that I had, but the deal seemed too nice to pass up.

jmm
 
+1 for M60LS in .38sp.

Surprisingly accurate...fun to shoot!
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Do you guys like the 60 3" over the 686 for an overall gun? I'm having trouble picking between the 60 and the 620 (short lugged 686). They each have likeable attributes and I'm not in a position to shoot either until after I buy one. (only planning on shooting .38 and 38+p). Thanks to some others advice I chose the 620 over the 686. I would just like the opinion of some folks that shoot the j frames a lot too.

I gotta say, the 642 looks like a great piece too. That one seems like the best bet to carry.
 
Sir William,

Now I know we have too much in common. I'd passed over J-Frames for a couple of decades when my interests were more towards full-sized "service" weapons. The only "snub" I had was a 2.5" Colt Diamondback and a Colt Mustang Plus II. After losing them in a burglary :mad: I started looking more towards CCW guns and found (to my amazement) those little J-Frames really are nice guns.

On my list of desirable J's are;
.38/.357 Caliber
M-38 - Airweight Bodyguard .38 2"
M-40 - Centennial .38 2" with the grip safety
M-42 - Centennial Airweight .38 2" (or M-042 or M642)
M-49 - Bodyguard .38 2" (blued steel)
M638-2 - Bodyguard Airweight Stainless .38 2" +P rated
M649-3 - Bodyguard Stainless .357 2.125" barrel

.32 Caliber
M30 - .32 Hand Ejector round butt, .32 S&W Long, 2" to 4"
M31 - .32 Regulation Police square butt, .32 S&W Long, 2" to 4"
M632 - .32 Magnum Centennial Airweight Stainless 2" (15.5oz) 3" (17.5oz)
M432PD - .32 Magnum Centennial Airweight (black) 2"

.22 Caliber
M-43 - 1955 .22/.32 "Kit Gun" .22LR 3.5" barrel
M-64 - 1977 .22/.32 "Kit Gun" .22LR 4" barrel, stainless steel
M317 - .22 AirLite Revolver .22LR 2" (or 3") only 10.9 to 12.5 ounces(!)


Guns listed in dark red above are the ones I have. Note that the older Model 30 and 31 were also produced on the smaller S&W "I" frame prior to being made on the "J" frame.

Looking over the list shows my preference for the hammerless (Centennial) and shrouded-hammer (Bodyguard) designs. The snubby 317 in .22 has an alloy cylinder and is so light you can forget you have it.

I like my little M-432 in .32 Mag and it will digest .32 Longs too, if you remember to brush the cylinders out every 24 rounds or so. Makes a dandy pocket gun for a bathrobe too. :p
 
BillCA, you saw Psycho and the shower scene left you thinking, it could happen? LOL I already have a M30 3", RB, blued 32 S&W Long, J frame. I was dumb once and traded a 3" M36 RB in 38 Special with a bobbed hammer. I traded for a M637 that I hated. It looks like a M38 may be added to the collection. Depends on the gas bill.
 
I'd say that a basic representative collection needs a 36, a 38, and any Centennial to start with. This gives you all three basic J-frame frame styles.

From there, you may want to add a .32 Long, a .38 S&W, a .22LR, and a .22WMR to have all the calibers, and to make sure you include a representative example of carbon steel, stainless steel, Airweight, and AirLite.
 
Well..

Here are my favorites.
ixfuys.jpg


Sorry the pic's are so large. I've JUST recently learned how to post pictures, now I've got to learn how to reduce them.

How'd that Colt DS get in there? :rolleyes:

Best Wishes,

JP
 
If we are talking collecting - I regret being broke when I could have bought a snubbie Model 63 and 651. Neat little stainless Js.

I'm thinking about a 432 just because. I also think a collection needs a Centennial pattern with the grip safety.
 
I need a shooting glove since the trigger guard hits my index finger during recoil
Click to expand...
Same thing happens to me with my 642 and +p loads. I tried the glove I had in my pocket, bulky winter glove, but the leather kept getting between the trigger and frame, locking the action til I pulled the leather out of there. A good thing to discover at a range.
 
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