John Jovino S&W M60 questions for S&W Experts

[cfullgraf]

For folks expert in all things Smith and Wesson...

Today (April 29), I stumbled into a square butt S&W M60 38 Special, 2" barrel, J-frame which followed me home. In doing some research on the revolver, it is apparently part of a special order from the John Jovino gun store in New York.

From the Standard Catalog of Smith and Wesson book, the serial number (AECxxxx) is from the correct time frame (1984) and the production date on the box is April 6, 1984. (Product code 102303)

The question is, the gun is stamped M60 no dash but it was made a couple years after Smith and Wesson began making the Model 60-1.

So, the question is...

Is the revolver a Model 60 (no dash) or a Model 60-1.

Thanks for the information.

 

[L-2]

That's a question. More from the Standard Catalog of S&W,
"Engineering and production changes:
60 1965 Introduction: 1st Stainless Steel Revolver
1968 Delete Diamond insert grips
1969 Begin R serial prefix at R1

60-1
1972 3" Square Butt heavy barrel version, limited production of 171 in a serial range of R56962-R57239
1982 Delete pinned barrel
1985 Special run of this model w/ adjustable rear sight for Ashland Shooter Supply

Supica, Jim; Nahas, Richard (2016-11-14). Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson (Standard Catalog of Smith and Wesson) (Kindle Locations 8762-8765). F+W Media. Kindle Edition. "

Also see:
http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-revolvers-1980-present/348137-john-jovino-60-all-one-post.html

You can say exactly what you told us. It's a special order, made in 1984. It's marked "60" with no dash number, But it has a square butt and (probably) has an unpinned barrel as 60-1 models should have.

Theoretically, a special order could have been made and marked as agreed upon with that special order contract. If S&W and Jovino wanted it marked 60 no-dash, then so be it. I believe the Model 60 was generally a round-butt framed gun, but some folks found the square butt desirable, whether this was the looks, the feel, or both.

 

[cfullgraf]

Theoretically, a special order could have been made and marked as agreed upon with that special order contract. If S&W and Jovino wanted it marked 60 no-dash, then so be it. I believe the Model 60 was generally a round-butt framed gun, but some folks found the square butt desirable, whether this was the looks, the feel, or both.

Thanks.

That makes sense. I had not considered that a special order contract could also include a special model number marking. My revolver has all the features and engineering changes of the 60-1 except for the square butt and the "Mod 60" stamping on the frame where "60-1" should have been.

Apparently, only about 1000 or so square butt Model 60's were made split between 2" and 3" barrels and split between the 1972 run of 171 revolvers and the Jovino special order.

 

[Speedo66]

Jovino's has an interesting history in NYC. They used to be across the street from the old police headquarters on Centre Market St. Even after the NYPD opened it's own equipment bureau, many city cops bought their guns and other police supplies there, as did officers from other law enforcement agencies in NYC. I know many officers from the agency I worked for purchased firearms there.

It was, and may still be, owned by the owners of the new Henry rifle company. Long time fixture in lower Manhattan, but at another Manhattan location now.

Good luck with your S&W!

 

[L-2]

It's the gun store in the movie "Serpico":
https://s3.amazonaws.com/metvnetwork/86TGU-1464105052-embed-serpico_then.jpg