New to me (Old) S&W Model 37 Chiefs Special Airweight

[Bandit67]

Found this beauty at the gun show yesterday. I've been hankering for a snubnose and this was just too nice to pass up. My first snubby and first J frame. Looks almost new. I entered the info on the date S&W revolvers thread but I think it was made in 1960 or 1961.

 

[1KPerDay]

Great choice. Classic. Congrats!

 

[Nathanael_Greene]

Wow, that's pretty!

 

[ontarget]

I love the J Frames. I have a few and carry a Taurus copy but I try to jump on the J Frames to add to the collection/accumulation if I see good deals on the older ones. Yours looks very nice.

 

[JERRY]

nice gun. I thought the flat latch was dropped in '59.

 

[Pat Riot]

That is a very nice looking revolver. It looks almost new. Congrats!

 

[Bandit67]

I'm guessing the date because the parts list in the box says prices good as of January1960, minimum order 50 cents. Lol.

 

[J-Bar]

Great find.

I you shoot it start with mild loads. Never any +Ps. I found the original grips uncomfortable; trigger guard rapped my middle finger painfully. My wife uses Crimson Trace grips and handles hers well.

 

[Jonesy814]

Wow! Really sweet model 37. The flat latches were used in some models including this one until the mid 60's but based on your documents, 60 or 61 is probably right

 

[Jonesy814]

Great find. They used the flat latch until the mid 60's in some models. The standard catalog says serial number 295000 was the beginning of 1962 so for a 60-61 you should be just a little lower

 

[Bandit67]

Yep. Eddietruett says 1960 or 1961.

 

[CharliesHammer]

Nice score, beautiful and reliable. I'd like to find one that nice without having to sell a kidney.

 

[Sistema1927]

Nice flat latch. i have a Square Butt 37 from 1981. I shoot the Buffalo Bore standard pressure 158 LSWCHP with no problems in it.

 

[JFrame]

Congrats to the OP!

Man... I can't believe how "fresh" she looks!

.

 

[bannockburn]

Bandit67

Awesome gun show find! I use to be a big fan of the Model 36 and Model 37 snubbies though I also had a sweet spot for the 3" barrel versions too! Somewhere along the line I went with the Model 38 with it's shrouded hammer and never looked back. Nowadays I have my choice between a Model 649 or else a Model 638. Both are well built and dependable CCW guns.

 

[FlSwampRat]

Years of good shooting fun for you and your new "little buddy". 'Gratz.

 

[fastbolt]

Congrats. Nice find.

Today's ammunition options offer a lot more choices in standard pressure loads for the older Airweights.

I have a M37-2 which was part of a special production order made for an off-shore police contract. It was produced as a DAO Airweight, on the older short frame, using forged and machined parts, etc. The M37DAO. The order fell through and S&W released the guns on the commercial market through some of their vendors several years ago.

After discussing it with some folks at the factory, I only use standard pressure loads in it (even though some units of the order apparently ended up receiving 442 barrels that were marked for +P, instead of the standard 37 barrels). I settled on using standard pressure 110gr JHP loads, ranging from Federal's Hydra-Shok, to W-W's STHP and now to the Hornady FTX/CD load. I like that little 37 so much that I'd only carry WC's or 158gr LSWC's, if I could have access to standard pressure JHP's of modern design.

 

[OrangePwrx9]

Got one almost like it (not a flat-latch). S/N date was '68. Like yours, looked unfired and I got the box.

Put rubber grips on it. In my pocket as I type.