New to Me Smith & Wesson Model 36

Tallball

Tallball

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Oct 2, 2014
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I've wanted a 3" Model 36 for a while now. I've been looking for one off and on for the past year or so. I lost several auctions by just a few dollars... that's how things work. I don't usually buy guns; usually I hunt them. It's like the difference between buying meat and hunting meat. I decide that I'm going to pay X number of dollars for a certain firearm, and I pursue it until I'm successful (or give up in shame with my tail between my legs).

Ten days ago or so ago my hunt was finally successful. The pictures showed a dirty and rusty looking 3" Model 36, but it was described as "seems to be mechanically sound" by a large-volume well-regarded seller. I bid on it and won it for a bid of $268. The pictures kind of looked like dogs had chewed on it, so I was ready to see something ugly at the LGS today (other than my friends who work there).

It looks way better in person. Most of the finish is actually nice enough that it's still shiny and reflective. (For instance, the dark area along the top of the trigger guard is actually a reflection of my phone.) It has surface rust here and there, and some mild pitting, but it's really not bad. I think I got lucky in that the contrast of good and bad areas makes it look much worse in photos. I will have the rust off, NP, and a few mild pits just give it character. I wouldn't have been willing to afford it if the auction pictures were better.

It doesn't have holster wear, but it was shot a fair amount. It's not loose, but you can see the turn lines on the cylinder, and the front of the blast shield shows outlines of several of the cylinders. The barrel looks good. The action is smooth, but the trigger is pretty bad for a Smith. A very good cleaning and lubing and some new springs will probably help with that.

I have some medical BS later this week, but I should be able to take this old revolver out to the range in the next couple of weeks. It was manufactured around 1965: the same as me. I'm expecting it to shoot fine. I haven't opened it yet, but can't find anything wrong with it. Maybe some young man shot it sometimes and then it stayed in a drawer and got a little rusty as he got older and stopped shooting it?

I'll have to put on new grips to actually shoot the thing. I have XXL hands and can easily cover the whole thing with one. Those tiny grips will not do. I just happen to have some wooden banana grips that will fit it just fine. I'll save the originals so that my daughter can get more for it after I'm gone.

How do y'all carry a Model 36? Any holster suggestions? I didn't get this one as a carry piece, but never say never. I'm assuming +P is a no-no, because of its age. Any suggestions for possible SD ammo? If I don't like the banana grips after all, does anyone have a suggestion for j-frame grips? The originals look very cool, but a man should know his limitations. ;)

Smith & Wesson Model 36

Smith & Wesson Model 36

 
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I don't believe that the grips had ever been removed before (since 1965). It was rusty under there.

It was stored so that the trigger guard, one longitudinal area of the cylinder, and the front right corner of the frame got some serious rust. Those areas will take more work. The rest of the rust was relatively minor and is mostly gone already.

The Siles banana grips are on after some minor fitting. I can even get my pinky on them. :)

A set of Wolff springs has been ordered. I'll be on "bed rest" for a week or so after tomorrow, so I'll have plenty of time to open it up and replace the springs and clean everything out in there. It's probably never been opened before. I'm hoping there's no rust in there, but I'm betting on hardened lubricant at least, from the feel of the trigger.

It points and balances nicely. I have a similar 3" 38 with a full-length ejector shroud, and this "pencil barrel" points and handles much better.
 
Nice gun for the price. I bought my first Model 36 in 1969 for $68, and the basement gun store guy in Queens, an injured retired cop, threw in a holster and a box of ammo.

I fired several requalifications with that gun with +P rounds.

Good luck with your new gun!
 
Speedo66 said:
Nice gun for the price. I bought my first Model 36 in 1969 for $68, and the basement gun store guy in Queens, an injured retired cop, threw in a holster and a box of ammo....
Click to expand...
My first J-gun cost about that, in 1971.
Springs are worth doing, though I generally stop at the rebound slide spring on J-frames; little leery of reducing the mainspring.
Moon
 
Might have been stored in a leather holster. Those will retain moisture plus the tanning chemicals can off-gas which is tough on a finish. I’d take the grips off and soak the gun in ATF for a few days then work on the rusty areas with copper wool or a brass brush.
Thats a decent price. Have seen much worse guns for more money
 
I have most of the rust off. When I'm fidgety I work on one of the worse areas with an old copper penny for a little while, then clean the spot with a dab of WD40. The inside of the trigger guard has the most pitting and is the hardest to reach. Most of the finish is shiny and clean now. If you look closely, it has a lot of tiny scratches from being handled a lot over the past 58 years. The only possible holster wear is just a tiny bit on the sides of the muzzle.

The new springs should arrive Monday or Tuesday. I'll wait until then to open it up and clean/lube the insides. Just handling it and cocking the trigger a bit has loosened up the action some. I'm thinking it sat somewhere for a very long time.

My procedure was postponed, so I should be able to take the Model 36 to the range next week, after I have new springs in it and insides are clean. I'll post a range review then. I like the banana grips a lot. They're literally as thick as the cylinder. It's probably just a range toy, but if I absolutely adore shooting it, I could wear it OWB under a cover garment, NP.

Thanks for all of the kind comments. I enjoy shooting and handling classic handguns, but can't really afford them. "You get what you pay for", but you can pay partially with patience and elbow grease, instead of only money.
 
Sweet! I love seeing a nice J frame rescue, especially a 3” J frame. I save a bit of love for those often-abused revolvers. :thumbup:

My square butt 36 was Bubba’ed pretty badly, the bluing was stripped with what seems like steel wool and there is a CAI import mark that Bubba tried to hide. It didn’t cost much, so I had it buffed to remove the scratches as good as possible and restoration blued to bring back as much of the original look as possible. It’s not factory original, but it looks a heck of a lot better than it did when I got it. (Lower right)

0F92558E-431C-49DF-BBED-B07379607F2B.jpeg

Since I have a batch of J frames I won’t ever carry it, so I put a Pachmayr gripper grip on it to make it more pleasant to shoot. The other 3” J frames are a Model 317 .22 and a nickel Airweight Model 37 in .38 Spl. The 37 is decidedly unfun to shoot with the stock grips, even wadcutter/Bullseye loads are teeth clenching after a few cylinders are fired.:thumbdown:

86C064D4-BF9B-4FD0-9D82-DA925D38991D.jpeg

The Pachmayr grips I put on the 36 are similar to the factory grips on the new model Colt Cobra, which is a very nice small-frame .38 to shoot. :)

5F1D9707-392E-4CB1-AEB0-9B6B76AAF934.jpeg

The current style S&W synthetic factory grips are at the top. The full power 158 gr or +P .38 loads are not a lot fun to shoot with these grips in the airweight 642/442, they are just a bit too small for my hands so the trigger guard raps my middle finger pretty good. The steel Colt and 36 are much better on my hands due to more weight and larger grips.

6C01AE9E-3DF8-4A07-B9CE-1113E4D6B5C0.jpeg

Here is one thing that I figured out regarding 3” J frames and ccw; installing a larger grip like the Gripper makes a 3” J frame about the same size as a Browning Hi Power clone like this SA -35. :eek: ( I think I’d rather have 16 on tap than 5 if I was going to go this route. )

D4562825-422A-4A09-8D78-DCDA3664E038.jpeg E6646F00-672E-4B70-9F49-591D8D87DE3C.jpeg

I can’t wait to see how you bring your new 36 back from the grave, especially how it shoots when you get a chance. Congrats! :thumbup:

Stay safe.
 
Riomouse911 said:
Sweet! I love seeing a nice J frame rescue, especially a 3” J frame. I save a bit of love for those often-abused revolvers. :thumbup:

My square butt 36 was Bubba’ed pretty badly, the bluing was stripped with what seems like steel wool and there is a CAI import mark that Bubba tried to hide. It didn’t cost much, so I had it buffed to remove the scratches as good as possible and restoration blued to bring back as much of the original look as possible. It’s not factory original, but it looks a heck of a lot better than it did when I got it. (Lower right)

View attachment 1134367

Since I have a batch of J frames I won’t ever carry it, so I put a Pachmayr gripper grip on it to make it more pleasant to shoot. The other 3” J frames are a Model 317 .22 and a nickel Airweight Model 37 in .38 Spl. The 37 is decidedly unfun to shoot with the stock grips, even wadcutter/Bullseye loads are teeth clenching after a few cylinders are fired.:thumbdown:

View attachment 1134366

The Pachmayr grips I put on the 36 are similar to the factory grips on the new model Colt Cobra, which is a very nice small-frame .38 to shoot. :)

View attachment 1134369

The current style S&W synthetic factory grips are at the top. The full power 158 gr or +P .38 loads are not a lot fun to shoot with these grips in the airweight 642/442, they are just a bit too small for my hands so the trigger guard raps my middle finger pretty good. The steel Colt and 36 are much better on my hands due to more weight and larger grips.

View attachment 1134368

Here is one thing that I figured out regarding 3” J frames and ccw; installing a larger grip like the Gripper makes a 3” J frame about the same size as a Browning Hi Power clone like this SA -35. :eek: ( I think I’d rather have 16 on tap than 5 if I was going to go this route. )

View attachment 1134375 View attachment 1134374

I can’t wait to see how you bring your new 36 back from the grave, especially how it shoots when you get a chance. Congrats! :thumbup:

Stay safe.
Click to expand...


I like that satin blue on that 36.
 
Those are very nice revolvers, Riomouse. Those monster black plastic grips must be super comfortable.

My 642 has the stock grips, and my feelings are similar to yours. I don't at all mind shooting a few cylinders through it, but it becomes a chore after a while.

This 3" steel one should be pleasant to shoot.
 
I've gotten started on it. Still have more to do. Got almost all of the surface rust off. The inside of the trigger guard still needs lots of work. The only serious finish damage is the gouge on this side of the barrel. I opened it up and replaced the mainspring and rebound spring. The insides didn't look too bad. I accidentally got a little WD40 in there and cleaned that out with q-tips.The Sikes grips weren't a perfect fit, still need a tiny bit of adjustment, but they fit my hands well (I can get 1/2 of the width of my pinky on them, which is enough). The trigger is pretty decent now. I'll have a range report this week. :)

Model 36 underway

Model 36 underway

 
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My most carried off duty for over 33 years, until I got Glocked for my last six. I carried with out a holster, inside my waist band at 4 o'clock. With a narrow braided belt tightly between the Pachmayr grip and cylinder. Only one problem in that time. I came out of a restroom in a mall and it started down my right pant leg. I caught it at my knee and headed out side where I found cover to fix it. People sure gave me concerned looks. I had won a 2 inch 36 in a match and knew another Trooper who had bought the 3 inch because he couldn't find 2 inch. I made us both happy. 36 smith and 642.jpg
 
sanpitch said:
My most carried off duty for over 33 years, until I got Glocked for my last six. I carried with out a holster, inside my waist band at 4 o'clock. With a narrow braided belt tightly between the Pachmayr grip and cylinder. Only one problem in that time. I came out of a restroom in a mall and it started down my right pant leg. I caught it at my knee and headed out side where I found cover to fix it. People sure gave me concerned looks. I had won a 2 inch 36 in a match and knew another Trooper who had bought the 3 inch because he couldn't find 2 inch. I made us both happy.View attachment 1134877
Click to expand...
I don’t know if it’s just a shadow or the angle, but the rear screw on your Airweight appears like it’s backing out a bit.

I also preferred a 3” 36 as an on/ off duty gun until we transitioned to Glocks.
 
Speedo66 said:
I don’t know if it’s just a shadow or the angle, but the rear screw on your Airweight appears like it’s backing out a bit.

I also preferred a 3” 36 as an on/ off duty gun until we transitioned to Glocks.
Click to expand...
I gave the Airweight to my school teacher daughter. She's set to take a class and get her CCL. She been told she can carry at work, even incouraged. I'll have her check the screw. She shot my J frames alot growing up.
 
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