S&W 36-1 heavy barrel

[357smallbore]

I've never owned a 36.I have a chance to buy a mint 36-1 3in heavy barrel made in 1976. Asking price is $650. Gun looks unfired.
Everything I've read on them, is all positive. I roll my own 38 special, would a few +p rounds a year hurt the gun? I've heard both sides of yes and no.

 

[rabid wombat]

S&W 3in for a reasonable price….and you are asking us?

Buy it.

 

[357smallbore]

I'm asking is $650 a good price for me buying it and will +p hurt ammo be bad shooting out of it occasionally

 

[dickydalton]

I'm thinking yes and no. I paid almost that for a 36 no dash, 1 7/8" 5 or 6 years ago and have shot +P in it with nothing bad more than pain happening!

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

All of the post 1957 S&W .38 revolvers with model numbers are safe for +P ammuntion. Will firing large amounts accelerate wear? Yes. Are you likely to fire enough to notice? No.

 

[StrawHat]

I have had a S&W Model 36-1 since the early 80s. Carried it daily for nearly 10 year. Also qualified with it monthly. Great revolvers!

If someone were to offer me $650 for mine, I would laugh at them. If I found one offered to me for $650.00, it would already be home with me.

+P is no problem in them. At least no more problem than in any other dedicated 38 S&W Special revolver.

Kevin

 

[Pat Riot]

$650 for a 36-1 with a 3” heavy barrel.
I have never actually seen one of those in real life.
Would I pay $650? I personally wouldn’t, but it’s because I have a couple of other guns I am saving for that I want much more.

 

[357smallbore]

I have had a S&W Model 36-1 since the early 80s. Carried it daily for nearly 10 year. Also qualified with it monthly. Great revolvers!

If someone were to offer me $650 for mine, I would laugh at them. If I found one offered to me for $650.00, it would already be home with me.

+P is no problem in them. At least no more problem than in any other dedicated 38 S&W Special revolver.

Kevin

 

[357smallbore]

Thanks StrawHat

 

[Rodfac]

This is my wife's 36-6, bought in '92. Is this the heavy barrel you're talking about? If so, $650 is a very good price IMHO. Both my wife and I have carried this revolver a lot over the past 30+ years. It's always been a must take along on fishing trips as well as sojourns to town. The adjustable sights are a real benefit as we can carry with 125's for CC, or 158 gr HPs for the woods. Rod

​

 

[357smallbore]

This is my wife's 36-6, bought in '92. Is this the heavy barrel you're talking about? If so, $650 is a very good price IMHO. Both my wife and I have carried this revolver a lot over the past 30+ years. It's always been a must take along on fishing trips as well as sojourns to town. The adjustable sights are a real benefit as we can carry with 125's for CC, or 158 gr HPs for the woods. Rod

View attachment 1131058​

Yes sir. This is a heavy barrel 36. The one
am going to buy has the barrel pinned

This is my wife's 36-6, bought in '92. Is this the heavy barrel you're talking about? If so, $650 is a very good price IMHO. Both my wife and I have carried this revolver a lot over the past 30+ years. It's always been a must take along on fishing trips as well as sojourns to town. The adjustable sights are a real benefit as we can carry with 125's for CC, or 158 gr HPs for the woods. Rod

View attachment 1131058​

Yes sir this is a heavy barrel. The one I am buying has the barrel pinned.

 

[Pat Riot]

After seeing the one @Rodfac posted the two guns I am looking at buying would definitely move down on the list. That looks like a very cool shooter Rodfac.

 

[Rubone]

Mine as I got it including the Combats and the box of Nyclads...$500 about 6 years ago.

 

[StrawHat]

I don’t have a solo image of the Model 36-1 but the barrel is not like the one in the image in post10. That has an full underlug.

The Model 36-1 has a heavy barrel, not tapered.


Here it is, bottom revolver, with the Model 15 and Model 1950 Army.



Kevin

 

[Tallball]

Yes!

 

[EMC45]

+Ps in that J Frame will hurt you long before they hurt the gun.

 

[Tallball]

Y'all bunch of enablers inspired me.

I just now won a Gunbroker auction for a S&W Model 36 with a 3" barrel!

I'll post pics and so forth next week.

 

[Speedo66]

Great gun, my favorite for off duty when we carried revolvers.

Have to warn you, going through 50-100 +P’s as in Re-qual was no fun. Think bruised hand and abraded trigger finger.

Good luck with your new gun!

 

[357smallbore]

I don’t have a solo image of the Model 36-1 but the barrel is not like the one in the image in post10. That has an full underlug.

The Model 36-1 has a heavy barrel, not tapered.


Here it is, bottom revolver, with the Model 15 and Model 1950 Army.

View attachment 1131107

Kevin

You're correct My model is from 1976 It doesn't have an under lug at all on it and it's a pinned barrel

 

[Haywood]

Buy it. Fair price for mint 36 these days. A limited amount of +P won’t hurt. They are nice shooting.

 

[eastbank]

my sons S&W model 60,s, squarebutt 3" heavy barrels, i had them engraved and got one set of ivory grips before they made it illeagle. i should have gotten two sets when i got the first set. i like the 1/8" front sights.

 

[Rodfac]

Ah, I see it now...the dash 1 variation has fixed sights, the heavy bbl. which is pinned, and does not have the full length lug. My wife's, a 36-6, in post #10 has adj. sights with the full lug, but the bbl. does appear, to me, to be just a hair thinner than those depicted by Haywood.

Pat Riot: that 36-6 of ours with the adj. sights is a great shooter...the lug does dampen recoil to some extent allowing my wife to shoot full standard weight LSWC's (158 gr) with max listed powder loads of Bullseye giving us ~ 830 fps and 15 yd groups from a rest that hover around 1.5". As a belt gun, that's easily concealed, it's about ideal for us. BTW, I've dabbed the front sight with white laquear finger nail polish for better visibility...a worthy step which makes it easy to acquire when shooting at speed.

Best regards, Rod