S&W mod. 36 any info??

[craig101]

Hi,

just picked up a S&W mod. 36 today. i paid $300 for it today, but it was a non-dealer transaction, so I was OK with the price, i think it may have been a little high...

anywho it has some light disoloration marks by the S&W insignia and some light areas at the sharp edges (barrel, trigger guard). can anyone tell me roughly the date of manufacture for this pistol??

serial number is 318XXL.

from the looks of the latch it looks a little older. it is not the flat latch like the real old ones, but the screw is NOT on the extreme left side of the latch like the newer 36s.

if anyone has a serial # list and my partial serial number is not enough, please email me or post here and I can give you the full serial number.

I like the gun, i needed something for my car.

thanks

Craig

 

[FPrice]

"serial number is 318XXL."

If there is no letter prefix to your serial number, it looks like 1963 or so. Supica and Nahas, the authors of the Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson show the following:

Early J Frame Serial Range
Models: 36, 37, etc.
Approximate manufactured dates:
1962 295000
1969 786544

If it has a "J" prefix, it would probably date to 1976.

To get any closer you would have to send a history request (and $30) to Roy Jinks at S&W.

I hope this helps.

 

[craig101]

thanks a lot! after looking at my serial # again, i should have wrote #318xx1. not an L. damn eyes! but there is NO J in my serial number.

thanks

i am glad i got an older one as i think they were built better back in the day.

 

[FPrice]

craig101...

"i am glad i got an older one as i think they were built better back in the day."

I hope that Old Fuff or Mike Irwin stop by, they know much more about these older Smiths than I do. Is it possible for you to post a pic? Would like to see what that latch looks like.

 

[Old Fuff]

Old Fuff is here ....

I believe your model 36 was made in 1963. I would expect it to have one of three types of flat thumbpieces. They changed to the then regular style in 1966. It's a nice little gun but avoid using much +P ammunition in it. It won't blow up the gun, but it might soon develop a case of cylinder end-play. I agree the older ones were better built, but the new ones are stronger. Given a choice I prefer the older kind. Sounds like the blue finish has a little wear and it may have knocked around a bit. This will have absolutely no effect on how it shoots.

I woundn't worry about the cost. The older ones keep going up as the new ones do. If you got what you wanted that's all that mattered.

 

[russlate]

Can anyone advise me when a 36-6 SN# BEA56XX was built? It has adjustable sights, a 3" unpinned barrel, underlugged, matte blue with post flat latch cylinder release, and round butt. Workmanship still seems good.

Where does this fall in the ability to shoot +P or +P+ ammo?

I picked this up for use as a kit gun for ramblings in west central Nevada. It also fills in as back-up to my CCW. ( For the times when it's time to get in the truck and drive 5 miles to nowhere, take a dirt road and go another 15 miles, stop the truck, sit on the tailgate and enjoy the beauty, tranquility, and peace around me. Commune with whatever spirits are out there. )

 

[Ala Dan]

Greeting's russlate

Your Smith & Wesson model 36-6 with S/N BEA 56XX
was made in August of 1989*; and it can handle +P
or +P+ ammo without a problem.

*FootNote- Source: The Standard Catalog Of Smith & Wesson, 2nd edition by Supica & Nahas

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member

 

[russlate]

Much thanks - but when you say it'll handle +P and +P+, does that mean occasionally, a third of the time, or just blast away without concern.

Less than a 50 round box of +P shot my dad's old flatlatch from tight to loose as a goose.

 

[Tamara]

I seem to recall that S&W rated their new J-frames for +P usage sometime in the mid-'90s ('94? '97?), but +P rounds in an earlier gun are not likely to grenade the piece, rather they'll only accelerate wear on it...

 

[Old Fuff]

You can check with S&W's Customer Service Department, but I would hesitate to use +P+ ammunition in any J-frame that wasn't a .357 Magnum - and I have no personal interest in those. I wouldn't worry about +P in a 36-6 so far as the gun was concerned, but my use of it would be modest out of respect (or make that concern) for my wrist bones.