S&W Mod 60 3" .357

F

film495

Member
Joined
Aug 26, 2019
Messages
2,831
I was at a local shop yesterday looking for a coat pocket gun. I had in mind the Ruger LCRx .357 3" barrel. The lenght and height are about the same as the old CZ-70 I currently carry in that pocket sometimes, and it is old and shoots .32 ACP so, every once in a while I think about upgrading it. The S&W 60 is only about 2 oz. heavier than the LCRx in the same barrel lenght in .357. The .38+P LCRx is much lighter than both, about 15 oz. so, a solid 30%ish lighter. I don't expect to shoot much if any full house .357 loads, but even shooting .38 Special +P I can't imagine that would be fun in a 15 oz Revolver. I'd like to enjoy shooting whatever I get, and I can handload to whatever recoil level I like in .38 cases or .357 cases.

I also had in mind to look at a Ruger SP101 same cartrdige and barrel lenght, goes about 2 more oz. in weight than the S&W Mod 60. The CZ weighs 24 or 25 oz. unloaded. the SP101 runs 27 oz. My assumption is the SP101 would be the most freindly to shoot hotter loads through it, however hot that might be, no idea. I've seen some videos of people shooting .357 out of firearms this size and most of it looks not fun.

Anyway, I may carry it in a shoulder holster, or OWB, never took to IWB. Unless it is summer I just put it in my front coat pocket where your right hand is on that pocket. Looks like you might have gloves or something in that pocket, so - that's fine to me. Sometimes I'll put it in the inside coat pocket depending on coat, but for the most part, I throw something in the console of the auto or just in a coat pocket. In the summer I go with a NAA mini - if shorts and tshirt weather. I might just switch to carrying this hiking OWB, maybe get something that looks like a cell phone case or something and roll with it.

Looking for input on people who've been down this path and made a pick. Yeah, yeah, I know I should get one of each. Trying to figure out the compromize between size and weight and shootability. I've fired some very small guns my friends brought to the range little 9mm this or thats, and they are not fun to shoot at all. I guess I don't want it to be too light and snappy and lose the fun factor. Guess I could just load mouse fart loads, and get the LCRx in .38 Special +P, and then carry +P, but outside of having to take out and plug that dumb lock they put on S&W revolvers, the one I looked at seemed really nice to me. Pricey, but really nice. I have an older Model 10, so - I'm kind of familiar with S&W revolvers already, well - old ones, not so much anything new.
 
Yeah get it. No questions just buy it. It's going to be good.

It is going to be like your K frame, but smaller. Yes firing .357 of any type is going to be a handful, this is where .38+p comes in. The key is to have really good grips, like pachmayrs.
Really concealable, handy revolver. I don't think you'll regret it, but it may not become your favorite one to shoot.
 
I had the M60 J-Magnum and the SP101. As you already know, the Smith carries easier but is painful to shoot with Magnum loads. I found the Ruger merely unpleasant. Both were boat anchors compared to any smallish polymer auto.

My buddy has a shrouded Airweight which is not bad with +P .38 loads and carries easily. If I was gunna carry a revolver again, thats the way I would go. Just be aware they are somewhat consumable as the frames can crack below the barrel extension. Its a good idea to inspect an Airweight after every shooting session, IMO.
 
Last edited:
I regularly carry a Smith M-60 with a 3" bbl. as a CC piece, but short of a winter parka, I'd say it's too heavy for pocket carry. I'm an OWB advocate, carry every day, and have no problem concealing the gun. It's a matter of wardrobe choice, and as I'm retired, I don't have to put up with business attire demands.

As to shoot-ability; a 3" M-60 with good grips is comfortable for hour long range sessions with .38 Spl _P level rounds. (Hogue Monogrips are the best for my use). My load choice for CC use is the Gold Dot 135 gr +P and I practice with LSWC's loaded to that same level of recoil. As a rule, that's the old FBI revolvers spec. (a 158 at 850-900 fps). I also like 148 full wadcutters at ~750-800 fps...these are comfortable for all day use, and are, in themselves, pretty good, every-day, utility loads. I probably shoot 3x as many 148's as the heavier 158's, as their a fraction more accurate, more comfortable to shoot in quantity, and I'm seeing a small savings in lead and powder in my reloading operation.

Lastly, a M-60 sporting a 3" bbl. is just a darn good all purpose revolver....mine is a frequent daily choice for toting around the farm, and also does nicely for trips to town when I don't want to bother re-arming with my Sig P365. Accuracy wise, the 60's best groups at 25 yds, from rest are ~3" with good ammo. By comparison, with the longer 4" barrels on my M67, 66, & 686 Smiths, my groups run about 2". IMHO, either is good enough for varmints at that range, or just rolling cans along the dirt paths in our lower meadows; and the 3" tube, round butt "J" frame makes the it a bit easier to hide than the longer, square butt, "K/L" frames. Here's mine at the top with my .22 cal. M63 below; with the OWB holsters I've made up for them. Best Regards, Rod

​
 
Last edited:
I like the 3” J frame revolvers, in fact I like 3” revolvers in general. I have a couple of 3” J frame .38’s, a Model 36 and an Airweight Model 37. Of the two, the 36 is heavier and has a larger Pachmayr grip, making shooting it a breeze. The 37 wears OEM wooden stocks, which are more compact and concealable but make the 37 a real chore to shoot.

IMG_1504.jpeg
IMG_1509.jpeg

One thing I did realize; after adding the larger grip onto the 3” Model 36 it did vastly improve shootability. But, it made the 5-shot .38 the same size as my 16-shot SA-35 (the full size Browning Hi Power clone). So, if ccw is the goal, adding a larger J-frame grip like this one really does help shooting it but kind of defeats the purpose of the small frame revolver.

IMG_0142.jpeg

Just a bit of food for thought regarding 3” J frames, grips and ccw. :)

Stay safe.
 
My EDC is a 3" Pro Series 60, which I've carried for something like 5-6 years. I also have a 637 Airweight on my permit, but it's a spare that just sits in the safe waiting for a call.

www.midwayusa.com

Smith, Wesson Performance Center Pro Series Model 60 Revolver 357 Mag

Smith & Wesson J-Frame revolvers have had your back since 1950. These small revolvers were designed to fire full power rounds and are as...
www.midwayusa.com www.midwayusa.com

S&WCCW.jpg

The Pro Series comes with a tritium front sight and adjustable rear, which might be a problem with some types of carry. I traded the fancy wood grips for Pachmayr Compacs because those are my preferred go-to.

I carry the revolver in a black 5-11 integrated undershirt holster below my left armpit. Not the fastest draw, but more comfortable in 100F+ weather than most other choices and doesn't print against my fat torso through a loose Aloha or Guayabera shirt.

www.511tactical.com

CAMS Short Sleeve Baselayer

CAMS Short Sleeve Baselayer
www.511tactical.com www.511tactical.com

I currently keep it loaded with Ruger-branded Inceptor ARX 77 grain standard pressure .38 Special. I picked up several boxes at Sportsman's Warehouse with a Christmas gift card, and am working through the supply slowly. It barks loudly but doesn't recoil very hard and shoots tight groups to the sights. I've yet to even draw the gun in earnest, so I can't say how well the ammo actually does its job. I may have to go with something else once I've used up the current batch since it's hard to source around here.

I usually carry 3 HKS speedloaders in a pouch on my offside pocket when armed with this revolver; I readily acknowledge that it is either great optimism (that I could survive long enough to reload that many times) or pessimism (that I might need to) -- or maybe just stupidity for not bringing my Glock and a couple mags if I thought that much shooting might be needed! Anyway, I carry spare ammo and I have 3 so why not? My late wife contributed the cute kitty pouch, to which I added a lanyard.

S&WSpeedloaders.jpg

The revolver works, it's comfortable and accurate and doesn't seem prone to dissolving next to my sweaty body. The ejector rod on this 3-incher is longer than on the 637, so ejection is a little more positive. I hold the gun muzzle up and wack it firmly with my palm, so maybe that doesn't really matter.

I guess my highest compliment for this revolver is that I don't intend to replace it -- or if I needed to I'd get another one.
 
Last edited:
I've had two 3" J frames (Ladysmith .38, and 60 Pro .357) and a 3" SP101. The Ruger had slightly less felt recoil but the actions on the S&W's enabled better accuracy for me. I no longer have any of the three but I'm strongly leaning towards getting another 60-15 in the standard configuration (not the pro series). I wasn't impressed with the tritium front sight on the pro.
 
I have to say, the Ruger LCRx 3” attracts me. Seems like a nice package of feature for my needs.
I’m a big fan of 3” barrels, finding them to be the sweet spot for a 38/357.
I'm currently carrying a GP100 3” IWB.
 
I have or have had j-frames, LCR, LCRx, and SP101's.

My preferred carry piece is a 2" LCR in 38 special. My second favorite is a S&W Model 642.

I've grown to tolerate the SP101's trigger, but I'm not going to carry anything that heavy.

I really like my 3" revolvers, but they don't improve my accuracy significantly at close range over a 2".

I definitely don't want a hammer spur that might snag on something.

357 seems like a bit too much for a small CC piece.

That's why I end up carrying lightweight 38's with 2" barrels and no external hammer.
 
film495 said:
I was at a local shop yesterday looking for a coat pocket gun. I had in mind the Ruger LCRx .357 3" barrel. The lenght and height are about the same as the old CZ-70 I currently carry in that pocket sometimes, and it is old and shoots .32 ACP so, every once in a while I think about upgrading it. The S&W 60 is only about 2 oz. heavier than the LCRx in the same barrel lenght in .357. The .38+P LCRx is much lighter than both, about 15 oz. so, a solid 30%ish lighter. I don't expect to shoot much if any full house .357 loads, but even shooting .38 Special +P I can't imagine that would be fun in a 15 oz Revolver. I'd like to enjoy shooting whatever I get, and I can handload to whatever recoil level I like in .38 cases or .357 cases.

I also had in mind to look at a Ruger SP101 same cartrdige and barrel lenght, goes about 2 more oz. in weight than the S&W Mod 60. The CZ weighs 24 or 25 oz. unloaded. the SP101 runs 27 oz. My assumption is the SP101 would be the most freindly to shoot hotter loads through it, however hot that might be, no idea. I've seen some videos of people shooting .357 out of firearms this size and most of it looks not fun.

Anyway, I may carry it in a shoulder holster, or OWB, never took to IWB. Unless it is summer I just put it in my front coat pocket where your right hand is on that pocket. Looks like you might have gloves or something in that pocket, so - that's fine to me. Sometimes I'll put it in the inside coat pocket depending on coat, but for the most part, I throw something in the console of the auto or just in a coat pocket. In the summer I go with a NAA mini - if shorts and tshirt weather. I might just switch to carrying this hiking OWB, maybe get something that looks like a cell phone case or something and roll with it.

Looking for input on people who've been down this path and made a pick. Yeah, yeah, I know I should get one of each. Trying to figure out the compromize between size and weight and shootability. I've fired some very small guns my friends brought to the range little 9mm this or thats, and they are not fun to shoot at all. I guess I don't want it to be too light and snappy and lose the fun factor. Guess I could just load mouse fart loads, and get the LCRx in .38 Special +P, and then carry +P, but outside of having to take out and plug that dumb lock they put on S&W revolvers, the one I looked at seemed really nice to me. Pricey, but really nice. I have an older Model 10, so - I'm kind of familiar with S&W revolvers already, well - old ones, not so much anything new.
Click to expand...
 
My 60-15 in one of my favorite Smiths. I carry it regularly around my wooded acreage and also often use it as a CCW. I have added a different front sight and changed the rear blade to a higher one. Also added a spring kit and Nill Grips. The gun was fine to begin with, but now approaches perfection (for me).

jNU94Tu.jpg
 
I think it is pretty neat. Nice little light-duty field gun.

Haven't shot it that much, but it seems to do fine. I don't run .357 through it, but it's nice to know I could.


Not as easy to carry as a snub Airweight, but a better general purpose gun and a nice compromise if a K frame would be too big to bring along. Also probably a good call to carry other than IWB; I don't find it very comfortable for that personally. Especially with a Hogue Monogrip.
 
I got a jones for a 60 Pro a few years ago. Shortly thereafter the LGS had one on the shelf. That gun had singularly the worst trigger of any gun I've ever handled: heavy, gritty... ne gravelly, stacked like an Amazon warehouse. The three SW revolvers I own (66,686, 617 - all pre-lock) are pretty nice I think and I like them: the trigger are very good. But that gun... I've read that J-frame triggers are less forgiving than K or L frames, but if that one was any example, I'd just buy a bigger coat. I'm sure it was just one of those that slips though, and I'm currently hunting for an N-frame, but do try before you buy.
 
does factory +P ammo in a 3" revolver barrel get you enough velocity to expand hollow points?
 
If you're going to jump to a 3" and want a little extra weight to absorb recoil, I think you might as well go for the Kimber K6s and have 6 shots.
 
Magnums, even in a shorter barrel snub, can achieve substantial velocity; have clocked Fiocchi 140 gr FMJ truncated cones at 1100; they are no fun to shoot.
Had a 3" M60, and may get another one, especially with a replaceable front sight. For actually shoving in a pocket, a Centennial is a better; steel, rather than alloy, is bunches easier to shoot. The lower bore axis of the Centennials does help the recoil, whether steel or alloy.
I wouldn't worry about good loads expanding in defensive loads.
Moon
 
halfmoonclip said:
Magnums, even in a shorter barrel snub, can achieve substantial velocity; have clocked Fiocchi 140 gr FMJ truncated cones at 1100; they are no fun to shoot.
Had a 3" M60, and may get another one, especially with a replaceable front sight. For actually shoving in a pocket, a Centennial is a better; steel, rather than alloy, is bunches easier to shoot. The lower bore axis of the Centennials does help the recoil, whether steel or alloy.
I wouldn't worry about good loads expanding in defensive loads.
Moon
Click to expand...
I have some of that Fiocchi FMJTC…not sure what I would shoot it at, but I would expect it to be perforated.
 
amd6547 said:
I have some of that Fiocchi FMJTC…not sure what I would shoot it at, but I would expect it to be perforated.
Click to expand...
My hiking gun is a Smith 340SC; the first three chambers are snakeshot, the last two are those godawful Fiocchis as a last ditch GTFOM for bears. The choice to make, which would hurt more, the mauling, or the recoil of the 340SC.
Moon
 
film495 said:
I was at a local shop yesterday looking for a coat pocket gun. I had in mind the Ruger LCRx .357 3" barrel. The lenght and height are about the same as the old CZ-70 I currently carry in that pocket sometimes, and it is old and shoots .32 ACP so, every once in a while I think about upgrading it. The S&W 60 is only about 2 oz. heavier than the LCRx in the same barrel lenght in .357. The .38+P LCRx is much lighter than both, about 15 oz. so, a solid 30%ish lighter. I don't expect to shoot much if any full house .357 loads, but even shooting .38 Special +P I can't imagine that would be fun in a 15 oz Revolver. I'd like to enjoy shooting whatever I get, and I can handload to whatever recoil level I like in .38 cases or .357 cases.

I also had in mind to look at a Ruger SP101 same cartrdige and barrel lenght, goes about 2 more oz. in weight than the S&W Mod 60. The CZ weighs 24 or 25 oz. unloaded. the SP101 runs 27 oz. My assumption is the SP101 would be the most freindly to shoot hotter loads through it, however hot that might be, no idea. I've seen some videos of people shooting .357 out of firearms this size and most of it looks not fun.

Anyway, I may carry it in a shoulder holster, or OWB, never took to IWB. Unless it is summer I just put it in my front coat pocket where your right hand is on that pocket. Looks like you might have gloves or something in that pocket, so - that's fine to me. Sometimes I'll put it in the inside coat pocket depending on coat, but for the most part, I throw something in the console of the auto or just in a coat pocket. In the summer I go with a NAA mini - if shorts and tshirt weather. I might just switch to carrying this hiking OWB, maybe get something that looks like a cell phone case or something and roll with it.

Looking for input on people who've been down this path and made a pick. Yeah, yeah, I know I should get one of each. Trying to figure out the compromize between size and weight and shootability. I've fired some very small guns my friends brought to the range little 9mm this or thats, and they are not fun to shoot at all. I guess I don't want it to be too light and snappy and lose the fun factor. Guess I could just load mouse fart loads, and get the LCRx in .38 Special +P, and then carry +P, but outside of having to take out and plug that dumb lock they put on S&W revolvers, the one I looked at seemed really nice to me. Pricey, but really nice. I have an older Model 10, so - I'm kind of familiar with S&W revolvers already, well - old ones, not so much anything new.
Click to expand...
I own a 17oz 1.87" Ruger LCR in 357 and the 3" model 60-15. Seems like you're more recoil sensitive than me, but, for me, shooting 38spc +p was just fine. Shooting 357 out of both the LCR and M60 isn't fun. I EDC 357 in my 686+ L frames, but I religatey lightweight revolvers to 38spc (+p) only.

It all depends on what you value most. Get the 3" Ruger LCR in 38spc if you value weight savings the most. Get the M60 if you value looks and you're very recoil sensitive, although IMHO it's not hard at all yo shoot 38p+ out of a LCR. YMMV though.
 
film495 said:
does factory +P ammo in a 3" revolver barrel get you enough velocity to expand hollow points?
Click to expand...
It depends on the load, and it's not a binary "yes" or "no" answer.

Lucker Gunner's real world testing with both 2" and 4" barrels.

The following penetrated with a 2" barrel within FBI specs and expanded very well. Keep in mind that with a 3" barrel, the results maybe even better.
  1. Federal 130 gr HST Micro
  2. Remington 125 gr Golden Saber +P
  3. Winchester 130 gr PDX1 Defender +P
  4. Winchester 130 gr Train & Defend
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Garandimal
  • Locked
An HD/SD Pistol for a Small Handed Woman...?
2
Replies
42
Views
1K
Garandimal
Garandimal
K
  • Locked
  • Poll
S&W Model 60 .357 or Ruger SP101 .357, I need some help deciding
2
Replies
29
Views
3K
GaryP
G
T
  • Locked
HELP! Taurus vs. S&W vs. Ruger
2
Replies
26
Views
2K
Ruger Redhawk
R
R
  • Locked
Ruger 357
Replies
6
Views
667
rbrand39
R
D
  • Locked
Which 3" .357: GP100 or S&W Model 60?
Replies
8
Views
2K
Dollar An Hour
D
Back
Top