David,
The pinned barrel...and recessed cylinders...really add nothing to the functionality of a S&W revolver. That being said, people will pay more for a P&R gun. I think it is because they perceive it is better built and it certainly is old school technology. Nostalgia plays a part, IMO, in the collector mindset.
That's a decent price for a M37 with box, papers, .etc.
I would politely disagree with you Guy. I have a "crush fit" 629 that is extremely tight at the throat and is subsequently larger at the end of the barrel. It is a mess when shooting lead. It does well with jacketed bullets, but I really do believe the pinned barreled revolvers are superior. Just my $.02
It goes this way.
Pinned or not, what are you willing to own? I have model 14 revolvers in both styles, and one is no better than the other.
The only reason they stopped pinning barrels and recessing cylinders was to save money. It has nothing to do with quality or better production methods.
Once S&W figured out they didn't need the recessed cylinders they discontinued them as quickly as possible. It reduced the cylinder length, saving the cost of the steel, and it greatly reduced the machining steps, machine tooling cutters, and labor costs. Eliminating the pinned barrels reduced the machining step of reaming the frame for the pin, eliminated notching the barrel for the pin insertion slot and the labor of both operations and the installation labor for aligning the barrel precisely to the frame and inserting the pin. And it eliminated the cost of the pin itself.
I have a model 19 that's pinned and a model 66 that's not. Basically the same revolver, but again they shoot the same and clean up the same as well. They both shoot to the same spot on the targets, and neither is more difficult to clean than the other. In reality the pinned barrels and frames give two more spots in the steel for them to fail over the threaded only barrels.
There's really no such thing as a "Crush fit" barrel anyplace I've ever seen or read about, other than the discussions on these forums. It's simply a term used indicating the barrel is wrenched-in, until it stops on the frames receiver face. Threaded only barrels are actually made to much tighter tolerances than the pinned barrels were.
If I had my choice, they'd all still have pinned barrels and the magnum revolvers would all have recessed cylinders. But not having those features has saved tremendous amounts of money over the long haul producing the revolvers we all love so much.
Thanks a lot for that info. wow! That explained it entirely. And made perfect sense to me how you explained it.
I learn more here than in books. The combination of the two is awesome.
Thanks
Functionality and resale value is only in the eyes of a collector of safe queens. Personally, I prefer a screwed on right and tight vs a pinned barrel, and I really don't see the need for recessed cylinders. Both of these outdated features are a function of not having the technology current today. Had today's metallurgy and CAD/CAM technology existed in 1950, we would have never heard of a pinned and recessed J frame. In my not so humble opinion, today's J frames are the best built snub revolvers on the market; for $450.00, get a new Model 37, tax, tags, etc OTD.
I have both P&R and non P&R have not noticed any difference in they way they shoot, my non P&R is a 19-5 she is a beauty, and accurate, all I can say is if it has a S&W medallion on the grips, if it is nickel, if it is blued and has rotating cylinder & goes bang I like it !!!
To the OP, a question that has nothing to do with a pinned barrel (or lack of) at all, but is the finish blue or nickel and is the butt square or round? I'm just curious as it relates to the price you're looking at buying it for. Those features in this part of the country will affect pricing somewhat, but in general today, any S&W that is in good condition, with box and goodies, would easily see the $450 price as a low offer, in shows and most shops they'd have it even higher. I've had 37's and still have an older one today. I only use it as a concealed carry because of the light weight, not as a heavy shooter, so the pin doesn't matter much to me in this particular model one way or the other. I'm not as accomplished a shooter/collector/knowledge possessor as these other guys, I use the pinned and recessed features primarily to help me date a gun....I need all the help I can get!
Pinned or not, you paid what the gun was worth to you. If you like it, and it seems like a good price, then it is. I've never been able to find a functional difference between pinned or not. Don't sell it-enjoy the heck out of it!
I have a couple of each, mostly K-frames. and I value them all. I didn't take pinned vs. not pinned into consideration when looking; overall condition, price, and where it would fit in my little accumulation were my criteria.
I hope you enjoy your 37 and please post some pictures!
It all depends on your druthers.
I druther have a pinned barrel any day over the newer ones but that is cuz I'm a picky old jerk that likes the old school S&W revolvers.
That being said, the revolver I like the most and and shoot the best with is a Model 65 round butt 3" revolver that doesn't have the recessed cylinder or pinned barrel.
Sometimes you can't have everything you want.
Rugersandsmiths, be happy with your purchase. Most every one of us have paid more than we should on our purchases, and most every one of us can tell stories about the great deals we've gotten. Over time, it all equals out. Like water seeking it's own balance. Hell, it's just money....they print it up each and every day! Enjoy what you got.
I had P&R but now I have a new no lock 340 m&p & a 329 NG & am highly satisfied with both. At the same time I am just pinned & recessed over this whole discussion!
Looks round butted and blue, your price is a 'no-brainer' buy in this part of the country (Arizona), I hope you decide to carry it, they're very light!
I just might keep 'n carry it, and ya the left grip looks so sweet with the dark stripe. I bought it for just that, a nice carry piece, that I can get my money back when I want, figured the box n dox will help.
Only weighs 14oz, and if I only put one bullet in it, and keep the other 4 in my pocket, prolly only 16 ounces!
That is one fine looking gun. With the box and dox, you did just fine.
I see nice ones go for $400 around here. I like P&R guns but I pack a non-pinned Model 19 most of the time. I wouldn't pass up a nice looking gun just over that aspect.
I sure wouldn't sell it until you have given it a good test run. It will grow on you.
Do you open carry that 19 in Wyoming? I love the 19 2 1/2 barrel blue gun. Big money gun there.
We have open carry here in Ohio, but I always feel strange doing it. My model 10 in a IWB holster is plenty big for me. That's my reason for getting a 37. I can have that at work easily.
Can't imagine having a 19 in one. I got my CCW permit mainly because no open carry in Florida (unless you are fishing or hunting). I'm there about 3 or 4 months over the Winter and Florida is a lil more, ok a lot more, dangerous than North Canton, Ohio.
I have carried concealed as an off duty officer and as civilian since 1966. I carried a Model 36 as an off duty sidearm for 13 years. In those years none other than my wife and a very few close friends have ever known that I carry a weapon and I'm gonna keep it that way.
Open carry and concealed carry are legal here. You seldom see anyone with a visible gun and there is little interest or response when one is observed.
Hey, it's Wyoming!!
I have carried a govt model 1911, the model 19, and 640-1 in IWB holsters from time to time, but since my "chest has settled" a little in the last few years, I carry OWB now.
Between '66 and now, I imagine you've tried every holster carry method there is. I was looking at some really nice 19s, with a 2 1/2 barrel,... to carry.
They are beautiful, especially the really nice blue ones. Just too big for me,...size and price. That's the reason I'm getting the 37. It will be so much easier to carry in an iwb holster.
You seldom see anyone with a visible gun in Ohio either, but there's always interest.
I used to carry IWB, when I had a J frame M-36. My K frames are too big for that........so I bought a minimalist Belt Slide holster and a 3 slot Pancake for my snubby K frames. They both conceal well under a shirt or jacket, and they are worn OWB.......it gets a little tight with bigger IWB holsters, now that I've redistribulated some weight to my gut! Bob
Rugersandsmiths, I know you're excited to shoot it and you should be for many reasons, but you're going to find it's different from your Model 10 in many ways. The weight and increased recoil is obvious, but the trigger action between a J-Frame (Model 37) and the K-Frame (your Model 10) are VERY different. In order to make the smaller size work, the J-frame mechanism isn't the same engineered design and it can be felt by a stiffer, less smooth action. They can be worked by a gunsmith to 'smooth' things out to a degree, which I've had done and have been pleased, but they simply are not like a K and definitely not an L or N frame model. Don't get me wrong, I love J-Frames and have many, just be prepared for a difference and don't allow that to be a disappointment, they're just not the same gun, nothing out of place or broken, just different. You'll see what I mean just by dry-firing and you'll have it down before you ever hit the range! Have fun and we do expect a full report along with the mandatory pictures!
I still haven't shot my Model 10! I know it's crazy, but It's the Peru Police 2" and it's just so pretty, it appears to have never been fired. There's no drag line at all. Pretty much all I've done is waxed it, over and over.
It's just soooo pretty, but I do know need to at least make sure it works.
I just got rid of a Ruger 357 LCR a few months ago. It had the smoothest trigger I've ever felt right out of the box. I could stage it at about 95% and hold it there however long I wanted,...................click.
Between the size difference and the weight difference of the 36 and the 10, I can imagine they will shoot night and day differently.
Blackcloud2 speak the trooth. J-frames are great little guns, but different and harder to master. They are mechanically as accurate as any other revolver, but because of the size and lack of sight distance, they are harder to shoot accurately.
That said, you can shoot them very effectively with practice.. I watched a guy hit a gong with one at 200 yards. Granted he fired it every day at that gong in an firearms exhibition and knew exactly where to aim, but I sure wouldn't want him PO'ed at me and using that gun.
rugersandsmiths;283645
I just got rid of a Ruger 357 LCR a few months ago. It had the smoothest trigger I've ever felt right out of the box. I could stage it at about 95% and hold it there however long I wanted said:
My son owns an LCR and I agree it has a great trigger action, his is not a .357, but 38 Special, I doubt it matters. It might be seen on this site as blasphemy, but the action is smoother than any S&W J-frame I've ever shot!
I carried one like that for many years. Then my wife glommed onto it. She finally bought a 642 and I got it back. By then I had a couple of other nice J frames so I traded it for an old .455 HE Mk II. Gonna trade it for sawed off Model 1917 Saturday.
I still carry a 640-1 one a lot of the time.
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