S&W 37 Airweight

[FergusonTO35]

Hey guys. While perusing a pawn shop yesterday I spied an S&W 37 Airweight snubby in .38 Special in the clearance cabinet. It has some ugly pitting on the outside of the muzzle and a little on the cylinder but otherwise is in excellent condition. The bore and chambers are clean and shiny and timing/lockup seems as good as my other wheelguns. They agreed to only $184.00 on it so into layaway it went.

So, what can you tell me about my new wheelgun? Behind the crane it is marked "37", no dash or anything. It has an aluminum frame, the other parts are steel. I didn't see any "Airweight" script on it or other special markings. I would guess its one of the early Airweights. Anything I need to know about it?

[TXBRILL]

I have a Mod 37 and it is one of my favorites. 184.00 seems like a great deal

[FergusonTO35]

The serial is J9998xx. Any idea when it was made?

[EMC45]

You did well.

[FergusonTO35]

Thanks. Do you find that the front sight lines up well with the POI? It looked awfully tall to me.

[MtGun44]

Unless it has serious mechanical and/or cosmetic issues, that is a GREAT deal.

Bill

[tek4260]

That sounds like a great deal to me. I recently picked up a 37 that is rough on the outside, but appears nearly unfired internally and looking at the recoil shield. I managed to get these 2 for 300 then sold the K38 for 300 and kept the 37 :)

http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm35/tk3945/101_2787.jpg

[FergusonTO35]

Both of those for $300.00? Wow!!

[BD]

The M37 is a great little pocket piece, and you got it at a very good price. I carried one for years. They can be worn out though. Mine went less than 10,000 rounds of standard pressure .38 before the combination of hand wear and FP bushing wear resulted in primer hits becoming, maybe, maybe not.

I replaced it with a 442, which I am also planning to wear out.

BD

[tek4260]

Both of those for $300.00? Wow!!

I have bought several M65 Smiths for $70 each from the same place. The one I regret was an evidence room trade in. It was a 357 with an evidence tag that stated the offense was suicide and had 5 loaded rounds and one empty case taped to the back of the tag. Think the price was something less than $50. Somewhat morbid conversation piece.

[subsonic]

I have bought several M65 Smiths for $70 each from the same place. The one I regret was an evidence room trade in. It was a 357 with an evidence tag that stated the offense was suicide and had 5 loaded rounds and one empty case taped to the back of the tag. Think the price was something less than $50. Somewhat morbid conversation piece.

Well, you know for sure that one works....[smilie=1:

[tek4260]

I was too dang interested in the old 1911's and SAA's in the boxes of guns to really even consider buying it.

I really need to stop in and see what be's laying around in there. :)

I have a nice 16ga M12 that my great grandfather used on a fellow back in the 50's....

[Bret4207]

I have bought several M65 Smiths for $70 each from the same place. The one I regret was an evidence room trade in. It was a 357 with an evidence tag that stated the offense was suicide and had 5 loaded rounds and one empty case taped to the back of the tag. Think the price was something less than $50. Somewhat morbid conversation piece.

My wifes Witness is the same type gun. I'm not telling her. She loves it.

[FergusonTO35]

Tek, was that larger Smith a K-38 or a 15? It looks like a late production 15 with target hammer to me.

[tek4260]

That is an early K38 with a replacement barrel. The shop sells to LE so they have a direct line to Smith. It had a bulge in the barrel, so he sent it to Smith and they put that barrel on it. You can see it is too big for the frame, wrong blue, wrong lettering on the barrel, and wrong sight for the K38. The revolver is a 5 screw that is rather early looking at the hammer and trigger over travel stop.

Now all of that is what I "think I understand". I am no Smith expert by any means. Someone may chime in that knows. I think the original barrel would have been a pencil barrel.

[Multigunner]

My 37 still had the alloy cylinder, and two chambers had swollen enough that they would hold the larger diameter .38 S&W cartridge.
A friend had found this 37 half buried in lake bottom mud after the lake was allowed to go down further than it had been in decades.

The nickel on the alloy parts had turned to a thick ashe like crust you could scrape away with a fingernail, but the plating on the barrel was mostly intact save for a spot in the bore and on the outside at the muzzle.
The mainspring and bushing and the thumb catch had rusted away, but the trigger and hammer and internal parts weren't badly pitted. The grips had also rotted away.

[olafhardt]

I shot my chrony with a 3" model 37. Nobody is blameing the gun.