Help ID'ing this pistol

[KenH]

Hello all - my wife has owned this pistol since late 1980's when her deceased husband purchased it for her. It looks like a S&W model 36, but there is no model number listed anywhere that - I've found anyway. Can anyone confirm the model - AND the year of manuf?

154819

154820

154821

154822

154823

Those photos show everything I've been able to find on pistol. Which is serial number, the AVW3187 on buttstock? OR the 33113 at front of cylinder?

Thanks to all for any info... Anyone care to toss out a decent value?

Ken H>

edit: Is that "MOD. 60" in front of cylinder the model number?

[Mk42gunner]

Yes the "MOD 60" is the Model number. Basically a stainless Model 36. The number on the butt is the serial number, I have seen lists on the net that give year of manufacture (S&W Forum???).

Not bad little guns, but they can be a handful with the small factory stocks.

Robert

[FergusonTO35]

Very sweet snubby, wish they had kept it in production.

[Maximumbob54]

Very sweet snubby, wish they had kept it in production.

Wish they had kept THIS VERSION in production. The Model 60 is still very much in production but now as a .357 magnum with heavy barrel for those that like hand pounding punishment. Now for a true compact .38 you have to get the aluminum frame.

[KenH]

Thanks for the input folks - Ya'll have confirmed what I was thinking, but still can't find anything on the serial number. I even found a list of serial numbers over the years for S&W, but NONE of them were the AVWxxxx number. Perhaps the AVW indicate something?

Ken H>

[rintinglen]

154866
That gun was made sometime in the 1987-88 period according to The Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson. ​Smith went to the 7 digit alpha-numeric system for Revolvers in starting in 1980. The AVW range is in the midst of the AVBxxxx-AWWxxxx. Jul of 87-Jan 88. But the Authors caution that S&W was not consistent in producing guns in strict sequential order, so that AVBxxxx numbers might be made before, during or after the run of AVC, or for that matter, numbers much further apart. Mine is in the picture above the 640, top right. My daughter likes the Pink Pachmayrs,

[Artful]

According to the Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson, the Model 60 was first produced in 1965 and shared serial number with the other Chief's Special models starting at about serial number 401754.
Until 1969 then began R prefix at R1 - R100000 - R190000 1974/77
- the 3 letter prefix started in the 80's. Likely, yours I'd mid/late decade.
The last serial number's I remember looking up was
adzxxx January 1984 and AWC78XX which was shipped in July 1987.

Update: Ah rintinglen beat me to it while I was check serial numbers above.

[KenH]

Thank you Gentlemen - my wife "thought" it was in late '80's when purchased. Thanks a bunch.

Ken H>