Description
The Smith Wesson Model 60 357 Magnum is the world first stainless steel revolver, introduced in 1965 and still in production. The Model 60 was a stainless version of the Chiefs Special, and it began the era of stainless handgun manufacture that everyone else eventually followed.
Smith Wesson Model 60 357 Magnum All Steel, and Why That Matters
Most modern small revolvers use an alloy or scandium frame to save weight. The Smith Wesson Model 60 357 Magnum does not: it is stainless steel throughout, and that is a deliberate choice rather than an oversight. The extra weight is what makes a snub nose revolver controllable with serious ammunition.
The difference is not subtle. Full-power 357 Magnum from an eleven ounce alloy revolver is punishing; from an all-steel Model 60 it is firm but entirely manageable for a practised shooter. If you intend to actually shoot magnums rather than merely carry them, this is the size and construction to do it with.
Stainless steel also handles the conditions a carry gun lives in. Sweat, humidity and holster wear are what kill blued finishes, and stainless shrugs them off in a way that matters on a gun worn against the body every day.
The Chiefs Special Pattern
This is an exposed hammer J-frame, which means you can cock it for a light single-action shot when precision matters. That is a genuine capability at the cost of a spur that can catch during a fast draw from a pocket. Shooters divide on it, and both positions are defensible.
Five rounds in a two inch barrel is the classic snub nose configuration. Reload practice matters more here than on almost any other gun; speed strips are flat and pocketable, speedloaders are faster but bulkier, and either takes deliberate practice to use under pressure.
Chambering in 357 Magnum means it also fires 38 Special. That is the practical answer to shooting a small magnum a great deal: cheap, mild 38 Special for practice and full-power 357 when it matters, from the same gun, with no adjustment required.
Synthetic grips give a secure hold without the abrasiveness that makes some aggressive textures uncomfortable against bare skin under a cover garment.
Carrying and Shooting the Smith Wesson Model 60 357 Magnum
An all-steel J-frame is heavier than an Airweight, and that shows up on a belt over a long day. An inside the waistband holster and a belt stiff enough to carry the weight without sagging make a considerable difference. Pocket carry works too but demands a proper pocket holster and a pocket that can take the weight.
On the range the weight pays you back. Where a lightweight snub nose punishes you for shooting it, the Smith Wesson Model 60 357 Magnum lets you work through a box of 38 Special comfortably and a cylinder or two of magnums without dreading it. That is what makes the difference between a gun you own and a gun you can actually use.
Dry fire is the most valuable practice available with any small revolver. The long double action pull and the short sight radius magnify every error, and fifty presses a day for a month will change what this gun can do in your hands more than any accessory could.
Maintenance Notes
Stainless is corrosion resistant rather than corrosion proof. A wipe with an oiled cloth after a day of carry takes thirty seconds and prevents the surface staining that sweat eventually produces, particularly around the cylinder and the recoil shield.
Magnum ammunition fouls a revolver considerably more than 38 Special does. The ring of carbon that builds at the front of the chambers is what eventually prevents longer 357 cases from seating, so if you practise with 38 Special and carry 357, scrub the chambers properly rather than assuming a quick pass is enough.
Keep the cylinder face and the forcing cone clean, and check that the ejector rod stays tight, as it can back out under recoil and lock the cylinder closed at exactly the wrong moment. Pocket carry also collects lint, so a periodic look inside the action is worthwhile.
Smith Wesson Model 60 357 Magnum Specifications
- Manufacturer part number: 162420
- UPC: 022188624205
- Caliber: 357 Magnum, also fires 38 Special
- Capacity: 5 rounds
- Barrel: 2 inches
- Frame: stainless steel J-frame
- Grips: synthetic
- Hammer: exposed
- Action: double action and single action
Why Buyers Choose the Smith Wesson Model 60 357 Magnum
An all-steel small revolver is the sensible choice for anyone who intends to practise seriously. Weight is the enemy of comfortable carry and the friend of comfortable shooting, and this one lands where most shooters actually want it.
Two inches of barrel does not give 357 Magnum much room to work, and muzzle blast from a short magnum is genuinely impressive. Many owners carry a heavy 38 Special +P instead, which from a barrel this short gives up less than the numbers suggest.
Small revolvers are simple to operate and utterly indifferent to how they are stored, but they are genuinely harder to shoot well than a similarly sized semi-automatic. Dry fire is free and it is the most valuable practice available.
Who Should Buy It
The Smith Wesson Model 60 357 Magnum suits shooters who want a small revolver they can actually shoot well: everyday carriers, backup gun users, anyone who values stainless durability, and shooters who want the option of single action for a precise shot.
Learn more from Smith and Wesson, or browse the rest of our firearms selection.
Every firearm we list ships to your chosen FFL and is transferred there after a background check.
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