Description
The Smith Wesson Model 60LS LadySmith is the LadySmith version of the Model 60, which in practice means a smaller grip frame and hand-finished wood grips on the same all-steel stainless J-frame. The name is historical; what it actually delivers is a revolver sized for smaller hands, which is useful to a great many shooters regardless of who it was named for.
Smith Wesson Model 60LS LadySmith What the LadySmith Treatment Changes
The meaningful difference is the grip. Standard J-frame grips are sized for an average adult male hand, and shooters with smaller hands often cannot reach the trigger properly or get a full firing grip. The Smith Wesson Model 60LS LadySmith fits a slimmer wood grip that solves that, and a shooter who can actually hold the gun correctly shoots it far better.
That matters more on a small revolver than on almost anything else, because the way a revolver rolls under recoil is determined almost entirely by how the grip meets your palm. A grip you cannot hold properly turns a manageable gun into an unpredictable one.
Everything else is a Model 60: stainless steel throughout, five rounds, a two inch barrel and the Chiefs Special pattern that has been in production since 1965.
All Steel and 357 Magnum
Most modern small revolvers use an alloy or scandium frame to save weight. This one does not: it is stainless steel throughout, and the extra weight is what makes a snub nose controllable with serious ammunition. Full-power 357 from an eleven ounce alloy revolver is punishing; from an all-steel Model 60 it is firm but manageable.
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.
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.
This is an exposed hammer revolver, so you can cock it for a light single-action shot when precision matters. That costs you a spur that can catch during a fast draw from a pocket, which is a genuine trade rather than an oversight.
Carrying and Shooting the Smith Wesson Model 60LS LadySmith
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, this one lets you work through a box of 38 Special comfortably and a cylinder or two of magnums without dreading it. That is 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 the Smith Wesson Model 60LS LadySmith 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.
Wood grips benefit from occasional care. A light coat of a suitable finish every year or two keeps them from drying out, and keeping solvent off them during cleaning avoids clouding the finish. Also check that the ejector rod stays tight, as it can back out under recoil.
Smith Wesson Model 60LS LadySmith Specifications
- Manufacturer part number: 162414
- UPC: 022188624144
- Caliber: 357 Magnum, also fires 38 Special
- Capacity: 5 rounds
- Barrel: 2 inches
- Frame: stainless steel J-frame
- Grips: wood
- Hammer: exposed
- Action: double action and single action
Why Buyers Choose the Smith Wesson Model 60LS LadySmith
Grip fit is the most under-appreciated variable in handgun shooting, and it is the whole reason this variant exists. A shooter who can hold the gun correctly will outshoot the same person with a gun they cannot, regardless of everything else on the specification sheet.
An all-steel small revolver is heavier than an Airweight, and that shows up on a belt over a long day. It is also why you can practise with it comfortably, which is the trade most serious shooters prefer.
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.
Who Should Buy It
The Smith Wesson Model 60LS LadySmith suits shooters with smaller hands who want a small revolver that actually fits: everyday carriers, backup gun users, and anyone who has struggled to get a proper firing grip on a standard J-frame.
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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