The mysterious 360j

[Cowboyfromhell]

Does any one have info about the 360j from SW? It is not in their catalog and they do show up once in a while. I read somewhere they might have been an order from the Japanese police or something? Seems no one knows where this lil guy came from--weird

 

[74A95]

Are you referring to the 360 J-frame revolvers?

https://www.smith-wesson.com/firearms/model-360-357-magnum38-sw-special-p

 

[Jim Watson]

All I know is what I read at
https://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/2...-smith-wesson-360j-japanese-service-revolver/

 

[mrcharlie3531]

As A young PFC Marine in Okinawa Japan. I was told stories about the Japanese police (AKA JP's) That they know 3 different type of karate and do not carry a gun. Not sure if this was the truth or a scare tactic. It keep me on the straight and narrow. I didn't want to find out. Semper Fi.

 

[Buckeye!]

I owned one picked it up off of Gunbroker ... Purchased it with the intent of having a DAO spurless hammer installed ... It set in tbe safe for a few months and I swapped it off for something or another.. I ran a box of 158gr LSW through it on a couple of range trips ..
I wish I kept it and went through the project...

 

[Cowboyfromhell]

Nope not the 357. I'm talking about the 38 special version of that exact gun. It's like a 442 on steroids!

 

[74A95]

Nope not the 357. I'm talking about the 38 special version of that exact gun. It's like a 442 on steroids!

Gotcha. The 360J is a new one for me. The article post by Jim Watson was very educational.

 

[2damnold4this]

^ me too. Good article on not just the 360j but Japanese gun culture.

 

[Tom Servo]

S&W has made off-catalog versions of guns for foreign markets before. They made a 3" model 19 with fixed sights for the German police market in the 1980's.

 

[Lohman446]

I think this is the scandium framed .38 made, as rumor holds, for the Japanese police.

In theory as no sane person shoots more than a few rounds of .357 from those 12 ounce devils the 38 special should be the more logical of choices.

 

[Cowboyfromhell]

Yeah when I saw it in the case I knew immediately it was a scandium frame because of the little silver circles on the frame. I quickly bought it...$425 for scandium? It was actually less $ than the 642/442 AIRWEIGHT. Love me a snubnose 38. Easily my most carried piece.

 

[denster]

Smith does a run of them from time to time. Scandium frame and blackened stainless cylinder and exposed hammer. Can be a real bargain. I got mine new for $325 when the last batch was first released. Shoots great and great to carry. The scandium frame should last a long time with 38spc. My 340PD is still going strong after many hundred rounds of 357.