Well I went and did it!

I picked up a nearly NIB 1967 to 68 Model 60 (no dash) Chief Special Stainless (brushed) for $360. Only a couple of minor scrapes on the trigger guard and no +P but no lock.

Now I need to get or make a holster for it and some speed loaders.

Those old mod. 60's will handle +P just fine. I have a no dash, pinned 60 that I bought new in 1978. I've shot countless +P and heavy handloads in this gun and it's just as tight as when I got it. Jeff Cooper used to run near .357 loads in .38 cases in his no dash 60 when they first came out. He and Elmer Keith sung praises about how strong this revolver was. That was way before the magnum J frames. The +P that comes from the factory today is about the same as the standard .38 load in the 1960's and 70's. I have a lot of old reloading manuals and because of liabilty etc. you can watch how the loads have been gradually reduced over the years, from the early manuals to the present.

Good information Ramoel and thanks for the feedback.

If I understand correctly, those guns (and even short bbl new ones) can handle hot loads, you just have to run a bit heavier bullet weight.

That may be so. I have no certainty about it, although I have read that the gradual reduction in loads has more to do with improvements in measuring, and the realization that the earler loads were hotter than anybody realized.

It makes little difference to me, since I aim for pretty much the middle of the load range.

Congrats, I also will be pickin' my 642 up today. Nice looking gun you got there!