Passed through a small town with a good LSG a couple weeks ago, not really looking for anything in particular. They've got a 66-2 2-1/2" kinda just randomly tossed into the display case with a hand written tag for $650. I’d been ruminating about a 3” M60 or SP101 as a “kit”-type gun, but something only 1-1/2” shorter and nigh-on as bulky as my 4” 686 hadn’t occurred to me. I wanted something smaller and didn't/don't know much about the 66 series, except of course that all pre-lock Smith’s are higher than a kite right now. I could see though the glass that the gun was dirty, with what looked like some white paint and coffee stains splashed around. The store was quite busy, I didn't have much time and wasn't quite sure what I was looking at, so I left without actually handling and looking closely at the gun, but intent to find out more about it.
It didn’t take long to figure out that at $650, assuming the gun was in good condition under the grime, that I should own it whether I wanted a short k-frame or not. Worst case, I might make a couple hundred on resale. So a week later, back into the rig for the 2 hour drive back to the store. As I’d assumed, as filthy as it was, it was still there. But with a nicely printed, plastic-encased tag for $850.$200 more and they hadn’t even cleaned it up. So, since this was a not-looking/price-too-good-to-pass-up deal to begin with, and now the price wasn’t so good, I walked without touching it. My wife was very proud of me.
Back home the following week, my regular LGS gets in a new M60 Pro with the 3” barrel. Great, glad I didn’t buy that 66. Run down to look at – and buy – the M60…and don’t like it at all. It’s too small, too dainty for my liking. Well, what about that 66? Maybe a closer look would be a good idea.
More research on the Interweb, and it became apparent that folks, very much so here on THR, have great affection for k-frame snubs. The seed had been planted, and now the beanstalk was growing with reckless abandon: I needed a k-frame snub for my kit gun! So come last Saturday, back up 2 hours again.
It's still there, nasty as a first time I saw it. Kid at the counter says he knows the guy that traded it and he takes meticulous care of his guns! Really, how can you tell? LOL. Anyway, under the paint and coffee, the gun is tight, no erosion on the forcing cone or top strap, lockup is tight, carry up good. Two of the sideplate screws are buggered, so someone’s been inside, but the both DA and SA are excellent with no push off. The gun just looks like it was carried a bit but not shot much. So I paid the $850 and they shipped back home.
It has cleaned up great. And I really like this gun. Much more than a J-frame, much smaller than a 4” L-frame. All is good. Except for that $200 stumble. And the wife’s not so proud anymore.
It didn’t take long to figure out that at $650, assuming the gun was in good condition under the grime, that I should own it whether I wanted a short k-frame or not. Worst case, I might make a couple hundred on resale. So a week later, back into the rig for the 2 hour drive back to the store. As I’d assumed, as filthy as it was, it was still there. But with a nicely printed, plastic-encased tag for $850.$200 more and they hadn’t even cleaned it up. So, since this was a not-looking/price-too-good-to-pass-up deal to begin with, and now the price wasn’t so good, I walked without touching it. My wife was very proud of me.
Back home the following week, my regular LGS gets in a new M60 Pro with the 3” barrel. Great, glad I didn’t buy that 66. Run down to look at – and buy – the M60…and don’t like it at all. It’s too small, too dainty for my liking. Well, what about that 66? Maybe a closer look would be a good idea.
More research on the Interweb, and it became apparent that folks, very much so here on THR, have great affection for k-frame snubs. The seed had been planted, and now the beanstalk was growing with reckless abandon: I needed a k-frame snub for my kit gun! So come last Saturday, back up 2 hours again.
It's still there, nasty as a first time I saw it. Kid at the counter says he knows the guy that traded it and he takes meticulous care of his guns! Really, how can you tell? LOL. Anyway, under the paint and coffee, the gun is tight, no erosion on the forcing cone or top strap, lockup is tight, carry up good. Two of the sideplate screws are buggered, so someone’s been inside, but the both DA and SA are excellent with no push off. The gun just looks like it was carried a bit but not shot much. So I paid the $850 and they shipped back home.
It has cleaned up great. And I really like this gun. Much more than a J-frame, much smaller than a 4” L-frame. All is good. Except for that $200 stumble. And the wife’s not so proud anymore.
.
