S&W 65-2: Would like to learn more

The '65 was made on S&W's regular K-frame/heavy barrel, but with a special cylinder chambered in .357 Magnum.

Or to put it another way, a model 13 made out of stainless steel.

As a Magnum it's a little light, but one will digest .38 Special/Plus P and Plus P + all day without a whimper.

Not much you can do about sights except remove the front blade, cut a dovetail in the barrel rib, and install a new sight that can be driven sideways to correct for windage and cut down for elevation to zero a particular load to the point of impact at a given distance.

Had 13 & 65 as used police guns. Good shooters. I mounted a scope on a fixed sight 4" gun with this. It worked for a while, then shot loose. Still available. http://www.aimtech-mounts.com/Revolvers.htm

Howdy

I picked up a 65-3 a bunch of years ago. Got a good deal, I think I paid $185 for it. Good shooter. I'm used to fixed sights, so I never felt the need to upgrade it.

The Model 65 is probably the best modern general purpose revolver ever made.

Col. Plink said:

why would that be so or does anyone agree?

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Many agree. I have a 3" M65, and sure do.

A k-frame .357mag is a fantastic all-arounder because it's big enough to be relatively shootable, yet small enough to carry. A 3" barrel makes it even easier to carry, while still having a full-length ejector rod. The only thing more perfect, IMO, would be the "Lady Smith" variant, since it's also got a shrouded (i.e. protected) ejector rod.

As far as the sights, since the front sight on yours isn't pinned in, the easiest option is to paint the back of the front sight with some hi-viz paint or nail polish. More expensive is to have the front sight milled off and replaced with a Weigand interchangeable sight base and a fiber optic sight.

There is no EASY improvement for the rear sight except to paint black around the notch in the "hog wallow." It is possible to cross dovetail for a front fibre optic or night sight.

I have seen pictures of older S&Ws with rear sights slotted in as Fuff describes but gunsmiths don't work cheap any more.

If you want better sights, look for a Model 66.

If you've swapped out the front sight, you could install a narrower front sight. A rear sight mod is tougher, though. AFAIK, a good gunsmith can also mill the rear notch to be a bit wider and/or deeper.

Really, though, the M65, for all it's "perfect-ness", it isn't a dedicated target gun, so milling the rear sight isn't likely worth it (IMHO, of course). If shooting tight groups is your thing, a gun with an adjustable rear sight is the way to go.

Still, a M65 can be pressed into some pretty impressive shooting if you can see the front sight. Below's a young-un' who's pretty handy with fixed sights (I happen to know his gun's set up with a fixed rear & FO front):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgvCGcD-FAg

I second what Old Fuff and BSA1 said.

ETA: Mr. Borland, I have the Ladysmith version. The full underlug is very nice, and the LS version came from the factory with a great trigger job. I just replaced the rosewood finger grips. Nice, but there are better options when shooting Buffalo Bore .357 158-grainers.

My 3" 65-5 has the rear sight trough painted black and some red nail polish on the front ramp.
I see no need for more than that!
If I wanted better sights I would use a 66. But the adjustable rear sights are not as clean a profile and it isn't IMHO necessary.

The model 65 is way overrated. Just send it to me and I'll take care of it for you.

Monster Zero said:

The model 65 is way overrated. Just send it to me and I'll take care of it for you.

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Aside from above annoying cliche, the gun is solid. I'd say it is a toss up b/w that and a model 10 for best used LEO revolver. The M10 was produced in much greater quantity of course due to being chambered in .38 Spl (several foreign gov't still use it).

I find that ALL old Smiths are over-rated. I'm trying to find as many as I can afford and get them safely off the streets before they can be inflicted on someone else. I'm taking this giant sacrifice as a way to help everyone else, and contributions are always welcome!

The M65 is the last direct descendent of the original S&W M&P. After WWII, the M&P became the Model 10, Starting with the 10-1, the heavy barrel was available, then the Model 13 was made in .357 magnum. The Model 65 is the stainless version of the Model 13.

FYI - the stainless version of the model 10 is the model 67. It has the tapered barrel and is 38 Special.

For fixed sight stainless guns - just black out the rear sight area and paint the front sight bright orange or red.

I had a m65 at one time. Whoever gad it before me must have shot an excessive amount or magnums through it because it had excessive end shake. The issue was it would light strike primers on the first turn sometimes which would fire on the second turn. What happens is the top straps on the fixed sight k frame mags is narrow and stretches with use. When the little arm ratchets the cylinder, it pushed it forward away from the firing pin. It's been a long time but I want to say it was possibly rubbing the forcing cone too. I looked up online how to fix it using shims or take it to a gun smith, but I was turned off and sold it for a loss. I don't know why smith chooses to underbuild their revolvers.. If it says 357 or 44 mag it should be able to take a steady diet. I swiched to Ruger and never looked back. The triggers on the rugers aren't near as nice but at least they won't shoot loose. (Putting on fire suit)

clang said:

The M65 is the last direct descendent of the original S&W M&P. After WWII, the M&P became the Model 10, Starting with the 10-1, the heavy barrel was available, then the Model 13 was made in .357 magnum. The Model 65 is the stainless version of the Model 13.

FYI - the stainless version of the model 10 is the model 67. It has the tapered barrel and is 38 Special.

For fixed sight stainless guns - just black out the rear sight area and paint the front sight bright orange or red.

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Not quite. Yhe 67 has adjustable sights unlike the model 10, and it is a very fine revolver.

BSA1 said:

The Model 65 is probably the best modern general purpose revolver ever made.

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Well, ahem, I'd put the Speed Six in that category to!

I have the 2 3/4 inch Speed Six, 3 inch 65 'Lady Smith', 3 inch 64, and 3 inch GP100.

They are all top of the line for every day carrying and shooting.

Deaf

Don't have one but enjoy shooting my Model 64 in 38 Special. I know I would not enjoy shooting a Model 65 in 357 Magnum.

I wouldn't describe a 357 Magnum K frame as "tame", but it is a very manageable level of recoil for any ammo you should be shooting in it.

I prefer mine with target sights, but do dig fixed sights too.

I shoot mostly 38 specials, or slightly reduced 158gr SWC's 357 Magnums. Federal jacketed 158 JSP's was my favorite factory ammo for my favorite handgun, a 4" M19.

the hot jacketed 125gr/H110 flamethrowers go in my 627, nowhere near my M19's

Magnum K frames are seriously great guns. Make sure you take the time and find grips that fit!