Bought a S&W Model 66 .357 stainless, so...now what?

[orangeninja]

For some reason I felt a sudden urge to buy a .357 magnum K frame model 66 in stainless. But what do I do with this thing. The .357 for defensive carry is too loud and blasty for the likes of Clint Smith when he was challenged as to why he prefered the .44 special. The K frame is a dead design because of the inherent weakness of such a small frame for such a hard recoiling load according to Ayoob. All stainless guns are pimp guns and should only be worn to BBQ's according to almost every police handgun instructor I know. The 6 shooter is simply obsolete according to 99% cops out there.

I only have carried autos, this is like an alien being to me.
I carry light weight, easily concealed weapons, at times I find a Sig 229 to be heavy.
I am an advocate of the .40 and 9mm as defensive rounds (9mm with the proper load of course).
No police dept. I will work for will ever let me carry this thing.
I don't collect guns anymore, it's too expensive....but I didn't have a revolver.
I find the Glock 23 to be snappy at times, what the heck am I doing with this?

I'm giving consideration to trading it for an SP101, but I've always been told that a .357 has to have a 4' inch barrel to work like it should.

 

[TallPine]

The 6 shooter is simply obsolete according to 99% cops out there.

Isn't the 66 a 5-shooter or am I mixed up ...?

Sounds like a nice carry gun to me (I almost bought a 3" M-66 a while back). If you don't like the .357 in it, carry it with 38s - though I doubt you will notice the noise or "blast" if you have to shoot to defend yourself.

 

[Trebor]

Now what? Now you sell it to me. I'll put it to good use. I currently carry a 3" Model 65 every day and I'm always looking for nice short barrel Smiths.

 

[pogo2]

The other side of the coin

Alduro: So now you have a stainless S&W 66? I presume it is the 2-1/2 inch barrel, although you didn't mention barrel length. I recently bought one of these myself, sort of on a whim. I think you should get the appropriate holster, grips and ammo, and carry it.

You gave a lot of the arguments against it - let me give some arguments in favor of it:

1. Six shots is plenty for personal defense. 99% of confrontations where a private citizen draws his gun will end with no shots fired, or fewer than 3 shots fired. The chances of needing more than 6 are very, very small. And you can carry 6 more rounds in a speedloader or speed strip to ease your mind.

2. Stainless has many advantages in a CCW gun. The finish is tough and resists corrosion from sweat. The "shiny" aspect is not visible when the gun is concealed, and only appears when you draw. And when you draw you want the bad guy to see it, because the sight of it will deter him from further action in most cases. And that is the best outcome - he retreats and no shots are fired.

3. The .357 magnum caliber is one of the best for stopping someone. With proper ammo choice you have a 125 grain hollowpoint travelling out the muzzle at 1300 fps, giving about 500 foot pounds of energy. It takes no back seat to any .40 or .45 ammo.

4. A snubby revolver conceals better in a belt holster than most semiautos, because of its shape. It is very thin in barrel and grip, and only bulges in one small area - the cylinder. With a high riding clamshell type pancake holster (such as the DeSantis speed scabbard), it is less likely to print than a semiauto of similar size.

5. A revolver like the S&W 66 can be fired rapidly and accurately in double action with a little practice. I think it is just as fast as a semiauto in this regard. Watch Jerry Miculek shoot one.

6. You model 66 is probably more reliable than any semiauto. There are fewer things to go wrong, and feeding and ejection are not an issue.

 

[DragonFire]

Name one gun, or even type of gun that EVERYONE likes, and that hasn't had something negative said about it.

K-frames are not obsolete. A steady diet of hot .357 loads will wear on it, but assuming lots of .38's or .38 +P's and fewer full power loads, the 66 will be fine.

I bet that revolvers are put down by 99% of the cops ... who carry autos. There are still lots of cops either carrying a revolver full time, or as a back-up.

 

[cameraman2]

The Model 66 is the best there is in medium frame 357's. Short, concealable, proven S+W action. Regardless of what Ayoob says, or who is paying him these days to say, take the gun out and shoot the heck out of it. It will digest anything you put in it and may become one of your favorites.

 

[progunner1957]

Nuttin' wrong with a 66!!

All stainless guns are pimp guns and should only be worn to BBQ's according to almost every police handgun instructor I know.

Hogwash.

The 6 shooter is simply obsolete according to 99% cops out there.

More hogwash.

Load it with any .357 mag. 125g. HP made by CorBon, Federal, Remington, Mag Safe, etc. and you will have an outstanding defensive weapon. The current crop of high tech hollow points outperform the older generation of HPs by a huge margin.

As far as stainless being a "pimp gun," what we have here is an opulent display of ignorance. Take a look at the book, "Rogue Warrior." When Dick Marcinko was commander of SEAL team six, what weapon did six use for its waterborne ops?
Smith and Wesson model 66.

If it's good enough for SEAL team six... They carry SIG 9mm autos today, but the fact that they originally carried 66's to war at sea says something for the 66.

 

[C96]

I've had my four inch model 65 for about thirty years, still doing fine. I've fired a lot
of full house 357's over the years as well as quite a few 38's. It was my wife's
home defense gun and she preferred the 38's.

It is kinda small and I'm sure a real steady diet of 357's would wear on it. S&W thought
it would as well, that was one of the reasons given for the L frame.

A three inch or longer tube is better, gives you the full length ejector rod.

I also have a two and a half inch SP101 in 357. That's my loaner gun, whenever
a loaner gun is needed. Crude and unpolished but tougher than all get out.
Also a real brick to carry but nice when going through a bunch of 357's.

For carrying, I prefer my 442/642.

allan

 

[orangeninja]

Actually it is the 4 inch model. I wish it were 2 inches. It is a model 66-2.

 

[Snub60]

I'm no expert by any means, but the only gun I have (right now) is my model 60 J frame .357. I have shot many types of ammo through it. 38, 38+p and 135gr 357. I am sitting on a box of win. 110gr 357 jhp I can't wait to shoot this weekend. 225 rounds have shot out of my little J frame and it is just like it was when I bought it new...smooth and sturdy. So I'm sure your K frame will take what you throw at it for a long time. I baby my little beauty too...wipe out the chambers after every five shots at the range and clean it up real nice at home. Keep that bad boy it will grow on you. Load it up with HOT .357's and watch the hat blow off the guy in the booth next to you at the range from the blast. He He He

 

[Majic]

You spend way to much time listening to everyone else. Take your M66 out and run it thru the paces to see what you think. You just might find that those experts sometimes don't have a clue.

 

[bakert]

Actually it is the 4 inch model. I wish it were 2 inches. It is a model 66-2.

That is same gun our KY State police carried for a number of years. Their one shot stopping record record was one of the best recorded anywhere. At times even without mid torso hits. Only problems were a steady diet of hot 125 gr JHPs were hard only the guns and the K frame can be a handful for some people especially with the blast and flash. Actually they are a bit more durable than some would hae you believe. I have a 6" model 66-2 that's had thousands of both .38 and .357 rds through it and still going fine. In fact my wife claims it as her house gun.

 

[Checkman]

Trade it in for a Ruger GP100 with the 3" barrel. See my post on your other thread.

 

[Wllm. Legrand]

For some reason I felt a sudden urge to buy a .357 magnum K frame model 66 in stainless. But what do I do with this thing. The .357 for defensive carry is too loud and blasty for the likes of Clint Smith when he was challenged as to why he prefered the .44 special. The K frame is a dead design because of the inherent weakness of such a small frame for such a hard recoiling load according to Ayoob. All stainless guns are pimp guns and should only be worn to BBQ's according to almost every police handgun instructor I know. The 6 shooter is simply obsolete according to 99% cops out there.

I only have carried autos, this is like an alien being to me.
I carry light weight, easily concealed weapons, at times I find a Sig 229 to be heavy.
I am an advocate of the .40 and 9mm as defensive rounds (9mm with the proper load of course).
No police dept. I will work for will ever let me carry this thing.
I don't collect guns anymore, it's too expensive....but I didn't have a revolver.
I find the Glock 23 to be snappy at times, what the heck am I doing with this?

I'm giving consideration to trading it for an SP101, but I've always been told that a .357 has to have a 4' inch barrel to work like it should.

Geez...Where should I start?

First, I bought ANOTHER 66 this weekend (2.5 inch barrel).

Next, did you buy this for Clint Smith? THEN WHY ARE YOUR CONCERNED ABOUT THIS OPINION? The N frame .44 is a lot heavier than same barrel length in .357/38.
It's a .357....Handload a milder .357 if you can't handle the blast, though most fellows who aren't girlie-men can handle it.

K frame a "dead" design because it is "lightweight"? Yeah, my lily white @**...sure, a steady diet of 1960 vintage 1550 fps 158 loads are hard on on it, but will you be doing that? Does that mean the gun cannot handle it? Funny...I've only had one gun work anything loose on it and that was an N frame 629 that gets a steady diet of hard-core .44 mag. And, again, did you buy for Ayoob OR DO YOU MAKE YOUR OWN DECISIONS? Try it and see.

Stainless steel "pimp guns"? That's a WHOLE load of crappola that significantly diminishes your credibility. I don't now if I even would WANT you to carry a gun I like....I think you're thinking of chrome or nickle plate...as in "Get rid of that chrome plated sissy gun, and get yourself a Glock.." (the grammatically incorrect line from some movie spoken by Tommy Lee Jones).

You carry a 9mm? I think the 66 with mag loads is TOO MUCH GUN for you...

And "most departments" wouldn't "let you" carry a .357? Well, la-tee-fricken'-da.....I bet "most departments" are just FULL of real pistoleros...Yeah...right....

(BTW, I'm just giving you a hard time....mostly)

I am a real wheel-gun fan, though I can afford to shoot anything. I love the K-frame Smiths...

If it was GOOD ENOUGH FOR BILL JORDON, it ought to be good enough for you, kid...

 

[kahr404life]

Sell it to me

They are right stainless steel is for pimps (never mind it does not rust as easily ). It only holds 6 bullets (the gun store commando allways knows you can't do anything with only 6 bullets ). 4inch barrels are terrible (Bill Jordan only pretended to like them and shoot them well ). No one should carry the shame of a S&W M-66 with them . Sell it to me, I will not tell anybody where I got it . By the way, .357 mags and .38 spls are no good for shooting people , everybody knows that.

 

[357wheelgunner]

All stainless guns are pimp guns and should only be worn to BBQ's according to almost every police handgun instructor I know. The 6 shooter is simply obsolete according to 99% cops out there.

99% of the cops out there can't shoot to save their life anyway, why are you taking their advice on handgunnery? Look up the statistics at the number of rounds fired by the average officer in a gunfight, they have to miss 40 times to hit someone, of course 6 will not be enough to them.

You have a quality weapon that will last several lifetimes if you take care of it. The K-frames point like a finger, are light enough to wear on the hip or in the waistband all day, and fire a potent round more than capable of doing its job if you do yours. What do you do with it? GO SHOOT IT! Enjoy it, and after a few hudred rounds if you still don't like it send it to me.

 

[kahr404life]

I where a badge and I can shoot .

 

[Ed 2001 SS]

/Mild thread hijack...

Wllm. Legrand: How much did you pay for the 66?

My boss has a 2 1/2" Model 66 that he has lent me. I'm considering buying it, primarily because it shoots nicely and my wife likes it. (And you can't have enough guns) How much should I offer? I neither want to rip my boss off nor be ripped off, ya know?

 

[Wllm. Legrand]

/Mild thread hijack...

Wllm. Legrand: How much did you pay for the 66?

My boss has a 2 1/2" Model 66 that he has lent me. I'm considering buying it, primarily because it shoots nicely and my wife likes it. (And you can't have enough guns) How much should I offer? I neither want to rip my boss off nor be ripped off, ya know?

First a few qualifiers:

1) I bought from a gunstore. Asking price $299.00

2) I know the product. VERY HEAVILY leaded (i.e., barrel, cylinders, forcing cone, etc.) and dirty. Hogue grips on round-butt. Stock grips included.

3) I am a no B.S. customer. I asked to speak with the manager. I gave him a rundown of what I saw, including a few minor dings (magnified in my eyes, of course, but since he was there to see them, all's fair, etc.)

4) I asked for his lowest price. He said make him an offer. I offer $225. He counters at $250, "Just came in the other day, blah, blah, blah". I said $240 and throw in the 100 targets I was buying anyway. He said, "You've got a deal."

Here in Colorado, that's a good deal. I buy regularly and know the market, at least here.

p.s. Took me half an hour to get all the lead out...including firing about a dozen hot FMJ loads to expunge the hard-to-remove stuff.

 

[Ed 2001 SS]

First a few qualifiers:

1) I bought from a gunstore. Asking price $299.00

2) I know the product. VERY HEAVILY leaded (i.e., barrel, cylinders, forcing cone, etc.) and dirty. Hogue grips on round-butt. Stock grips included.

3) I am a no B.S. customer. I asked to speak with the manager. I gave him a rundown of what I saw, including a few minor dings (magnified in my eyes, of course, but since he was there to see them, all's fair, etc.)

4) I asked for his lowest price. He said make him an offer. I offer $225. He counters at $250, "Just came in the other day, blah, blah, blah". I said $240 and throw in the 100 targets I was buying anyway. He said, "You've got a deal."

Here in Colorado, that's a good deal. I buy regularly and know the market, at least here.

p.s. Took me half an hour to get all the lead out...including firing about a dozen hot FMJ loads to expunge the hard-to-remove stuff.

Any idea when these guns were made? It's a Model 66-1. My boss says it was his dad's gun and he's had it for decades and hasn't used it in about that long. The gun itself has some minor pitting (about 3.8" in length near where the barrel meets the frame). Otherwise the gun is in good clean condition. I'll $200 for it and see what he says.

 

[Wllm. Legrand]

All I can tell you is that is that it was made sometime between 1974 and 1993, though yours would be at the earlier end of the scale..which means little.

I've got one that has the pinned barrel and recessed cylinder (4"), earlier models and it's one of my favorite handguns...smooth as silk (after an action job, as if it really needed it).

 

[orangeninja]

Thanks for the replies guys, it made for interesting reading. I will put it through the paces soon.

 

[Ed 2001 SS]

All I can tell you is that is that it was made sometime between 1974 and 1993, though yours would be at the earlier end of the scale..which means little.

I've got one that has the pinned barrel and recessed cylinder (4"), earlier models and it's one of my favorite handguns...smooth as silk (after an action job, as if it really needed it).

Thanks for the info!

 

[cortez kid]

Blead blasted, and stainless is as dull as parkerized and won't shine at all. Buff it up ,and it will look better than nickel. Scratch it, and you can rub it out clean as new. .357 is a great all around defensive, offensive, plinking, fun round. .38 spl's are cheap enough to shoot all day. Always can find ammo, where ever you go. As for "pimp" gun, I don't read too many(any) gun rags. Who's Ayoob? You got one of the best revolvers ever made.
kid

 

[Freeper57]

I have a 66-3 snubbie and it is lots of fun to shoot. It is one gun that will pass down to my grandchildren one day. Even .357s out of it are controllable with that steel frame. Terrific all-around revolver.