Calling all S&W model 66 owners

[bsms]

If I had the cash on hand, I'd but the new one. Bud's professional discount has it running $583 new. The whole lock/MIM/the good old days were better thing doesn't move me. I remember hearing how S&W guns in the 80s and 70 were POS and how all good S&W stopped being made in 1960, 1950, or 1940, depending on the age of the person talking.

I've still got my 22 kit gun from the 70s, but I had to have it worked on to prevent it jamming...a revolver that jammed regularly when brand new. About 1978 IIRC.

 

[Overkill870]

This thread somehow makes me want a model 69. And what the hell a new 66 too.

 

[Desertrat357]

This thread somehow makes me want a model 69. And what the hell a new 66 too

Haha, I do apologize. At this point I am almost thinking I am leaning more towards its bigger brother the 686

 

[HoosierQ]

Desertrat357,

Please don't take this wrong, but why would anybody pay good money for a new model 66 that is full of MIM parts, when you can pay less for a nice used model 66 or 66-1 that is pinned and recessed and has forged parts. In the last 2 months I have bought 3 of these older 66's, paying $640, $660, and $800 (2.5" barrel which commands a premium). Plus, it's nice to be able to buy something, use it, and watch it appreciate in value. Just MHO.

Don

I hear this so often. There are two things wrong with this opinion (in my opinion obviously):

1. There is nothing wrong with MIM parts when well made.
2. This myth of the nice, cheap, old revolvers crowding guns store shelves in certainly not the case anywhere I have been.

The new 66s are perfectly good guns, really...they're great guns. No, they are not as beefy as GP100s or SP101s.

 

[Jim Watson]

2. This myth of the nice, cheap, old revolvers crowding guns store shelves in certainly not the case anywhere I have been.

Agree.
I got a good deal on a M67-1 last week but it was from a club member changing to a 625 for IDPA Rev.

I saw a M10 at an attractive price in a store and told my neighbor about it. If he doesn't buy it, I might. But that is an exception. Sound second hand revolvers at low prices are much more common on the gunboards than they are in stores hereabouts. Bud's police tradein M10s are $319 and that seems to be about the best you can do on a pretty scruffy looking piece.

 

[HoosierQ]

I saw a very nice Victory model on the shelf. Rough looking but very sound mechanically and the wood, while dinged, was not chipped, cracked, or stained. $750. No rust. Good bore. Tight. Looked like about 70 years of holster wear. Had it been $400, it would be mine right now. To be fair, there is a collectible aspect to Victory models.

 

[RA40]

We have a 66-3 here and it is a wonderful shooter. This one mostly sees the Samson/IMI 38 spl loads I'd accumulated long ago. Can't speak for long term on shooting .357. With S&W's lifetime service policy, buy and enjoy. Knowing that you intend to shoot .357 the 686 might be a consideration. The .357's are felt a bit less in the 686 compared to the 66 in my hands.

 

[USSR]

Originally Posted by USSR View Post
Desertrat357,

Please don't take this wrong, but why would anybody pay good money for a new model 66 that is full of MIM parts, when you can pay less for a nice used model 66 or 66-1 that is pinned and recessed and has forged parts. In the last 2 months I have bought 3 of these older 66's, paying $640, $660, and $800 (2.5" barrel which commands a premium). Plus, it's nice to be able to buy something, use it, and watch it appreciate in value. Just MHO.

Don

I hear this so often. There are two things wrong with this opinion (in my opinion obviously):

1. There is nothing wrong with MIM parts when well made.
2. This myth of the nice, cheap, old revolvers crowding guns store shelves in certainly not the case anywhere I have been.

The new 66s are perfectly good guns, really...they're great guns. No, they are not as beefy as GP100s or SP101s.

Well, HoosierQ, I will only say as a former machinist, I will take forged steel over powdered metal every day. To quote Jerry Kuhnhausen in his "The S&W Revolvers - A Shop Manual": "Given the previous successful introduction of final machine detailed investment cast firearms components by Ruger, investment cast S&W components might have been acceptable. But lowest on the material totem pole MIM?" This is why pre-MIM handguns appreciate, not depreciate in value. Again, just MHO.

Don

 

[BCRider]

I love my K frame S&W's. But full power Magnums out of them kick with a trifle too much gusto for me to shoot them regularly. But I did find that loading them down to around or slightly below the mid level power for .357Mag makes them quite tolerable and even enjoyable.

For example with H4227 the range of loads is 14.5 to 16.0gns for a 158gn jacketed bullet. At the 14.5gn load it's still moving along at a very respectable 1400fps. And at that level it's quite nice to shoot even from this lighter size of gun. And all in all 1400fps for a 158 is certainly nothing to make a person say "... meh...".

I've also got an N frame hulk of a Model 28. The added mass and size makes shooting full power Magnums a breeze. But it's a big hunk o' gun to carry around in a holster. It really makes itself known.

Your Ruger is a close match in terms of size and weight for the L frame S&W. So for the sake of getting something different there's a lot to be said for trying a K frame S&W.

I've got nothing against MIM since it's a pretty well proven technology. And as far as the lock goes? Well, that's easily ignored or removed. So if the new look of the new gun and the updated 2 piece barrel floats your interest then I say go for it.

Me? I'm more of a true blue sort so most of mine are blued steel.

 

[Desertrat357]

BCrider, thanks for the information! Very informative post. I agree with what your saying about the L frames similarity to my gp100. But the differences between Smiths and Rugers in general is enough to warrant a purchase.

 

[Paddy]

Does anyone make a lock delete kit that makes it a little less insulting?

 

[CajunBass]

Does anyone make a lock delete kit that makes it a little less insulting?

I understand it can be removed fairly easily, there are U-tube video's showing how to do it. There is, or at least was, a fellow on the Smith & Wesson forum that sells a plug for the hole. It looked well done in the pictures I've seen of guns that have had it done.

Personally I've never seen it as that big of a deal. I don't even think it's any uglier than any other pin or screw in the gun. As a matter of fact, if you go back far enough, Smith & Wesson's had a pin in just about the same place.

 

[Paddy]

I don mind it so much either but it really seems to elicit a passionate response among enthusiasts. I get it, why install something that is not really necessary and has had claims of failure. But for me, I dont rely on this weapon to save my life so if it locks up on me, it's probably going to make me disable the feature, but not die.

Curiously despite all the talk of failures and removal/ grinding I haven't seen anyone suggest simply putting some glue or locktite on the actuator so that it can't jiggle free and lock. Seems like the easiest insurance for those who would really depend on it.

 

[walnut1704]

If I had the cash on hand, I'd but the new one. Bud's professional discount has it running $583 new. The whole lock/MIM/the good old days were better thing doesn't move me. I remember hearing how S&W guns in the 80s and 70 were POS and how all good S&W stopped being made in 1960, 1950, or 1940, depending on the age of the person talking.

I've still got my 22 kit gun from the 70s, but I had to have it worked on to prevent it jamming...a revolver that jammed regularly when brand new. About 1978 IIRC.

I've had plenty of trouble with Bangor Punta era guns (then, and now), and there's some really questionable workmanship in finishing.

It is pretty hilarious that at the time everybody was moaning about them and their crappy quality, and now some wax nostalgic about them. I don't buy the "older is always better" theory.

 

[Confederate]

The only reason that I would consider the new one is because it has been billed as being stronger than the old ones.

This is true. The new one is beefed up in critical areas and is built to take a steady diet of full magnum loads. I'm sick of matte finishes on guns, knives, and two-tone designs. I don't care if a part is MiM if it's hard chromed. MiM parts actually tend to mate better with other parts because of the production process. But I'm willing to pay an extra ten bucks to get my hammer and trigger plated.

Smith's stainless revolvers have always been poorly finished, as if someone had sandpapered them. Yet Taurus stainless guns are nearly always impeccably polished (it's what you can't see that often makes them a pain). And Ruger, even though it doesn't polish its stainless revolvers, certainly makes them look presentable.

I would much rather have the new Combat Magnum (CM66) than a new 686, just as I would take a Ruger Security-Six over a GP-100. If only for the reduced weight I'd go with new CM66. But what would really be cool is to get a CM66 and ship it off to Mahovsky's and have the whole thing polished and hard chromed. Then I'd cobble up some vintage wood grips, take some photos and post them here. Ah,yes. That would be...swell!

Or I could just stick with my stainless steel Security-Six Heavy Barrel.

 

[4D5]

Like all pre-lock S&W revolvers, excellent guns.

I have 3 of them, one 2 1/2" and two 6", all great shooters.

.

 

[Bama Drifter]

Wow talk about beefing up critical areas! The franken-crane should take care of any torch cutting (that and being tough stainless). Y'all do what you want, but for me and mine... the Smith Model 19 will always be Queen of the Magnums.

 

[flyingtiger85]

I've always wanted a GP-100 but never had the money because I had 3 small kids to feed and felt guilty about spending the money on one years ago.So now I had the money to finally buy one and I picked up the new reintroduced S&W-66 at the gun counter and was so impressed with it's quality I had to have it.I like the trigger pull and it shoots great and couldn't be happier with the purchase.Sportsmans Warehouse $749,I saw it cheaper on-line but shipping and transfer it comes out almost the same.A keeper never for sale!

 

[steady shot]

I have a 66-5 that has never been fired....



Bought it a few years ago at a really good price, box and paper work included.



It was not bought to be a safe queen, I just never got around to taking out to the range.

But now, I'm not sure, with the ever rising cost of pre-lock S&W revolvers, it might remain in the safe.....

 

[18DAI]

I still own a half dozen s&w model 66's. No dash through the 66-4 variant. I have exam ined that 66-8 and found it to have a less than useable trigger and an extremely optimistic asking price.

My 4 inch 66-2 has a lot of rounds through it. I carried it for 4 years as my duty gun before going to semi auto pistols. I have shot IDPA games with it and generally plinked with it every other month in retirement. It still works locks up tight and shoots a sub 2 inch group at 25 yards, in my old hands.

That 66-8 doesn't even resemble a real model 66, to me. If I had $800 in gun money laying around Id buy another nice pre lock 66. At least then Id be able to recoup myvinvestment should I decide to sell it.

 

[flyingtiger85]

I like the size of the new Model-66 4" revolver.It's a medium sized frame so to speak that makes it not to large and cluncky but not to small and light weight.When shooting 357 loads it doesn't make it want to jump out of your hand and look around the ground for your fingers that just vibrated off.I like guns you can enjoy all day,have you ever shot a gun that after a few turns shooting it your good.Like a small compact .40 cal auto pistol.
P.S.I'm not a whimp but just like shooting a lot.

 

[centag]

 

[Confederate]

...why would anybody pay good money for a new model 66 that is full of MIM parts, when you can pay less for a nice used model 66 or 66-1 that is pinned and recessed and has forged parts?

Well, I hate to say it but the new 66 is a better gun. Not more desirable, mind you, but better.

What's better? Better means more robust, more efficiently designed and more durable. The 66-8 is designed to shoot a steady load of hot, magnum loads. The 66-0 was not.

Which is classier? Wood grips, hard chromed hammers and triggers, pinned barrels and counter-bored chambers? Damn straight! It's not even close!

Now the OP has said he wants to shoot a bunch of hot .357 loads. That indicates to me he's looking for better, not classier. Well, the new 66-8 is a little classy, especially when you swap the black thumb release for a silver one (they're probably both stainless steel), it's going to be a little classier. But if you send your hammer, trigger and thumb release to be hard chromed, you're adding even more classy. If he'd said he wanted a stainless 66-0 because they're gorgeous and classy, I'd point him to the classic. No contest.

You said the 66 2.5-inch commands a premium -- and you're right. But I think if most people could shoot a stainless steel Ruger Speed-Six, they'd lose a bit of passion for the S&W. My 3-incher has a beautiful action and an astounding balance. Great sights, too. But still not as classy as the first 66. But cheaper and easy to fall in love with.

 

[Valkman]

I have an old 66 4" I bought as a police turn-in around '89 or '90. Sweet gun.

 

[USSR]

Well, Confederate, not sure if we are reading the same OP? You said "he wants to shoot a bunch of hot .357 loads", while I read him saying "My intentions wouldn't be to shoot hundreds of hot 357s each range session" and "I'm sure I'll never shoot enough in my lifetime to ever shoot out a model 66". Doesn't sound to me like he wants to shoot "a bunch of hot .357 loads". And, I find your definition of "better" quite curious in that it consists mostly of being "robust" and "durable", although that would explain the affinity you seem to have for butt-ugly and crudely made Rugers.

Don