S&W Model 66 vs. 67 Strength

[45shooter]

Is S&W model 66 stronger than their model 67?

Today I heard a local gunsmith tell his customer to limit the use of +P ammo in his model 67 to only about a box a year or go buy a model 66 if he wants to shoot a lot of the +P stuff.

I didn't say anything but it didn't make sense to me. I know model 66 is a 357magnum whereas model 67 is 38 special but they are both stainless steel K frame revolver. Only differences are the length of the cylinder and heavy barrel profile on the 66 vs. the skinny barrel profile on the 67. How would any of these difference make a difference on the strength of either revolver?

Did I miss something?

 

[RON in PA]

I would suggest that the quoted gunsmith is an ignoramus. The 67 will handle a lifetime of +P 38 special, +P ammo is not that hard on a K frame. The 66 is stronger with different heat treatment, but it is a 357. Maybe the 66 will last 2 lifetimes with 38s. Shooting +Ps will subject a gun to approximately 18-20,000 psi, while the .357 will subject it to approximately 35,000 psi.

 

[351 WINCHESTER]

I had a 66 and it needed a complete factory overhaul after less than 500 rounds of 125 rem. .357. New bbl, cylinder. I have a first gen. 640 that has had more +P+ and +P than I care to remember and is still in fine shape. Yes, it has a little end shake, but other than that it's held up just fine.

 

[MR_A]

I have shot several thousands of 357 through my mod 19 with no problems what so ever, and a couple of thousand rounds of 38 spl.+P through my mod 67 over the past 20 YEARS and it is still in just like new condition. I carried a 3" mod 65 for 15 years as a duty weapon and have no idea how many 357 and 38 spl +p and +p+ were fired through it with no problems and it showed very little ware when we traded them in for M&P 40 six years ago.

 

[sixgunner455]

too bad you couldn't keep/purchase your M65.

 

[CajunBass]

I would like to have had the opportunity, in my lifetime, to shoot a Smith & Wesson revolver, any of them, enough to worry about wearing it out. Man I would BRAG about it.

That would go for (most) any other brand as well.

 

[oldfool]

I am guessing your "gunsmith" just doesn't know S&W revolvers very well
(sounds more like a gun shop salesman than gunsmith)
and just because it is stamped "38 sp" on the barrel, vs. "38+P" he thinks not suited to a steady diet of 38+P (which might not be real bad advice on a much older pre-war 38 special pencil barrel gun)... so overly cautious.. and badly mistaken

any S&W model in SS ought be a pretty obvious clue to anybody
that's about as silly as somebody saying I shouldn't shoot +P in my early model Ruger sp101 (stamped "38 special" on the barrel)

shoot away

 

[Magnumite]

Many of the later S&W 38 Special and 357 K frame guns are the same, same alloys, heat treating and so on. The only differences being chambering, cylinder length and the extra barrel length needed to meet the shorter cylinder. I concur, +P 38 Special won't hurt your gun.

Does anyone here remember the comped S&W revolvers from the 80's and early 90's? Rules stated no magnum cartridges in many of those games. The shooters were shooting both 38 and 357 chambered guns to the same pressures magnum class pressures in 38 Special brass to meet the rules and make the comps work.

S&W inadvertantly deep chambered some of their 624 revolvers and one could put a short OAL 44 Magnum cartridge in it. The factory indicated the only difference between the 624 and 629 guns were the cylinder length and barrel length. No danger in shooting standard 44 Mag rounds in those guns.

I am not saying to shoot magum class rounds in 38 Special chambered guns, just saying it is safe for +P