Should I buy a S&W 65 at this price?

[Monkeybear]

I was at a pawnshop recently and I saw a SS S&W Model 65 with a 3" barrel. It looks like it was left in a drawer for a decade or two. There are dust bunnies in the chambers. The forcing cone has a level edge on the bottom; basically its not a circle but rather mostly a cylindrical with one part on the outside bottom that is flat. The cylinder locks up pretty tight with the slightest bit of side to side movement and no forward back movement. The distance between the cylinder and the forcing cone looks about right to me and there is no noticeable wear on the forcing cone or top strap, although I didn't take a real close look.

They want $279. What do you guys think?

 

[Ala Dan]

Question Is

how bad do you want it? If it passes my friend Jim March's well defined
checklist, then by all means its not a bad price. After all, don't the
dust bunnies come free?

 

[PotatoJudge]

At the last couple of gunshows here in Houston there have been a few surplus 3in 65s for about $300.

 

[LeonCarr]

Good price. If it passes the checklist, buy it. The dust bunnies won't stand a chance against gun cleaning solvent .

Just my .02,
LeonCarr

 

[Monkeybear]

Passed as much of the check list as I could do with that silly trigger lock on it. I would have asked them to take it off but the girl at the counter looked pretty nervous at the time and I thought I would wait until I had some money with me. I will likely take another look tomorrow.

 

[Will5A1]

That is a good price on a 3" 65 in my neck of the wood, I'd get it as long as it checks out mechanically.

 

[Black Knight]

That is a good price here. I bought one a couple of years ago and paid about the same. Those dust bunnies have no effect on it once it has been cleaned. Have them remove the trigger lock and check it out further. If I could spare the cost I would snap it up in a heartbeat provided it passed my tests.

 

[Brian Williams]

offer $250 and see what happens, but take it for $279.
Heck I would think about giving $300 for it from you + shipping to my FFL.

 

[mavracer]

offer $250 and see what happens, but take it for $279.
Heck I would think about giving $300 for it from you + shipping to my FFL.

beat me to it,my sentiments exactly.

 

[Maddock]

If it checks out-Buy It!

$279.00 is well below market here. If it checked out, I would take it and run.
I would require that the lock come off for Jim March's Revolver Checkout stickied at the top of this forum.

 

[rustyst]

There is one in a local gunshop in my town in good condition, comes with holster and speed loader for $289. I was going to buy it but bought a M28-2 instead.

p.s. its still for sale as of this afternoon

 

[GunNut]

I bought a basically brand new one a few weeks ago for $260, but it has rust on the end of the barrel. The original owner left it in his safe in the cardboard box from S&W and somehow the end of the barrel rusted.

Still was a good deal in my mind.

 

[Elm Creek Smith]

Buy it! Oh, yeah, if it has the initials KAH in script on the bottom of the triggerguard, let me know. Mine was stolen a number of years ago.

Thanks!

ECS

 

[Brian Williams]

RUSTYST, where might this shop be????

 

[rustyst]

Prescott, AZ. High country Guns

They also have a pretty nice model 686 just in on a trade for $399

 

[Stainz]

What dash number are the 65 & 686? Open the cylinder - and look under the yoke (65, 65-1, etc). The 3" 65, and, yes, I had one for quite a while, is nice - but certainly no plinker. The fixed sight on mine was seemingly regulated for average 158gr .357 Magnums - and hit low with even my +P Remington R38S12 158gr LHPSWC's, much less plinker .38's. The 686 will have an adjustable sight. That makes me lean towards it. In fact, I found my 2" +P rated 10 more fun - so I sold my 3" 65. I did find myself lusting over a ln 65LS - from the last run - with IL and nice wood stocks - for $425 - earlier this summer. I was lucky - someone else bought it! I really prefer adjustable sights... and I already have two 'Doomsday' revolvers (296 & 642), anyway.

If the revolvers are in fairly good shape, those aren't bad prices. The 65's run $300+ and 686's are $350+ around here.

Stainz

 

[ryan b]

buy it if in good shape the 3 inch is kinda a rareity it was the lowest production legnth and demand a preimeum here a clean 65 brings around 500 here

 

[Deanimator]

how bad do you want it? If it passes my friend Jim March's well defined checklist, then by all means its not a bad price.

"Not a BAD price"???

That's a FABULOUS price!!!

When they're available, well used police surplus guns go for significantly more.

I payed at least $30 more for one last year, and was glad for the opportunity.

 

[Catbird]

Seems like a good price. How do the sideplate screws look -- do they look "stressed" or otherwise buggered up? If so, I might be inclined to pass because you'll never know who did what to the insides.

 

[dispatch]

Sounds like a good deal, BUT I would never ever buy a revolver if they won't take th trigger lock off for you.

 

[orionengnr]

I am not an expert, but I just don't see pre-Lock S&Ws in any kind of decent condition for under $300...especially 357s.

Ratty M-10s and beat up j-frames, occasionally.

Most anything that looks decent goes about $400. Unfortunately, I don't think that is going to get any better. They aren't making any more of them.