Riomouse911
Member
I have brought home another decent K-frame, a Model 65-3 that mechanically was in great shape; solid timing and lock up with just a tiny start of endshake. It does have a minor cosmetic blemish or two keeping it from being a real champ, I think it was a “carry a lot, shoot a little” gun from some agency or guard company somewhere.
The front sight had a little lip from a bump that I was able to draw-file smooth, there are a couple of use-scratches here and there in the finish, and there was a bit of shallow pitting peeking from under the left-side grip panel. ( It clearly got wet but the previous owner didn’t address it before putting it away.) The grips are aftermarket ones that look ok in profile but really don’t fit well at the bottom of the frame. Ultimately those will go bye bye when I find another set I like to replace them.
Since I had to take this gun out to see how it shoots with a few loads I like, I brought along a few others from the K-Frame collection haunting my safe; in .38 Spl. a Model 14-3 8 3/8”, a Model 14-3 6” and a Model 67 4”; in .357 a Model 66-2 6” and in .22 LR a Model 18-3 4” as a “warm-up” gun.
For ammo, the .22 just got Win hp in the 333 bulk pack. Nothing sterling, but they all went bang and loaded/ejected without much effort so I was happy.
With the centerfires I tried the following to challenge myself as much as the guns: Five loads ( six for the .357’s). No sighting shots or warm ups, only one target with six spots to shoot. Load 6 rounds. Fire at 10 yards DA at a decent cadence. After all loads were tried, bring the target in and see what they could do. Then send out a new target and start over with another gun. (These targets have a 2” dotted X in a 4” white circle, and a 6 inch dotted in an 8” colored circle around the outside.)
Upper left circle; Extreme 148 gr plated DEWC over 3.0 gr Bullseye.
Upper right circle; Brazos 150 gr coated long-nose SWC over 4.0 gr IMR Target.
Middle left; Eggleston coated 146 gr RNL over 3.5 gr Unique. (Traditional RNL style)
Middle right; Eggleston coated 158 gr SWC over 4.2 gr HP-38.
Bottom left; Eggleston 148 gr RN (A different style bullet than above) over 5.2 gr Unique. I believe this is treading on +P territory.
The Model 67 no-dash was first. The all stainless sights are not easy to see indoors, I think I am going to black them out before the next range trip. This gun likes the DEWC and the +P 148 gr RN loading. The others were so-so.
The 6” Model 14-3 likes all of the standard pressure loads I brought. The +P load was a little larger than the others. The sights are right on for .38 shooting
The 8 3/8” Model 14-3 was a victim of my shooting. Both of the top targets had 5 land in a decent cluster before I shot the 6th shot high both times. The light-loaded RNL put 3 in one ragged hole and 3 in another hole about an inch lower. It hated both of the heavier loads, especially the +P one in the lower left.
For the Model 66-2 and 65-3, I added an Extreme plated 158 gr target hollowpoint over 6.5 gr Unique as my one magnum load ( I also brought a 158 gr coated SWC over 6.2 gr Unique load, this I played with later with other targets.)
I think this gun has one chamber just a scad off, it always seems to throw one shot away from the others (usually low or left, Ill need to mark it next time out). The magnum shot all the .38 loads a bit high. It hated the light 146 gr RNL loading. This gun has a Red Ramp/White Outline, .500 trigger/hammer that makes the sight picture a bit tougher indoors than the model 14 guns’ black sights, but the trigger felt the best.
Finally, it was the new-to-me Model 65-3’s turn. Sadly, the fixed, silver colored sights and the indoor lighting combined to make reasonably accurate fire very difficult. Most shots stayed in the 4” circle, but that’s nothing to write home about. I will be painting the front sight blaze orange like I’ve done with many of my carry guns and my Model 64 4”.
The really low bullet hole in the upper left target was the one shot that I posted about in the reloading section where the case nearly separated upon firing. The gas that escaped the failed case clearly sent the bullet well low.
I shot a bunch more after this was over. The grips on the 65-3 allowed my middle finger to get rapped by the trigger guard. After 50 mid-range magnum shots through it I stopped before it bruised.
For the first time ever shooting this gun I was happy it kept the shots pretty well regulated, once I make it easier to see the sights, and replace the grips, I think I will do better with it.
Stay safe.
The front sight had a little lip from a bump that I was able to draw-file smooth, there are a couple of use-scratches here and there in the finish, and there was a bit of shallow pitting peeking from under the left-side grip panel. ( It clearly got wet but the previous owner didn’t address it before putting it away.) The grips are aftermarket ones that look ok in profile but really don’t fit well at the bottom of the frame. Ultimately those will go bye bye when I find another set I like to replace them.
Since I had to take this gun out to see how it shoots with a few loads I like, I brought along a few others from the K-Frame collection haunting my safe; in .38 Spl. a Model 14-3 8 3/8”, a Model 14-3 6” and a Model 67 4”; in .357 a Model 66-2 6” and in .22 LR a Model 18-3 4” as a “warm-up” gun.
For ammo, the .22 just got Win hp in the 333 bulk pack. Nothing sterling, but they all went bang and loaded/ejected without much effort so I was happy.
With the centerfires I tried the following to challenge myself as much as the guns: Five loads ( six for the .357’s). No sighting shots or warm ups, only one target with six spots to shoot. Load 6 rounds. Fire at 10 yards DA at a decent cadence. After all loads were tried, bring the target in and see what they could do. Then send out a new target and start over with another gun. (These targets have a 2” dotted X in a 4” white circle, and a 6 inch dotted in an 8” colored circle around the outside.)
Upper left circle; Extreme 148 gr plated DEWC over 3.0 gr Bullseye.
Upper right circle; Brazos 150 gr coated long-nose SWC over 4.0 gr IMR Target.
Middle left; Eggleston coated 146 gr RNL over 3.5 gr Unique. (Traditional RNL style)
Middle right; Eggleston coated 158 gr SWC over 4.2 gr HP-38.
Bottom left; Eggleston 148 gr RN (A different style bullet than above) over 5.2 gr Unique. I believe this is treading on +P territory.
The Model 67 no-dash was first. The all stainless sights are not easy to see indoors, I think I am going to black them out before the next range trip. This gun likes the DEWC and the +P 148 gr RN loading. The others were so-so.
The 6” Model 14-3 likes all of the standard pressure loads I brought. The +P load was a little larger than the others. The sights are right on for .38 shooting
The 8 3/8” Model 14-3 was a victim of my shooting. Both of the top targets had 5 land in a decent cluster before I shot the 6th shot high both times. The light-loaded RNL put 3 in one ragged hole and 3 in another hole about an inch lower. It hated both of the heavier loads, especially the +P one in the lower left.
For the Model 66-2 and 65-3, I added an Extreme plated 158 gr target hollowpoint over 6.5 gr Unique as my one magnum load ( I also brought a 158 gr coated SWC over 6.2 gr Unique load, this I played with later with other targets.)
I think this gun has one chamber just a scad off, it always seems to throw one shot away from the others (usually low or left, Ill need to mark it next time out). The magnum shot all the .38 loads a bit high. It hated the light 146 gr RNL loading. This gun has a Red Ramp/White Outline, .500 trigger/hammer that makes the sight picture a bit tougher indoors than the model 14 guns’ black sights, but the trigger felt the best.
Finally, it was the new-to-me Model 65-3’s turn. Sadly, the fixed, silver colored sights and the indoor lighting combined to make reasonably accurate fire very difficult. Most shots stayed in the 4” circle, but that’s nothing to write home about. I will be painting the front sight blaze orange like I’ve done with many of my carry guns and my Model 64 4”.
The really low bullet hole in the upper left target was the one shot that I posted about in the reloading section where the case nearly separated upon firing. The gas that escaped the failed case clearly sent the bullet well low.
I shot a bunch more after this was over. The grips on the 65-3 allowed my middle finger to get rapped by the trigger guard. After 50 mid-range magnum shots through it I stopped before it bruised.
For the first time ever shooting this gun I was happy it kept the shots pretty well regulated, once I make it easier to see the sights, and replace the grips, I think I will do better with it.
Stay safe.
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