S&W 66 - What do I have here?

[Skillet]

Got this 66 as part of a bigger trade today. Not up on my S&W details, what did I end up with?  Seems like a very nice woods carry, I baked it into the deal at a $400 value, I'm happy.  Any info about the gun appreciated-

 

[71Shovelhead]

The model 66 is the stainless version of the model 19. Great revolvers, long history. 400.00 is a very good price these days.

Terry

if you need/want more detail let me know and I can provide you with lots of information

[300rum]

Looks like a pre-lock Model 66, excellent revolvers.  It's what police officers wore back when they learned to shoot from their dads before they were old enough to go to work.  Find some new grips, golden sabers for around town, buffalo bore in the woods and you'll do just fine. 

[trophyhunt]

Isn't that the model before the 686?  I have a 66 as well, love the 686.  357? 

[Skillet]

Yep, .357.   

Thanks for the replies fellas, sounds like I got a nice unit here. Need to get it cleaned up and out for a range session soon.

[Ridgeratt]

Nice cylinder gun.

[Caseknife]

Get a set of Hogue grips, you will like them a lot better than the Pachmayr grips.

Did you ever work on loads for your 338 Federal?

[30.06]

Scored a win there. Goldilocks of woods walk guns from the golden age of stainless Smiths. No Dash Model 66 or what the kids today would call a first Gen.

Should clean up Great! K frames can be damaged by a steady diet of heavy loads. Gas cutting on the bottom of the topstrap at front edge of cyl is an easy check.
Should be no cylinder wiggle when its cocked.  66 - no dash - introduced 1970. 66-1 - 1977, changed the gas ring from the yoke to the cylinder. Probably a square butt frame.
Some had a rounded rear butt frame. The grips are specific to the butt frame style but not the dash number. Serial number is stamped on the bottom of the grip frame. Mag tech ammo for the range.

[pd]

Scored a win there. Goldilocks of woods walk guns from the golden age of stainless Smiths. No Dash Model 66 or what the kids today would call a first Gen.

Should clean up Great! K frames can be damaged by a steady diet of heavy loads. Gas cutting on the bottom of the topstrap at front edge of cyl is an easy check.
Should be no cylinder wiggle when its cocked.  66 - no dash - introduced 1970. 66-1 - 1977, changed the gas ring from the yoke to the cylinder. Probably a square butt frame.
Some had a rounded rear butt frame. The grips are specific to the butt frame style but not the dash number. Serial number is stamped on the bottom of the grip frame. Mag tech ammo for the range.

This forum always amazes me with the wealth of knowledge hiding here.

[Skillet]

Get a set of Hogue grips, you will like them a lot better than the Pachmayr grips.

Did you ever work on loads for your 338 Federal?

I did - and the 160 ttsx suggestion was spot on, thank you for that.  Worked with Varget until I hit pressure. Pretty accurate at 1.1" avg 3-shot group. I haven't chronoed it yet, but thinking I'm 2900-ish based on trajectory.  Will check soon now that I have a LabRadar (producer credit to BLRman on that).  Have some 210 partitions and 200 HotCor's in transit to try out too.

Looking at wood grips for the 66, I'd really like a good rosewood-look for this unit.

[Skillet]

Scored a win there. Goldilocks of woods walk guns from the golden age of stainless Smiths. No Dash Model 66 or what the kids today would call a first Gen.

Should clean up Great! K frames can be damaged by a steady diet of heavy loads. Gas cutting on the bottom of the topstrap at front edge of cyl is an easy check.
Should be no cylinder wiggle when its cocked.  66 - no dash - introduced 1970. 66-1 - 1977, changed the gas ring from the yoke to the cylinder. Probably a square butt frame.
Some had a rounded rear butt frame. The grips are specific to the butt frame style but not the dash number. Serial number is stamped on the bottom of the grip frame. Mag tech ammo for the range.

There is a very little bit of gas cutting in the top strap, and the cyl has a tiny wobble when cocked. And as Ridgeratt pointed out in a pm, there is a slight case-head imprint on the frame. This one has definitely been shot, and probably a lot - but I think it will do well for my intended uses. 

I've put 18ea  38's and 24ea 357 158's through it now, and it is far and away my favorite handgun now.  Light, fantastic trigger in both single and double action, reasonably accurate at 25 yds with the 158's.  Single action off hand got me 3-4" 3 shot groups. 38 spcl was a bit wider.  Even with the 357 158's, target re-acquisition was quick and I believe I could cylinder dump on a rapidly approaching target with some practice.

Very happy with my $400 investment. Of course, now I'm looking at Henry Big Boy SS in 357 to match... So it might be the most expensive cheap gun I own.

[Skillet]

This forum always amazes me with the wealth of knowledge hiding here.

You're not kidding.  The PM's I've gotten with incredible info as well (@71Shovelhead and @Ridgeratt) confirm it. There's a reason why this is the first place I come to for this kind of info 

[Dan-o]

This forum always amazes me with the wealth of knowledge hiding here.

You're not kidding.  The PM's I've gotten with incredible info as well (@71Shovelhead and @Ridgeratt) confirm it. There's a reason why this is the first place I come to for this kind of info 

I hate to rain on your parade, but you've been misled.

First off, that revolver is left handed.
Second, the rifling does not extend beyond the barrel.
Third, the bluing is completely worn down to the chrome.
Forth, that particular model won't accept extended magazines.

I'll give you $75, just because we're friends and I hate to see you taken advantage of.

[Woodchuck]

This forum always amazes me with the wealth of knowledge hiding here.

You're not kidding.  The PM's I've gotten with incredible info as well (@71Shovelhead and @Ridgeratt) confirm it. There's a reason why this is the first place I come to for this kind of info 

I hate to rain on your parade, but you've been misled.

First off, that revolver is left handed.
Second, the rifling does not extend beyond the barrel.
Third, the bluing is completely worn down to the chrome.
Forth, that particular model won't accept extended magazines.

I'll give you $75, just because we're friends and I hate to see you taken advantage of.

Fourth*

[Dan-o]

This forum always amazes me with the wealth of knowledge hiding here.

You're not kidding.  The PM's I've gotten with incredible info as well (@71Shovelhead and @Ridgeratt) confirm it. There's a reason why this is the first place I come to for this kind of info 

I hate to rain on your parade, but you've been misled.

First off, that revolver is left handed.
Second, the rifling does not extend beyond the barrel.
Third, the bluing is completely worn down to the chrome.
Forth, that particular model won't accept extended magazines.

I'll give you $75, just because we're friends and I hate to see you taken advantage of.

Fourth*

You're starting to remind me of somebody else we know.   

[wadu1]

This forum always amazes me with the wealth of knowledge hiding here.

You're not kidding.  The PM's I've gotten with incredible info as well (@71Shovelhead and @Ridgeratt) confirm it. There's a reason why this is the first place I come to for this kind of info 

I hate to rain on your parade, but you've been misled.

First off, that revolver is left handed.
Second, the rifling does not extend beyond the barrel.
Third, the bluing is completely worn down to the chrome.
Forth, that particular model won't accept extended magazines.

I'll give you $75, just because we're friends and I hate to see you taken advantage of.

I beg to differ, extended magazines for wheel guns. Young Guys

[Ridgeratt]

Wadu

Not sure any of the examples you have shown would be able to load the 66 without picking up a few off the floor.   

[wadu1]

Wadu

Not sure any of the examples you have shown would be able to load the 66 without picking up a few off the floor.   

Just giving Dan-o a bad time,

[b23]

Looking at wood grips for the 66, I'd really like a good rosewood-look for this unit.

I think I have a set that came off something, don't recall what, I'll look for them tomorrow and see if I can find them as well as what they fit.  If I can find them and they'll fit what you have you can have them.

[b23]

Looking at wood grips for the 66, I'd really like a good rosewood-look for this unit.

I think I have a set that came off something, don't recall what, I'll look for them tomorrow and see if I can find them as well as what they fit.  If I can find them and they'll fit what you have you can have them.

Found em!  They're yours if you want them.

[Skillet]

Oh heck ya, those are exactly what I was thinking. Very generous, I'll make it right!

I'll send you a PM -

[Ridgeratt]

Make sure that they fit a k or  l frame revolver.

[b23]

Make sure that they fit a k or  l frame revolver.

I believe, even though the L is a larger frame, the L and K Smiths take the same grip.  If they don't work out Skillet can use them for fire starter. 

[Skillet]

Make sure that they fit a k or  l frame revolver.

I believe, even though the L is a larger frame, the L and K Smiths take the same grip.  If they don't work out Skillet can use them for fire starter. 

If they don't fit my 66, the only reasonable thing to do would be to buy another revolver that they do fit.

#gunmath

[b23]

Make sure that they fit a k or  l frame revolver.

I believe, even though the L is a larger frame, the L and K Smiths take the same grip.  If they don't work out Skillet can use them for fire starter. 

If they don't fit my 66, the only reasonable thing to do would be to buy another revolver that they do fit.

#gunmath

Well duh, is there any other logical solution?!  But, since I can't recall what I took them off of, you may have to buy a few more.  I mean you wouldn't want to risk them not being a perfect fit.  What's that saying, something about there's nothing free about something free..... 

[Ridgeratt]

You might find some kind of mark on the inside of the grips. Perhaps a k stamped on them.

[b23]

You might find some kind of mark on the inside of the grips. Perhaps a k stamped on them.

I didn't look super close but I did look them over a bit and didn't see anything.  I'm kind of wondering if they came off of a N frame model 29 I had years ago because I remember swapping grips on that one I just didn't think they were that old.

If they are N frame grips I'm pretty sure they'll still fit a L or K frame but they'll require some sanding to make them fit.  Skillet's a commercial fisherman and those guys have to be part mad scientist part MacGyver so regardless of whether they came off of a N, L, or K frame I'm sure he can get them fitted up.

[Skillet]

Big shout out to @b23 - this was exactly the look I was wanting.  The grain in these grips is beautiful.

They are from an N frame, so will need a little fitting, but I'm looking forward to the project.

[C-Money]

Those grips look great on that pistol!

[okie john]

Nice score on that M-66. It was the Glock 19 of the revolver era. Check the S&W Forums to learn more about it and its value. One of the things they'll tell you is not to shoot +P 125-grain loads in it. Something about the mix of velocity and pressure in that load cracks the forcing cones on K-frame revolvers.

Unmolested N-frame grips of that vintage are getting hard to find, so rather than fitting to a K-frame, I'd just look around and get the right grips.


Okie John

[Fidelk]

Have a Mod. 19......(blued version of Mod. 66)......available options included target sights, target hammer and target trigger. You might check to see if yours have those options......they all involved some extra cost. In single action, it seems like a one ounce trigger.