Snapping Twig
01-26-2012, 10:09 PM
Went with a friend to inspect a S&W 686 he was looking to buy. I looked it over, he liked it a lot and he bought it.
While he was doing the paperwork, one of the shop employees told me about a 2.5" 66 at their other store from a guy's collection that was going to be for sale that day.
We took our time heading back, had lunch and did some touristy stuff and such. I dropped him off and headed to the other shop. Got there, asked about the 66 and got... "You mean the one that sold an hour ago?"
#@%!!!
There was a 13-3 in the case from the collection, it was the ugly duckling compared to the others and for that I am grateful. I thought it was a model 10 at first, but then I saw .357 on the barrel and asked to look at it and there it was, a 13-3.
Offered $50 less than asking and the owner accepted, so it's mine now.
Here it is.
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a51/SnappingTwig1/IMG00401-20120114-1517.jpg
4" square butt, 83 or 84 vintage.
I got to thinking how nice this would be in 3" round butt and went to work looking for a barrel and considering cutting the butt round. The more I thought about it, the less attractive that idea was.
So...
Looking at the ads for us unfortunate Californians, we can't buy from out of State so we miss out on all the old good stuff. We have to buy firearms already here before the "roster" of "safe guns" was implemented. Obviously this has absolutely nothing to do with safety, it's back door gun control and nothing more.
Just the same, there's a fantastic California Gun site for us freedom loving citizens and they have a sales area.
I found this 65-5 there. This is the stainless version of the 13. In this particular case it is a hybrid and made in small numbers than a typical 65. In short, it's a Ladysmith. :)
That's right, a Ladysmith! This differs from the typical 65 in terms of the barrel configuration - it has an ejector rod shroud. It's kind of like a 3" 66 with fixed sights that's been glass bead blasted.
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a51/SnappingTwig1/2885a9ba.jpg
For comparison, here's an image I lifted off the web showing a typical 65 w/o the ejector rod shroud.
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a51/SnappingTwig1/pix474554056.jpg
Look under the barrel at the ejector rod area. See the difference?
As you can see, these are round butt 3" revolvers. So my quest is complete and I have a perfect carry piece in addition to a fine 4" blued piece.
"For those that are saying... "Ladysmith?" Here's an image of the side that normally has that logo.
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a51/SnappingTwig1/ee8bb3e5.jpg
Mag-Na-Port has professionally removed the logo. They also did an action job on it.
Here's an image I lifted off the web showing the Ladysmith logo.
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a51/SnappingTwig1/57andladysmith008.jpg
Not really obtrusive, but just the same I prefer it without.
So these are my first and only K frames. Got N's and an L, had a few L's over the years, but these are my first K's.
Now I wait for the California waiting period - more gun control. Grrrr! Soon enough I'll be able to pick them up.
BTW, the 65-5 came with two boxes of Buffalo Bore ammo, a speed loader and a Don Hume 721 holster that looks LNIB.
Can't wait to get 'em in my hands.
While he was doing the paperwork, one of the shop employees told me about a 2.5" 66 at their other store from a guy's collection that was going to be for sale that day.
We took our time heading back, had lunch and did some touristy stuff and such. I dropped him off and headed to the other shop. Got there, asked about the 66 and got... "You mean the one that sold an hour ago?"
#@%!!!
There was a 13-3 in the case from the collection, it was the ugly duckling compared to the others and for that I am grateful. I thought it was a model 10 at first, but then I saw .357 on the barrel and asked to look at it and there it was, a 13-3.
Offered $50 less than asking and the owner accepted, so it's mine now.
Here it is.
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a51/SnappingTwig1/IMG00401-20120114-1517.jpg
4" square butt, 83 or 84 vintage.
I got to thinking how nice this would be in 3" round butt and went to work looking for a barrel and considering cutting the butt round. The more I thought about it, the less attractive that idea was.
So...
Looking at the ads for us unfortunate Californians, we can't buy from out of State so we miss out on all the old good stuff. We have to buy firearms already here before the "roster" of "safe guns" was implemented. Obviously this has absolutely nothing to do with safety, it's back door gun control and nothing more.
Just the same, there's a fantastic California Gun site for us freedom loving citizens and they have a sales area.
I found this 65-5 there. This is the stainless version of the 13. In this particular case it is a hybrid and made in small numbers than a typical 65. In short, it's a Ladysmith. :)
That's right, a Ladysmith! This differs from the typical 65 in terms of the barrel configuration - it has an ejector rod shroud. It's kind of like a 3" 66 with fixed sights that's been glass bead blasted.
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a51/SnappingTwig1/2885a9ba.jpg
For comparison, here's an image I lifted off the web showing a typical 65 w/o the ejector rod shroud.
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a51/SnappingTwig1/pix474554056.jpg
Look under the barrel at the ejector rod area. See the difference?
As you can see, these are round butt 3" revolvers. So my quest is complete and I have a perfect carry piece in addition to a fine 4" blued piece.
"For those that are saying... "Ladysmith?" Here's an image of the side that normally has that logo.
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a51/SnappingTwig1/ee8bb3e5.jpg
Mag-Na-Port has professionally removed the logo. They also did an action job on it.
Here's an image I lifted off the web showing the Ladysmith logo.
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a51/SnappingTwig1/57andladysmith008.jpg
Not really obtrusive, but just the same I prefer it without.
So these are my first and only K frames. Got N's and an L, had a few L's over the years, but these are my first K's.
Now I wait for the California waiting period - more gun control. Grrrr! Soon enough I'll be able to pick them up.
BTW, the 65-5 came with two boxes of Buffalo Bore ammo, a speed loader and a Don Hume 721 holster that looks LNIB.
Can't wait to get 'em in my hands.