S&W Model 66

[white eagle]

I just picked one up
can you all give me a little insight in them
the good bad and the ugly

[2shot]

Pic's? Barrel lenght? No dash or -1,-2 ??

All good for any Mod 66 no bad or ugly.

One of the best K frames out there!

2shot

[tinsnips]

I own one it is one of my favorite pistols,there is nothing I can find wrong with it. I don't shoot magnum loads in it much use my Model 28 for that purpose. It fits my had perfect you can't beat a S&W.

[Keyston44]

They are great guns. They just won't stand alot of heavy loads. It's a 357 magnum built on a 38 special frame.

Key

[white eagle]

66-1....Thanks no pics in route to my house

[BCRider]

My own 66 is one of 3 K frame guns I've got chambered in .38Spl or .357. Obviously I really like my K frame guns regardless of chambering. For me they are a nice size which isn't too heavy.

I find them a little light for shooting full power .357Mag rounds. Since I shoot for fun or competition only I have the luxary of paying attention to such things. But loaded down about 10% from max and they are lovely to shoot even for a whole box at a time. Mind you I mostly shoot near maximum .38Spl loads using 124gn bullets which helps keep the cost down a hair over the more "classic" 158gn pills.

Recently I've been using my 66 for SSP in the local IDPA matches. I've got a bunch of the Safariland Comp II speedloaders which are nice to use for all my K frame guns.

A Wolff spring kit will ease the trigger pull if you match up the lightest rebound spring to the supplied mainspring. With that sort of setup I have never had an issue with light strikes.

[Combat Diver]

Your K frame might have a round butt if it has the 2.5" bbl, the 4" and 6" normally have a square butt. Just know the difference if ordering other grips. -1 models have the barrel pinned and cylinders recessed IIRC. HKS speedloader for it is the #10. Its the stainless steel verison of the blued/nickled Model 19 Combat Magnum. Yours have the adjustable sights where its fixed sight verison is the Model 13/65. There are a few rare 3" guns out there also. Superb balance and power in a very user friendly package. Enjoy your new to you Smith. This used to be the preferred police revolver till the switch to autos.

CD

[midnight]

My 66 is my bedside gun. It is stoked with 125gr Remington Golden Sabres over 18.0gr of VV N110. At the range it usually gets fired with 38spls but the 357 loads get the nod for home defense. It's my favorite handgun. Just grab it & squeeze the trigger. A set of Hogue one piece stocks are a little longer than the std combat stocks & fit my hand better. You'll grow to love yours.

Bob

[white eagle]

http://pics.gunbroker.com/GB/326946000/326946028/pix475573351.jpg,
http://pics.gunbroker.com/GB/326946000/326946028/pix583168988.jpg

[MT Gianni]

The K frames were replaced by L frames and the rumor was cracked bbls occurred very occasionally. I would look it over carefully and stay away from heavy loads with light bullets such as the 110 & 125 J-words.

[km101]

Just stay away from the "full house" 125 gr. 357 loads. They are known to ruin forcing cones in these K frame guns. It will not last with a steady diet of .357 loads, but with moderate use of .357 loads it should last a lifetime. As stated abouve, this is the lighter frame version of the Conbat Magnum. It is a great gun and shoots and handles very well. I think the K frame and J frame guns are some of the most popular and useful guns that Smith makes.

[rintinglen]

Treat it as a heavy duty 38 and it will be a joy for ever. Run heavy 357s through it and the forcing cone will eventually crack at the bottom where the flat cutaway is. Some have reported cracking in as little as one thousand rounds, others have gone on to 3-4 times that before the split occured. There seems to be a myth that only the 125 grain Mag loads will crack a barrel, but I have seen a 19 that was alleged to have shot only cast with a cracked forcing cone.
That said, I carried one for years, and it would be my first choice if I could only have one gun. They are the perfect balance of weight, and size for the vast majority of male users, and many women as well. Great guns are they, yes! (said Yoda):)

[Petrol & Powder]

The Model 66 is a great K-frame S&W. As pointed out, it was the LE handgun of choice before the switch to semi-auto pistols. The history of the S&W K-frames can be traced back to 1899, so there's a lot engineering and history in that revolver. The 66 is basically a model 65 with adjustable sights or if you perfer, a model 19 made in stainless steel. (also previously posted in this thread) The point is, that design has a lot going for it.

[jumbeaux]

My brother bought a trade in Model 66 round butt 2 1/2" pinned barrel that was used by a North Eastern State Wildlife Department (Game Warden) in like new condition. It is smooth as glass and very accurate.....magnums are pretty loud. He put some beautiful custom smooth wooden grips on it and it is his favorite K frame....Smith's are excellant revolvers......

rick

[376Steyr]

I use Skeeter Skelton's load (358156 crimped in lower groove with .38 Special cases) in mine. The shorter cases completely clear the cylinder on ejection. Muzzle blast is a lot less than 125 JHPs. 15.5 grs of Lil Gun (half a grain less than the starting load for a 158 jacketed) gives a chrono'ed 1200 fps. It is a fine combination of reasonable weight, good accuracy, and enough power for anything smaller than truly big game.

[GLL]

Stay away from HOT loads and it will last a lifetime ! :)

http://www.fototime.com/8C047873D4D393A/large.jpg

Jerry

[GaryN]

NICE!!!!! I used to have a model 19 a long time ago. I would buy another if I could find one I could afford.

[onehousecat]

Treat it as a heavy duty 38 and it will be a joy for ever. Run heavy 357s through it and the forcing cone will eventually crack at the bottom where the flat cutaway is. Some have reported cracking in as little as one thousand rounds, others have gone on to 3-4 times that before the split occured. There seems to be a myth that only the 125 grain Mag loads will crack a barrel, but I have seen a 19 that was alleged to have shot only cast with a cracked forcing cone.
That said, I carried one for years, and it would be my first choice if I could only have one gun. They are the perfect balance of weight, and size for the vast majority of male users, and many women as well. Great guns are they, yes! (said Yoda):)

I had one that never saw more than a couple of boxes of full power 357s. Everything else was honest 38s, or very weak kneed 357s. The forcing cone still cracked. It came from the factory with the bottom relieved too much. When I contacted S&W, they basically told me tough sh!t. The sad thing is that I really loved that gun. One day I'll get another one, if I can visually inspect it first.

[x101airborne]

I have 3 model 66's and love every one. My wife has commandeered my 66-3 3 inch round butt with fiber optic sights for her secondary purse gun. (Her primary is a HK USP 40). I like to carry my 66-6 four inch in the original Don Hume leather I bought with the gun from a Tennessee police officer. I don't use speed loaders, but the Hume rig has some nifty dump pouches on it and I like them a lot. I use the Lee 158 FP in both 38 loads and mid range 357's. Great all round gun.

[Murphy]

There just isn't much downside to a Model 66. I have two, a 3" and a 4".

My advice would be the same as others before posted. Stay towards heavy .38 Special loads, stay clear of much in the way of 125 Grain JHP's. Althought the 125 GHP is my 'go to' load for personal protection.

Great looking gun you scored, very sweet indeed!

Murphy

[bobthenailer]

I really like my 2, 66s a 2 1/2 and a 4 inch but it just so happens my wife likes them more, so now there her guns ! as there size & weight sute her better as she is a little over 110 lbs, I guess I will just have to shoot my L & N frame 357s.

[Bonz]

I am looking for a S&W Stainless .357 Revolver with adjustable sights and would definately be shooting all .357 magnum rounds thru it with various bullet weights. What model would you guys recommend for me ?

[bobthenailer]

I am looking for a S&W Stainless .357 Revolver with adjustable sights and would definately be shooting all .357 magnum rounds thru it with various bullet weights. What model would you guys recommend for me ?

Although i have S&W 357 mags in 3 frame sizes the L frame 686 is my favorite of the bunch for general shooting, my current N frame 627s are PC 8 shot that i only use for shooting games.

[Bonz]

Although i have S&W 357 mags in 3 frame sizes the L frame 686 is my favorite of the bunch for general shooting, my current N frame 627s are PC 8 shot that i only use for shooting games.

thanks bobthenailer, appears S&W agrees

Smith & Wesson 686 L-Frame revolvers are built to suit the demands of the most serious firearms enthusiast. Available in six and seven shot cylinders, the L-Frame has a strong, durable frame and barrel built for continuous Magnum® usage. As police officers and hunters will attest, this firearm is made to withstand heavy use.

[x101airborne]

A 6 inch 686 with a nice trigger job would be a GREAT medium game weapon. Load it with 180 or so large flat points and shoot with CONFIDENCE. That model has what seems to me to be nearly a 44 mag frame. It is thick and heavy. I think you will give up before it does. If you want to go lighter and yet retain the strength, the nearest thing in my mind would be the Dan Wesson and then the Ruger Blackhawk (for single action). Maybe a SP101 would work as well, but I have never owned the SP.

[Bonz]

This would be a great place to break in a new S&W 686...

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/A-Plague-of-Pigs-in-Texas.html

[Bonz]

I heard about a local gunstore that did not raise their prices thru all this craziness, walked in and laying in the case was a new Ruger GP100 with a 3" barrel priced at $50 lower than the retail price. I just had to take it home, can not push myself to pay $100+ over retail to buy the S&W 686 online...

[km101]

Although my Mdl 19 4" ior my Mdl 66 4" are my favorites, my Mdl 686 6" runs a close second. The 686 wore a 4X scope for a few years and took several deer in W. Texas at ranges up to 70 yds. I love all the S&W K and L frame guns! They are great holster or backpack guns and can handle anything from the mildest plinking loads to the real "game getters".

[white eagle]

Thanks for the advice feller's
I have found that I can not use the factory grips
installed a set of Houge's on it.. feels better

[376Steyr]

Thanks for the advice feller's
I have found that I can not use the factory grips
installed a set of Houge's on it.. feels better

I like the Pachmayr "Gripper" style on my 66.