Cute little Model 67 moved in with me

[shooting on a shoestring]

Stopped in at a pawn shop over in Hutto this morning. Amongst the dozen 12 gauge pump shotguns, half dozen .22s were a couple of .38 revolvers. I looked at the Taurus, not bad. I looked at the Model 67, fell in love.

Initial inspection, no holster wear, cylinder stop detents were sharp, no signs of severe double action shooting, bore dirty, chambers dirty means it works, gap was reasonably small, lock up tight, timing good, trigger pull crisp as expected on a pre-lock Smith, four inch barrel, adjustable sights, serated trigger (I like 'em), target stocks, sold.

Cleaning and disassembly at home revealed the shiniest bore I've seen on a stainless revolver, 0.006" gap, throats 0.3577 to 0.3579, popped the side plate off, clean inside, left it cleaner and properly oiled.

By the time chores were done, only had a couple of hours before sunset. Grabbed my new love, a couple of boxes of shells, jumped on my motorbike and rode for the range.

First up, 5 grains Herco pushing Lee 140 SWC. Shot a couple of sub 2 inch groups unsupported at 25 yards and a couple of 3 inchers. Ventilated a gallon milk jug at 50. Next up group buy 175 gr KSWC pushed by 4.0 grains Bullseye. Shot left by 4 inches, groups in the 5 to 6 inch range at 25 yards. Hit jug a couple of times, mostly missed. Last up, Lee TL158 and 3.5 grains Bullseye. More groups 1 & 3/4" to 2 & 1/2" unsupported at 25 yds. Milk jug at fifty seldom missed. Then it was too dark to shoot.

Cleaned up bore with one patch of Ed's Red, one dry, absolutely clean, no Pb at all. Chambers the same.

Rode home happy. That's how I expected my 4 & 5/8" Blackhawk to shoot, and I've only seen a handful of sub 2" groups from it rested every which way I can. I just plain shoot better with K-frame Smiths than I do with Blackhawks. I can hardly wait to feed the Model 67 a variety of boolits and see what else works.

Right now I'm tickled pink. I think alot more of the older Smiths than the young ones. Glad to get my hands on a slick one dressed up to my liking.

It was a good day.

[dubber123]

Excellent find. I really like the K-frame S&W's in .38spl. I wouldn't be surprised to hear you find a sub 1" load sooner rather than later. Enjoy.

[NickSS]

I used to own a Model 15 Smith and loved it. At one time it was my most shot handgun but I got lured by a Model 67 Smith and traded it in on it. The Model 67 did not shoot as well so it went down the road as well. I am glad to hear that yours dose so well.

[Buckshot]

...............Like this? :-)

http://www.fototime.com/C291714B14F2E4D/standard.jpg

I have to admit to admiring the K frame Smiths also.

.............Buckshot

[shooting on a shoestring]

Buckshot - Yep! Just like that!

Took her out again Sunday evening, in the rain. Paper targets stayed up long enough to get a 7 & 1/2" 5 shot group at 100yds, resting one elbow. 1 gallon water jug also at 100yds took more hits than misses. Its almost magic. Line up the sights, slowly increase pressure, boolit jumps to the right spot. Granted the boolits are running in the 800 fps range, but man I hit well with the little revolver. I haven't had this much fun poking holes in jugs since I got my first .22.

[Uncle R.]

Buckshot:
Nice Picture of your very nice model 65. Looks almost exactly like my model 65 which wears a set of those Pachmayr Grippers that I love for real-world shooting. But - why is there a screw on the rear sight?
<GRIN>
Uncle R.
I agree about the older Smiths - when you get a nice K-frame you really have something. I have a 15 and a 65 and a 14 and a 19. I love 'em all and I love the way they shoot.
Uncle R.

[Buckshot]

...............It IS a nice pistol but the K38 still outshoots it :-) That is except for the last time I had experimental ammo loaded up for both of them. I was shooting the GB for a 100gr DEWC and I had identical loads for both pistols. I had 50 rounds for each pistol by 0.2 gr increases, from 2.2 to 3.0 grs of Bullseye (10 rnds each load).

I was expecting the lighter charges to do better, but the heavier the charge got, the tighter the groups became. I haven't gotten back to continue the test beyond 3.0 grns. The M67 had it's 10 rounds in a 2" group at 25 yards, while the K38 still seemed to be trying to figure out what was going on :-) It would stack 5-7 of'em in almost on top of each other but the remainder would kind of wander off on their own.

I don't know if the 2" longer barrel of the K38 had anything to do with it or not, but the M67 didn't seem to have this issue with this boolit, as it just plunked'em in reasonably close proximity shot after shot. The K38 would put 3 in one fat hole then send one over here an inch, drop one between it and the original three, then send one off to the left an inch then drop one or two more back into the group ............ like that:veryconfu

They weren't really loaded as 'competition' type loads. They had thrown charges, and the boolits were visually inspected. Each had like headstamps but they were different from each other. Ah well :-)

................Buckshot

[shooting on a shoestring]

Took her out to the range again yesterday evening. Shot several sub 2" five groups rested at 25 yds. Two groups were 1 & 1/2". Used 3.5 grs Bullseye under 358089 (or is it 087? I forget) 140 gr wadcutter. Those were loaded two years ago for my model 60. The 67 also likes them.

This is the best shooting revolver I've owned. I didn't think I was able to shoot that good.

[Jack Stanley]

I do love those older Smiths ssometimes they feel right from the start and sometimes it takes a while of running lead down the bore but they do get slick .

I like the new classic guns they are making but , I'm not going to buy any new Smiths ........ but I sure ain't selling any old ones .

Jack

[hicard]

I carried a 4" model 67 for over 14 years until my department went to the 4006. A lot of guys were not excited about giving up theirs and they were accurate and fun to shoot. I ended up with a 6" model 68 just before the change over which I was able to purchase at a very good price from the department.