I see some S&W 66 no dash with blued rear sight and red ramp front sight.I also have seen some with stainless rear sight and stainless front sight. Why are they like this?

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I have never seen one in person, but seen several on gunbroker with black/blued topstrap ramp and rear sites as well as painted front sight ramp.

It was my understanding that all model 66 "no dash" units have are all stainless (including the extractor star) and without painted front sites. But these oddballs that show up on gunbroker tell me that this was not a 100% rule.

Without knowing for sure, I am just guessing that these are late "no dash" units, or possibly some that were ordered specifically that way.

Also, some late "-1" units do not have pinned barrel, but have recessed cylinder.

My 66 no dash 4" is all stainless, including ramp, rear site and extractor star, no painted front sites.

The all stainless requires less maintenance, but the blued sights provide a better sight picture, especially in bright sunlight.
At one time you could order them with blued hammer/trigger with the idea that it was easier to improve the action.

When first introduced, the 66 had a stainless rear sight assembly. So did the 67, the stainless 38 Special Combat Masterpiece. I believe later 66 no dash guns were built using blued sights instead.

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Geoff. Since 1960.

I have a 1972 66 no dash and though I love her like a child those stainless sights are tough in the bright sunlight or a dimly lit indoor range. I have a 1976 no dash with the blued rear sight and the red ramp and it's far easier to aim. Quite a few sights were swapped out for the red ramped front sight back then.

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LIVE FROM THE DAWGHOUSE

I thought the stainless sights would be great against a black background for PPC type shooting. Boy, was I wrong. In outdoor sunlight, the best kind, by the way, the stainless sights were unable to be located. It was not too long before the model 66 & 67 shipped with blue sights, with an insert in the front sight. I think the sights were forged to the barrel, not pinned, so they just inserted an orange insert to help with sight definition.

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Richard Gillespie
FBINA 102

THe other day I took my 15-3 to the indoor range. A buddy took his "new" 66 ND with stainless sights.

I can put all 6 inside an inch easily with my 15-3. Same loads from his 66 printed at least 3 times that.

I'm a good shot and his gun is on. We had the same experience with the two leading me to conclude that it was the poor sight picture.

But man do those stainless sights look clean on that gun. 3" is minute-of-badguy. I would not think twice about buying an early 66.

Below is a picture of a very early 66 no-dash with the all stainless sights. Due to customer complaints, especially from law enforcement organizations, the sights were changed at about mid no-dash run to a red insert front blade and a black rear sight assembly.

All the 2.5" no-dash 66s had black rear sights and a red ramp that I've seen but they were introduced much later than the 4".

Many 66's were converted from the all stainless by their owners. Today the original stainless assemblies are much sought after to restore the guns to their "correct" status. Those with a red ramp installed have a restoration problem... I've seen the original rear stainless assemblies sell for over $100...

Probably much more than you guys wanted to know, huh!!

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Terry

The way I heard it, the first 66's were all stainless but some people thought it was too hard to see the sights. Mid-way through the run of no dash models they added the black sight blades.



I personally like the stainless sights. They stand out nice and bright against a target.

Vern

I have a no dash 4" 66 and it is completely blued. I didn't know bluing would stick to stainless. Anybody have a similar blued 66?

proud of his new Smith Model 66 no dash but I was more worried about being able to use the weapon than I was keeping it box stock. As others have said the all SS sights were hard for me to see so I had a blued read sight assembly, and a red ramp insert front sight installed.

A loss of a pristine example of a 66 no dash but a functional weapon for me.