Hi guys,

So I just bought an old S&W 66-1, stamped SD Sheriff in pretty clean shape. I was wanting a 357 for a while to replace my 44 mag for the type of hunting I do. Plus i just love old guns with character, anybody can just buy something new, but old has nostalgia and history behind it. It shoots really well, has a great trigger, etc.

In reading about these old frames many worry about the full 357 loads doing damage. So what parameters should I stay in to be safe? I will typically hunt small game with it, occasionally take a deer with it (FL deer, pretty much small game up north, haha.) I reload, and also cast bullets, so if there's a good bullet mold many have had luck with, please share!!! I tend to keep my loads just a bit over minimum published velocities, and keep some higher vel. Stuff to switch to in the field if i see larger game. But it's steasy diet will be medium velocity reloads.

Thank you for any thoughts

Used to have one like yours;shouldn't have sold it.But that's another story!
To answer your question,I heard lots of stories about cracked this and that with K frames .357 but never experienced one.Must say I didn't own dozens of them but more than 1 or 2.I always loaded them with 145gr and heavier bullets(140gr in my book being a light one,170 a heavy).
A medium load I always and still like for .357 is 6.9 to 7 gr Unique under a 158 gr.lead cast bulletPlease work up to it watching pressure signs as all guns are not alike.You can expect around 1100fps out of a 6''tube.Have fun and be safe.
Qc

BTW,welcome to our gathering!Lots of nice guys around here(and that statement doesn't even include me!!!)
Qc

Seems like i read about problems cutting the top strap when using 110-125 gr hot loads

Older K frame .357 mag revolvers have a thinned forcing cone on the bottom to allow the cylinder to close. The problem with 125 gr full power 1,450 FPS ammo is cracking the forcing cone in this thinned area. Since S&W no longer produces replacement barrels for these pistols the damaged barrels can't be replaced easily. Read this article Use of Magnum Loads in S&W Model 19 and Other K-Frame Magnums

This pic shows the location of the thinned area of a K frame .357 mag.


I mostly shoot .38 spl's with 158gr SWC bullets in my 66 for practice on paper targets. I use 125 gr Remington Golden Sabers for defense loads as they are at a medium velocity of 1,220 fps from a 4" barrel. For magnum loads I use hard cast for magnum loads or jacketed bullets mostly 158gr loads at 1,245 fps to duplicate factory velocity and generally use 2400 or AA9 to do that. I will use W296/H110 for loads out of my rifle but in general I avoid these powders as loads with them use 20 to 30% more powder and slow ball powders flame cut the frame.

Thanks guys!! I think my first mold will the the 158 grn, 1200 seems to be the sweet spot in accuracy in most pistol loads for me anyhow, unless it's my 10mm.

Good idea on the matching rifle, I intend to pick one up, and was thinking on loadING 38 special for the small game/plinking, and some 357 mag for deer or further shots-rifle, or very rarely the 66.

Anybody use blue dot? Or lil gun? As I have 4 lbs of each, haha.

I had a similarly marked 66 years ago and also sold it. I don't find magnums all that pleasant in such a gun and stuck to hot 38's. Magnums are ok if you stay away from the lighter weight bullets. I did load some hot 125's, but dropped the powder charge from magnum down to +P.

Yeah, I have never shot a 38 special, but looking at the ballistics, it may be the go to load for this gun. Like I stated before, my usual hunting is small game, and fur, occasional rabbit, which a 38 will do nicely for. I will only use 357 if I see larger game, but that's more rare, like as in the buck has a really nice rack. It'll be nice and easy to tell them apart, too while in my pocket to switch loads. That's why I don't use auto pistols anymore, I use different loads for different occasions.

I'm backwards to most hunter who will get a yote if bored deer hunting, I chase yotes and bobcats, 99% of the time leaving dear alone, but if I'm bored and he's big.....

Just stay away from the light 357 mag bullet loads , 125gr or less . Where your gun really excels is shooting the Keith 173 gr swc . It has a long nose but the cylinder on your 66 is long enough to handle it with a little room to spare . That bullet shots very accurately from " mild to wild " . It's the lyman mold 358429 . 7.0 grs of Unique in a 357 mag case is a real nice " everyday " load . Sit it on top of 13.5 grs of Alliant 2400 for a little more like magnum performance . You can go higher with the powder charge but there is really no reason to . Those 2 are in the " sweet spot " for powder and bullet . Those same 2 loads work well with a 158 gr bullet . If you want 38spl performance in a 357 case , use 38+P load data . No crud ring this way . I have had several K-frame 357's and always had great performance with the above mentioned loads . Good luck . Paul

I am keeping velocity with target loads between 1000 and 1100 using CFE Pistol Powder (there are better powders for .357 mags, I just happen to have a lot of it!) and a 148 gr SWC bullet from a Lyman mold (358477)

My 6" -Model 66-3 is my most accurate hand gun on the range, with the Colt Commander in .45ACP a close 2nd.

I don't like to feed any of my S&W magnums a steady diet of full power loads. I also prefer the heavier bullets for most applications. So any decent 150-158gr bullet design works fine. Run them along at 1200fps, your gun will go along time between tunings. I like the 150gr LSWC design from RCBS, but there are at least a dozen good designs out there, no gas check for me at that vel.

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