Local shop has a model63 no dash aprox. '78-'79..looks to be almost excellent shape, sideplate screws may have been turned,not ugly. function looks to be great.stocks are std. magnas, very few marks. were they numbered that late? he says he will look for me. others there claim of jamming issues after a couple cyls' fired and only average accuracy..shop says, shoot it and see if I like it, well, that will sell it for sure! Asking $600,seems a little high...Your Thoughts, Thanks

Stocks should be numbered. I have a no dash dates to 1981 and they are numbered. No problem - love mine. Good price. I have seen pinned barrel no dash 63s are gun shows priced at $900. I paid around $600 for mine 3 years ago.

Jamming issues?? YES
I have had 2 model 63's and both had ejection problems.
Seems to be a common problem.
To me, not worth the hassle.

Tight chambers are a common "issue".... but I view my 4" 63 as a "kit gun"..... carried a lot more than it gets shot........so a 63 to me is more about size, weight and stainless ......if I want a lots of shots, range gun it's a 18 or 17 K-frame.
$600..... seems high but then again only seen one around here for sale in the past 7-10 years......

Lots of M 63's and M 34's benefit from polishing the chambers - a 15 minute job by a competent gunsmith. Solves any ejection problem.

$600 for a pinned, pre lock, pre mim M63 is a favorable price.

My thought exactly.

I have one of the first model 63's made. Of all the handguns I have, this would be the last one I would sell. It is both accurate, and versatile.

I suppose $600 is about normal in today's market. 63s are notorious for stiff extraction. I've never seen one bad enough that I would object to it to the point of doing something about it, but I have heard lots of complaints. I wouldn't let the extraction issue dissuade me if I wanted the gun.

That sounds like a normal price these days.

I had a M34 that always suffered from ignition problems in double action. Single action was fine, but DA was about 2/3 to 3/4 reliable. Never did find the problem, so I swapped it off.

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

I wouldn't sell my 4" M63 ND for $600 but it's LNIB.

That gun store has set a good high but doable price!
I don’t see that many for sale, and they are mostly higher than that.

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NRA LIFE MEMBER

My 4" 63 is the only.22lr I still have except for my wife's 317. I just sold a 2" 34-1 for $600 FTF within 3hrs of listing it on a local site, and the buyer wants my 63 as well but I am holding on to it. The stainless should bring a little more than a blued one so I say buy it. Rimfire cyclinders need a good cleaning with a wire brush after each use, however my 63 never has misfired or had ejection problems, and yes, k-17/18's always are more reliable.

HEY, you guys need to talk me out of it, not into it!...I am hooked.....I'll shoot it,and look into the grips,then make an offer. She's gonna kill me,kill me...

It's worth the risk of death . . .

And I'll bet the price might only be a couple nights on the couch. It is certainly worth that!

The price is not bad at all - even if the stocks aren't numbered.

I saw one ANIB sell at a gun show a while back for $650 and I thought the guy got a good deal. I've seen them sell for $800.

Go get it.

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Jack
SWCA #2475, SWHF #318

This is the absolute worst place to come with a prospective purchase if it's gonna get you in trouble with the misses. Believe me its better to ask forgiveness than to ask for permission. Has been my motto when it comes to gun buying. These guys have got me in trouble a couple times. Try bringing cash and flop down $700 on the counter, this sure makes it hard for them to say no. Even $650 with the other $50 on stand by in pocket (it just might work?)

Extraction issues are usually ammo related, just find a load that it likes and stick with that. I'd pay $600 for a 63 in excellent condition.

My 63 is a fun shooter and extraction issues are minor so I'm lucky.

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Old Cop
LEO (Ret.)

I suspect that you're right, this tactic would likely be successful...given that the OP states that the asking price is $600!

Tim

DO NOT LOOK AT THIS PICTURE!
You know you want one!
63-0 got it for 700 a couple of years ago

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NRA Life Member
CPO

My 4" blue M34-1 is a tack driver & great fun to shoot. The throats are tight for best accuracy but they lead easily with cheap exposed lead ammo.
A trick I learned years ago... believe it came from some gun magazine: when shooting lead bullets, use Breakfree CLP on a patch... barrel, chambers, exterior, inside the cylinder window... everything but the grips... then wipe again with a dry patch leaving just a film. That way the lead & fouling is on top of the film & easier to remove. Almost wipes clean with a paper towel.
We used to qualify with low bid swagged ammo that leaded terribly. I showed my friend & Dept Armorer & the next qualification a pump sprayer of Breakfree CLP was provided.

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NRA LIFE
Reserve Officer 9yrs

"shop says, shoot it and see if I like it,"

sounds like a plan....then note any small or big annoyances with that .22 and use them as a bargaining tool for a lower price.....

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There's nowt so queer as folk

Get it! You don't find them very often and any extraction issues can be delt with. There have been many threads on that issue. Mine is the one smith I won't part with. Makes a great walk about gun.

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Well done > well said

I saw one for sale at a gun shop about 20 years ago. Never since. One showed up for sale here in the classifieds in may for $600. So I bought it. It came with the checkered target grips like the smooth ones in post 22.
You will want to find a set for your gun as they make shooting it much better.
I have shot probably 2000 rounds through mine this summer. They are a hoot to shoot, extraction gets a little sticky after a lot of rounds without cleaning, but less than other smith .22s. I've got 2 617s, but the 63 stays in the range bag!

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Richard Gillespie
FBINA 102

Fair price.
Great little piece.
Taught my daughter to shoot with mine.
If you carry a j-frame .38, it really helps you
learn trigger control.
Keep it clean.
Don't fool with the mainspring swap, or you
will have ignition problems.

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Georgia On My Mind

Here is mine. One of the first non pinned M63 revolvers. It is as accurate as my pre M18, and that is saying something. Came with standard, numbered to the gun, magnas, but I have large hands, so target stocks were in order. No box or tools, but I only paid $450 for it at a Big Reno show in 2011. Great carry gun when riding on my 4 wheeler. Big Larry

I go to a lot of the Virginia gun shows and a few OGCA and other out-of-state shows. I only see one or two Model 63s at each good show... at the most. While $600 doesn't seem like a bargain, I think you are going to find that short of finding some disgruntled ex-wife selling off some of her husband's guns for revenge, you probably won't do a whole lot better in today's market. They're just too much in demand. I would probably haggle on general principles, but in the end would probably pay the $600. Good luck on it and post to let us know how you do and how long you are sleeping with Fido in the back yard!

Froggie

Do not pass GO, go directly back to that shop and buy it, or you will regret it later. All S&W 22 RF have hard extraction and is permanently solved by having the chambers reamed with a Standard Finishing Chamber reamer. I have done several J & K .22's and now kick out all the empties with just a thumb push.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

My 63, bought new back in 1983:



Pictured with the Bianchi 10L holster that I bought with it. It is packed in my "Kit Bag" ready to go anytime!!

Would not sell it, period. I think you would be happy with the one you are looking at, and if not, the dealer has offered to take it back, so what do you have to lose??

Best Regards, Les

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SWCA 3084, SWHF 495, PGCA 3064

Babysitr, you know that we are a bunch of enablers here. $600 is a very good price these days for a pinned barrel Model 63. I found this one at a show a couple of years ago for a very reasonable price, I think the dealer just didn't know the market for this model and I didn't hesitate for an instant once I gave it a careful mechanical check. No box or papers and it was fitted with Pachmayrs. The next building over I found a set of beautifully grained Goncalo Alves smooth Target Stocks for $40 and I was all set.

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From what I am seeing, it appears to make no difference if they are pinned or not. If you are a collector, maybe, but as a shooter, there is no difference. Mine is not pinned and it is very accurate. Few of these have reached collector status, but they are getting a little pricey. Big Larry

What a sweet picture! I can say that honestly since I have the same gun and the exact same holster. Gun and holster sit next to each other in the safe, always ready to go canoeing, or mushroom hunting, or just plinking in the backyard. And in my case my 63 has a "loud-mouth brother" safe-mate - a 4-inch 651 purchased a year or two after the 63.

AGREE! Capitalize VERSATILE. This is my go-to-the-woods gun. CCI shot shells in a couple of chambers-hollow points in the rest.
Long live the Kit Guns whether they be model 43, 34, 63, 317, etc. And that one was only $600 and you left it?? You cannot find them in my woods for that little.

Go back immediately, do not pass GO.

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You shoot mushrooms???

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Jack
SWCA #2475, SWHF #318

the Saprotrophic ones are quite tasty.....

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There's nowt so queer as folk

You never know when a surly one might attack!

I could have got one back last March, claimed to be near mint with original box, docs, and tools for $550. Can't remember what if any dash it was.

I'd have bought it, but it was a 250 mile drive, and I really wanted a 3" instead of a 4".

After seeing what they were bringing on GB, I wish I'd made the drive.

Oh the humanity !!! You certainly blew that one. Too bad you didn't mention it on this Forum. Lots of guys willing to pay that for one in the box with tools. The day I bought mine, earlier, my BIL had found one NIB for $600 and failed to tell me about it until later. We went back and it was long gone, but he found me another with no box for $450. Firm price. The seller would not come down. I bought it and never looked back. Very fine shooter. Big Larry

I've had several back in my "serious" collecting days. Loved the way they looked an handled but always struggled to get usable accuracy out of mine due to their small size. Seems like an OK price in today's market but I'd offer that a 617 isn't too far from that price and is a whole lot easier to shoot/versatile for most folks.

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Dave

I bought my wife one years ago as an understudy to her M67. She never warmed to the J-Frame trigger. I should probably drag it out of the safe and see how it shoots for me.

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I need ammo, not a ride.

The M617 is a whole new ballgame, especially if you want an early no dash in 4". My M63 shoots as well as my early pre M18. I added the target stocks as I have large hands. I used to take it with me on my 4 wheeler, but got a S&W M&P 22, which is more accurate and holds 12 rds. Easier for me to reload with arthrits. Big Larry

I've got a fairy ring growing in my yard. Maybe I should try my 63-3 on them. Should I use CCI shotshells?

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Well done > well said

I got my 63 with box and papers for $600 at Tulsa in 2016. I was happy to do it. My hands are large so I put these Badger grips on it.

I really like my 63. I paid $700 for about 2 years ago but it did come with the original Magna's and S&W Combats as pictured. The combats didn't work for me. Sold them and put the smooth Targets on and never looked back.

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Dan
Ps 96 SWCA 2930 SWHF 524

Looed at it briefly yesterday....great mechanical condition, however the grips are stamped ,blued washer magnas from an earlier gun..he's got an average set of smooth j targets, maybe we can work that out..also notice what looks like marks inside the charge holes in the cyl...maybe leading...shootin it Saturday, on we go with price haggle...Thanks everyone!

I'll leave it to the experts to say if stocks could be numbered but, you can't buy a bad 63, around here, for $600? Mine:

Steve

I wouldn't sell mine for $600.00

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Forum consigliere

Got a 4" M63 out of an estate that came to the LGS where I was working. Think the boss let me have it for about $300.
Great little gun, and handy as can be, but it did teach me about the oft-heard issues of sticky extraction. Every ammo brand, high and standard velocity, usually after about 3-4 cylinders fired.

The issue was made a little better with aggressive chamber cleaning with bore brushes and Hoppes, will now go 6-7 cylinders fired.

Found that try as I might, I just can't make it a target gun. I have large hands, and put on a set of J-square Combats, and still, even shooting SA, it's just mediocre with all ammo.
Anyway, still love the concept of the the 'Kit Gun'.

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Ret'd LEO
SWCA #2275

Of course.
Beatin em to death makes em all mushy. Stabbin em gets your knife all dirty.

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Regards,
Lee Jarrett