Model 66s, K949138 and K949140, manufactured in May 1970 to test the tooling for the new stainless .357 Combat Magnum. The latter has been engraved and inlaid with gold by Master Engraver John Pease as the 50th Anniversary revolver for the S&WCA that was also founded in 1970. Click on the photos for a better look.

Good to know as I bought a snub nose model last year. I replaced the rear sight with a fixed one. The 4" model is the duty weapon when I was hired as a full time deputy sheriff.

Thank you Doc44 for answering my question before I had the chance to post it. The Standard Catalog only gives the year 1970 as the starting date & I was curious if we could narrow it down some more.

That prototype is a beautiful gun, even standing besides the engraved one. What is the backstory? How did you acquire a factory prototype?

Of course...now that it has "come of age" I trust that you are aware that you can ship it direct to my house as long as I send you a copy of my FFL 03 (C&R) license!

I'm home all week (probably forever the way this governor is going) so can get the 03 copy right off to you).

Seriously.....absolutely beautiful guns, thanks for posting. Your photography is no slouch either.

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Charlie B
SWCA#3083, SWHF#570

Most (many) of these early Model 66s were shipped to GT Distributors, the company founded and owned by S&WCA Founding Member, Bill Orr (deceased a couple of years ago). I purchased K949140 from him at the S&WCA annual meeting in Springfield, MA in 2001. K949138 was purchased off Gunbroker from David Carroll a few years ago. I have only seen one other prototype, it was engraved for the Shah of Iran in the early 70s by S&W's Master Engraver, Tommy Freyburger. The revolver was never presented and is now in a private collection.

Bill

As always, thanks for the awesome pictures and sharing.




My 66-1 wont turn 20 until September.

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Kenny
Endeavor to persevere.

I traded my 66-2 2.5 inch for a Glock 21. Still kicking myself...

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Isaiah 41:10

^^^ Been there, done that!

So when did these early Mod 66 cease to be prototypes? I've seen your comments before about seeing only one other besides the two you feature, and I thought you might be referring to Lynn's birthday gun. We had it at Dallas last symposium and she featured it in her talk. It is K949126 and was given to her granddad - John H. Wilson for a display prize in 1972, literally on the weekend that she was born. I have always thought of it just as a very early 66 rather than a prototype.

CB

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A couple of more photos related to the Mod 66 SN K949126. I had to size them down to post.

CB

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Happy Anniversary M-66. Took these two (both 1978 versions) to the range today. Ran a couple cylinders of .357 in both , then switched to .38. The snubby is a handful with the .357, the 4 inch not so much. Haven't shot either one in about 2 years. Promise to get them out more.

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CB...It is my understanding the first run (prototypes to test the tooling) was made in May 1970 and consisted of (approximately) 100 revolvers. The model was not announced until a year later in July 1971 when S&W began shipping in new stainless Combat Magnum. The revolvers made and shipped in 1971 would be regular production and not prototypes.

It is interesting that K949126 does not have a target hammer. The other three prototypes I have seen or owned do. It is possible it was completed later than May 1970. The inscription on the side plate suggests it was never roll marked with the S&W logo (at least on the side plate).

It is also interesting to note some of the prototype Model 629s (those with a serial number beginning with N629...) were also used as awards by S&W and some were given to the engraving department and shipped as late as 2001.

Bill

This one will be 50 in 2022.

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LIVE FROM THE DAWGHOUSE

I started my LE career in 71 and purchased one through my department as a new officer. Because of the salt air on Marthas Vineyard, many of us carried stainless guns. The early ones had stainless sights that were hard to see so I replaced the rear sight with WO blue blade and had an insert put in the front sight. I sold it years ago to purchase a 2.5" but regret selling it since it was my first LE weapon.

Awaiting a 66 no dash that I'm picking up tomorrow from my FFL.

Started as LEO in 1981 and my first uniform service weapon was a 66 no dash that another officer had reworked by adding RR and TH/TT but with the TH and TT color case hardened. IIRC, it was easier to get parts for 19s than the flash chromed early in the 66s production cycle.

In any event, I managed to find an exact duplicate for "my " service revolver that I sold/traded off years ago.

Range time scheduled for this weekend for a stroll down Memory Lane. Will post pics when I get it home.

The prototype Model 66s were shipped in a silver box. The Parts & Instruction sheet is for a .357 Combat Magnum, Model 19, as the correct sheets had not been printed in 1970.

Bill

Happy 50th anniversary Model 66 and SWCA !
And happy 85th anniversary to the S&W .357 Magnum !

Being a HUGE Combat Magnum fan the early Model 66 has always been a favorite and once upon a time I was hot on the hunt for an early K prefix gun but ...alas no luck.

The K serial prefix makes the early run unique, the early made guns also have the large frame ampersand in their 4 line address which IIRC disappeared by about 1974, there may be other unique features but I haven't had one in hand to examine and compare...yet...

I have 2 four inch Mod 66's , both have the SS rear site, no FS insert, new style ampersand and standard hammer trigger:

Serial  4K68459 that Shipped July 1974 
 Serial  4K52033 that Shipped June 1975

The 1974 gun caught my eye many years ago because it had two features that i thought were not very common to the model,
The first was that it had a "Big Butt" ampersand in the left side barrel rollstamp (IIRC these are normally found on 1960's and earlier guns),
No dash Model 66's I encounter seem to have the style that looks like the number 8 next to a small letter c or "8c".

The other feature the 74 gun had that seemed interesting at the time was that the FS blade set pin was not polished over and while it is flush it is plainly visible where IIRC most are polished flush and not usually visible unless put in very good light and under magnification.



Thanks for sharing !

My 66ND is a relatively young model with a 9K serial number. This post prompted me to look at a few others and I have a 19-3 in the K946000 range. 1970 doesn’t seem that long ago. But I can’t fight the math.

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SWCA 3255 SWHF 615

I always wanted a M66, but some how never got one. I even bought the grips in anticipation

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Pete
I ain't no fortunate son

66 No Dash, obviously not original TH and TT. But since my original service revolver in 1981 was identically equipped, I feel like I just found a lost friend.

Just picked up today. The smooth Target grips are the finest I've ever personally seen.

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I remember how hard it was to find any stainless S&W revolver back in the early 70's. I found a model 60 around 1971. I think the price was $115.00. It was several years later that I got my first 66. It was department issued.