What do you all make of this 66-2? I picked it up a while back but just now got around to posting about it. It has a 2.5" barrel but a square butt. My guess is someone with some time on their hands or a desire to have a square butt snub shortened a 4" gun. Also the previous owner put a newer style cylinder release. Although the ejection rod is the sorter style so I am really not sure. It handles well, smooth action, tight consistent cylinder gap. It also groups well so I assume the gunsmith knew what he was doing when he trimmed or replaced the barrel. What are your thoughts?

This is only a guess:

My guess is that the barrel is a modern replacement.
On the older style - both P&R and Non-P&R the "Smith & Wesson" was on the left side of the barrel and the caliber was on the right.

The newer barrels are reversed. The "Smith & Wesson" is on the right, and the caliber is on the left.
Also, your lettering looks like the modern style.

Maybe the modern barrel & cylinder latch indicate some work done at the factory.
Give them a call with your S/N and they might be able to help you.


Again, I'm not sure, just guessing.

Look's to be a newer style barrel on a 66-2 frame. All my 66-2's( 3 of them ) have Smith & Wesson written in smaller script on the other side of the barrel. Some people prefer square butts, and probably had it made to their liking.

Are the newer snub barrels that thick at the muzzle? If so what dash 66 did the thicker barrels start with? Also the text on the barrel is HUGE, way bigger than anything else I have seen. Another reason I assumed the barrel might have been trimmed, polished and then re-stamped.

Speaking as a Bubba, a properly shortened 4" Model 66 should only be shortened to 3" and as far as barrel markings go "we don't need no stinkin' barrel markings."

Mark

I was under the impression I would need to have the gun lettered in order to know how the gun left the factory and if it had been returned for custom work. I didn't think this looked like factory work but I could be wrong.

Mark, did you get that gun off gunbroker last year? It looks like one I almost bid on.

Looking at the contour of the front of the ejector rod housing, and the crown, I think that long with it being a later barrel, it was also probably a 4" barrel that was shortened.

__________________
Have Canon, Will Travel

Just from appearance, I would agree that your 66 barrel is probably a replacement rather than one that was bobbed off. For one thing, the shroud is right for the short e-rod. I've begun to be attracted to the round butt grip frames on revolvers with barrels of 3" or less, but I have to admit that your revolver's square butt grips make it look like it would handle well. In short, I like it! Congratulations on a nice package there, whatever its pedigree. On a slightly negative note, it appears that the grips don't quite meet the frame all the way in places. Is that an optical illusion or are they a bit small?

Froggie

No the grips are a bit small. They are just a junky old pair that came off a model 10.

I like It! whatever was altered appears to have been done correctly.
vinny

The only other square butt snub 66 I've seen was carried by Clint Eastwood in "The Gauntlet." Many years ago, Massad Ayoob mentioned swapping bbls between snub and 4" 66s to obtain a RB service/carry gun and a SB snub for better handling in snub competition.

It also appears to have a LEO stamp on the left side under the cylinder. "OC A-356" does that mean anything to anyone here?

Are sure its exactly 2.5" long and are you measuring from the cylinder face not from the frame ?

Not sure about later revisions but usually SS M66 snubs have a FS ramp that ends right at the frame where yours has a little space between.

Probably a swapped barrel from a later generation gun but IMO not a shortened 4" barrel .

I love these odd ball guns if done well, I picked up a square butt snub 19 about 6 years ago.
19-3 round and square

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Yes it is a 2.5"