Well they are out and they are sweet. I did my Saturday morning pop in to my local dealer and there it was sitting in the case. I had to lay out the cash and buy it.
The trigger is a classic K frame smooth. The cylinder edges are beveled, the black trigger, hammer and cylinder latch are nicely contrasting with the bead blast stainless finish. It balances great and the barrel is on straight as an arrow.
I will shoot it tomorrow and report.
Does anyone want pics??

"Does anyone want pics" ? What kind of question is that ?
Pics or we'll raise the BS flag .

We don't want pics. We demand pics.

Do you own or have you owned an early model 66 for comparison?

We don't want any pics. Somebody get a rope.

Here's a pic of my freshly Ren Waxed 586 to hold us over until the OP posts his new M66.





Here's my M19 too, just for fun:

Can you also post some pics of the new ball detent cylinder lock system?
How does that feel compared to the old style ?

Is the rod all one thickness or is it small with a large knurled end like Colts?

You just wanted to hear a bunch of people beg, cajole and threaten you, didn't you?

Pics please.

Wow, HB77, beautiful pictures.

Everyone asked for it, and now you have it. Note ejector rod, ball detent, two piece barrel, and beveled cylinder edges. Will post a range report after tomorrow's session.

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I'd love a pic of the barrel throat, and back end of the barrel.

I was told, the cutout on the bottom is gone.

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Any chance you have a digital camera to take some clear pics that are in focus and larger than 3" ?

The easiest way is to open a free photobucket acct,
you can easily post links instead of uploading thumbnails to the website .

Nice. If they make a 2 3/4 or 3" version I may pick one up. Not a model 19 but a nice size, nice looking gun with some pretty cool features.

Congratulations.

Very nice. I'm glad they are out there I can't wait for mine to show up . Thanks for report and pictures.

Is the ball detent to be a standard feature on all new S&W revolvers?

Sorry Engine, spent all my money on guns so no camera other than my phone. :-)

Let's see, Camera's or guns? GUNS!! Having been a huge fan of the 19/66 since I first bought one in 72, congrat's on your new acquisition....now load that bad boy up and go shoot some groups.

S&W still makes quality revolvers and I can live with the lock and MIM parts on certain models. But for some reason I just don't like the 2 piece barrels.

There may be a lot of unhappy traditionalists cringing at the ball detent and two piece barrel, but that looks like a nice revolver to my eyes, and so did the one in the local shop I took a quick look at. Is it an exact copy of an old Model 66? No, but they're as well made as the late model revolvers many of us own, shoot, and CC daily.

I would buy a 3" in a heartbeat, and maybe a 4.25" if I was going to run one hard and didn't want to beat up a classic model. But yes, make a 3" please S&W. I'll never be able to afford an original for sale here or on Gunbroker, and I'll never be lucky enough to stumble upon one at a gun show or gun shop where the seller doesn't know what they have.

You said yesterday that you would post a range report today after going to the range... just a friendly reminder.






We're waiting!

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Proud anachronism

Ok finally got it out and here is the score:
200 Rounds 130 grain WWB .38's;
50 Rounds 110 Grain .357 magnums;
This thing is a tack driver. Everything functioned perfectly. Easy ejection, trigger was real smooth, standard sights were fine.
All .38 shooting was 10 yards and was a nice big ragged hole right to POA;
I went outside and froze my *&%$* off to shoot the magnums and had no problem hitting the 12" steel plates at 100 yards. I could not set up targets closer because we have 10 inches of snow up here in the Soviet Socialist Republic of CT.
The 110 WWB magnums were stout but not unpleasant to shoot.
Bottom line-I love it. As someone said, its not a classic model 66, but this is 2014. If nothing else the modern manufacturing techniques will probably mean this version is more durable than the 66 of the 70's.
I like the way it looks, feels and shoots. As for the 2 piece barrel, while i only have 250 rounds thru it, it certainly did not affect the accuracy.
I think this will be a home run for smith.

What is the dash number on the new one?

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Proud anachronism

I believe it's a 66-8.

Seems the new 2 piece bbl's shoot good. Nice looking gun, have fun with it. Larry

I note that it looks like the two-piece barrel set up and method of tightening is different than previous two-piece barrels. Or, at least it looks different to me. It looks like the "flange" that used to sort of disguise the two-piece barrel is gone. It looks as if the barrel is tightened not with a wrench that engages the rifling, but with a wrench that engages the pentagonal opening at the end of the barrel. If it works the way I think it does based on the pictures, I think it is a welcome improvement.

I also would like to see a picture of the barrel shank/forcing cone area.

I really like what I see.

Congratulations. I got to fondle a new 66 on Friday. I have a 66-3 4" and the new 66 is a different animal. I love my old 66 but I want a new one. It has a full size forcing cone and the ball detent lock up is solid. I don't shoot any hot magnums in my old 66 but I would feel confident shooting them in the new 66. If I free up the money I would love to have the new 66. I like the black trigger and cylinder release. Oh and I got to fondle the new 69 44 magnum also if I was in the market for a 5 shot 44 I wouldn't mind having one.

I wonder if the new 66s will show signs of flame cutting.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

I'm glad they made it witha 2-piece barrel. I have a 66-7 2.5" that was an Aussie cop trade in. I love it!. Super accurate.

The black hammer, cylinder release, and trigger are a deal breaker for me. I guess I could deal with the lock (disable it) and the frame mounted firing pin, but the cheesy black controls? Non-negotiable.

I feel the same way about the third gens with the black triggers, hammers, and safeties.

You should have heard the traditionalists when S&W announced stainless steel......WHOA

ColtSAA, I'm old enough to remember the first Model 60 no dash. There was a lot of Smith bashing. Same story when the 66 showed up in 72. After a couple of years and shooters began to realize the advantages of stainless steel, Smith had a hard time selling nice blued revolvers.

My "in the elements" guns are stainless for a reason.

My dealer had both the 66 and new 69. Since I already have a 4" 66 I bought the 69. Side by side they look identical on the dealer shelf. When this weather breaks I'm gonna see what it can do at the range. Congrats on your new gun, should be a good one.

Are those "black" parts actually black or are they color-casehardened? If the latter, I actually prefer that look; if they are blackened, that's different but couldn't the three pieces be replaced with flash-chromed ones?

Ed

Here's quite a bit of info on the 69 -- thought you might be interested.

S&W Model 69 (L Frame .44 Magnum), 4 ¼? Bbl. | Single-Actions

Paul

Lucks of good shooting with the 66. That's a real nice shooter....
I want one but need to sell some guns to buy one...

Nice revolver!

Can you please measure the barrel? I know S&W says it's 4.25" but there are many who are wondering if they rounded up and may be IDPA legal. IDPA max barrel length is 4.20"

IDPA measures from the front of the cylinder to the end of the barrel.

Thank you in advance!

Brian

It is to be export legal to Canada. They have a 105MM minimum barrel length

I understand, however 105mm = 4.134" so the IDPA rule of 4.2" would still meet the 105mm requirement. We have called S&W and after talking to many people nobody could answer for sure. The final suggestion was to get one and measure it.

Hopefully we can get a measurement.

Thanks again!

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The detent is noticeable for sure since I've never had one before. It's fine by me, lockup is seriously tight.

The knurling is not as big as Colts

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Thanks from the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains

My cylinder release is stainless. Two of the guns my dealer had, both with CUC prefix had SS and the other two with CVC prefix came with black ones.

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Thanks from the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains

Some measurements:
All cal throats were .3575" slugged and miked and also calipers in the throats. No difference. Like it was the same reamer. Nice!

Both ends of the barrel and the length of the bore measure the same - no taper - I think it's .3570" but I am challenged on the five groove barrel.

Cylinder gap .010"

All I shot was 50 148 gr wadcutters and five 135 gr Speer LE Short Barrels. All in .38 Special

Shot very very well. The stop before the sear releases shooting DA is more pronounced than my older Ks. SA was very crisp. Everything feels a bit stiff and new. I'll fix that.

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Are your sideplate screws also stainless?

Also, and this question might indicate the limits of my knowledge of ball detents, but what function does a thumb release have in conjunction with a ball detent?

Same here...having had a 2 piece barrel go flying down-range once in my life, I would prefer that barrels be 1 piece.

Blued screws. They look fine. Same finish as the trigger and sight and hammer and stock.

None. The ball is just spring loaded and slides into a groove.

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Thanks from the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains

I'd still have my Dan Wessons if my fingers were a bit longer. I have no problem with 2 pc barrels.

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Thanks from the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains

Well well well.... Good to see somebody got their hands on one of these new critters.

The beveled cylinder is something I have always liked about my 629 Classic and something I wish they did with all their revolvers. I know it probably serves no real mechanical purpose, I just like the nice, refined look. Kudos to Smith on that.

The ball detent.. I never knew about it till I got my X-frame recently and after reading up about it a little bit it seems that since it is the better method for the X-frame that it should be good for the K-frame as well. The look of the smaller diameter extractor rod takes some getting used to, but it's not the end of the world.

Congrats on your acquisition of the revolver that S&W should NEVER have discontinued! Now if they can bring back the 19....


I want an m69!

The beveled cylinder not only looks nice but it's also easier on the interior of holsters.

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SWHF #448

Mine is 4.253".

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Thanks from the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains

4.263" to the cylinder face, 4.253" barrel only.

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Thanks from the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains