What is going on here? Looks like something ground down the edge of the frame

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SMith 66 damage.jpg (134.1 KB, 479 views)

Yes, it does. But there is nothing during normal use of the gun that would cause that. The good thing is it is only cosmetic and does not affect the strength of the gun in any way. Your gun, or just a photo you saw?

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Gunsmithing since 1961

Not mine, something I came across online.

Please post other photos of that gun if you can. That is some odd wear and makes one winder wth is going on to cause it

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Romans5:8

Like I said it's online, search for Smith 66 2 inch and you should be able to find it. The gun does have some odd wear marks. Almost looks like it fell into something running/moving.

That is exactly what I am thinking, dropped or hit something hard at speed and abraded the frame. Bet it no longer has pristine original stocks either.

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

I’ve seen brand new S&W revolvers from the 80s that look just like that on the leading edge of the frame. I believe it left th factory that way. May be a dull cutter or rushed machining job?

Digital photography can make things barely visible to the naked eye look like a major defect. It looks like a chamfer on the edge of the frame didn’t get polished.

I agree, and I’ve seen worse than that from Lear Siedler era guns. One such was a 6” 686 that only had edges as illustrated above but the entire bottom of the trigger guard was in the rough….as in never buffed out. That said, I own several from the era that are perfect by my standards.

If that is drop damage, or some other type of damage from use, it would have damaged the cylinder as well, since when the revolver is closed, the cylinder "protects" that spot. Looks like poor finish work to me, the chamfered edge wasn't polished. It would help to see the true extent if the powder burns were cleaned off.

Here's a M66-1 for comparison, mainly this one is cleaner, but the edges do have a better finish and polish. This is a late -1, from 1980:

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	forcing cone K frame M66-1.jpg (55.2 KB, 111 views)
	new stocks 1 (2).jpg (123.4 KB, 115 views)

My guess is that there may have been a sharp edge on the frame that an owner took offense to and filed down (rather energetically).

Here's a couple more pics. The grips are I'm guessing Uncle Mikes, and this gun is in what I'd call fair at best condition. The other edges/chamfers look right, if a little rough, overall.

pics of both sides

Add I'm sorry but this post is about to be closed. I've been warned about referring to auction sights.

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	66-2 left.jpg (212.0 KB, 92 views)
	66-2 right.jpg (196.4 KB, 79 views)

With some work, this revolver can be made to look pretty good. It's stainless steel, so the finish goes to the core, so to speak. Someone with metalworking skills can smooth out the rough spots and polish up the gun.

Really? Just wow is all I can say. No wonder both Smith and Colt have bad reps from that era.

It looks like a big gap in the yoke/crane/frame junction. Big by my standards, that is.

My 66-1 looks similar , like someone beat the edge with a hammer. Not all the older Smiths are works of perfection. I have a newer 66-5 where the machining and finish are far superior to my older pinned /recessed 66-1.

I concur with Smithman & SLT223, it left the factory looking like that. In the late 70’s & early 80’s I worked part time as an armorer for a large S&W distributor. My primary job was to inspect/prep/function ( there were reasons they paid me to do this) test NIB revolvers going out to police agencies. During my tenure there, I handled thousands of NIB Smith’s. What you are seeing in the OP photo was not uncommon.
I have seen worse.