What are these customizations on this snubby 66?

[Chaosrob]

It is certainly interesting.....

 

[Flint Ridge]

It is certainly interesting.....

Now maybe you need to do some trading here and get what you need for the 3" 66 RB conversion - I think this might be the best candidate so far.

 

[Chaosrob]

Now maybe you need to do some trading here and get what you need for the 3" 66 RB conversion - I think this might be the best candidate so far.

I tried, but he is going to keep it for awhile .

 

[BluegrassBoy]

When I saw the hammer I thought maybe a quick change between hammer and hammerless? Extra safeties because of pocket carry?

Lifting the catch and removing the hammer also removes the firing pin (as you can see in the picture this is an old-style M66 with the firing pin mounted on the front of the hammer). So when you remove the hammer this gun would not fire.

I wondered if there was a possibility that there was ANOTHER hammer that could go with this to allow the owner to substitute different TYPES of hammers (eg. Target hammer, bobbed hammer, humpback hammer...) but each would have to have it's own firing pin. And neither the person that I got it from or the previous owner seemed to know anything about additional hammers ever being with the gun.

 

[BluegrassBoy]

Someone was very safety conscious.

The hole in the trigger guard was for the Saf-T-Trigger modification. It was an invention or product, not sure which, of the Saf-T-Hammer Company, which made this type of key lock for many guns including S&W. A key turned a locking device which caused it to rise up and stop rearward movement of the trigger. I have attached a picture of the packaging which shows how it works.

The hammer modification is unknown to me, but the obvious purpose is to remove the part that makes the revolver go bang.

The hammer modification may have also been a product or modification invented or offered by Saf-T-Hammer of Scottsdale, AZ. Saf-T-Hammer eventually purchased S&W from Tompkins, PLC. Saf-T-Hammer changed its name to "Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation" after the purchase of S&W.

If memory serves, after Saf-T-Hammer bought S&W, there was one year or maybe two where the S&W catalog showed revolvers and maybe some pistols, as having the Saf-T-Trigger device as an available option. It was rather quickly discontinued and I do not get the sense it was a popular option.

I believe both Shawn McCarver and -db- may be on to something here.

All three modifications I noted earlier are "safety" related.
There's also a 4th modification which I did not mention in my original post.
This gun has had some FINE trigger work done. It is exceptionally smooth but it also has a very light pull and releases earlier than one would expect. Effectively, it is a "hair trigger".

So it actually makes the gun MORE likely to fire.

I can't imagine an individual who would gunsmith a gun to make it such a smooth shooter and then take extraordinary steps to put multiple safety devices on it. I'm wondering if this might have been a factory "test gun".

(Despite the custom work the gun has good timing and lockup. I plan to put a few test loads through it today to verify its fitness for intended use.)

 

[quinn]

-db-, thanks for the research. And, Bluegrassboy, thenks for sharing. That is what I appreciate about this forum.

 

[shawn mccarver]

I believe both Shawn McCarver and -db- may be on to something here.

All three modifications I noted earlier are "safety" related.
There's also a 4th modification which I did not mention in my original post.
This gun has had some FINE trigger work done. It is exceptionally smooth but it also has a very light pull and releases earlier than one would expect. Effectively, it is a "hair trigger".

So it actually makes the gun MORE likely to fire.

I can't imagine an individual who would gunsmith a gun to make it such a smooth shooter and then take extraordinary steps to put multiple safety devices on it. I'm wondering if this might have been a factory "test gun".

(Despite the custom work the gun has good timing and lockup. I plan to put a few test loads through it today to verify its fitness for intended use.)

The installation of these unfortunate "safety" devices and the light, smooth action are not necessarily inconsistent.

The two unusual devices are designed to make the weapon safe during STORAGE, sort of like the internal lock on revolvers now. No one expects that either of the devices on your revolver, or the current internal lock, would be activated when immediate use is required, such as when the weapon is carried or maintained in a state of readiness for self-defense.

That is sort of the silliness of this type of device and demonstrates why such devices are not popular. Opening the cylinder and locking a pad lock around the top strap will, for all practical purposes, accomplish the same purpose, and such will not destroy the lines or looks of a fine revolver.

In any event, having a fine action for when it will be used can also be characterized as a safety device as well. If the weapon must be used, a heavy trigger action makes hitting an innocent bystander more likely. A better trigger action makes that less likely, thus making use of the revolver safer to innocent bystanders. Naturally, conversion to DAO also seems to be a good idea now, but may not have been at the time this revolver was modified to its present form.