Our cat Zachary likes a 4" 66-3.
educate me on s&w model 66-3
- Thread starter armstrongz
- Start date
Lou_NC
Member
Well I'm going to dissent here and say that if you want to scope that gun (or use a nice open red-dot sight such as the Burris Fastfire III) by all means go for it!
Newer S&W revolvers (that have adjustable sights) come drilled and tapped in the top strap and you can buy a weaver-style base inexpensively from multiple sources. You simply remove the rear sight by removing the front most screw (use a hollow ground screwdriver to keep from buggering the screw slot), store the sight and screw in a safe place (along with those beautiful wooden grips) and if/when the day comes that you want to put the rear sight back, nobody will ever know you had a scope on the gun.
I would NOT hesitate to have a competent gunsmith drill and tap the topstrap of that revolver of yours to match the hole pattern of current production S&W's. You can't take it with you......enjoy it the way YOU want it.
Lou
Newer S&W revolvers (that have adjustable sights) come drilled and tapped in the top strap and you can buy a weaver-style base inexpensively from multiple sources. You simply remove the rear sight by removing the front most screw (use a hollow ground screwdriver to keep from buggering the screw slot), store the sight and screw in a safe place (along with those beautiful wooden grips) and if/when the day comes that you want to put the rear sight back, nobody will ever know you had a scope on the gun.
I would NOT hesitate to have a competent gunsmith drill and tap the topstrap of that revolver of yours to match the hole pattern of current production S&W's. You can't take it with you......enjoy it the way YOU want it.
Lou
Green Frog
Member
First let me say, "listen to your Mother... she obviously loves you and wants the best for you." Giving you a Model 66 to replace a Rossi when you are old enough to appreciate it is like when she replaced your tricycle with your first "real" bike! I wish my own Mother had taken that much interest in firearms.
As for alterations, that depends totally on what you will actually be using it for. If you are taking it deer hunting, will it be your primary or a back up for your rifle? If the latter, leaving the open sights will be a plus for ease of holstering as well as quick (close) target acquisition for back-up type shots. On the other hand, if it will be your primary gun, you might look into the Weaver "no-gunsmithing" mounts or something similar, or as Lou NC said, you could take off the rear sight and have the top strap drilled and tapped to the same specs as S&W currently uses so that standard mounts could be used. I would limit myself to a no-magnification Red Dot scope or at most a 2 or 2.5 power scope on this... high power scopes and handguns don't generally play well together.
JMHO and my compliments to your Mother, she's obviously a special lady.
Froggie
As for alterations, that depends totally on what you will actually be using it for. If you are taking it deer hunting, will it be your primary or a back up for your rifle? If the latter, leaving the open sights will be a plus for ease of holstering as well as quick (close) target acquisition for back-up type shots. On the other hand, if it will be your primary gun, you might look into the Weaver "no-gunsmithing" mounts or something similar, or as Lou NC said, you could take off the rear sight and have the top strap drilled and tapped to the same specs as S&W currently uses so that standard mounts could be used. I would limit myself to a no-magnification Red Dot scope or at most a 2 or 2.5 power scope on this... high power scopes and handguns don't generally play well together.
JMHO and my compliments to your Mother, she's obviously a special lady.
Froggie
I kind of agree with Lou_NC.
You can't take it with you, it's not an outrageously expensive collector( yet ), BUT, as mentioned, a 6" would work better.
I personally wouldn't do it, but that's me and my guns.
If you decide to do it, have it drilled and tapped by a pro and done right.
You could keep it as is as your starting point for your collection ( because you probably will have a collection) and get another in 6" that's already tapped, then get a 2 1/2" model next.
You said yourself that you have a collection of rifles. What was your intention when you bought the first one of those??
Enjoy them!
You can't take it with you, it's not an outrageously expensive collector( yet ), BUT, as mentioned, a 6" would work better.
I personally wouldn't do it, but that's me and my guns.
If you decide to do it, have it drilled and tapped by a pro and done right.
You could keep it as is as your starting point for your collection ( because you probably will have a collection) and get another in 6" that's already tapped, then get a 2 1/2" model next.
You said yourself that you have a collection of rifles. What was your intention when you bought the first one of those??
Enjoy them!
Last edited:
AveragEd
Member
I'll go with the guys who advise you not to scope it. You haven't been interested in Smith & Wesson revolvers very long so you don't yet understand the differences between yours and what is being made today. When you do, you'll be glad you 1)left it unaltered and 2)didn't sell it.
If you want to scope a handgun, do it to a new one as other ones like it are readily available but yours falls solidly into the old category, "they don't make 'em like that any more."
Ed
If you want to scope a handgun, do it to a new one as other ones like it are readily available but yours falls solidly into the old category, "they don't make 'em like that any more."
Ed
Double-O-Dave
US Veteran
Not a Model 66-3, but here is a photo of my Model 66-2 with 2.5 inch barrel. This was my first S&W handgun, and an absolute joy to shoot. I agree with the others about not scoping your Model 66. I tried to scope (actually, a red dot) a 4.0 inch barreled Model 625 - which is an N-frame, rather than a K-frame like the Model 66. They do make a scope mount that does not require drilling: Revolvers
Frankly, the balance and weight were to much for me to even try shooting the piece. Enclosed, please see the photo of my scoped Model 686-3 with 6.0 inch long barrel. The Model 686 is an L-frame revolver (think beefed up K-frame), and I think the 6.0 inch barrel balances out the weight of the scope and mount very nicely (that's a 2.0x Leupold scope).
Regards,
Dave
Frankly, the balance and weight were to much for me to even try shooting the piece. Enclosed, please see the photo of my scoped Model 686-3 with 6.0 inch long barrel. The Model 686 is an L-frame revolver (think beefed up K-frame), and I think the 6.0 inch barrel balances out the weight of the scope and mount very nicely (that's a 2.0x Leupold scope).
Regards,
Dave
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Ofc.JL
Member
Yep, what everybody said! The model 66 was so popular that as of last year, S&W re-introduced it to the public after being "out of print" for, what, Guys, 20 years or more?
Of course, the new 66 is not the same gun as the old one's. Re-designed frame, ALL mim parts(The future, I'm afraid. (Sighs), and now w/ a 4.25" crush barrel. I am sure it works just fine and shoots well, but comparable w/ the old "dash" 66's? Not at all, IMHO.
Take care of that 66-3, you have what Bill Jordan used to call the "ultimate Law Officers duty gun". Also, like another member said, a steady diet of hot 125 grn .357 loads can cause damage to the frame and forcing cone of the barrel. A few won't kill it, but 50 rds a week for 6 months to a year of really "hot" .357 125 grn loads and it will give up. And S&W cannot repair it, either. Too long "out of print", and is considered obsolete by S&W. You will probably not shoot enough rnds thru it in your lifetime to have any worries about it. You have a real Treasure, believe me.
Did I mention I now officially hate you!.....lol! In jest, of course.
Lucky Guy, you!
Of course, the new 66 is not the same gun as the old one's. Re-designed frame, ALL mim parts(The future, I'm afraid. (Sighs), and now w/ a 4.25" crush barrel. I am sure it works just fine and shoots well, but comparable w/ the old "dash" 66's? Not at all, IMHO.
Take care of that 66-3, you have what Bill Jordan used to call the "ultimate Law Officers duty gun". Also, like another member said, a steady diet of hot 125 grn .357 loads can cause damage to the frame and forcing cone of the barrel. A few won't kill it, but 50 rds a week for 6 months to a year of really "hot" .357 125 grn loads and it will give up. And S&W cannot repair it, either. Too long "out of print", and is considered obsolete by S&W. You will probably not shoot enough rnds thru it in your lifetime to have any worries about it. You have a real Treasure, believe me.
Did I mention I now officially hate you!.....lol! In jest, of course.
Lucky Guy, you!
Model 66-3
I have one. It is why I landed in this thread. I was searching for info on it.
A buddy of mine sold it to me about 15 years ago for $150.00 with the Case, holster and on speed loader.
I was looking to get an Alien Gear holster for it but now I am afraid it will put wear marks on the revolver. I might just pack it away for a while. I have other pistols to pack..
I have one. It is why I landed in this thread. I was searching for info on it.
A buddy of mine sold it to me about 15 years ago for $150.00 with the Case, holster and on speed loader.
I was looking to get an Alien Gear holster for it but now I am afraid it will put wear marks on the revolver. I might just pack it away for a while. I have other pistols to pack..
Badge 531
Member
Yep, I own one with factory tritium night sights & Hogue Monogrip rubber finger grove grip. But that grip is going in the drawer as soon as m Altamont super rosewood grips get here.
Badge 531
Member
Want to triple your Money?I have one. It is why I landed in this thread. I was searching for info on it.
A buddy of mine sold it to me about 15 years ago for $150.00 with the Case, holster and on speed loader.
I was looking to get an Alien Gear holster for it but now I am afraid it will put wear marks on the revolver. I might just pack it away for a while. I have other pistols to pack..
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