Had to buy a shooter! Got a 65-2 P&R

[old11bravo]

So my last acquisition (66-2) turned out so much better than I thought it would that I couldn't bring myself to shoot it. In my mind that justified my buying something in .357 that I could shoot. Makes sense, right? So here is my new shooter in .357. It's a real pretty 65-2 P&R model. I can't wait to get her out for a test run hopefully tomorrow. Went and bought some .38 special (132gr) and some .357 Magnum (158gr) at Cabela's today.

I do have a couple questions though.
1. Anyone know the story on the grip I've got here?
2. What is the "V" mark on the cylinder face where it's recessed?

Thanks guys!

 

[Engine49guy]

The letter "V" was stamped so the facctory workers knew the cylinder was SS not carbon steel in the raw prior to finishing,

The grips on your gun are correct and are called square butt "PC" (for Plain Clothes) Magnas which describes the rounded heel area.

The grip adapter was added after the gun shipped, nice gun !

 

[Shorty 45 MK2]

Congrats on your new shooter!

That sure is a nice looking one and should be a real blast at the range.

 

[Texas Star]

The grip adaptor is a Tyler T-Grip, and is now hard to get and often, expensive out of all proportion to its original price.
Don't sell it cheaply or discard it.

It's a basic service revolver, not meant for extensive firing of hot .357 loads. If you wanted to shoot a lot of .357 ammo at the range, you should have bought a sturdier gun, like a Ruger GP-100 or a S&W M-686 or one of the big N-frame S&W's.

But you now have two very fine all-round revolvers, provided that you shoot them mainly with .38 ammo. Use .357's only some 10-15% of the time. You don't need to be blasting away with Magnum ammo all of the time, anyway.

 

[old11bravo]

Sage advice. Thank you for that and your kind comments sir!

The grip adaptor is a Tyler T-Grip, and is now hard to get and often, expensive out of all proportion to its original price.
Don't sell it cheaply or discard it.

It's a basic service revolver, not meant for extensive firing of hot .357 loads. If you wanted to shoot a lot of .357 ammo at the range, you should have bought a sturdier gun, like a Ruger GP-100 or a S&W M-686 or one of the big N-frame S&W's.

But you now have two very fine all-round revolvers, provided that you shoot them mainly with .38 ammo. Use .357's only some 10-15% of the time. You don't need to be blasting away with Magnum ammo all of the time, anyway.

 

[kaaskop49]

With the present service stocks and grip adapter, your gun is already set up as a carry piece if you so desire.

Texas Star makes a good point re ammo selection. A good load I've found for .357 practice is the CCI 158gr JHP .357Mag load. It's a medium load; another poster reported 990 fps in 3". I use tons of this round in my K- and smaller J-frame magnums. I've also used this load for carry without reservation. I've also found the W-W 110gr JHP .357 load to be less harsh on the gun than the heavier 125gr and full 158gr rounds.

Enjoy your nice gun! Stay safe, partner.

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103

 

[vipermd]

Shoot it till it breaks

It's a basic service revolver, not meant for extensive firing of hot .357 loads. If you wanted to shoot a lot of .357 ammo at the range, you should have bought a sturdier gun, like a Ruger GP-100 or a S&W M-686 or one of the big N-frame S&W's.

NO-----First you are spot on with the grips- excellent and coveted.
The 65 was meant to be fired-slick handling, feels good in the hand, the gp-100 is like suggesting driving a duece + half instead of the new Vette he just bought. Speed, service, security Sixes were/are great guns, great trigger, they fit human anatomy better than the gp-100. As for the 686 or N frame they are bigger,heavier, and do not point as well.
"Extensive firing" is truly a garbage term, 1000, 10,000, 40,000 are numbers and mean something. The OP had not said he was buying it to compete, and Plans to beat JM, shooting 125,000+? per year, besides they would be light 38 specials. If he enjoys shooting 125 JHP Mags exclusively and dislikes med 357's, 38+p+ , and the like then he should shoot it till it breaks. If a forcing cone cracks so be it, but if his pleasure comes from 125 gr BTTW loads that is what he should shoot, there is a built in round counter,that lets you know when to stop! Many years ago I took possession of a speed six, 2 3/4" and went to the range, 7 speed loaders filled, and proceeded to empty them and the other 6 rds in the gun, and the 2 in my pocket in less than an hr. I enjoyed it, smart? not really, good practice? No, the last 2 cylinders were truly painful. I still have it today and it still shoots well at 100 yds ( head ) or 3 feet. He got a great gun, he should use it However he most enjoys it. I have seen tests of various 19- models but all were small groups 15-20 guns. Some saw 158 lswc, and cracked, others 125 gr no cracks, while others had cracks with less than 500 125gr in one of the tests. So most all this info is anecdotal at best, is it the 125 gr jump, superheated gasses, metallurgy, luck of the draw. Shoot what you enjoy. Be Safe,

 

[KLYDE]

Beautiful package you got here. Congrats

 

[rjm6120]

Very nice 65!!! I would like, for my next revolver, whenever that will be, a model 65 or 64 in 2" or 4".

 

[kaaskop49]

Very nice 65!!! I would like, for my next revolver, whenever that will be, a model 65 or 64 in 2" or 4".

If they'd only made a 2" 65... I'd need a new safe!

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103

 

[Engine49guy]

The K Magnum is a great shooter, IIRC reports surfaced that 125 grain .357 loads could crack the forcing cone at its weak point near the 6 O clock position so best to avoid that load in the K magnums, The L frame Magnums eliminated that flat spot on the forcing cone and are fine with the 125 grain loads.

If they'd only made a 2" 65... I'd need a new safe!

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103

Sounds like a good project, you can use a Model 64 barrel and shorten the forcing cone.

 

[vipermd]

The K Magnum is a great shooter, IIRC reports surfaced that 125 grain .357 loads could crack the forcing cone at its weak point near the 6 O clock position so best to avoid that load in the K magnums,

That is the problem- cracks do occur @ 6 O'clock, but I have not seen a reason why. It has been postulated that it is the jump with shorter 125 grain, excess gases around the shorter bullet since it will not seal as quickly as 158 ( longer). As I stated above the tests have been done by individuals with sample of ~ 20 guns, ( various 19-'s ), and the results have been all over the place, probably due to the small test sample. I have put at least 3K my one 19 that I can document, it still shoots well without damage, while I did see a friends 19-4? crack in under 200 rds!- His were all factory Rem. But 2 cases mean nothing. That same 19 of mine digest 2-3 7.5 gr of bullseye under 158 gr LSWC, in 38 spl cases- Bad scale but we got lucky. If you know of any good tests results I would be interested. Be Safe,

 

[jtcarm]

The grip adaptor is a Tyler T-Grip, and is now hard to get and often, expensive out of all proportion to its original price.
Don't sell it cheaply or discard it.

It's a basic service revolver, not meant for extensive firing of hot .357 loads. If you wanted to shoot a lot of .357 ammo at the range, you should have bought a sturdier gun, like a Ruger GP-100 or a S&W M-686 or one of the big N-frame S&W's.

But you now have two very fine all-round revolvers, provided that you shoot them mainly with .38 ammo. Use .357's only some 10-15% of the time. You don't need to be blasting away with Magnum ammo all of the time, anyway.

What does "basic service revolver" mean ? A service revolver is intended to fire a lot of rounds. S&W didn't produce a .357 Service revolver thinking it wouldn't be shot much with .357s. Otherwise they could've stuck with the Model 64.

The forcing cone issues weren't known until the 80s when agencies adopted the 125 JHP load. They also started practicing/qualifying with the same ammo vs 38 wad cutters previously used and that's when it surfaced. I have no idea how prevalent the problem was.

Because the 125 grain & lighter bullets are unsupported by the chamber throat when they hit the forcing cone, additional gas escapes and the gun has started its muzzle rise, so the bullet hits the bottom of the forcing cone, right where it's thinnest,

My advice: shoot magnums with 140-grain & heavier bullets, enjoy it, love it. If you can afford enough ammo to destroy the forcing cone, you can afford a new barrel or new gun,

 

[kaaskop49]

Sounds like a good project, you can use a Model 64 barrel and shorten the forcing cone.

The late gunsmith Andy Cannon, who was known for his fabulous "street" guns, performed such an operation. If he were still living, I would send him a 65 to work his magic.

Stay safe, Fire.

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103