OP
Thanks, Bill In Texas! A very happy day for me today, in Kommiefornia!!!
Finally My Grail Gun * S&W 646 *
- Thread starter Kingspoke
- Start date
Thanks, Bill In Texas! A very happy day for me today, in Kommiefornia!!!
Smurfjones0796
Member
- Joined
- Jul 23, 2017
- Messages
- 5
- Reaction score
- 8
Nice pick up, and congrats on your Grail.
Pizza Bob
Member
Like any pinned front sight - you want to use the holes in the ramp base as guides and drill from each side - do not attempt to drill straight through from one side.
Adios,
Pizza Bob
OP
OP
Thank you, and they don't come up for sale very often, but I see a few of those N frame 610's on Gunbroker.
The 610 is kind of the best of both worlds, though I prefer the 646 L frame platform.
OP
Wow, I'll have to mull that one over.
Might consider a gunsmith to install it. Thanks for the tip!Never knew of such a revolver even though I have SCSW3. Interesting YouTube video using the Bond derringer and it's interchangeable bbls. Can't recall the numbers, but from the chrono readings, the .40 hit harder than the 158gr .357 SWC. Snub bbl and all, but interesting nonetheless.
Kaaskop49
Shield #5103
Kaaskop49
Shield #5103
OP
Here's another example of why I love the .40, but will add the caveat, if I could choose only one gun for self preservation, it would be the 8X 627 Pro .357 mag. Courtesy of Langley Firearms Academy.
[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=peSxf07p0gY[/ame]
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bananaman
Member
Congratulations on filling your quest! Certainly has a cool factor! Enjoy. Bob
OP
Thank you! So refreshing when you look and look, every day for that one special gun and it pops up on the screen, and you hope you beat the other guys to the punch. Then you jump for joy! Finally!!!
I still buy, and look for other guns, but this is, my grail!!
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OP
Love slab sided barrels
The grips on the PC 646 are the ones that came on these guns.
Slab Sided - Google Photos
jcelect
The grips on the PC 646 are the ones that came on these guns.
Slab Sided - Google Photos
jcelect
OP
Thanks, Jcelect! I was afraid of that! Any idea where I can get the original stocks, or would that be a watch for item, in accessories for sale, in the forums?
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In July, 2004 I bought two 646s from Sportsman's Warehouse for $833 shipped.
I took one to shoot and did a full action job (6 ½ pounds DA), set endshake, chamfered cylinder charge holes, bobbed the hammer, installed a Millett rear sight, a SDM front FO sight, and added a set of JM grips. Walt Birdsong convinced me that his Black T was the way to go on the cylinder so I sent it to him for his treatment. It looked great - for about a month.
I shot a PennBullets 165 grain TCBB ahead of WW 231 ignited with a Federal #100 primer and at twenty five yards that load was more than acceptable for IDPA use.
With the Federal #100s I have never had a light hit or a misfire,
I shot this 646 in IDPA SSR for a couple of years and then the speed loader boys got Uncle Bill's ear and convinced him to make a new moon clip category which he ended up calling ESR. That alone wasn't too bad but the 165 PF as opposed to the 135 PF of SSR made the 646 a little more difficult to do well with so I got a 4" 625-3 and gave it the full package.
I would shoot the 646 in some local IDPA type matches that weren't big on PF rules and such and shot the 625 in real IDPA matches.
When I stopped shooting the 646 in IDPA I had put somewhere north of 15K rounds through it. (By the way it's been cleaned hundreds of times using a brass bore brush and a 3:1 Shooter's Choice / Kroil combo with no ill effect to the cylinder.)
The plastic moon clips may work well enough for range plinking but for more serious stuff, competition or self-defense, I'm not sure they would be reliable enough to hold the rounds in fast reloads or with rough handling. The few I tried in practice for IDPA didn't work out for me. I bought a hundred of the Ranch Products moon clips and they are still great shape.
I haven't shot it more than a few hundred times in the last several years but when I do get it out it's like shaking hands with an old friend. I've shot that 646 more than any one gun I've ever owned in 62+ years of gun ownership.
I recently "borrowed" its JM grips for the 2 ½" 686-4 KSP I bought some months back as a strictly fun / range gun.
I've been looking for another Millett rear sight for it but so far have drawn a blank. The 646 may end up "donating" its rear sight as well.
I've heard both a 300 (3rd edition of The Book) and a 900 figure on these guns. Either one makes them somewhat rare.
I personally like the looks of the PC model much better but when I bought mine I wanted a reliable shooter and some of the PC646s were having ignition issues so I passed on them and went with a standard one.
I'm confident you will enjoy yours.
James
I took one to shoot and did a full action job (6 ½ pounds DA), set endshake, chamfered cylinder charge holes, bobbed the hammer, installed a Millett rear sight, a SDM front FO sight, and added a set of JM grips. Walt Birdsong convinced me that his Black T was the way to go on the cylinder so I sent it to him for his treatment. It looked great - for about a month.
I shot a PennBullets 165 grain TCBB ahead of WW 231 ignited with a Federal #100 primer and at twenty five yards that load was more than acceptable for IDPA use.
With the Federal #100s I have never had a light hit or a misfire,
I shot this 646 in IDPA SSR for a couple of years and then the speed loader boys got Uncle Bill's ear and convinced him to make a new moon clip category which he ended up calling ESR. That alone wasn't too bad but the 165 PF as opposed to the 135 PF of SSR made the 646 a little more difficult to do well with so I got a 4" 625-3 and gave it the full package.
I would shoot the 646 in some local IDPA type matches that weren't big on PF rules and such and shot the 625 in real IDPA matches.
When I stopped shooting the 646 in IDPA I had put somewhere north of 15K rounds through it. (By the way it's been cleaned hundreds of times using a brass bore brush and a 3:1 Shooter's Choice / Kroil combo with no ill effect to the cylinder.)
The plastic moon clips may work well enough for range plinking but for more serious stuff, competition or self-defense, I'm not sure they would be reliable enough to hold the rounds in fast reloads or with rough handling. The few I tried in practice for IDPA didn't work out for me. I bought a hundred of the Ranch Products moon clips and they are still great shape.
I haven't shot it more than a few hundred times in the last several years but when I do get it out it's like shaking hands with an old friend. I've shot that 646 more than any one gun I've ever owned in 62+ years of gun ownership.
I recently "borrowed" its JM grips for the 2 ½" 686-4 KSP I bought some months back as a strictly fun / range gun.
I've been looking for another Millett rear sight for it but so far have drawn a blank. The 646 may end up "donating" its rear sight as well.
I've heard both a 300 (3rd edition of The Book) and a 900 figure on these guns. Either one makes them somewhat rare.
I personally like the looks of the PC model much better but when I bought mine I wanted a reliable shooter and some of the PC646s were having ignition issues so I passed on them and went with a standard one.
I'm confident you will enjoy yours.
James
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OP
In July, 2004 I bought two 646s from Sportsman's Warehouse for $833 shipped.
Walt Birdsong convinced me that his Black T was the way to go on the cylinder so I sent it to him for his treatment. It looked great - for about a month. Now, that funny, sorry!
When I stopped shooting the 646 in IDPA I had put somewhere north of 15K rounds through it. (By the way it's been cleaned hundreds of times using a brass bore brush and a 3:1 Shooter's Choice / Kroil combo with no ill effect to the cylinder.)
The plastic moon clips may work well enough for range plinking but for more serious stuff, competition or self-defense, I'm not sure they would be reliable enough to hold the rounds in fast reloads or with rough handling. The few I tried in practice for IDPA didn't work out for me. I bought a hundred of the Ranch Products moon clips and they are still great shape.
I haven't shot it more than a few hundred times in the last several years but when I do get it out it's like shaking hands with an old friend. I've shot that 646 more than any one gun I've ever owned in 62+ years of gun ownership. Schweet, my sentiment, though I can't even imagine that much shooting, and not leisurely, to say the least!
I recently "borrowed" its JM grips for the 2 ½" 686-4 KSP I bought some months back as a strictly fun / range gun.
I've heard both a 300 and a 900 figure on these guns. Either one makes them somewhat rare.
I personally like the looks of the PC model much better but when I bought mine I wanted a reliable shooter and some of the PC646s were having ignition issues so I passed on them and went with a standard one.
I'm confident you will enjoy yours. Yes, I will, I'm a forty fanatic and a Smith revolver, titanium cylinder, L frame, a short 4" barrel, it doesn't get any better!
James
Yeah, I have a feeling I may find my currently 646, the best shooter over the PC version, but like you, I'm attracted to the slab barrel, and also the skeletonized & taped under lug, dove tail front sight, PC trade mark stamping (vs lazer engraving), trigger stop, etc., etc. It just looks more exciting to me.
Who knows, I may end up keeping the 646, which would not be a bad deal, since I love it!!! I'm all in for the PC version, though, because I love the way it looks!
Hey, thanks for posting, it makes it more enjoyable to see pics and hear other's experiences, in a gun that was produced in such small quantities. It would be great if you would consider making a Youtube video on your 646's. There is only one 646 video on the entire site, with no introduction, any explanation about the origins of the gun, it's features, performance, nor any table top closeups.
PS, I prefer the non PC's hammer, and though the tapered & skeletonized barrel looks prettier, the full under lug seems more practical from a accuracy/recoil perspective, however marginal that might be. I also heard on the forum that the PC version had extraction problems, that were later solved?
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I had some of these pictures on another moon clip thread but they are all gone now as they were on Photo-bucket.
I post them again and perhaps they may be of benefit to someone.
I'm a .40 S&W enthusiast as well.
When the S&W 4006 came out I bought the first one in the area - before any ammo was available for it. (I still have that partial first box of ammo).
I've had a number of .40 S&W handguns but when I started selling off some (about 70+) guns a few years back they were thinned out.
My general "off the farm" SD pistol is a M&P40 PC Ported with a Trijicon RM07.
I do like to shoot a .40.
James
I post them again and perhaps they may be of benefit to someone.
I'm a .40 S&W enthusiast as well.
When the S&W 4006 came out I bought the first one in the area - before any ammo was available for it. (I still have that partial first box of ammo).
I've had a number of .40 S&W handguns but when I started selling off some (about 70+) guns a few years back they were thinned out.
My general "off the farm" SD pistol is a M&P40 PC Ported with a Trijicon RM07.
I do like to shoot a .40.
James
OP
Well, I finally acquired the PC slab sided version!
I had to trade my non PC 646, and my 631 32 mag, but both sides are happy, so it's a great trade. I pick it up Monday! I already got indications of light strikes when, I was handed some Rimz polymer moon clips.
I ordered a "Cylinder & Slide" extended firing pin. I also bought 2 pair of Altamonts smooth combat, and round to square (Spanish Diamond). Photos coming, when I mount those.
Here's an interesting link, indicating perhaps only 166 of these PC versions were made. In any case, the 646 is my cup of tea, and I'm fortunate to acquire my ultimate grail gun!
smith and wesson model 646 .40 cal rare? ???
I had to trade my non PC 646, and my 631 32 mag, but both sides are happy, so it's a great trade. I pick it up Monday!
I already got indications of light strikes when, I was handed some Rimz polymer moon clips.I ordered a "Cylinder & Slide" extended firing pin. I also bought 2 pair of Altamonts smooth combat, and round to square (Spanish Diamond). Photos coming, when I mount those.
Here's an interesting link, indicating perhaps only 166 of these PC versions were made. In any case, the 646 is my cup of tea, and I'm fortunate to acquire my ultimate grail gun!
smith and wesson model 646 .40 cal rare? ???
Attachments
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Kernel Crittenden
US Veteran, Absent Comrade
Do you know the product code?
Did the case/box have a factory lable? (Fancy cases sometimes had unattached loose labels mixed in with the paperwork or slipped under the foam lining).
HOUSTON RICK
Member
Congratulations on tracking down your "grail gun". For me, the problem is once that I have a grail gun, a new "Grail gun" takes its place.
