Another 66-1 lol

[S&W Fan]

I'm a big fan of adjustable sight K frames, the model 66 especially. The gunsmith at the range I belong to handles the used guns the retail store takes in, is a good friend and knows my preference for Smith revolvers.

Serial number prefix is 53K so I'm guessing '78/'79.

This 4" came in a few weeks ago, a little rough cosmetically, missing the red ramp and wearing a Pachmayr Presentation grip. Despite it's physical shape the mechanics are excellent as are the barrel and chambers. It didn't take long for him to throw me a very attractive price and put my name on it to take home once it was good to go.

On a whim I stopped by on my way home from work today and it was ready! They were going to call me tomorrow haha. Thanks to forum member sasaberanger Thom Braxton I have an appropriate vintage/condition set of target grips on it. Here's a couple quickie cell pics.

 

[rjm6120]

Great rescue! Not a bad looking 66 at all.

 

[Engine49guy]

Although the 4" Model 66 no dash is the one generally sought by collectors I see more no dash guns come up than the 4" 66-1 for some reason, most 66-1's that do pop up seem to be the snubs.
The 66-1 is perhaps the high water mark of the KT357, all the stuff you want P&R and improved gas ring to limit fouling.
The 66-2 dropped the P&R feature.

 

[Green Frog]

^^^Plus One to Engine49guy^^^
I recently posted here that this is one of the few revolvers I'd be tempted to buy now. And if it were priced commensurate with the condition you describe, I would have been all over it, even with grips by Goodyear. You got "pick of the litter".
Froggie

 

[S&W Fan]

Just finished up with a short 50 round session with this "old" 4" 66-1 I picked up Friday. The ammo was Federal 130gr fmj .38spl, all fired double action. I really like this gun, I'm going to try to hold on to this one lol.



First 12 rounds at 10 yards


Next is a series of timed exposure, 3 seconds each at 15 yards, the taped over hole at the "C" was the first rushed shot lol


The last is a combo of 10 and 15 yards, timed exposure of 3 seconds, the small "A" zone were all at 10 yards

 

[snw19_357]

The 66-1 is perhaps the high water mark of the KT357...

FT357

 

[Green Frog]

Just finished up with a short 50 round session with this "old" 4" 66-1 I picked up Friday. The ammo was Federal 130gr fmj .38spl, all fired double action. I really like this gun, I'm going to try to hold on to this one lol.

If you ever feel yourself weakening on your resolve to hold onto this one. Let me know... I'll gladly take care of it for you!
Froggie

PS That target reminds me of what I used to shoot with my Model 66 ND when we had a casual PPC league back in the late eighties. Man, they were some fun times!

 

[153]

S&W Fan,

That's a really nice holster …

 

[Seven High]

Do you know what the history of this M66 is? It looks like a LEO surplus revolver to me.

 

[Muley Gil]

When my now wife entered law enforcement in 1987, she picked a 4" M66 as her sidearm. Unfortunately, she sold it a couple of years before we married.

When we got together, she had to compromise with the 4" nickel M19 I gave her. A few years back, I found a 3" M65 and we "traded", since she prefers stainless over nickel.

 

[S&W Fan]

Do you know what the history of this M66 is? It looks like a LEO surplus revolver to me.

It was one of a few items the shop bought from the seller. I didn't get any more info than that. I'll try to go by the shop on Monday to ask if they know more otherwise it'll be Thursday or Friday.

 

[charlie sherrill]

Back in the 70's our first department issued sidearms were the S&W 66-0. Before that we had to provide our own sidearms. Thirty of us lined up on the range for familiarization training and 14 of the 66's seized up. We had ordered around 70 of them and the range officer sent all of them back to Smith. They came back in perfect working order and we carried them for several years. The next department issue came around 1983. These were S&W model 686's and we had the same problems with most of them. By then our armorer had gotten training at Smith. He fixed all the problems and stamped them all with the "M"'

 

[robvious]

the 66-1 & 19-4 were concurrent models and some consider them the peak of P&R design..

 

[Muley Gil]

Back in the 70's our first department issued sidearms were the S&W 66-0. Before that we had to provide our own sidearms. Thirty of us lined up on the range for familiarization training and 14 of the 66's seized up. We had ordered around 70 of them and the range officer sent all of them back to Smith. They came back in perfect working order and we carried them for several years. The next department issue came around 1983. These were S&W model 686's and we had the same problems with most of them. By then our armorer had gotten training at Smith. He fixed all the problems and stamped them all with the "M"'

Massad Ayoob was not real popular with the folks at S&W when he reported that problem with the M66s. Of course, the company wound up having to change the location of the gas ring to fix things.

 

[S&W Fan]

I stopped by the shop today and got a little more info. This 66 was part of a group from a collection out of state. Unfortunately the seller didn't have the box etc. Due to the lack of "shiny" spots at the muzzle and front of the cylinder it didn't spend much if any time in a holster reinforcing not being an l.e. item. Rather it appears to have been a nightstand item or perhaps the wear marks are bumping against other guns in some sort of storage-whether a safe I don't know.

I'm guessing since it had the Pachs it was an occassional range gun but again there's not much of an indication it was shot much.

Thanks for the interest.

 

[Muley Gil]

I stopped by the shop today and got a little more info. This 66 was part of a group from a collection out of state. Unfortunately the seller didn't have the box etc. Due to the lack of "shiny" spots at the muzzle and front of the cylinder it didn't spend much if any time in a holster reinforcing not being an l.e. item. Rather it appears to have been a nightstand item or perhaps the wear marks are bumping against other guns in some sort of storage-whether a safe I don't know.

I'm guessing since it had the Pachs it was an occassional range gun but again there's not much of an indication it was shot much.


Thanks for the interest.

It could have been issued to a senior police officer who stuck it in a drawer & only shot it during qualifications. He most likely carried a Detective Special or a Chiefs Special on desk duty

 

[S&W Fan]

Thanks, possible but doubtful we'll ever find out. Nothing special enough about it to warrant a letter, just special enough in how it shoots!