Greetings. New to the forum but not to S&W's. I recently purchased a sweet Model 63 22lr, no dash, pinned barrel, with original wood Coke (?) grips in pristine condition. The serial number is M159xxx. My question is, when was this revolver manufactured? Also any other information you might have on it. I haven't made it to the range yet but plan on shooting it tomorrow before the workday at the gun club.
I guess to post pictures you need to use a photo hosting site. I uploaded pictures to Photo Bucket but they are not showing up after uploading them to it. What host do you use, or how do you post pictures?

Pics added below.

Welcome! The SN puts it as shipped in 1980. These are very nice trail/plinking guns, as I'm sure you're about to find out.

Photobucket should work for photos. Click on Post Reply under the last message, then Manage Attachments. Copy and paste the URL of the photos you want to post, then click Upload. Unless they are too large they should post with the message.

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

Thank you for the information. Hope this works.

BTW murphydog, my Bessie could be your Labs twin.

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Very nice! This type of stocks is called the Magna, and are the original type for this gun. If you look on the inside of the right panel you may see the digits of the SN stamped there, showing they are the originals fitted to your gun.

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

I took the stocks off and there was a faint number there that I couldn't read. There is a green film on the inside of the stocks that would not rub off. I have not tried to clean it with anything yet. Was going to ponder on what to use. The gun was in a closet for 18 years along with several others. The gentleman that owned them passed and his widow was selling them through a friend. I purchased the gun for $300 not knowing for sure what it was worth, but from what I read here I may owe them more.

Worth a minimum of twice what you paid.

You got an excellant deal on a very nice pistol.
Congrats.

That green may be a kind of mold, I'd wipe off with denatured alcohol. You got a steal.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

Thanks everyone. I am going to give her more for the gun as I am not the type to take advantage of someone in her situation. But even so I think I got a deal on it because it is in such good condition. Got to run a few rounds through it before the workday at the range this morning, and it is a sweet shooter. Just need to adjust the sights. Very heavy double action trigger pull though. May have to have to work on that.

H Richard; Thanks for the suggestion. I'll try that and see what happens. That hadn't crossed my mind.

I bought the same model/dash around the same mnfr time in almost as good condition for $600, and I thought that price was fair.

Kudos to you for going back to her, too.

These are nice guns. I've always said there's something about a .22 revolver that makes the shooter feel like a kid again.

Nice gun! I agree on the $600. Last one I saw was $650 - and that was the ONLY one I've seen for sale in years.

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But then, what do I know?

Thanks for the help guys. I forgot to mention that the box did not come with it, just the gun and a leather holster. Hoping she finds it in another closet sometime.

The green on the insides of the stocks is present on many S & W wood stocks of this era; it is definitely there from the factory but I have never heard or read what it is. It does no harm to the metal on the grip frame so I'd leave it alone.

The J frames have pretty stiff springs, but after a few (thousand?) cycles the pull will tend to lighten up some. You now know what you must do. . Enjoy!

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

Thanks Alan for the information. Like you said there is no adverse effect on the frame and it didn't come off on the rag I used to try to rub it off with, so I'll leave it be.
I guess if the best way to lighten up the trigger is to just shoot, that is what I'll have to do. The things we are forced to do. Now to find a few thousand rounds of 22lr.

I got the same one. I looked for YEARS to find it.

"I am going to give her more for the gun as I am not the type to take advantage of someone in her situation."

SharpRedOne,
You're truely a Gentleman, welcome aboard!
Kevin G

Thanks for the compliment Kevin. I just treat people as I want to be treated.

Dennis.

SharpRedOne, my welcome and kudos as well. If you want to lighten the trigger pull on that little J-frame, which I assume you won't be using to defend your life on a regular basis, you might consider buying a Wolfe Spring Kit for it. They provide a coil mainspring and rebound spring that are enough lighter to give improved trigger pull without giving up too much reliability. The stacking effect of that coil mainspring (unique in S&Ws to the J-frames) can be a little annoying on some of the little guns. BTW, you might also want to look for a pair of the factory target grips that were available for that gun... they look really nice and give you some more to hold on to... I like them on my small frame 22s.

Regards,
Froggie

PS I applaud and agree with your attitude toward the lady from whom it came... I wish more of our number would treat even our friend's wives so fairly in the same situation. I know I try to.

Thanks for the kudos Froggie. I won't be using the 63 for self defense (my Bodyguard fills that holster). I'll definitely check into the Wolfe spring kit for it. I'm mainly going to be using this for plinking and our 22 shoots at the range. I'm going to get different grips for it as I have big hands and want to put the original grips in a safe place. Any suggestions as to where I can find some originals.

I have a suggestion that others may already do, and that is to place a list inside of their safe with names of trusted friends, inventory and prices that your spouse (or children) can use in case something happens to you. My wife would have no idea as to how much my guns were worth and at least she would have someplace to start. Just one less thing for them to worry about.

SharpRedOne, welcome to the forum! You have picked up a great gun and I too applaud you for not taking advantage of someone. Please feel free to hang around and learn a bit more about S&W's.

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John. SWCA #1586

Welcome! Thats a real beauty, had a chance month ago to pick one up and passed. Already kicking myself

Hi SharpRedOne and welcome.
I won't repeat all the good comments you got here about your excellent purchase or the thumbs up for how you treated the widow. Will just say I fully agree.

But . . . here's the real reason for my post:

Do not let your wife start shooting your new Kit Gun. If you do, you will be out looking for another one for yourself. Ask someone who's been there.

Jack

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Jack
SWCA #2475, SWHF #318

Welcome aboard! FWIW, I thought the trigger-pull was
too stiff on mine, plus, the hammer-spur would take the
hide off my thumb, from the sharp serrations of the checkering.
I dressed the hammer spur with a whetstone just enough to
take away the bite. My 'smith smoothed-out the trigger-pull.
I didn't change spring, but the smoothness really helped.
Glad you got it, and glad you're a better person than some.
TACC1

Thanks for the help and compliments everyone. I've been a S&W fan for years. Bought my first one after I had a customized Springfield 1911 stolen in a breakin. Replaced it with a 4506 , then had to have a 4" 686 CS-1 (which my wife took over). Got a deal on a 5906, a Bodyguard and now this M63. Really want a M29 to round out my collection.

It just never ends!!!

Hey, SharpRedOne. I've been looking for a 63 myself. Soon. Very soon. It will find me! Nice pics, BTW.

Nice dog. Oh ya, nice gun also. Welcome.

Here's a 63 with the targets. I think it makes for the perfect trail gun unless you're in an area where some of the critters might want to eat you. Beautiful revolver you got there and I appreciate a man with your integrity.

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NRA Certified Instructor-RSO

All S&W rim fire revolvers seem to have a heavier trigger/hammer pull than the center fires. I suspect this is due to the fact that they have to ignite the primer inside the cartridge rim and some of those are hard. I had my M63 (which has a .22 WMR cylinder also) worked over and the trigger is much better. It does sometimes fail to ignite some off brand, usually foreign makes, rounds. It has never failed with WMR rounds, seemingly all of which are American made. Good news for the magnum cylinder as it might be used for defense.

I have owned many S&W (since 1975) and am new to the forum. I recently bought a model 63 no dash with SN AFB835X. I was just wondering what the month and year of manufacture. Can anyone help?

Per that #, Nov. 1984.

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Jim
S&WCA #819

I have one with a serial number of m1176** any info on the year.thanks

Early 1979.

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Jim
S&WCA #819

The hogue one-piece wood grips sure feel good....

Beautiful! Love those grips. There's a wide factory target trigger available for that gun.
Shown here on my Target .32, Model 30-1 1966 vintage(now .32 H&R Mag).

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Jim
S&WCA #819

They are GREAT little guns. I also like the smooth S&W targets:


April ’81 M63 • $420 OTD at a LGS (11/13/12)... no widows or orphans were harmed in this purchase. I did not go back and give them more $$.

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Bill - SWCA #2327

With ajax grips and t-grip.(I know I know)

Hi SharpRedOne,

Welcome to the Forum, and tip of the hat to you for your honesty with the widow - you sure you ain't a Texan? I have a Model 34-1, which is the blued steel version of your Model 63. I'd love to have a Model 63, but just haven't found one I could afford, yet. As far as the heavy trigger pull you referred to, Hondo44 beat me to it, I changed my narrow, serratted trigger to the wide, smooth-faced combat trigger, and I also changed the factory grips to a set of Herret Shooting Masters, and it greatly improved the trigger pull. I'll try to update this post with photos later.

Regards,

Dave

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The green stuff is Vertigris. It cleans up best with a vinegar and water solution which will also inhibit it from coming back.

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Jim
S&WCA #819