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66-1 with recessed cylinder but no barrel pin

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DeanK

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Hi,

I have a 66-1 in very good condition. It seems as though most 66-1 .357s have pinned barrels but this one does not so my guess is that it was made late in the last 66-1 series year. It has a recessed cylinder so the shells sit flush when inserted. The serial number starts with 117kXXX with mod 66-1 below that. I don't have the box. Anyone know when this was made?

Thanks,

Dean
 
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28-2 Not pinned but recessed...

I had a model 28-2 that is like your 66. It was not pinned but had a recessed cylinder. It had a serial number near the last of the -2 variation. Is your 66 near the end of the engineering variation?
 

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That is what I'm trying to find out. The serial number starts with 117k which I think is the part used to determine the date. I looked but didn't see a table of serial numbers to dates but I'm new here and could have missed it.
 
Thanks Jeppo! Does anyone know if these mix models very rare or are there lots of them?

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DeanK said:
Thanks Jeppo! Does anyone know if these mix models very rare or are there lots of them?

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Not so rare, just a little unusual. They had probably already switched over to pinless barrels, but still had some recessed cylinders left over. S&W is legendary for not wasting a single part. As a result, guns at the end or beginning of engineering changes may have features from earlier or later versions.
Pretty gun, BTW!
 
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S&W did not waste parts, so what you got was one of the last recessed Model 66 cylinders in what is otherwise a Model 66-1. It's considered a bit of an oddity, but not something that will drastically increase value.
 
66-1 Transition Model

Thanks for all the help regarding my 66-1. I doubt if I will ever sell this gun, I've had it for over 20 years and picked it up for only $200 back then at a gun show. I only recently saw that these 66-1 models normally have pinned barrels watching a YouTube video about the different S&W models. Although my primary concealed carry is a Sig 365 XL, I always carry the .357 when walking around my property with my dog since there are still quite a few large predators around here including cougars which killed a bicyclist on a trail just a few miles from here last year.

It's amazing how smart dogs are about predators. I have a fairly large Irish Setter and he will chase after coyotes for fun and will even bark at bears and bobcats from a safe distance but with cougars you can be 20 feet away and not see them but the dog will get really quiet and stand against me quivering like they do when excited or afraid so I always know if one is somewhere near. When you do see them they keep their distance but never run away. They'll walk parallel to you, not towards or away keeping their eyes on you the entire time until they're out of site. Incredible animals and as long as there are large predators you know the environment is healthy. But the .357 still comes along. :-)
 
gfors said:
Not so rare, just a little unusual. They had probably already switched over to pinless barrels, but still had some recessed cylinders left over. S&W is legendary for not wasting a single part. As a result, guns at the end or beginning of engineering changes may have features from earlier or later versions.
Pretty gun, BTW!
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Correct. I have a 66-1 2 1/2 Combat magnum. Inside the crane it is marked 66-1, the cylinder is recessed. The barrel is not pinned.

Sort of a transition when S&W had some 66-1 cylinders left and so they marked it 66-1 (maybe they should have marked it 66 -1 1/2!)
 
My Smith and Wesson 66-1 with 2.5" barrel and round butt also has a recessed cylinder but the barrel is not pinned. It's a little earlier with a 99K prefix serial number.
 
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