65 Thread - Post Yours

[Snapping Twig]

This is a thread for 65 owners. Any variant will do, but pictures are mandatory.

I'll start it off with a 3" 65-5, the venerable "Ladysmith". Secure in my manhood, I believe this is an ultimate carry gun. Further, of all the regular production Smiths, IMO, this is one of the lowest production runs making it on the rare side.

Here she is.





Let's see yours.

[diamonback68]

Love this gun.
I've since replaced the grips with Hogue bantams (edited: see BlackSky's post below) for carry.

Enjoy!

[C Islander]

Wish I knew how to post pictures, I've got two 65's.

[BlackSky]

[zellerSC]

I have both and am curious if one is more desireable than the other.

The -3 has the flash chromed trigger/hammer and smooth front/back strap.

The -5 lacks the flash chrome trigger/hammer and has the ribbed front/back strap.

Other than these differences, am I missing something?

Thanks.

[ladder13]

THE perfect carry gun, imo. On my growing list of guns that I'd never sell or trade.

M65-5

[ladder13]

Originally Posted by CIsland

Wish I knew how to post pictures, I've got two 65's.

Believe me, if I can do it, anyone can. You can register with Photobucket or similar hosting site. You then take pics, download into Photobucket, and post on any forum or attach to e-mails..

[Black_Sheep]

Love my 65...

[mic214]

Mine originally had a square butt and a 4" barrel. I had a gunsmith cut the barrel down to 3" and convert the grip to a round butt. He also installed a new front sight and re-crowned the barrel:

[bamabiker]

Looking down the business end most people would never realize it's a Lady.

[TAROMAN]

Found mine in a LGS. Came in its purse and box. However, it looked as if it must have been somebody's boat gun. Many small rust pits all over. Decided it could be saved. Gradually polished off the sandblast finish in the process. A great shooter and certainly a keeper.

[oldafsp]

65-3 Purchased new for my wife as her off duty gun.
She won't carry anything else.

[armybass]

Here is the one I foolishly sold along with a great 686 I let slip through my fingers.....sigh

[Dennis The B]

Here's mine, a model 65-5, with the original Uncle Mikes Combats:

[ladder13]

Originally Posted by mic214

Mine originally had a square butt and a 4" barrel. I had a gunsmith cut the barrel down to 3" and convert the grip to a round butt. He also installed a new front sight and re-crowned the barrel:

Smokin' lookin' 65

[ohiojerry]

Here is my dash 5.

[Snapping Twig]

Hey, I've got a question for you guys...

My 65-5 has flash chromed hammer and trigger, but in this thread I see it both ways - case hardened and flash chromed.

Does anyone know if the Ladysmiths had one or the other from the factory... or both?

[blujax01]

Originally Posted by ohiojerry

Here is my dash 5.

Jerry if you ever want to trade that off, I want first dibs!

[ColbyBruce]

My S&W #65-5. I installed a set of Hogue Bantam stocks on this gun for a better grip.


I carry it in either of these holsters, a PWL or a Desantis.

[BlackSky]

This thread made me nostalgic enough to dig her out of the safe and use her for the carry gun this weekend. Snapped a couple new pics at the coffee table a minute ago.

[foggood11]

Here's mine, a 65-4 all dolled up with (imitation) ivory and a Tyler T.

[enfield]

OK, just don't comment on the quality of the photography:

[Speedo2]

removed PC

[diamonback68]

I would love to get ahold of a -5 too just for the serrated front/back straps. That would be cool and my -3 ain't going nowhere.

[M2MikeGolf]

I'm a big fan of the 65 and want one desperately, but just couldn't find one (here in Germany). So I had to game it a little and look at options, which are pretty restrictive for me. I'm not sure many people knows that S&W made an L-Frame version of the M65 for awhile, called the 619. I still want an M65, and if one comes my way over here, will try to get it (and believe me, that's not easy), in the meantime, here's my Model 65 wannabe:



S&W also made the 620, the L-Frame version of the M66, but sadly, it's gone too.

[strangelittleman]

I bought my issue 4" 65 when my dept. switched to the new "plastic fantastic". I really liked having the 65 in my holster.
I had Pachmayr Presentation grips on it when we were issued full-power Rem. 125 JHP .357 ammo, when we switched to 125 JHP .38+P I put on a set of Uncle Mike's square butt Boot Grips, they are absolutely perfect for the 65 w/ +P ammo.

[Andyd]

About a decade ago, I bought this M-65 LE trade in. It was in the days of the assault weapons ban and I traded $50 worth of Glock Hi-cap mags (that's what I had paid) plus $60 for this old gun:



It is one of my favourite revolvers now.

[CigarGuy]

Is a 3" the shortest they made in the 13/65 model?

[ghawke]

Originally Posted by CigarGuy

Is a 3" the shortest they made in the 13/65 model?

According to S&WSC yes. Both the 13 and 65 were made with round butt in 3", and square butt in 4" version.

I won the bid for this one yesterday. It is a 65-5. The photo is from gunbroker.com. I will take some better pics when I actually get it in my hands.
Greg

[CigarGuy]

Probably why my monitoring of GB for a snubby for weeks hasn't gotten any hits.........
And nice score, ghawke!

[galena]

Here's mine (65-2). Nothing special just a d--n good all around carry piece. I have a 3" M-13 and can't decide which one I like best, sometimes I carry them both. Love those K Frames. Keep shootin'

[shotguntom]

My 65-5 with Ahrend Cocobolo grips. The perfect set up for me, along witht my 3 inch 13-3 with Ahrend Cocobolo grips. Life is good!

[Maximumbob54]

After several tries with different grips I have now settled with Ahrends finger groove boots in cocobolo.

65-5

[pharmer]

The 4" is gone. The 3" was an EDC for almost 10 years. Joe

[LOBO]

65-3, 3" with Ahrends...

[ghawke]

Originally Posted by CigarGuy

Probably why my monitoring of GB for a snubby for weeks hasn't gotten any hits.........
And nice score, ghawke!

Cigarguy,
I'm not sure how you were montoring, and this was my first time. Some might have better advice.
I put in a pretty specific description, ie, S&W model 65 3" barrel.
I only had to look at like 15 guns, not thousands. Of course, maybe I missed some doing it that way.
So get back to the hunt and good luck.
Greg

[strangelittleman]

Originally Posted by galena

Here's mine (65-2). Nothing special just a d--n good all around carry piece. I have a 3" M-13 and can't decide which one I like best, sometimes I carry them both. Love those K Frames. Keep shootin'

That's classy, yet simple!

[Candyman]

Here's one I got for $375 a while back. By far the best deal I have made in a long time. Serial # is 1D53XXX, no clue when it was made but it is the only model 65 I have seen pinned & recessed (not seen very many around). It is a great shooter

[G.T. Smith]

This is my 65. It is a LEO trade in. It is nice and tight, but somebody tried to polish it out and did kind of a ****** job. For a long time I hit low a couple inches and to the left a couple of inches. I was getting good groups, but low and to the left. I thought it had to be the gun in some way. A fellow forum member,(you know who you are) showed up while I was qualifying for my CCW, and put that theory to rest. Since, i have worked on my grip and my natural aiming area and have improve greatly. Thanks Bob!
I love shooting this gun.
Peace,
gordon

[M2MikeGolf]

Originally Posted by LOBO

65-3, 3" with Ahrends...

My favorite 3" SS K-frame, with my favorite round butt grips. Sweet!!!

[seabeesbob]

I have a 65-4 and reading these post the 4 means something. please explain. I want to buy the S&W book as I am sure it is in there, but it's not in the buget.

[papajohn428]

Two of my first 3-inch guns, my 65-2 shown below a Rossi 44 Special I also really enjoy carrying and shooting. The 65 has a trigger that defies description, as slick and light as it gets on a K-frame, which is pretty darned good.

[Senor Chisme]

Back in June, 1978 when I reported to the Border Patrol Academy in Glynco, GA. we were issued Colt .38 Spls., 4” blue, with “U.S. Border Patrol” stamped on the backstrap. It might have been an Official Police model. The revolver that you trained with was the gun you took back to your duty station.
About halfway through the academy (8 or 9 weeks), they took back all the Colts and issued brand new S&W Model 66s. The qualification course was the old PPC course. We fired left side and right side barricade from the 25 and the 50 yard line (strong hand from the strong side, and weak hand from the weak side of the barricade at both distances). Most of the course was fired using wadcutters except for the 15 yard line where we had a timed reload (fire 6, reload, fire 6, strong hand supported by weak hand, all in 20 seconds) using magnum ammo. Also we had to reload from our belt loops. Speedloaders were expressly forbidden.
When I got back to my duty station at Laredo, I decided that I didn’t like the profile of that 66 as much as I liked the look of that fat barrel on the Model 65. I called some outfit in California (might have been named Wilson) and ordered a 4” Model 65 but I had them add a blued S&W adjustable rear sight with white outline and a blued Patridge front sight pinned into the barrel. I just loved that gun and it shot like a laser. I carried it in a Rodgers holster that was made from kydex, lined with suede leather, and split up the front so that the draw was just break the thumb break and a forward sweep. Rodgers later sold out to Safariland I think and that is where their plastic lined holsters evolved from.
In 1984 when I transferred to investigations in Chicago, I sent my 65 back to California and had them cut the barrel back to 3” (I was working in plain clothes then) and reset the front sight. I also had them round the butt and bead blast the entire gun. Still shot like a laser. In 1987, when I transferred to Dallas, I still carried it until the entire Immigration Service switched over to autos. Then I retired the 65 to be used as a house gun.
I still take the gun to the range periodically, just for nostalgia. Recently, I had the forcing cone split at 6 o’clock. I tried for a long time to find another pinned barrel to replace it. I finally found a 3” Ladysmith barrel from Numrich Arms that was already bead blasted. I had a gunsmith fit it and even pinned the barrel. Although I now carry a double stack .45 here at the Sheriff’s Office, I still qualify with my 65 twice a year. I still love this old gun and will pass it down to my grandson one of these days as I tell him about its rich history

[bronco45]

Senor Chisme: Thanks for your story and photo. Nice to see a person who loves Smith and builds one the way they should have been built. Then smart enough to keep the weapon.

I bought my Model 19 back from the state when we transitioned to Glocks.

[dbracin]

I found this LNIB 65 this past summer in a local store. It's one of my favorites now.

[bmb04913]

65-3 purchased used in S. Calif. Stamped TPD U-XXX. Torrance? Temecula? I don't know. Seems worn but it puts a hole exactly wherever I aim it.

[johnny3]

[C Islander]

Since I got my 3" 65, I look at this thread every day!! Gotta love 65's.

[Maximumbob54]

Let's not let the 65 love thread die!!!!!

I know, it's the same gun but it's the only 65 I have still... So I added a knife!

[jimmyjoe]

65-3
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