So I walked into my LGS on Thursday and there in the case was a Ruger GP-100, 4 inch with the old style rubber and wood grips. Handled it, fondled it and really considered it. Then the clerk had to say, "if you like that one, you really should feel the trigger on this Smith." And he brings this out from under the counter.


WOW!

It wasn't my "going to get this next" gun but it has been on my list of "guns to own" for years. She's a little dinged up, but the action is tight and I just couldn't leave without her. The deciding factor was opening the cylinder and the proof marks were my initials. How's that for karma?



Now I just have to get to the range....

Thanks for listening, and there's no need to wipe down your monitor, the drool is on mine.

Congrats! The 3" 65 is one my favorites too. Seems like they have gotten hard to find recently too.

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NRA Certified Instructor

I tryed to find one like that, ended up with it's Junior brother, a 2" M64
Nice revolver.....

Perfect caliber, perfect size. Well done!
You are going to like this gun a lot. By the way, this is the K-Frame that Internet lore says not to use in .357 or the forcing cone will crack.

Balderdash! She will take a steady diet of 158 grain .357 magnums and outlive you and your children.

Enjoy.

Oh and while wood grips are nice looking, if you replace the rubbers plan on wearing some sort of glove. "Full house" rounds will wear on your hand after a few cylinders.

This unsolicited advice is worth exactly the bandwidth it took to post.

I concur with Bluejax about .357 in the K-Frames. After some research, it's my belief that bad cleaning techniques are as much to blame as anything, and maybe even the whole cause.

However, not sure I agree completely about the grips. Rubber grips are great for what they do, but there are some good grips made out of wood that work well...Ahrend's round butt finger groove combat grips look great and I routinely shoot full house .357s with them with no discomfort at all. Just a suggestion if you think about wood instead of rubber. I think it's the best grip for control, carrying and looks I've ever had on a revolver.

The 3" 65s have got to be my favorite, followed closely by the 547 and 13, 10 and 64. Just wish S&W had made or would make a 3" 619/620.

No argument here

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Sure you did

You can not keep her! You passed up on the Ruger! you need to go back and get it...I will take the Smith off your hands. Nice buy. Enjoy.

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2 Timothy 1:7

Oh yea She's a keeper!!!!!

Better to ask for forgiveness than permission...

You did good!

Had to show off our 65-5. It currently wears rubbers for comfort but looks amazing with the wood furniture.

I gotta say it again to each new owner. The 65 3" is the best concealed carry revolver ever conceived by S&W, bar none. Try a set of Hogue Bantam grips on it.

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Dick

And MOONDAWGIE, you forgot full spent shell extraction.

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Dick

I picked up a 65-3 recently. It is now my conceal carry gun.
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Thanks everyone!

Diamonback, I'll have to grab some Hogue Bantams for it, I have them on my 340 M&P and love them.

I think its going to be a Simply Rugged Sourdough Pancake holster with the inside out straps for IWB as I wear a suit or at least a sport coat everyday.

Nice score! I looked a long time for a 3" 65. Now that I own one, it's become my EDC, and favorite revolver.

You can't go wrong with a 65 3". Wish my wife would give mine back.

I got two.... and that ain't enuff! They are great guns, as stated above. Betcha can't have just one.

Hog

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Isaiah 55:8-9
Phil. 4:13

Two quick suggestions Palmetto...1st, I like the old Uncle Mike's rubber grips that were a copy of Spegial's (I believe). They aren't made anymore but can be found (I found mine on the forum here). Also, for iwb carry of a M65 3", I really love my Lobo holster. Hit Ray up. Got mine in horsehide.

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17-2, 65-5, 442-2, 10-5

The 4" Model 65 was my first gun. One I would never part with

Good find! My favorite handgun of all time.

I like the looks of that gun. I have a 4" that hides pretty good in an Alessi belt slide. I like the weight of the 65's. Mine shoots 158 grain .357's without problems and I shoot 125 grain .38 +P's quite a bit for target practice. Someone before me polished most of the satin finish off and I am tempted to redo it. I need to find a good picture of one that has the original satin finish so I can duplicate the direction of the swirls and such.
congratulations on your purchase. Those target grips smack me in the knuckle with full power .357's. The magna's are alot better but too skinny for my hands. The most comfortable grips are the Pach. Grippers that were on it when I got it.
gordon

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better have that checked

Palmettosunshine

You can keep it just as soon as you replace the goodyears with wood!! he he.
Seriously, that is one fine packing six-gun, accurate too. Hope you'll give us a range report.
Congratulations.
Frank

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US RIDE FOR THE BRAND OR LEAVE

Big fan of the 3" 65 myself. Here's mine.



Grips are Hogue rosewood.

Here's an example of Hogue rosewood on a square butt, in this case a 13-3.



They look quite a bit thicker than they atually are. I suppose that's the 10# we gain in front of a camera.

I sure like my 3" 65 and would like another.

To answer your original question...no, I'm sorry you cannot keep her. You must immediately send it to me! Congrats! Great buy. Happy shooting.

If your Momma, or wife won't let you keep her, CIsland will give her a good home! He's got my old 65-3, but I have his old 586 no dash! Bob

Wife, bless her heart, stopped keeping up with my gun purchases and trades long ago. What? This old thing? Oh, I've had that one for years honey. Oh, ok.

Convinced her that this one was our "boat" gun. You see honey, what we need is a stainless .357 for the salt environment, that way it won't rust as easily and I can protect you and our child from all manner of beasts, with and without legs.....

Not only is there a special corner of hell for people like me, but she'll now outshoot me with it when we go to the range, I just know it.

Only if she can cook.

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Sure you did