Picked up a 65-3

AR_Paratrooper · #1 02-09-2013, 10:04 PM

Well, I've been reading on the forum for quite a while but didn't want to officially join until I had something to contribute. I guess everyone can determine whether it was worth contributing or not.

I have been after a S&W Model 65 for a while and haven't been able to find one. I hit all the gun shows, pawn shops and everything. Finally found one and figured I had better pick it up while I could. It was a four inch model (I wanted a three inch barrel), had these wonderful Pachmyr grips on them (I think they're ugly as sin), and was a bit worse for wear. The barrel and cylinder were scuffed up pretty bad and the backstrap looked like it had gone through a wood chipper. Nevertheless, I like a good challenge and have never done any gunsmithing before so I thought, why not?

I bit the bullet and dropped $450 for it. I've worked on it for about four or five hours over the last two weeks. I'll post a few of the before pics here and see if it looks right. I'll get the after pics up a bit later and show what I've done to it.

Please let me know what you think or shoot me some advice on what I can do to make it look better.

P.S. I ordered a set of Ahrends for it. I saw some of the pics on here and couldn't resisit.

AR_Paratrooper · #2 02-09-2013, 10:08 PM

Alright, I think I figured this out. Here are a few of the "after" pics. I've done some work on it. I have a lot left to do, but it's starting to look much better. I'm quite proud of the back strap improvement.

I'm thinking about having the trigger and hammer jeweled for purely cosmetic reasons. I think it looks neat. Any advice?

Maximumbob54 · #3 02-09-2013, 10:12 PM

Not a bad deal on what I assume is an old police turn in gun. A M65 four inch that doesn't have a beat to death action has so far eluded me.

I would pass on the jeweling of the hammer and trigger. They may look stainless but they are actually flash chromed. I'm not sure how that would turn out.

Can't what to see the Ahrends as I'm quite a fan of them as well.

AR_Paratrooper · #4 02-09-2013, 10:17 PM

Thanks for the tip on the jewelling. I'll post some pics when the ahrends come in. I was really surprised with the action on this one. Smooth as silk. aside from being beat to death on the outside it seems like a tight gun.