Smith & Wesson Model 66 Combat Magnum 357

Model 66

Unfortunately I no longer have the 6 inch I carried walking the beat when I first became a policeman. We provided our own sidearms but when the city bought and issued model 65s it got sold. My 2.5 inch carries on and is all day comfortable in a Kramer MSP paddle holster. Pricey? Yes but quality leather and a quality dedicated gun belt makes all the difference (Kramer or any of the other good makers, The Beltman, etc). The Kramer scabbard is also great. Lower cost option DeSantis speed scabbard is good.
 

Attachments

  • 4C345039-AA68-4F25-9DFD-CAB566F6096F.jpg
    4C345039-AA68-4F25-9DFD-CAB566F6096F.jpg
    83.4 KB · Views: 86
  • B8399680-AC3F-4C01-907E-8A0F4217B845.jpg
    B8399680-AC3F-4C01-907E-8A0F4217B845.jpg
    84.8 KB · Views: 89
A side-by-side shooting opportunity with .357 Smiths of different frame sizes will leave you in no doubt about where the K-frames sit with regard to shooting comfort. The easier they are to carry, the more they can sting with full loads. To use .38 Spl +P in them is wise if one anticipates the need for shooting multiple targets with any speed.

Rubber stocks/grips work better than anything else for control, but they tend to print under garments more because fabric doesn't slide over them easily. They are relatively unattractive to be sure compared to wood, ivory or bone. For slow fire work with heavy loads Jordan Trooper stocks worked well for me. They can be a bit large though. The long-discontinued Pachmyr plastic ones are more shock absorbent than wood ones.

Uncle Milty's Versa Max IWB works well for me when I carry my 3-inch 66-2 socially, which I find I do more than my other .357's. Like Bam-Bam reported above, when afield and desirous of real .357 potential power, I use a 4-inch 686 wearing the Hogue rubber it came with, but in truth for than kind of use the 4-inch 66 would work as well for me.

Ultimately I believe in being well dressed for any occasion, so I have one of each. My 6-inch is a M19-3, but I have considered trading for a 6-inch 66-1 just to satisfy some OCD and complete the set all in stainless.
 

Attachments

  • 20200520_104642.jpg
    20200520_104642.jpg
    81.4 KB · Views: 103
  • 20200719_121609.jpg
    20200719_121609.jpg
    227.6 KB · Views: 114
  • 20200719_121518.jpg
    20200719_121518.jpg
    209.8 KB · Views: 93
I’ll go a little different way. I used to use a Galco Jacka** shoulder holster to carry heavier guns. I recently bought a new one that will carry 2,3, 4 inch K frame guns. I love it as it takes weight off of my titanium and arthritis hips. Works great with heavier clothes. This summer will be my Shield or a 3 inch J-frame. Hope this helps. Expensive but worth it for my comfort.
 
THE PILGRIM said:
Before I became an over the hill J Fanboy my 66 Shorty was my primary carry gun.
It’s a hand full with full loads.
Kind of twisty.
Get some grips that fit!
Bought that holster in Lafayette.
It was in a big pile of used holsters.
Click to expand...

Thanks. My son and his family live in Albuquerque. He works for UPS.
 
sandog said:
Why would bigger, fatter and heavier be better for carry ?
I've had two 686's and they are awesome range guns, but no way I'd carry one all day every day over a M66.
Click to expand...
I guess for the same reason some like to carry an N-frame S&W. It is personal preference.
 
My recent reloading endeavors have left me convinced that if you want to shoot a 357, you should be thinking 4”.

Crunching Ballistics by the Inch’s data, a snub just won’t get a JHP up to the velocities they made their reputations at. Might still work, sure... but all that street cred doesn’t really apply because you aren’t shooting the same apples.

Likewise, applying “more power” might get it closer, but the snub’s recoil from the heavier loads negates some of the benefit.

357 is a great round, and the 38 capability adds so much versatility. It’s kind of a tough fit for a small EDC tho.
 
mikerjf said:
My recent reloading endeavors have left me convinced that if you want to shoot a 357, you should be thinking 4”.

Crunching Ballistics by the Inch’s data, a snub just won’t get a JHP up to the velocities they made their reputations at. Might still work, sure... but all that street cred doesn’t really apply because you aren’t shooting the same apples.

Likewise, applying “more power” might get it closer, but the snub’s recoil from the heavier loads negates some of the benefit.

357 is a great round, and the 38 capability adds so much versatility. It’s kind of a tough fit for a small EDC tho.
Click to expand...

I don’t find the recoil of a 2 1/2” K frame 357 significantly different than a 4” K frame when they wear the same grips.

I think yesterday’s reputation was earned collectively by 2 1/2”, 3”, 4” and 6” 357s in use, with a lot more input from 4” because more were used. Despite the prevalence of 4”, I think the strong reputation is fairly attributable to all of the barrel lengths.

But yesterday’s reputation was earned a LONG time ago and bullet technology has come a long way. It’s actually amazing to me how many crappy self defense loads still exist given the advancements.

A look at Lucky Gunner’s ammo gel tests can help differentiate which loads work in shorter barrels and which need longer barrels.

IMO, any +/- 30oz revolver is a tough fit for everyday EDC when the P365, P365X and P365XL and similar are readily available. You have to want to carry a revolver.
 
Model 66 (no dash)
Milt Sparks PMK
R. Grizzle “Workin’ Man”
 

Attachments

  • 84900404-DEB7-4474-B010-6546D0F89E05.jpg
    84900404-DEB7-4474-B010-6546D0F89E05.jpg
    89.5 KB · Views: 67
  • FF424DBC-8476-4236-A862-F11904655855.jpg
    FF424DBC-8476-4236-A862-F11904655855.jpg
    104 KB · Views: 65
55Yk4Bp.jpg

One of my all time favorite Smiths. My current 66-1 is the 7th 2.5" I've had over the last 40+ years. Super accurate and fun for new shooters to try with .38 Special ammo.
 
mikerjf said:
My recent reloading endeavors have left me convinced that if you want to shoot a 357, you should be thinking 4”.

Crunching Ballistics by the Inch’s data, a snub just won’t get a JHP up to the velocities they made their reputations at. Might still work, sure... but all that street cred doesn’t really apply because you aren’t shooting the same apples.

Likewise, applying “more power” might get it closer, but the snub’s recoil from the heavier loads negates some of the benefit.

357 is a great round, and the 38 capability adds so much versatility. It’s kind of a tough fit for a small EDC tho.
Click to expand...
That is why some ammo manufacturers now make ammo specifically for use in short barrel handguns. This ammo typically has a very modern bullet that is designed to expand at lower velocity.
 
sandog said:
Why would bigger, fatter and heavier be better for carry ?
I've had two 686's and they are awesome range guns, but no way I'd carry one all day every day over a M66.
Click to expand...

I've been daily carrying a 4" 686 for years. Better balance, better trigger, better shooting, more bullets. I don't really notice a difference in size or weight. I do notice a difference in all other metrics.

686+, the best gun ever built.
 
First, thank you for your military service.
I have a Model 66 2 1/2” that is my primary edc and I carry it in a Simply Rugged Sourdough pancake.
Because I don’t have large hands for a guy, I had Patrick Grashorn, a member of this forum, make a set of pre-war elk stocks ( no the elk wasn’t pre-war, he was a much later issue I assume).
The stocks fit my hand perfectly and shooting magnum loads are no problem although it mostly get fed a diet of .38’s.
 

Attachments

  • 8912961F-C4DA-4A7A-B6D1-4550D70ED57C.jpg
    8912961F-C4DA-4A7A-B6D1-4550D70ED57C.jpg
    68.3 KB · Views: 77
Lowa said:
I've been daily carrying a 4" 686 for years. Better balance, better trigger, better shooting, more bullets. I don't really notice a difference in size or weight. I do notice a difference in all other metrics.

686+, the best gun ever built.
Click to expand...


The 686+ does offer the advantage of a 7-shot cylinder.
 
My model 2 1/2” 66, like my 4” 686, need a committed shooter. You cannot be a lackadaisical shooter, or you’ll give yourself trouble, and repeatable accuracy will be hard to achieve. Proper application of grip, sight alignment and a proper trigger press will show a gun that will outshoot many, many others on the line. A set of Pachmayr grips helped a lot. These are wonderful guns. Leather was custom made for the model 66 because of my choice of carry.
 
I carried the 2 1/2 Model 19 for years with 125 gr. JHP. It was a workhorse. I had the Pachmeyer grips so felt recoil was managable.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

M
model 66-8
Replies
2
Views
432
murphydog
murphydog
Doc44
.357 Combat Magnum, K260001
2
Replies
21
Views
2K
dobegrant
dobegrant
T
Buying a model 69 combat
2 3 4
Replies
61
Views
4K
TAROMAN
TAROMAN
M
Question about Smith&Wesson 32 magnum 16-4 model
Replies
7
Views
281
s&wchad
s&wchad
E
Model 66-2 sight blade
Replies
6
Views
417
ernieflash
E

Latest posts

Back
Top