3" 65-3 Found Me

[gfors]

Yesterday, I got a call from the LGS. An other customer brought in a 65-3, for consignment. Round butt, 3" heavy barrel, box, and papers. The manager never put the gun in the sales case. Instead, he put it in the back room, and had one of the guys give me a call. "Yes, I'm interested!!!". "We'll hold it for you, until you get a chance to check it out."
I looked at it, after work. Some handling marks, tight as a drum, and smooth as butter. Original grips and rubber boot grips. Box and all the paperwork.
I bought it.
Can't pick it up, until CBI is finished (2300 folks, in line, ahead of me, prolly a 2 day wait-usually it's 15-20 minutes).
Pictures when I get it, I promise.

...as promised, see post #18, for pictures...

[BAM-BAM]

Always a great find....... I passed on one at a LGS about 18months ago for $600..... would have been my 3rd and I have three 3" 66s so......................I let it go..... still wondering if that was the right decision.

[ContinentalOp]

Nice!

I used to have a 3" 65-3. Great gun. Picked it up at a gun show mid-2000s for $375. No box or papers. Had a little custom work done on it. Carried it quite often. I haven't sold many guns, but that's the one I regret selling the most.

[gfors]

Never handled one before yesterday. Checking GB for comparison. Don’t seem to be many for sale, and prices are climbing quickly.

[ContinentalOp]

Yup. 3" 65s are in very high demand with very limited supply. Those who have them, and know what they have, don't tend to give them up.

[Eddietruett]

Originally Posted by BAM-BAM

Always a great find....... I passed on one at a LGS about 18months ago for $600..... would have been my 3rd and I have three 3" 66s so......................I let it go..... still wondering if that was the right decision.

It was not the right decision. Did you expect anyone here to applaude you for not buying it?

[Dieseltech56]

I found a 65-3 at a cabelas last year for $425. It had a few scratches and I overlooked the barrel face erosion for that price. Earlier this year I set the barrel back one turn and tightened the gap. Also recut the forcing cone to 11°. Couldn’t be happier.

[BAM-BAM]

Originally Posted by Eddietruett

It was not the right decision. Did you expect anyone here to applaude you for not buying it?

No but with 5 3" K-frame .357s I was way past need......... and had two boys in college!

[Bill In Texas]

I've got a 65-2 with a 3" barrel. I would like to have another, or a model 13 with the same barrel length, but I'm not willing to pay the prices I see them going for on Gunbroker.

That's a very nice pickup. I'm glad you got it for a price that was acceptable.

I'm considering buying a 4" 65 or 13 and sending it off to Hellfire Custom and having them cut it down to 3" among the other work they preform to make a custom carry piece.

Enjoy your new revolver!

[LPD256]

I stumbled into a 65-3 with a 3 inch barrel in the box in Tulsa. I got it home and cleaned it and it’s come to the range with me a few times. Great shooting gun. I’m glad I found it.

[Walter Rego]

A 3" Model 65 is probably one of the best all around carry guns that S&W ever made. They are extremely scarce here in CA. I saw one at an LGS about 10 or 12 years ago and thought it was overpriced. I thought about it and went back a couple of days later and it was gone. It took me another 5 years to find this one.

[SLT223]

Gotta love the 3” 65. I got this little guy three years ago at an LGS....$299 OTD



...it was part of three gun purchase:
66-3 was $450 and 19-7 was $499...would have been more appropriate in covid times because I would have been wearing mask

[C Islander]

20200208_165531.jpg

Love mine!

[gnystrom]

A couple of years ago I bought one from a friend unfired for $350. Love the gun but my son who lives in TX came home for a visit and the gun went home with him. I miss both of them but do get a visit once in awhile.

[NB4EST]

Mine is a -5, but it clears its .357 empties with EVERY stroke of the ejector rod, unlike most of my less-than-3" snubbies. According to the timer, it's the quickest .357 I carry when teamed with a Safariland speedloader.

[Turn4811]

I have a 65-2 LEO trade-in that looked factory fresh inside but had lots of holster wear and a set of worn out Pachmayr grips. I put a set of no-name rubber grips and it has been a great shooter.

[jtcarm]

Originally Posted by BAM-BAM

No but with 5 3" K-frame .357s I was way past need......... and had two boys in college!

And your point is?

[gfors]

I picked it up, 3 hours ago, and gave it a test drive. What a gun!!!
Head shots were 2 hand, DA, at 25'. Body shots were DA, 25 yards, some right hand, some 2 hand. This 65-3 shoots as good as any gun I've ever had in my hands, except for, maybe a 2 1/2" 19-5, or a High Standard Supermatic Tournament.

[pantannojack]

I like that gun. I want one more than my 66RB 2.5". I had one a short time but the hammer nose bushing was defective so I returned it to the dealer ( sniff). Another poster asking: "Whats your point?" might find the answer on page 60 of a large blue book.