I have a chance to pick up a nice used Model 66-4 2-1/2" barrel. Just wondering what you all think of them. I was debating over that or a 686 3" barrel. I've heard of forcing cones cracking on the 66, and Smith does not make parts for them any more. But, how is the derabitlity of the 66?

I like them both!
The 66 is lighter to carry all day.
The 686 seems to shoots better and is more durable.
I guess it will come down to how long you're going to carry it and how often you'd be shooting it.

I have a 3" 66-2 with about 4500 rds down the barrel and still very tight and a nickeled cousin to the stainless 66. It's a 2.5" 19-4 thats my motorcycle carry weapon. It's hovering at around 800 rounds. IMO it is much easier to pack and conceal than a 686. I also find it a better handling revolver than it's larger L frame brother. If you are going to shoot a steady diet of magnums the 686 will eat em with ease and do help handle the recoil due to it's added weight. I enjoy shooting so I shoot .38's as the recoil is not a problem in either frame size.

The 3" barreled 66 is my all time favorite Smith. Extremely accurate, well balanced and ejects empty cases with ease. They're pricier than a 2.5" 66 but worth the money IMO.

If you stick with .38 specials for practice / plinking you'll have a hard time shooting that revolver loose in your lifetime.

Stay away from 110 and 125 gr. magnums as they are rough on the forcing cone. I shoot nothing but 158 gr. bullets through mine and use only Speer Gold Dot 158 gr. magnums for self defense.

They are great revolvers that'll last a lifetime if you properly maintain them and stay away from them lighter magnum rounds.

Here's my 66-2 and 19-4. Hard to beat as all purpose revolvers. Get yourself one and you will not regret it.

19-4 Ahrends RB finger groove grips


66-2 Ahrends boot grips.

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V/R
Roger / SG

man those are sweet looking pieces, arent they! love those grips. the one i'm looking at has pacmyers on them. the wood is so much better.

whats up with the 125 gr rounds? why would they be tough on the cone?

whats the going price for these? The one i'm geting is going for 425. no box though...

I have a 66-4 (4") that I bought new in 1997, if I could only own one handgun, that would be the one. Very accurate, easy to carry concealed with an inside the wasitband holster, stainless steel for low maintenance.

The 66-4 was the last Model 66 made with the high quality bits that revolver enthusiasts like, case hardened hammer and trigger, hammer mounted firing pin, no MIM parts, no lock....

I shoot mainly 158 grain cast lead handloads through mine, and use 158 grain jacketed hollow points as my carry ammo.

$425 seems to be the going rate for these revolvers today, but I wouldn't let mine go for that. I doubt that I would ever sell mine....

I think $425 is a good price.
Like canoeguy, I would not sell mine (pictured above) for that price?
Mine is currently wearing Hogue Bantam grips as I didin't want to mess up those magnas.

First do a good inspection of the forcing cone and top strap of the 66-4. If everything checks out I would buy it over the 686. The K-frame magnums fit my hands the best. I have a 66-4 4 inch. I bought it used and it is in excellent shape. I shoot 38s only. For self defense there are several excellent +P ammo that would work well.

I shoot my magnum ammo only with my 686 and a Ruger Security Six. Both are a lot stronger and were design to shoot 357 magnum ammo.

The model 19/66 are worth more than a 586/686. But you do need to take care of them. Treat the 66 as a 38 special revolver and you will never sell it.

Hope this helps

I have three of the 2 1/2" model 66s, one 2 1/2" model 19, one 3" 66 and one 2 1/2" 686. I can not tell you what the engineering revisions are because I ignore that information. I love all of mine, from the simple mag-na-ported 66 to my scratched up 686 BBQ gun.



The snubby 19/66 has to be one of the most loved Smith and Wesson production pieces of all time. Those of us that buy them do not want to sell them.

The cracked/eroded forcing cones are associated with the 110 and 125 grain jacketed loads. Remember this light weight/high speed ammunition did not exist when the model 19 revolver was introduced in 1955 or even when the model 66 came onto the scene fifteen years later in 1970.

That light weight/high speed ammunition came to us first from the folks at Super Vel back in the early 70s. It took almost a decade of shooting before the issues were noticed and diagnosed. When the cause of the cracking/erosion was uncovered, the L frame was introduced to help solve the problem, that was 1980.

The model 19/66 will take a lifetime of Magnum shooting if you use projectiles over 125 grain. Even if you choose to go with the lighter weight Jacketed bullets from time to time, it will take many thousands (perhaps tens of thousands) of rounds to erode /crack the average forcing cone. Remember this issue was noticed on Law Enforcement revolvers which often get fired more than privately owned firearms.

A couple guys have mentioned this.

Why do light bullets cause cracking?

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A real sucker for the J-frames

I'd be all over it at $425.00!!!! They go WAY higher than that on the auction sites. My 66 will never leave the nest. Already in the will for my daughter who is a detective. She shoots it with deadly accuracy.

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V/R
Roger / SG

I agree. As long as the revolver is in good condition, you can shoot 158g factory ammo and not have a problem. But the 19/66 is a model 15 combat masterpiece that was modified to shoot 357 magnum loads only if it had too. Smith and Wesson has stated that. The L frame came out because of the problem K frame magnums had shooting the modern light grain ammo.

The reason Smith and Wesson came out with the 19/66 was because of the request of Bill Jordon a Border Patrol officer to produce a easy to carry 357 magnum for law enforcement. Complaints from law enforcement were the N frame was too heavy to carry all day.

Anyway, this is what I have read from various sources. I have also talked to retired law enforcement officers about the subject.

Thanks for the replies all... I brought her home today. I talked the dealer down another 50 on the gun because there was some scrathes on the frame i didnt notice before. And because i bought another Ruger LCP! Paid 289 for the Ruger and 375 for the Model 66. The 66 has Hogue grips which i like, but i ordered a set of stock service grips for it. I think wood looks so much better on it. I'll post pictures of them later...

What a nice piece that 66 is!

Light(er) bullets are only part of the issue. The lighter bullets were (and lots of current ones still are) generally loaded for higher velocity. This creates better expansion, with relatively similar kinetic energy to the slower/heavier ones. Compared to the slower/heavier loads, these loads create a greater and faster pressure "pulse" as the bullet enters the forcing cone. With repeated use, the light/fast loads have been cited to cause forcing cone failures in Model 19s and some Model 66s. The L frame revolvers are built heavier and thus can take the stress better. Of course, you could shoot those loads in a N frame pretty much all day long... but carrying an N frame isn't concealable for a lot of folks.

Moral to the story: sometimes, slower is better.

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