.22 to complement M66-3 ?

[rmcnelly]

The 617 seller seems too busy for me to drive 120 miles to get the gun and I'm a little frustrated. I hoped to pick it up this week and avoid the weekend Labor Day traffic which is a zoo around here.

In the meantime I found a Model 18-4 on an online gun buying site described as 99%, no box. Will probably cost me $725 if I'm adding up the credit card and shipping charges correctly. I have never purchased a firearm via one of these sites before. Is there anything I need to look out for?

 

[fyimo]

The 617 seller seems too busy for me to drive 120 miles to get the gun and I'm a little frustrated. I hoped to pick it up this week and avoid the weekend Labor Day traffic which is a zoo around here.

In the meantime I found a Model 18-4 on an online gun buying site described as 99%, no box. Will probably cost me $725 if I'm adding up the credit card and shipping charges correctly. I have never purchased a firearm via one of these sites before. Is there anything I need to look out for?

The main thing is to check his feedback if it's GB and if there are any negative comments I'd be leary. I've bought many S&W revolvers off of GB and I've never had a problem but there have been a few forum members that have. If he ships the revolver himself to your FFL make the seller send a copy of his drivers licence with photograph on it so you are safe if something goes wrong like the forum member who bought a revolver only to find out it was stolen and the police took it from him. It's actually best to buy from a dealer on those auction sights or at least have a private individual ship through an FFL on his end to your FFL. That way if something is wrong at least the local FFL he used has at least met the individual and can provide the police with some documentation on his end.

Model 18's are great revolvers and you are getting it for the going market price for one in that condition.

 

[rmcnelly]

It's on a different site (GA) but appears to be a dealer with 416 transactions and 100% positive feedback. But when I check the feedback there are only 2 positives from 2007 and no negatives? He's listing 57 other firearms for sale at the moment.

 

[rmcnelly]

I just purchased the Model 18 and might have it by Tues

 

[rmcnelly]

Got it!

The M18-4 arrived early, I wasn't expecting it until Tues due to the Labor Day holiday. The gun is very clean with no noticeable wear. Took it to the range and the trigger was very stiff. Wore my hand out 'till I backed the strain screw out temporarily. Trigger was lighter but had a stiff initial pull. I measured it on a fish scale when I got home. Strain screw a little over 1/2 turn out was reliable at the range and gave a high 9 lb pull (I won't go lower as I know the rimfire needs a good hit). All the way in was a high 12 lb pull but it felt much worse. I've ordered a spring kit and some Ahrends grips as I hated the stockers.

 

[fyimo]

Nice looking Model 18 that looks like it wasn't shot much. It may need to be shot quite a bit to wear in the parts as they smooth out with lots of shooting. My first 686 go smoother and lighter after about 500 rounds down the tube.

It's either that or the inside of the action is gunked up which will require a cleaning either by you or a gunsmith. My two model 18's were great when I bought them as the trigger pull was light and crisp. Mine are an 18-3 and a 18-4.

 

[rmcnelly]

I took out the cylinder when cleaning it this afternoon. The crane retention screw is completely different than my M66 which has a pointed tip to ride in the groove. The M18's looks like a normal screw and is threaded to the end?

I did a search and have learned there were several different yoke screws over the years and mine is ok.

 

[RHINOWSO]

Pre model 18 Combat masterpiece. Smooth & light trigger pull but she's 58 years old and has been shot quite a bit... I was happy to find it online a couple of years old for $450 IIRC...

 

[BUFF]

rmcnelly:

Congratulations, looks like you found a really nice sixshooter. My Model 18 would be one of the three last handguns I would keep if they all had to go.

I bought my Model 18-3 new in April, 1977. It has been a tremendous aid in learning and maintaining my paltry revolver skills. I tried to keep track of the number of rounds fired by me and friends through this gun; the estimates run from 50,000 rounds up. As one might think, it has a pretty mooth trigger mechanism now.

The Model 18 got me ready for the new 4 inch Model 66 I bought in February, 1978. I put the same grips on them, the same wide, smooth "combat" triggers and played with springs until their pulls in both single action and double action are similar.

About the only .22 S&W revolver I would rather have would be one of the Model 53 .22 Jets with a 4 inch barrel and a .22 LR cylinder. They would even balance out better, more closely to each other in the hands.

I think it is a fine strategy to gain and maintain your shooting skills with revolvers.

 

[Murdock]

That's how I did it years ago. The M-18 taught me how to shoot DA. When I could afford it, I bought a M-19 to match it. Both stolen in a burglary within a month of buying the M-19. Still miss 'em.

 

[rmcnelly]

Here are new pics of my M18-4 and M66-3. The grips are Ahrends retro combats. The M18 has a square butt grip so I had to find a set of good grips that I could get a round butt to square butt conversion for the M66. Both guns now feel very similar but the case hardened trigger on the M18 has a harder edge on it which becomes irritating when shooting DA. I am undecided if I will smooth it off and polish the visible portion of the trigger. I am going to paint the front sight ramp fluorescent red as my eyes aren't what they used to be. The 18-4 had a terrible trigger and I was shocked to see how rough the internals were. This was the last of this series and they had removed the pinned barrel. Maybe the gun was at end of life and they let the quality slip. It's smoothed up now with new springs and shoots great!