65-8, Unusual/Uncommon Variation...or not

[Retired W4]

This "Plain Jane" M-65-8 has me wondering. With serial number CHL4xxx it is apparently one of the last of the M-65's from 2004. SCSW does not mention a 65-8, except as a Lady Smith. It has the 2 piece barrel, of the 65LS (-8), Uncle Mike's grips, and, of course, the IL. This one seems like a LS witout the embelishments. The model 13 heritage lives on, at least up to 2004.

The underlying question remains. Is this variation of the M-65 unusual and/or uncommon?


Snap shots###for the sake of having pictures.

 

[murphydog]

I suspect there were very few of this model produced, well into the semi-auto era and just prior to it being discontinued; it's the first one I've seen.

 

[Retired W4]

Thanks for the comment Murphydog. I bought it just because it was a 65, then started wondering more, the more I looked at it. It has not been to the range yet, but that is to come shortly.

 

[stantheman86]

I suspect it was probably one of a group of them cobbled together to fill a corrections or security contract. In 2004 there's no one else who would be using them.

I love the new gen S&W's and I have seen MIM and IL 65's but I believe those were 65-7's. whenever I see a late production 65 I never have the money to buy it.

 

[Retired W4]

It is deffinitely marked 65-8. It also had 8F etched in the front of the yoke right below the extractor rod which lends its self to the security/corrections idea. I paid $441 OTD which I thought was fair.

 

[stantheman86]

I would say S&W just used LS parts to make up some 65-8's for a contract order.

Those who would say "who would issue revolvers in 2004?" Well I'm a state corrections officer and we use 65-4's loaded with .38 +P's, I carried one today on the outside patrol for 4 hours, a pretty banged up holster rashed 65-4 with Pach Grippers that rides in an old beat up leather thumb break holster I also qualified with a 64-8 at the academy and the entire state corrections system uses a mix of various models of 64's and 65's. the way the 65-4 used by the outside patrol gets treated, its a good thing they didn't buy 10's or 13's since that blue would be long gone......and also I see the advantage of fixed sights, those would surely get bashed up. Corrections sidearms do not get treated kindly and are handled by at least 6 different people a day depending on what they are being used for.

 

[k22fan]

The relevant entries in SCSW for the last of the 66s are similar. Under Engineering and Production Changes the last dash number for 66s is 6 and it says 66s were dropped in 2005. However, two-piece barrel 66-7s were traded back to S&W by an Australian state about a year ago. IIRC it was New South Wales (NSW). Apparently for 66s dash 7 means two piece barrel. The authors of the SCSW missed the dash number signifying a two piece barrel for both 66s and standard 65s. I wouldn’t interpret that over sight as an indication of the quantity produced. NSW traded in 2.5” and 4” 66s varying considerably in age. Enough of them were dash 7s for them to be all over the place for a few months.

The quantity of 65-8s and 66-7s produced is a good question. From the SCSW we can deduce that both were introduced and dropped in the same year, but they did fill government orders with them. At any rate not many forum members are going to forget about “pinned and recessed” and start out bidding each other for two piece barrel revolvers. Even so considering its condition it’s a lot of gun for $441.

 

[stantheman86]

I have one of the 4" 66-7 Australian police guns, its an excellent shooter and a piece of both S&W and Australian history. Will it be tomorrow's "collectible" ? Probably not, no way will IL and MIM Smiths ever overshadow the old pinned and recessed 66's, etc but I enjoy my new gen Smiths.

 

[Retired W4]

I appreciate all the thoughtful comments. I guess it does fit somewhat in the unusual/uncommon catagory. Colletable? Not really, except as a round out for someone who has a lot of 65's. Good shooter? You bet.

Just got off the phone with S&W and they tell me the gun was produced 14 June, 2004, with a total production run of 3032 guns (some what small). Product code 162604.

 

[stantheman86]

Excellent info

I have a 64-7 and I understand not many of these were made since the switch was made to the 64-8 shortly after. Still that didnt stop me from dropping in a set of Wolff power rib and rebound springs and using mine as a shooter and occasional carry piece