Early 66 357 No Dash using newer 357 Ammo Q's

[bakron1]

I am looking at a real nice early no dash Model 66 Stainless 4" 357 mag and I checked the Forcing Core and it looks like new and I don't think this pistol was shot very much. I am concerned about running the newer 357 mag ammo through it from all the artIcles I have read about the forcing core cracking issues.

I would really like to find a 2.5" version, but the local gun shop has a this nice early 4" for a decent price and I debating on whether to pull the trigger and buy it, it would be my range revolver and my daily EDC is a 640 Pro Series 357 which I really love. any help and advice would be appreciated.

 

[mikeruns]

Just refrain from using light hot loads. Most specifically, the 125 grain magnum loads create a large firery blast which attributes to frame and forcing cone cutting and cracking. Some people have claimed to fire hundreds and even thousands of full power magnum loads with no problems. I would personally refrain from the light hot loaded and use 140 and heavier loads. The 158 seems to be the old tried and true multi purpose load for the .357.
I prefer the L frames, and never enjoyed magnums through k frames, but do keep a model 65 around…..loaded with 158 lead hollow points. Cheers and good luck.

 

[Hair Trigger]

What he said^^^

And let's see some pictures and a partial SN when you get it.

 

[PeteC]

Nice gun, I love shooting mine... with .38 spl, or conventional 158 grn flat-nose lead magnum ammo.

There is no easy answer to that question. The gun was designed as a stainless steel version of the Model 19, which in turn was designed for training with .38 spl, and "occasional" use with .357 magnum ammo available at the time.

As the ammo improved and got more powerful, forcing cones and frames cracked. They did not necessarily crack as a result of fatigue, or erosion, although there were also reports of premature wear, in addition to forcing cones and frames failing. Some cracked after a few rounds.

Stainless steel does not react to heat the same as high carbon steel, which is another factor. Heat is not distributed as evenly and at the same rate, so the barrel expands faster than the frame at the point where the cracks appeared. So, rate of fire is a factor also.

The cracking problem got worse after the small relief at the bottom of the forcing cone was made deeper, which happened as a result of a change in the gas ring, in the mid-50's. That change was reversed, but the deeper undercut was retained.

Lots of variables, in other words. Ammo, engineering changes, rate of fire... poor quality control... Some guns cracked after a few rounds, some never. Some police departments returned guns in batches.

In general, 158 grain projectiles and standard loads are safe to use, 125 grain "hot" loads are not.

Some of the history of the failures and fixes leading up to the development of the L-frame is in this article featuring Dick Baker:

The Smith & Wesson L-Frame Story – RevolverGuy.Com

edit:

Not quite "your grandfather's" magnum ammo, not very high tech, but still available in various forms and profiles today:

 

[Bumpus13]

I've got several earlier K-frame .357's that I have no problems with at all.

I just keep away from the 125gr. loads in .357 - with .38 shoot whatever you want.


(M13-4, M19-4, M65-3, M66-5, and an L-frame M686)

 

[bronco45]

Several have mentioned 125 gr Hot Loads. They are speaking of the Federal and Remington 1400+fps loads. Those are too hot for the K magnum. Raises hell with the J Magnum.
I use a reduced load 125 grain load for J frames in my 640 Pro. Speer SB 357 135 gr bullet is a great load in either of your Smiths. For simplicity I carry same load in both my 357 Smiths. I have a 66 4" no dash also. Great handgun. For the 4" I use a 158gr LSWC over 13 grains of 2400 for 1,200fps and nicely accurate. Enjoy your new Smith. To clarify, for SD purposes I use the Speer Short Barrel load. For woods carry in the 4" 66 I use the 2400 load under the Lyman 358156 bullet.
Remington makes a reduced load 125gr load for 357 called the Golden Saber load. 1200fps. This should work nicely in your 66 and 640,

 

[veeklog1]

In my 66-1, I only shoot .38 Special through and carry Federal .357 Magnum Hydrashok since a friend gave my lots of it

 

[PeteC]

In my 66-1, I only shoot .38 Special through and carry Federal .357 Magnum Hydrashok since a friend gave my lots of it

Sounds like a good friend, but I would look at the labels carefully.
Hydra-Shok came in a variety of specs. There was a 125 gr .357 Hydra-Shok round once. I would be careful with that one.

 

[Retired W4]

I will not comment about my 2 1/2" 66-1 that I bought new in 1978, as I have mentioned it a lot, reference this subject, here, except to say, maybe I'm lucky.