I was doing a little research today. According to the current edition of the Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson, the initial batch of 100 was manufactured in May of 1970, with the lowest serial number known being K949100. Curiously, serial number K949126 has been verified as not shipping until August of 1972. That's a rather long and inexplicable time lag.
Early Model 66's
- Thread starter Goony
- Start date
odd, but not unprecedented with S&W manufacturing process...
I know next to nothing about the manufacturing process and less than nothing about the management of it.
I can only assume they forged a bunch of frames and dropped them in a big container and made various K frame models using any of those frames.
I don’t know if they were stamped before they were designated to be a certain model or afterwards.
I would imagine they were stamped before they were polished and finished, and before they had the barrel and cylinder fitted.. I know some were sequential pairs. I do not know if they took random pairs that were stamped sequentially decided that they would be.designated collector pairs?
These are all things I would be interested in finding out.
I know the factory were busy making 29s after Dirty Harry came out. Maybe that might count for something?
A first year 66 would be a nice find.
I can only assume they forged a bunch of frames and dropped them in a big container and made various K frame models using any of those frames.
I don’t know if they were stamped before they were designated to be a certain model or afterwards.
I would imagine they were stamped before they were polished and finished, and before they had the barrel and cylinder fitted.. I know some were sequential pairs. I do not know if they took random pairs that were stamped sequentially decided that they would be.designated collector pairs?
These are all things I would be interested in finding out.
I know the factory were busy making 29s after Dirty Harry came out. Maybe that might count for something?
A first year 66 would be a nice find.
OP
Goony
Member
Post #15 in this other recent thread seems to address my question:
https://smith-wessonforum.com/threads/one-of-the-first-model-66s.795751/
https://smith-wessonforum.com/threads/one-of-the-first-model-66s.795751/
Smith & Wesson did not ship according to serial number. It is my understanding that they were pulled randomly from the vault and then shipped. This made it possible for a gun to sit for an extended period before being pulled and shipped. I have two or three that fall into this category.
Yes. The protypes and tooling test pieces usually didn't ship early, when you would expect them too.
The same can be said for the Automatic Improvement Project (AIP) pistols. Most of them shipped well after early standard production 3rd gens.
45NUTT
Member
My 66 ND is number 4K59418. It has the stainless sights.
The 9mm double action pistol (later the Model 39) is a good example. I quote the following from an article I wrote back in 2013:
In the mid-1950s, 1,000 copies of the Model 39 frame were manufactured using carbon steel. A few of these were used for test guns, particularly for the anticipated military orders, which never materialized. The rest were stored in the vault, where they sat for nearly 10 years.
In 1965, the Wesson family sold the company to the international conglomerate, Bangor Punta Corporation. The following year, 1966, 927 of the steel frames were pulled from the vault and assembly was completed. These steel frame Model 39s were then sold through the normal distribution channels. Except for a few special issue guns, these were the only steel frame Model 39 pistols ever produced or sold. The steel frame guns were sold alongside of the alloy frame pistols, which are far more common.
Factory records and shipping logs for early Model 66s were messy as hell, guns sat around the plant for months or even years before they actually left, especially during that 1970-72 transition period.
SS336
US Veteran
I have had my M66 ND, serial number 4K186XX, since 1975. It was a gift from my Father.
It has stainless sights, but I changed the rear sight blade to a white outline blue one. I have the original football targets it came with. It has been carried on duty, hunting and has been shot a lot. still is very accurate and looks good.
Maybe someone can give me a close estimate when it was made and if anyone is keeping a list of early 66's can add it to it.
It has stainless sights, but I changed the rear sight blade to a white outline blue one. I have the original football targets it came with. It has been carried on duty, hunting and has been shot a lot. still is very accurate and looks good.
Maybe someone can give me a close estimate when it was made and if anyone is keeping a list of early 66's can add it to it.
Kind of interesting story. My great uncle got one of the very first 4” Model 66’s as a the Rangemaster for the Canal Zone Police Department in the early 70’s right before his retirement. After retiring he moved to the Tampa Florida area. He was in a local gun shop and during a conversation with the owner he said he had a stainless steel version of the Model 19. The store owner had never even heard about them and offered basically double what my great uncle paid for the gun. My great uncle happily sold him the 66 and simply went back to his wonderful meticulously maintained Model 19 that apparently was a much better shooter.
It would have made sense for those first Model 66’s to have been shipped to a police agency in the Canal Zone very early in their production.
It would have made sense for those first Model 66’s to have been shipped to a police agency in the Canal Zone very early in their production.
4K18000 is a 1973 serial number.
Arik
Member
- Joined
- Jan 22, 2012
- Messages
- 16,656
- Reaction score
- 17,274
- City & State/Province
- Outside Philadelphia Pa
I have 4k102XX
Also 1973. 4K serial numbers in that year ran from 4K1628 to 4K54104.
I had two Ashland 66-2, sequential serial numbers. The gentleman I bought them from purchased directly from Ashland shooters supply for $325 each. Later production but I don't think sequential is uncommon.
Looks like someone took some smooth targets and put wide checkering on them unless these are after market or maybe special order?
Last edited:
I don't believe S&W predesignated any handguns as "collector pairs". You could order a pair with consecutive serial numbers and S&W would fill the order but charge extra for keeping track of the pair in the plant ($5 or $10 per gun depending on the time frame).
Bill
Bill
45NUTT
Member
So 4K59418 was made in 1974?
OP
Goony
Member
I hadn't realized that 66's with stainless sights persisted up into the 4K serial number range. It's pretty clear to me that the Standard Catalog's rather misleading regarding early 66's that came with the stainless sights, in that they say on the one hand that the initial batch was completed in May of 1970, and also that the stainless sights were to be found only during the "first year and a half of production". A reasonable interpretation of those statements taken together would be that the switchover to black sights would've then occurred by the end of 1971, but it's clear the stainless sights were still being furnished well into 1973.
Thanks, Bill. That would make sense.
So, sequential pairs were special order?
Then I guess they let the SN guy know to keep a pair together.
Do you happen to know if the serial numbers were struck before they were designated to be a certain model?
I.e. would they make a hundred model 19’s in sequence or just pull frames already struck with the SN to be made into any given model?
They actually went into the 7K’s for 4”. 7K17787 has stainless sights, 7K42893 has a red ramp and blued rear sight. Haven’t seen any between the two.
This is also when the gas ring was moved to the yoke and a S&WCA article reads this happened in July, 1975.
Since 4K serial numbers from 1974 were from 4K54105 to 4K99999, I'd say you reached a reasonable conclusion.
SS336
US Veteran
I tell people, occasionally, that they are the only K-frame Cokes in existence. Some might believe me.
Yes they are smooth presentation stocks I bought from fleabus101 a few years ago. Curt Harlow reshaped them and checkered them in that style. He did his usual masterful job and they get a lot of questions at the range sometimes. The diamond not around the screw escutcheon saves me from any patent infringement problems.
They look fabulous.
I tell people, occasionally, that they are the only K-frame Cokes in existence. Some might believe me.
Yes they are smooth presentation stocks I bought from fleabus101 a few years ago. Curt Harlow reshaped them and checkered them in that style. He did his usual masterful job and they get a lot of questions at the range sometimes. The diamond not around the screw escutcheon saves me from any patent infringement problems.
Curt does terrific work.
My 66ND IS SERISL 2K721.. and has carbon steel rear sight—not white outline—and red insert ramped front sight. Gun mfg in 1971. The screw in side of frame that retains yoke lacks the springy tip. Nice one too
I have a sequential pair of 66-1’s, often wondered how one would wind up with a sequential numbered pair….mine are new in the box, as tempting as it is to take to the range!!
Attachments
Rock185
US Veteran
My 66 is 2K9xxxx, 1972 I believe. I shot it a lot. I carried at work for several years, shot it recreationally, mostly with factory Magnums or hand loaded equivalents. By 1980 it was getting pretty loose, spitting lead, etc. S&W overhauled it, and about the only original parts left are the frame, side plate and rear sight. When it came back from S&W in '80, it had a red ramp front and black rear sight. I think the black sight was blackened stainless, as it has an S stamped on the bottom. About the time my 66 came back from S&W, I switched to carrying an L-Frame, so the 66 has lead an easy life in the 46 years since. They are nice little revolvers in any case. By the way, those K-Frame "Cokes" are beautiful
Doc44's post #15 in that thread explains the disposition of most of those pre-production/prototypes pretty well.
Good old fleabus. I bought several stocks from his collection. He was a good man.
Frames were made and the serial number was roll marked on the butt. Most N-frames were interchangeable except for the ones used to make the 1955 45 Target and 44 Magnum which required the frame nose diameter be 0.950 inch to accept the bull barrel (other N-frames have a nose diameter of 0.930 inch). Serial numbered frames were stored in groups and pulled at random to make a certain model when a build order was received. I don't have the details for K-frames, but the frame nose diameter required for a .357 Combat Magnum may have been slightly larger than for models with a tapered barrel.
Bill
Bill
