My new Model 64 (in .357 Magnum)

[scotchblade]

I came across this recently at a local shop. When I asked to handle it, I expected it to be a .38 Special, the stainless steel version of the model 10 with a heavy barrel.

Lo and behold, it's a 64-1, chambered in .357 Magnum with a recessed cylinder! I had the fellow behind the counter drop a .357 round in it to check and it was fine. The front sight looks like it was originally plain stainless, but there is some faded red paint on it that was applied by the previous owner.

I believe it to be one of the 750 Oklahoma Highway Patrol models. The only conflict with that is the serial number on my revolver (D67XXXX) shows a date range of 1974-1975 in the back of the Standard Catalog. That is later than what is shown in the description (image 5).

So I'm not certain what I have here, but here in California, where pickin's are slim, you see something, you'd better grab it!

I welcome any information you can provide.

 

[imakmst]

awesome...first one of those I've seen. very nice

 

[KLYDE]

Congrats on a nice find. One of 1200 M65 prototypes. Lettered mine just to verify it was original. Jinks letter will explain its origin and serial numbers. Only seen one other on the Forum. Member Jaymoore has posted his before. His S/N is very close to mine. How about a couple more of the S/N. Mine is 673203, so it was born near the end of the run. Another LE Forum member was issued one while in service. He stated it was destroyed upon turn in.

We just got to know what you paid for it!!!

 

[pmosley]

Tales of finds such as this are what keep me pulling into every obscure little pawn/gun shop I run across in my travels.

Congratulations - nice revolver.

 

[RWJ]

I also have one of the D6732xx Model 64-1's in .357 that I found on GB a couple of years ago, paid about $350 as I recall. Back in the day, I had a co-worker who had one issued to him (the whole Agency had .38 Model 64's; back then, we thought it was a mis-marked gun.

 

[scotchblade]

Thanks for the information on my lucky find. My serial number is not far from yours Klyde. D673350, which puts it a little outside the D672000+1200 range. But the letter did say approximate.

Not in tip top shape, just some good honest wear. The grips that came on it were not originals. What you see pictured I found on ebay. They too have moderate wear and are a good match for the gun.

Looking forward to giving it a good cleaning and putting some rounds through it.

Cheers

 

[KLYDE]

Thanks for the information on my lucky find. My serial number is not far from yours Klyde. D6733XX. Not in tip top shape, just some good honest wear. The grips that came on it were not originals. What you see pictured I found on ebay. They too have moderate wear and are a good match for the gun.

Looking forward to giving it a good cleaning and putting some rounds through it.

Cheers

Lucky find is right. Now a total of 5 accounted for on the Forum. I'm guessing a good number went to LE upon issue. Be nice to know how many survived.

Mine was wearing goodyears when I found it. Pretty common for that era. No box with mine but it was with a Bucheimer Federal Man holster. Era correct for the gun and probably purchased together. The fellow I purchased it from was the second owner and stated the original owner was a small town sheriff in NH. Forum member Jaymoore has the box with his. Maybe he'll post.

Congrats again.

 

[Retired W4]

I really love these odd S&W revolvers. Yours is one of those great guns that collector like to own. The appeal covers police gun guys, and several others. Congratulations on your find. Kind of like a .357 10-6.

After reading KLYDE's comments, probably better than a .357 magnum 10-6.

 

[ladder13]

I came across this recently at a local shop. When I asked to handle it, I expected it to be a .38 Special, the stainless steel version of the model 10 with a heavy barrel.

Lo and behold, it's a 64-1, chambered in .357 Magnum with a recessed cylinder! I had the fellow behind the counter drop a .357 round in it to check and it was fine. The front sight looks like it was originally plain stainless, but there is some faded red paint on it that was applied by the previous owner.

I believe it to be one of the 750 Oklahoma Highway Patrol models. The only conflict with that is the serial number on my revolver (D67XXXX) shows a date range of 1974-1975 in the back of the Standard Catalog. That is later than what is shown in the description (image 5).

So I'm not certain what I have here, but here in California, where pickin's are slim, you see something, you'd better grab it!

I welcome any information you can provide.

Nice find

 

[Kframerbluvr]

Congrats on a nice find. One of 1200 M65 prototypes. Lettered mine just to verify it was original. Jinks letter will explain its origin and serial numbers. Only seen one other on the Forum. Member in FL I believe. His S/N is very close to mine. How about a couple more of the S/N. Mine is 673203, so it was born near the end of the run. Another retired LE Forum member was issued one while in service. He stated it was destroyed upon turn in.

We just got to know what you paid for it!!!

Yep. My last issued revolver was one of these. SN 672999. And for the record, I haven't retired yet!

 

[KLYDE]

Yep. My last issued revolver was one of these. SN 672999. And for the record, I haven't retired yet!

KFrame,
My apologies for the misquote. Assumed you had retired. Thanks for your serial number. That makes a total of 5 documented. Earliest S/N is yours at D672999 and the latest is the OP's at D673350. Mine and the other 2 are very close in the D6732XX area. I'm going to keep a record on these if any more are posted. Seems like they are all later issued guns. Maybe all the early issues went in a batch to LE agencies.

Thanks for the post.
Regards

 

[Muss Muggins]

I came across this recently at a local shop. When I asked to handle it, I expected it to be a .38 Special, the stainless steel version of the model 10 with a heavy barrel.

Lo and behold, it's a 64-1, chambered in .357 Magnum with a recessed cylinder! I had the fellow behind the counter drop a .357 round in it to check and it was fine. The front sight looks like it was originally plain stainless, but there is some faded red paint on it that was applied by the previous owner.

I believe it to be one of the 750 Oklahoma Highway Patrol models. The only conflict with that is the serial number on my revolver (D67XXXX) shows a date range of 1974-1975 in the back of the Standard Catalog. That is later than what is shown in the description (image 5).

So I'm not certain what I have here, but here in California, where pickin's are slim, you see something, you'd better grab it!

I welcome any information you can provide.

Wow. Just, wow. Very impressive.

 

[Shorty 45 MK2]

Congrats on your newest!

That's a sweet once in a life time find.

 

[Kframerbluvr]

KFrame,
My apologies for the misquote. Assumed you had retired. Thanks for your serial number. That makes a total of 5 documented. Earliest S/N is yours at D672999 and the latest is the OP's at D673350. Mine and the other 2 are very close in the D6732XX area. I'm going to keep a record on these if any more are posted. Seems like they are all later issued guns. Maybe all the early issues went in a batch to LE agencies.

Thanks for the post.
Regards

No apology needed, Sir. In retrospect, I could have written that statement better.

 

[Boogsawaste]

Wow I love these! I always keep my eyes peeled for them (and their 10-6 counterparts). My luck is that I'll come across one when I don't have the funds. Isn't that how it always plays out?

Great find.

 

[eclayton]

Sorry for resurrecting an old thread, but Klyde and others were interested in knowing of other .357 64-1's and I have one. SN is D673253, it has recessed chambers, 64-1 under the crane, all the features described above. I ordered a pair of M65s from a distributor in the mid 1990s advertising police trade-in M65s. To my surprise and confusion at first, one of the guns that arrived was a .357 M64-1. There was no internet to look it up at that time, but I surmised and later asked around and confirmed that it was a forerunner of the M65. It is stamped with a department and an armory rack number on the backstrap. Markings are "P.P.D. 40". It has about the usual amount of carry wear for a duty gun, but timing and lock-up are excellent. I appreciate the information posted here about this variant.

 

[jack the toad]

Welcome aboard eclayton and no apologies necessary on the thread.
Since the last post before yours, I have acquired an OHP (Okla. Highway Patrol) M64-1 that I understand was part of the run of app. 1200 .357 M64's. I think the OHP models numbered 750 IIRC.
Mine is numbered 383 with the OHP badge on the sideplate. Ser#: D668383.