New guy with a few Questions...

[Ryanflathead45]

Hello all...
I have been reading posts on here for awile but have not posted much.

I have been thinking about getting my first revolver. I think I have decided on a .357 mag. I asked a guy at work if he knew of any for sale. He told me that a gun shop in town had a S&W model 66, but he said I would not want that because it would break if you shoot .357s in it... He says I should get a 686.

I have been reading as much as I can find on model 66's And it seems that they are not as bad as he made them sound. Am I missing something? I dont plan on shoothing 1000's of rounds a month or anything. I would just use it for carry sometimes and a little target shooting with my friends every once and awile.

All I know about this gun for sale so far that it is a S&W model 66 with either a 4 or 6 inch barrel. I know that's not much to go on but what would be a high to low price range for a model 66?

Thank you for your time, and any and all comments would be great,

Thanks,
Ryan

 

[pred]

If the price if right and it's in good mechanical condition and you like what you see there in the 66,
They can crack the forcing cone from shooting light weight bullets, BUT they will rarely fail shooting 158 Grain bullets.
The 686 is a heavier gun with a slightly larger frame, So less felt recoil.
So there you go, Get the 66, And dont worry<<<<< You will have a bunch of revolvers soon enough !
Peter
EDIT''
Welcome to the Forum !
BTW a 66 should be in the 400 range and the 686 in the 500 range,
Most of here will find examples for a lot less,
P

 

[Ryanflathead45]

Thanks for the quick reply, and the welcome...

The shope is closed tomorrow, but I thing I'll be making a trip there on Friday...

I guess I forgot to ask of things to look for to make sure that this thing is not wore out and such... Any certain dash number that is better or worse that others?

Thanks again,

 

[Cujohunter]

Down here (New Orleans),66s are going for anywhere between $350 to $475 depending on condition. I own a 66-3 2.5"bbl and it's my favorite so far.

 

[murphydog]

I guess I forgot to ask of things to look for to make sure that this thing is not wore out and such... Any certain dash number that is better or worse that others?

Look at the lands and grooves in the barrel near the cylinder end. The rifling and back end of the barrel (forcing cone) should have sharp edges. If it has been shot at all, you will see some metal erosion on the frame above where the barrel threads. With the cylinder in, there should be minimal if any play front to back while moving it by hand. If you pull back the hammer fully on each chamber, it should lock in place even if you put a little extra resistance on the outside of the cylinder with your thumb while cocking the gun with your other hand.

Finally, a gun with lots of dings and scratches may not have been shot a lot, so look more at the mechanical condition. The no-dash and earlier models (-1 and 2) are more collectible, but functionally the later ones are the same and perhaps better in some respects.

 

[G.T. Smith]

hey ryanflathead45,
I like the sound of that. I used to ride a nice 1942 WLA. the heads and cam cover were still OD green. I still have a transmission for a 45 and i think it "may" have reverse.
Not familiar with 66's though. I still kinda miss my WLA. I wound up with a 1947 knuckle.
peace,
gordon

 

[Messer]

Thanks for the quick reply, and the welcome...

The shope is closed tomorrow, but I thing I'll be making a trip there on Friday...

I guess I forgot to ask of things to look for to make sure that this thing is not wore out and such... Any certain dash number that is better or worse that others?

Thanks again,

Welcome to the forum.

Here are a couple of guides to buying a used revolver...
The Sixgun Journal - Revolver Buyers Guide
Revolver Checkout Procedure

I have a model 65 (same as model 66 but without adjustable rear sight) that I love & trust. The way I look at it, if the plan is to shoot a lot & carry a little = 686. If it's carry a lot, shoot on occasion = 66 (or in my case, 65)

Good luck,
Bob S.

 

[Ryanflathead45]

Thanks for all they info and help guys. I did not get the chance to get to the gun shop before they closed today. I'm starting to feel a little better informed about revolvers but I still have lots to learn... I'll try to keep the stupid questions to a minimum.


G.T. Smith, you hit the nail on the head about my screen name. I have 45" solo that me (and other family members) put together over a 4 year period. Dad gave me an engine, frame and small box of parts for my 17th Birthday.

It is about to under go another rebuild due to a major wreck that happened in September 08. I woman pulled out in front of me while I was going down the highway...but that is another story....

 

[Ryanflathead45]

Update

I went to the gun shop today at lunch to look at the 66.

It is a 66 (no dash) with a 4" barrel. It has some scratches and some pitting on the cyclinder and on the barrel where the shell release pin lays... From pictures I have seen on here is hard the factory target stocks with the "football" cut out at the top. The stocks are dirty and have a few nicks.. It seems very mech sound. The sticker price is $495

There was a 66-1 2.5 inch barrel in about the same condition and a few 19's and they were all $495

I'm not real sure what to do, they seem a little high for the condition they are in. I will probably just shop around some more...

 

[jughed440]

a 2 1/2" 66 will easily sell for 50-100 more than a 4"...they're a lot harder to find, and a lot of people want them for carry.

personally, i'd give the snubs a lot more consideration over the common 4"

 

[RHINOWSO]

I'm not real sure what to do, they seem a little high for the condition they are in. I will probably just shop around some more...

Another thing to consider is your location. Gun prices can vary widely depending on where you are.

But you are correct, those prices seem high to me as well. I lucked upon a 66-3, 4" w/ box and mint wood grips. The gun itself is a little dinged up here and there, no rust though. $350. It was during the holiday rush and I think the shop wanted to clear out inventory as well. It was marked $450 and they dropped $100 with me just saying I needed to think about it.

I do prefer my 65-3, 3" RB however.

Welcome. Take your time and find a gun you want at a reasonable price. And when you find a really nice one, haggle to get the price you want... but if you want it, don't be afraid to pay a little more... in the end if you really like it, what is a little $.

 

[DeadAye]

The 2 1/2" 66-1 *might* be worth $500, but I believe the others are too high. You might try making them a lower offer though - The worse they can do is let the dogs loose on you...

My first scoot was a 45-45 - Then a 48 Pan. I really missed the rigids till I got a swing-arm. OK - I still miss the rigid frame bikes - Nothing handles as well, but the swing-arm is really close.

 

[dryrider]

I bought a 357 66-5 with a 4" barrel...very nice shape for 395.00 and put a shine on it myself. I think it shoots great and use it when I am out on some ATV outings for target practice. I don't think it's much of a carry gun but that just me...pretty heavy gun. Don't worry about the forcing cone stuff check it over and make sure no cracks and buy it. People try-ed to steer me away from it, but I'm not running 10,000 rounds through it either and even if I did...they say 158 can be shot all day.